Achiote Paste

Fun alert! Spices offer so many ways to play with flavor and texture, and making achiote paste is a great one. Made with a combination of annatto seeds, spices and a little bit of liquid to bind it together, the paste can be used in a variety of rubs, marinades and sauces. Annatto seeds are the star and they provide an earthy flavor and deep red color to your food. The seeds are very hard and most easily ground in a high speed blender or electric spice grinder. Alternatively, you can put some elbow grease behind your mortar & pestle or molcajete to get the job done. Use the paste made fresh, keep it in the fridge or freeze in ice cube shapes so you'll always have some of this fantastic flavor on hand. The paste is traditionally formed into a brick for easy use.

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Khmeli Suneli Chicken Stroganoff

To be clear, the origins of this recipe lie in the Eastern European country of Georgia, not the southern American state or the revolutionary era in Great Britain. This small country lies nestled between Azerbaijan, Russia, Armenia, Turkey and the Black Sea. Accordingly, its cuisine has been influenced by both eastern and western cultures, and nowhere is this more apparent than in the distinctive spice blend, Khmeli Suneli. Traditionally used in meat, grain or bean dishes, we're using it here to help liven up a traditional Georgian dish of chicken and sour cream, which you may recognize as a kind of Russian Stroganoff. We're deepening the flavor by adding mushrooms and some additional Hungarian Paprika, as well as a finishing touch of roasted walnut oil. Served over egg noodles, mashed potatoes or even cauliflower mash, you'll find this uniquely flavored dish a welcome addition to your recipe collection.

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Cheddar Cheese Coins

Appetizers aren't just for parties and gatherings. Whether you just want some snacks for watching tv or something to nibble on while catching up on that novel, this is the cookbook for you. The experts at Cook's Illustrated have put together 75 "only the best" appetizer recipes to help you find something for any time of the year. All-Time Best Appetizers Cookbook makes it easy to create a spread with everything from things that can be dipped, spread, eaten by the handful or two-bite treats. These Cheddar Cheese Coins, as well as their different variations, would be perfect for a wine and cheese plate or...just to snack on. From the authors: "Why this recipe works - When it comes to homemade crackers, you need a recipe that's easy, versatile, and packs a huge flavor punch. We wanted to come up with a simple, foolproof version that would be cheesy, buttery, and just a little spicy. We started with a full 8 ounces of cheese and a touch of salt, cayenne, and paprika. We used the food processor to combine the dry ingredients and the shredded cheese, which helped to keep the coins tender by limiting the handling of the dough. Adding a little cornstarch with the flour further ensured that the coins baked up flaky and buttery. We processed the dry ingredients with chilled butter until the mixture resembled wet sand, added water, and processed until the dough came together. Next, we rolled the dough into logs, refrigerated them until firm, and then sliced them into thin coins before baking until lightly golden and perfectly crisp. With this simple technique, it's easy to vary the cheese and flavorings used to suit any taste."

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Fried Eggplant Roll-Ups

One of the countries in the Persian culinary region that has colorful and flavorful food is Georgia. Nestled between the Caucasus Mountains and the Black Sea, Georgia has a climate similar to the Mediterranean's, and a love of vegetables blended with walnuts and vibrant herbs. This recipe from Naomi Duguid's book Taste of Persia shows up how the combination of eggplant and a rich walnut paste can make for one delicious dish. From the author: "These succulent roll-ups are one of the treasures of the Georgian table. Strips of fried eggplant are coated with spiced walnut paste and rolled up. They're best if made an hour or more ahead of time and slightly chilled, so that the filling firms up and the flavors have time to blend. Badrigiani make a great appetizer, though in Georgia they are usually served as part of a wide selection of dishes at a meal."

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Spicy Baked Hominy

We love this easy recipe from Rustic Joyful Food by Danielle Kartes! Danielle's book is chock-full of simple and delicious New American recipes that the author has lovingly collected, prepared and improved. When we read the book, we fell in love with the basic spicing and ease of preparation in this recipe for spicy baked hominy, which can stand alone as a snack or serve as an all-purpose addition to almost any meal. From the Author: "I love Corn Nuts and was trying to make them one day, but all I got were these heavenly, chewy, salty, spicy bits of corn goodness that I ate until they were gone! I imagine they'd be amazing as a topping to salads and soups and even street tacos! Crack a beer, and enjoy this guilt-free snack."

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Southwest Pumpkin Soup

This southwest pumpkin soup is a delicious fall treat, perfectly spiced with warm heat from our Chorizo Bomb. Sultry smoke from our perennial favorite, smoked paprika, rounds out the taste. Cooking your own pumpkin for this recipe is really easy, but the canned pureé works fine as well. Serve it up with crusty bread and a nice porter or stout and you’ve got an instant Oktoberfest!

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Chermoula

Afro-Vegan by Bryant Terry is a mainstay vegan cookbook on our shelves at home. He researched traditional Southern cooking, going back to its roots in Africa and the Caribbean, but made the recipes vegan. The results are delicious! (Bonus: Every recipe has a song choice, too!) We especially love this recipe. Chermoula is a versatile marinade combining fresh herbs with dried spices, oils and citrus to create layers of flavor. It is used liberally in Algerian, Libyan, Moroccan and Tunisian cooking to flavor fish, seafood, meats and vegetables.

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