If you’re having some friends over for a weekend work-free chat fest, a sports party, or a gaming session after class, you’ll want to have some snacks on hand to make things fun and keep everyone fortified. Here are some snacks on the spicier side of things from the awesome folks over at Food Network that your friends will love.
- Habanero Salsa
Puree one 28-ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes, 2 chopped seeded habaneros, 1/2 cup cilantro, 1 minced garlic clove, the juice of 2 limes, 1/2 chopped red onion and 1 teaspoon each ground cumin and kosher salt.
- Chorizo Quesadillas
Spread 1 tablespoon refried beans on each of 3 flour tortillas; divide 1/4 cup shredded pepper jack and 8 ounces cooked crumbled chorizo among the tortillas. Top each with sliced scallions and a tortilla. Cook in a hot buttered skillet, 2 minutes per side. Serve with 1 cup sour cream pureed with 1/2 avocado, 1 tablespoon each lime juice and jalapeno hot sauce and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.
- Thai Crab Cakes
Combine 8 ounces lump crabmeat, 1/4 cup each chopped cilantro, bean sprouts and breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons mayonnaise and 1 tablespoon each fish sauce, Dijon mustard, lime juice and minced fresh Thai chiles. Form into twenty 1-inch patties. Shallow-fry in vegetable oil until golden on both sides. Serve with Thai sweet chili sauce.
- Sriracha Franks
Bring 1 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup each soy sauce and rice vinegar, 3 tablespoons each brown sugar and Sriracha, 1 grated garlic clove and 2 teaspoons grated ginger to a simmer. Add a 14-ounce package cocktail franks; cook until warm, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Stuffed Hot Peppers
Roll sliced hot capicola around pepper Jack cubes; stuff into stemmed and cored pickled hot cherry peppers. Skewer with toothpicks; drizzle with olive oil.
- Spicy Garlic Bread
Puree 4 tablespoons softened butter, 1/4 cup each olive oil and chopped parsley, 4 grated garlic cloves, 1 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes and 1 teaspoon dried oregano. Spread on a split baguette; season with salt. Broil until toasted.
- Sichuan Bacon
Arrange 1 pound thick-cut bacon on 2 racks set on rimmed baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees F, 15 minutes. Microwave 1/2 cup brown sugar with 1 tablespoon Sriracha, 1 minute; stir until smooth. Spread on the bacon and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons crushed Sichuan peppercorns, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and 6 crumbled dried chiles de arbol. Bake until crisp, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Chipotle Onion Rings
Slice 2 sweet onions into 1/2-inch-thick rings. Soak in 1 cup buttermilk whisked with 3 tablespoons chopped chipotles in adobo, 20 minutes. Whisk 1 1/2 cups flour with 1 tablespoon chipotle chile powder and 1 1/2 teaspoons each baking powder and kosher salt; whisk in 21/2 cups buttermilk. Dredge the onion rings in flour, then dip in the batter. Deep-fry in 360 degrees F vegetable oil until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and chipotle chile powder.
- Pepper Jelly Chicken Wings
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Dry the wings with a paper towel. Sprinkle salt and pepper evenly over the chicken. Place on a pan. Bake for ten minutes on each side. Combine habanero pepper jelly and butter in a small saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until the butter and the pepper jelly are melted, or when they reach a simmer.