Recipes
Cooling Green Tea Punch
Get ready for warm weather with this Cooling Green Tea Punch! We like to keep iced tea on hand all summer long, and this combination of green and herbal makes a wonderful cocktail base. Try it with Rwandan Green for a mild flavor, or with Gunpowder Green for a stronger green tea taste. Mellow and cooling Spearmint is your summer mint tea best friend! White rum, nutmeg and lime lend Caribbean flourish to make your cocktail hour feel as good as a beach vacation.
Learn moreScary-Good Shortbread Cookies
Boo! Now THIS is playing with food. Let your creativity run wild, or scary, or holiday with this simple shortbread recipe. There are endless flavor combinations. The shortbread is buttery and not too sweet which makes it easily adaptable to a range of flavors and a perfect pairing for your fall beverage of choice. For Halloween we've used Matcha to make the spooky Frankenstein and Advieh for the pumpkins, but adapt the recipe to your taste. If you smell a spice and it makes you think of cookies, bake with it!
Learn moreMexican Street Corn
Full of flavor and a crowd pleasing party food, Mexican Street Corn has become a seasonal favorite. The rich roasted corn topped with creamy sauce is the perfect base for our Yucatan Rojo BBQ Rub. The spices are subtle and complement the corn with hints of cumin, allspice and true cinnamon. Annatto seeds add a pop of color and earthy base while fresh cilantro and lime finish the dish.
Learn morePumpkin Seed Dip with Yucatan Rojo Spiced Oil
This traditional Yucatan dip, known as Sikil Pak, is made from a base of ground pumpkin seeds, or pepitas. On its own, it has a fresh, creamy, nutty taste, lighter in flavor but similar in texture to a traditional hummus dip. But when drizzled with our Yucatan Rojo spiced oil, something magical happens. Each bite offers a contrast in flavors, with the earthy Rojo-spiced oil adding a vivid contrast to the mellowness of the pepitas, elevating this Mexican party dish to a whole new level. This dip whips up in a jiffy, especially if you use pre-salted and roasted pepitas, though you can opt to toast your own. Serve it with crackers or tortilla chips, along with fresh crudites such as sliced jicama, carrots, snap peas and green pepper strips for an inventive alternative at your next barbeque or potluck. The spiced oil also makes a great topping when drizzled on fish tacos, scrambled eggs, burgers, pizza, or just about anything else you can think of.
Learn moreNigella Wheat - Free Thins
These delightful grain-free crackers are sure to become a favored new addition to your baking repertoire. Slightly sweet from the almond flour, yet savory enough to use with a dip, these wheat-free, grain-free crackers are easy to make and keep exceptionally well for whenever that 'crunchy' craving hits. The Nigella Seed add an extra dimension of toasty, oniony flavor and a toothy bite that creates an exceptionally satisfying mouth-feel. Nutritional yeast is an inactive yeast that lends a cheesy, nutty, savory flavor as well as a bounty of nutrients, including B vitamins, trace minerals and all 9 essential amino acids. The result? All of the taste, but none of the guilt in a snappy little snack cracker.
Learn moreNigella Watermelon Salad
Nothing says summer quite like watermelon, and this salad has all the right flavors to complement it. Juicy watermelon chunks are dressed with lime juice for an unbelievable sweet/tart pairing. Nutty arugula and savory onion hints from the nigella seeds add a hint of savory crunch. And because my crowd is always game for a little extra summer heat, a sprinkle of Marash chile flakes round out the finish. This salad is easy to whip up for a weeknight side dish and scales up nicely for a crowd pleasing BBQ or picnic.
Learn morePecan Sandies
Our favorite secret ingredient for baking, Kashmiri Garam Masala, infuses these cookies with subtle flavor in every bite. The cookies have a delightful texture that falls apart in your mouth and not on the plate just as it should be. The recipe makes extra spiced nuts that you can serve or gobble up while the cookies bake.
Learn moreCrowd Pleasing Party Dips
Perfect for snacking or for parties, spiced yogurt dips are easy to make and keep well in the fridge for up to a week. One container of plain Greek yogurt or sour cream and 2-3 tablespoons of spice are all you need. Our seasoning blends offer a fresh flavor profile you won't find in the average packet. Our favorite is the Cascade Mushroom Mix because it has a strong dose of onion and garlic along with some powdered Worcestershire for a deep umami flavor.
Learn moreBeef and Bean Taquitos with Avocado Sauce
'Tis the season for hosting parties. While sometimes that can be a bit stressful, the experts at Cook's Illustrated have come out with this book of 75 "only the best" appetizer recipes to reduce some of the stress. All-Time Best Appetizers Cookbook makes it easy to create a spread with everything from things that can be dipped, spread, or eaten by the handful to two-bite treats. These Beef and Bean Taquitos with Avocado Sauce are great for any get together...or for a "finger food" dinner. From the authors: "Why this recipe works - Making crunchy, golden taquitos is easy for restaurant cooks with access to a deep-fryer; our goal was to make them foolproof for home cooks, too. Adding mashed pinto beans to a seasoned ground beef filling and rolling the taquitos tightly helped the filling hold together. Sealing the edge with egg wash offered extra insurance, and frying in a mere cup of oil prevented the taquitos from unrolling as they cooked."
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