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Sakuraco Vs. Bokksu - Which Offers The BEST Authentic Japan Experience?

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This page may contain affiliate links. So I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link. This is a sponsored post about Sakuraco vs. Bokksu - Which Offers The BEST Authentic Japan Experience?

A Sakuraco box in the background with a packet of green tea and a cup of brewing green tea in front of the Sakuraco box. An opened Snack Guide from the Sakuraco box is in the foreground.

As I write this I am savoring a cup of Hokkaido Genmaicha tea from a Sakuraco Holidays In Hokkaido snack box, dreaming of Japan. I had the privilege of visiting Japan a few years ago, and completely fell in love with the country's traditions, culture, food, and people.

Back home in the United States, I've discovered that one of the best ways that I can continue my love of Japan is through Japan's food. Whether it be drinking Japanese tea, cooking a Japanese dish, or enjoying Japan's incredible array of snacks, I can savor a taste of Japan even though I am 1000's of miles away.

When it comes to snacks, I am craving authentic Japanese snacks. Fortunately, you and I can get our hands on these authentic snacks through monthly subscription boxes. These are conveniently delivered to our doors filled to the brim with incredible Japanese snacks!

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Sakuraco and Bokksu - Leaders In The Japanese Subscription Snack Box Services

Sakuraco and Bokksu are two of the best known Japanese Subscription Snack Box companies. If you, like me, are excited about indulging in authentic Japanese snacks, then you may be considering one of these two companies.

Both companies offer monthly snack boxes containing a mix of sweet and savory flavors, tea pairings, and snack guides for your delight.

These boxes offer curated snacks that are different from month to month based on different themes. The themes include seasonal and cultural themes, as well as highlighting various areas of Japan and the culinary traditions or foods that the area is renowned for.

If You Value A Deeper Understanding Of Japanese Culture, Choose Sakuraco

However, Sakuraco has some distinctions that make it a clear choice for those of us that value a deeper appreciation of Japanese culture and traditions, experienced through enjoying artisanal Japanese teas and snacks.

So please read on to discover why Sakuraco outshines Bokksu when it comes to providing the BEST Japan Experience for you!

Why Sakuraco Delivers The BEST Japan Experience For You!

In this post, I will compare Sakuraco and Bokksu and will give you my opinion and verdict on why Sakuraco offers the BEST authentic Japan experience for you. I will also compare other factors to consider including pricing and shipping.

The reasons are clear why you should choose Sakuraco if you are after the most authentic Japanese snacking experience:

  • Sakuraco is based in Japan whereas Bokksu is not
  • Local makers and artisans are selected and chosen by Sakuraco which helps to keep and preserve Japanese culture and traditions
  • You will be the recipient of a wonderful Japanese home good in the Sakuraco boxes, which will help elevate your snacking experience and become a treasured keepsake
  • Sakuraco offers 100% wagashi and doesn't include dagashi. Wagashi are more culturally significant than dagashi, which may be included in some of Bokksu's snack boxes
  • Although some options that Bokksu offers may be a bit cheaper, you'll get better value for money with Sakuraco due to the higher quality of the artisanal snacks and the home good included in their box. And if you'd like to try out a single box, Sakuraco could work out less expensive for you

So now I'll explain more in detail about why you should choose Sakuraco.

First, a little bit about the background of each company!

Sakuraco and Bokksu Backgrounds

Sakuraco was founded by Ayumi Chikamoto in 2021. She began sharing Japanese snacks with TokyoTreat in 2015, but wanted to offer a service that focused more on Japanese snack and afternoon tea culture. So, Sakuraco was born!

Bokksu was founded in 2015-2016 by Danny Taing. Danny fell in love with Japanese snacks while living in Japan. He started Bokksu so that people outside of Japan could also enjoy the special snacks very often made by family businesses that didn't sell their snacks overseas.

Sakuraco is based in Japan, and Bokksu is based in New York City in the US, with a second office in Tokyo.

As Sakuraco is actually based in Japan, it means that they are able to better support the local businesses in their community, which helps them to deliver a true authentic cultural experience.

What Is In The Boxes And The Unboxing Experience

Both Sakuraco and Bokksu Snack Boxes are attractive boxes filled to the brim with snacks.

I love in particular the beautiful boxes from Sakuraco, which come with a label stating that it was "Carefully Crafted In Japan." The box pictured below is their Valentine themed February 2025 box.

A Valentine themed Sakuraco box.
Beautiful Valentine themed box...
A Valentine themed Sakuraco box with the words "Japanese Artisan Snack Box" in English and Japanese, and a label on the box stating "Carefully Crafted in Japan."
Carefully crafted in Japan!

The unboxing experience is a delight, and the presentation of both boxes is top notch.

Each Sakuraco box also comes with a postcard from Ayumi Chikamoto, the founder of the company. There is a beautiful Japanese scene on one side of the postcard, and the other side is Ayumi's warm note to her Sakuraco family explaining the theme for that month's box.

A Valentine's themed Sakuraco box opened to show a Japanese style postcard on top of the contents in the box.

Both boxes also include Snack and Culture Guides. These beautifully illustrated guides include detailed information on on the snacks and teas which come with the snack boxes, as well as allergen information. These guides are essential in enriching your snack experience.

It's interesting to note that Sakuraco's guide is read from right to left (as in Japan), whereas Bokksu's guide is left to right (as in the US).

A Valentine themed Sakuraco box opened to show it full of Japanese snacks. The Snack Guide is laid out in front of the box.

These guides also offer information and stories about Japanese culture, and most importantly some of the makers of the snacks are also highlighted.

There are a variety of both sweet and savory snacks, as well as tea pairings, in each box.

However, I absolutely love that Sakuraco includes a piece of traditional tableware in each of their boxes. There's nothing like using the tableware you receive to enhance the experience of enjoying your snacks and treats!

VERDICT: Sakuraco

Both boxes are beautiful, come with informative and fun Snack Guides, and are filled with tasty Japanese snacks. But I have to give Sakuraco the edge because of the Japanese home good that comes in their boxes. Your home good will last a lot longer than your snacks, and you may be able to include it in your snack time to display a snack on a dish, or rest your teacup on a beautiful coaster!

Sakuraco vs. Bokksu Quality, Authenticity, And Quantity Of Snacks

Both Sakuraco and Bokksu offer some tasty savory and sweet snacks! Now let's discover more about the quality of their snacks and how they are selected.

Sakuraco

When you subscribe to Sakuraco, you will receive the same monthly snack box that everyone receives in the month you subscribe.

Their boxes often highlight different regions and areas of Japan each month. For example, the December 2024 box theme was "Holidays in Hokkaido," and featured authentic snacks and tea from northern prefecture such as Hokkaido Strawberry Chocolate Cookie.

And their February 2025 box is a Valentine themed box "Valentine's Delights," which is perfect for sharing with your loved one or loved ones!

There 20 authentic Japanese snacks and candy in each Sakuraco box, which are 100% locally hand-picked. This means that they can guarantee that only the highest quality and the finest snacks are selected for their customers.

A Valentine themed Sakuraco box opened to show it full of Japanese snacks. There is a glimpse of the Snack Guide laid out in front of the box.

Sakuraco partners with local prefectures, and have built close relationships and work directly with family-owned Japanese businesses whose passions are making traditional authentic snacks. These artisans have dedicated their lives to the pursuit of making the perfect snacks for us to enjoy.

The snacks, candy, and tea that come in the Sakuraco boxes are traditional authentic snacks made by local makers.

Sakuraco offers high quality wagashi, and not dagashi. Wagashi play a central role in Japanese culture, with a compelling history and tradition behind them. These snacks often accompany green tea and are served at special occasions as well as tea ceremonies.

Dagashi on the other hand, are much more casual snacks that are typically less expensive and not associated with special occasions. They also are not culturally significant like wagashi are.

Bokksu

Each Bokksu box includes 20-22 Japanese snacks and tea, also sourced from local makers in Japan.

With Bokksu, everyone's first box will be their "Seasons of Japan" themed box. This box is "a year-round taste tour of Japan with some of the best snacks Bokksu has curated."

After the first box, subscribers will receive the monthly themed boxes. Past themes have included Onsen Vacations and Autumn Hues Awaken, as well as a Summer in Okinawa box highlighting this beautiful Japanese island's flavors.

Bokksu also works with small family-run businesses, which you can feel good about supporting when you subscribe.

As Bokksu focuses on different themes, their boxes may include a mixture of traditional snacks as well as dagashi. These boxes offer a well-rounded snacking experience as they include high quality Japanese sweets and candy, savory snacks, and teas, and do not come with a Japanese home good as Sakuraco does.

VERDICT: Sakuraco

Sakuraco offers a more authentic Japan experience than Bokksu does. They emphasize offering high quality wagashi, traditional snacks with cultural significance. This will give you a more genuine Japanese cultural snacking experience.

If quantity matters to you, then it's possible you may receive a couple more snacks in a Bokksu box. However, if you value the higher quality that artisanal snacks offer, then go with Sakuraco.

Sakuraco vs. Bokksu Pricing and Value For Money

As of this writing, here is a price comparison for monthly box subscriptions from Sakuraco and Bokksu:

SakuracoBokksu
1 month$37.50/month (total $37.50/month)$39.99/month (total $39.99/month)
3 months$35.50/month (total $106.50/quarterly)$34.99/month (total $104.97/quarterly)
6 months$33.50/month (total $201.00/bi-annually)$32.99/month (total $197.94/bi-annually)
12 months$32.50/month (total $390.00/year)$29.99/month (total $359.88/year)
Shipping per box to the US$12.50$9.99
Estimated delivery time to the US2-14 business days after shipping1-2 weeks after shipping

With both boxes, you'll save more the longer term that you choose to subscribe to. The prices are fairly similar, with the biggest difference being the 12 month subscription.

Both services allow you to manage your subscription, including skipping a month or cancelling at any time if you wish.

Be aware that if you decide on the 1 month option with either company, you are still signing up for a subscription. This means if you only want one box, you will have to cancel your account after ordering the one box.

Occasionally they will offer deals with your first order. For example, as of this writing, Sakuraco is offering $5.00 off when you submit your email on their form.

So, if you'd like to try out a single box, Sakuraco would be the better option if you include the $5.00 off your first order offer.

Please note that the shipping costs may be different than what is in the above chart depending on what country the box is going to. You'll want to check each companies website to determine your actual shipping cost.

VERDICT: Sakuraco

Although Bokksu may be a bit cheaper, I feel that Sakuraco offers the greater value for money not only because of the superb quality and authenticity of their snacks, but also because of the inclusion of the keepsake home good that comes in each box.

Also if you only want to try out a single box, Sakuraco ends up being the less expensive option if you are able to take advantage of a discount on your first order.

Go With Sakuraco For The BEST Japan Experience!

A Valentine themed Sakuraco box opened to show it full of Japanese snacks. The Snack Guide laid out in front of the box.

If you value wanting a deeper appreciation for an understanding of Japan and its culture and traditions, you'll want to choose Sakuraco over Bokksu for your Japanese snack box subscription.

Sakuraco is dedicated to bringing you the BEST Japan snacking experiences! From the Sakuraco website, you can clearly see that:

  • They are passionate about "bringing authentic Japanese sweets, local specialties and their history to the world."
  • Sharing authentic Japanese culture and tradition, especially tea culture, is a key feature of their services to their community
  • Last but not least, Sakuraco was awarded the Cool Japan Matching Award 2022 by the Japanese Government for Leading Export Special Award! This means that Sakuraco has been "Recognized by the Japanese Government as an important bridge to the rest of the world providing the best of Japanese traditional snacks and teas" (per Sakuraco website). How cool is that? 😊

So what are you waiting for? Head over to Sakuraco and subscribe to enjoy the absolute BEST in Japanese snacking experiences!

FAQ

What is in a Sakuraco box?

You'll find a total of 20 authentic Japanese candy, snacks, teas and a beautiful home good in each Sakuraco box.

Can I purchase just one Sakuraco box to try out?

At this time, you can try out one box however you will still need to choose one of the subscription options. Once you do, you can pause or cancel your subscription at anytime.

Who owns Sakuraco and where is it based?

Sakuraco's parent company is Ichigo Inc. It was founded Ayumi Chikamoto in 2021 and is based in Tokyo, Japan.

Does Sakuraco ship internationally?

Sakuraco does ship worldwide to many different countries! For details, please view this article from Sakuraco on shipping information.

Hungry For More Information About Japanese Snacks?

If you'd like more information about Japanese snacks, then have a look at:

Join Me On A Fun Food Journey!

If you'd like to come along on this food journey with me, please sign up to get the latest recipes and inspiration for you to expand your food comfort zone! It's an incredible journey, please join me by signing up here.

Questions or comments? Email me at grace@explorecookeat.com.

Cheers!

Grace

Sakuraco - The BEST Traditional And Artisan Japanese Snacks Boxes!

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This page may contain affiliate links. So I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link. This post is about Sakuraco - The BEST Traditional And Artisan Japanese Subscription Snacks Boxes!

Two women smiling at each other and enjoying a selection of snacks, and tea from a Sakuraco box.

DISCLOSURE: I was given this box by Sakuraco in exchange for a review of the box. All opinions are my own!

Would you consider yourself a Japanophile? As someone who is interested in Japanese culture, people and food, I'm definitely a Japanophile!

Likewise if you are too, then you will absolutely LOVE Sakuraco, which delivers the BEST Japanese snacks to your door!

Sakuraco boxes also make the perfect gifts for your Japanese snack loving friends and family!

Get ready to experience a whole new world of Japanese snacks with Sakuraco!

🎥 Video

Jump to:

What is Sakuraco?

Sakuraco is a monthly authentic Japanese snack subscription box that supports local Japanese snack makers. Each box comes with 20 traditional, authentic, and artisan Japanese snacks including Japanese teas and special Japanese tableware.

With Sakuraco, you'll discover a different area of Japan each month or enjoy different themes through a curated selection of snack foods and teas. Through sampling these Japanese treats and teas, you will immerse yourself in Japanese culture, and experience new areas of Japan with seasonal and cultural themes.

You will also receive the Sakuraco Snack Guide, which is a beautifully illustrated guide with detailed information on the snacks and teas which come with the snack boxes.

Furthermore, the guide features and highlights some of the makers who create the artisan snacks, teas, and Japanese home goods. It also offers insight into the area, season, and/or theme that the box features for that month.

In addition to being a snack guide, this guide is also a wonderful culture guide with information and stories about Japanese culture.

So let me tell you what you can expect from these Japanese Subscription Artisan Snacks Boxes. I am starting with a review of the December 2024 box, with the theme "Holidays in Hokkaido!"

Review Of The Sakuraco December 2024 Box

I'm delving into my first Sakuraco snack box, the December 2024 box celebrating "Holidays In Hokkaido!"

Hokkaido is Japan's northernmost prefecture, where you can experience a winter wonderland. This beautiful prefecture is the perfect area to feature in the month of December.

Sakuraco Box Packaging

A woman dressed in a kimono holding a Sakuraco box with a vase with flowers, a selection of snacks, and a teapot and cup with tea displayed on the floor before the woman.

My beautiful December Sakuraco box came with a seal that shows it was packed and sealed in Japan. You will be greeted with the Sakuraco Snack Guide upon opening the box.

Additionally you will also be delighted by a post card with a lovely note from Ayumi Chikamoto, the Founder of Sakuraco, on the back.

An opened Sakuraco Japanese Artisan Snack Box showing the Sakuraco Holidays In Hokkaido Snack Guide.
Sakuraco Snack Guide
A person holding a post card depicting geishas in a winter scene against an opened Sakuraco Japanese Artisan Snack Box which has the words "Let's enjoy the traditional flavors of Japan together" on the inside of the box.
Sakuraco Post Card

Be sure to refer to your snack guide before enjoying any of your snacks and teas to fully appreciate what each one has to offer!

Sakuraco December 2024 Subscription Artisan Snacks Box

Let me tell you, the experience of going through the snacks, teas, and opening the box with the Japanese ceramic dish was a true delight!

The delicious snacks in this box included premium authentic wagashi (Japanese sweets most often enjoyed with green tea), senbei (rice crackers), mochi, salty snacks, cookies, and pastry.

The Sweet Snacks

A selection of Japanese snacks and an opened Sakuraco Snack Guide.
  • Hokkaido Milk Manju - Manju is a small bun filled with a sweet filling such as sweet red bean paste or sweet potatoes. A traditional Japanese snack, this wagashi is made with Hokkaido condensed milk and filled with a white bean paste. This sweet treat pairs perfectly with the green tea that comes in the box (more about that later!)
  • Milk Danish (from Hokkaido) - Hokkaido is famous for its creamy and rich milk, which is used in this sweet Milk Danish pastry which just melts in your mouth!
  • Hokkaido White Chocolate Raspberry Puff - this delicious confectionary is made with puffed corn covered in white chocolate and topped with delicious raspberry crumbs!
A selection of Japanese snacks displayed in front of a Sakuraco Japanese Artisan Snack Box.
  • Hokkaido Butter Cookies - made with the BEST Hokkaido butter so you get a taste of the region in every delicious bite!
  • Strawberry Chocolate Cookie (Hokkaido) - these irresistible cookies are the perfect combination of sweet strawberries and rich Hokkaido condensed milk
  • Hokkaido Melon Cookie - features the delicious taste of the famous Hokkaido melon!
  • Honey Apple Mochi- this mochi includes honey and apple powder from Nanae Town in Hokkaido. I learned in the snack guide that this is where Western apple cultivation started in Japan!

Senbei (Japanese Rice Crackers)

A selection of Japanese snacks and an opened Sakuraco Snack Guide displayed in front of a Sakuraco Japanese Artisan Snack Box.
  • Roasted Soybean Senbei - enjoy these soy sauce infused senbei which contain black soybeans, roasted to perfection!
  • Butter Senbei - you'll love these delicate senbei which are made with Hokkaido buttermilk powder and rich butter and just melt in your mouth!
  • Mt. Fuji Senbei - well it doesn't get better than senbei shaped like Mt. Fuji! This senbei tastes of soy sauce and is dusted with sugar to create the look of the snow capped peak of Mt. Fuji.

Salty and Savory Snacks

A selection of Japanese snacks and an opened Sakuraco Snack Guide displayed in front of a Sakuraco Japanese Artisan Snack Box.
  • Salted Edamame Arare - this delicious savory cracker is made with edamame beans and also features crunchy peanuts! This snack will definitely satisfy your savory cravings!
  • Chocolated Kaki no Tane - ok so the chocolate makes this sweet, but this salty Kaki no Tane includes roasted peanuts and crescent-shaped senbei. You won't be able to get enough of this popular treat!
  • Fried Corn Snack are fried corn pieces are seasoned with Miyakojima snow salt. I don't know what that is, but I know this crunchy snack is delicious!

Japanese Ceramics and Tea

A Japanese dish and two Japanese tea packets displayed in front of a Sakuraco Japanese Artisan Snack Box. There is an open Sakuraco Snack Guide in front of the dish.
  • Shonzui Flower Dish - Japanese tea masters created shonzui (blue flower porcelain style), which continues to be used in tea ceremonies today. You'll love placing your snacks on this dish to admire, just before you eat them!
  • Hokkaido Genmaicha - and now for the tea! You'll enjoy this exquisite green tea blend which includes Hokkaido brown rice along with the wagashi included in your box!

This Sakuraco Box Is The Perfect Way To Experience Authentic Japanese Snacks!

You'll absolutely LOVE this Sakuraco box featuring the Hokkaido prefecture! Undoubtedly I know both you and I will look forward with anticipation to future boxes filled unique and different flavors to experience!

Some of the snacks in the Holidays in Hokkaido box have become my favorite Japanese snacks, and I can't wait to try the new snacks and unique flavors in the boxes to come!

Your favorite snacks might be waiting for you in Sakuraco snack boxes!

Discover A Whole New World Of Japanese Treats With Sakuraco!

A woman dressed as a geisha holding an opened Sakuraco box showing the contents of the box.

Indeed, Sakuraco boxes are like the ultimate guide to discovering and experiencing different regions of Japan through local delicacies.

These boxes may not contain popular brands like Japanese Kit Kat (head over to TokyoTreat for that!). However, your taste buds will be thrilled when they encounter exciting and new things and flavors from local and artisan makers around Japan.

Sakuraco Japanese Subscription Artisan Snacks Boxes will deliver the flavor of Japan to your door each and every month.

Also you can look forward to a variety of flavors, traditional Japanese sweets, and generally lots of good stuff in your Japan snack box!

So what are you waiting for? Head over to Sakuraco and discover an incredible array of traditional and artisan Japanese snacks!

These snack boxes make the PERFECT gifts for your family and friends as well!

Love Japanese Food? Then Check These Out!

Finally, if you love Japanese food, then you'll want to check these out:

Join Me On A Fun Food Journey!

If you'd like to come along on this food journey with me, please sign up to get the latest recipes and inspiration for you to expand your food comfort zone! It's an incredible journey, please join me by signing up here.

Cheers!

Grace

TokyoTreat - The BEST Japanese Subscription Snacks Boxes!

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This page may contain affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link. This post is about TokyoTreat - The BEST Japanese Subscription Snacks Boxes!

A Tokyo Treat Box with a selection of snacks, drink, and sweet packages displayed in front of the box. There is a blue sky with clouds and a depiction of the Glico Running Man in the background.

DISCLOSURE: I was given this box by TokyoTreat in exchange for a review of the box. All opinions are my own!

Do you love Japanese snacks as much as I do? When I came home from a trip to Japan, I had a suitcase full of Japanese KitKats and other Japanese snacks, which I picked up from convenience stores and Japanese train stations!

But now, we can easily fulfill our cravings for the always wonderful (and sometimes weird!) world of Japanese snacks with TokyoTreat! without the long haul flight!

With TokyoTreat you can cross off all the snacks on your Japanese snacks list as they are delivered straight to your door!

🎥 Video

Jump to:

What Is TokyoTreat?

TokyoTreat is a monthly pop Japanese snack subscription box. With this box, you will be treated with up to 20 exclusive, limited editions, and seasonal flavored Japanese snacks that are only available in Japan for a limited time.

So with TokyoTreat, you'll get to experience a curated group of the BEST Japanese snacks that are absolutely not to be missed, delivered to your front door!

Some of your favorite Japanese snacks are sure to be included in each box, as well as best-selling Japanese snacks that may be new to you.

You'll also receive a colorful snack guide which is super fun and interesting to read.

These boxes, which contain some of Japan's most popular snacks, are perfect for gifting, or as a treat for yourself!

So let me tell you what you can expect from these absolutely fantastic boxes, starting with a review of the Christmas 2024 box!

Review Of TokyoTreat December 2024 Box

I'm delving into my first TokyoTreat box, the December 2024 box celebrating a Very Merry Snackmas!

TokyoTreat Box Packaging

My festive holiday box came with a seal that shows it was packed and sealed in Japan. And upon opening the box, you will be greeted with the TokyoTreat Snack Guide.

You will LOVE the festive box!
Part of a TokyoTreat Box with the words "Japan's Best Bites!" and "Packed & Sealed in Japan" featured on the box.
Packed and sealed in Japan!

The Snack Guide will not only give you information on each snack, but you'll also be entertained with information about Japanese culture. So in the December holiday box, you can read all about how Japan celebrates the Christmas holidays!

Part of a TokyoTreat box with the words: "Bite Into Japan!" and pictures of Christmas items such as a candy cane and holly and ivy. Next to the box is the front of the TokyoTreat Snack Guide December 2024 "Very Merry Snackmas" with Santa Claus and other Christmas items on the cover.
Your box is PACKED with snacks!

Be sure to refer to your snack guide before enjoying any of your snacks to fully appreciate what each one has to offer!

TokyoTreat December 2024 Box Snacks!

Now onto the delicious Japanese snacks! You won't believe how PACKED this box is with the most awesome Japanese snacks around!

So there is a mixture of sweet snacks, salty snacks, and also a "drink" (more about that in a bit).

The Sweet Treats

A selection of sweet snacks from a TokyoTreat Japanese Snacks Subscription Box.
  • Snowy Chocolate Crepe KitKats - Japanese people are CRAZY for Kit Kats! They have so many different flavors and this Snowy Chocolate Crepe Kit Kat version is PERFECT for Christmas! One of the most popular Japanese snacks, these Kit Kats feature layers of chocolate crepe and sweet white chocolate!
  • Fudgey Festive Choco Pie - everyone LOVES Choco Pie! Try this decadent one featuring layers of chocolate which will satisfy your sweet tooth!
  • Mistletoe Mochi Donut Gummies - these super cute donut gummies have a chewy strawberry center and a lovely soft outside.
  • Ghana Holiday Truffles - these chocolate truffles feature melty ganache and salted crunchy biscuits - the best of both worlds!
  • Jolly Cola Chew - enjoy some cola, with a taste of zesty lemon, in a chew!

The Salty and Savory Snacks!

A selection of salty and savory snacks from a TokyoTreat Japanese Snacks Subscription Box.
  • Merry Mentaiko Mayo Chips - here's a weird and wonderful salty snack! This crunchy treat features Japanese mayo and mentaiko, which is spiced pollock roe! You'll love these delightfully savory mayo chips!
  • Winter Wonder Waffle Chips - these waffle chips will satisfy your savory tooth and leave you wanting more of these sour cream and onion flavored chips!
  • Warming Tom Yum Pretzel Sticks - get the taste of delicious Tom Yum soup in these zesty and spicy pretzel sticks. The spicy flavor of these pretzel sticks will warm you up just like a bowl of Tom Yum soup!
  • Cozy Caramel Corn Puffs & Nuts - so these are a bit sweet, but I included this in the salty snacks section because they include corn puffs with salty peanuts. Enjoy this sweet, salty, crunchy and cozy snack this holiday season sitting by the fire!
  • Silent Night Sesame Crackers - bite into these crunchy sesame crackers and shatter your silent night! These crackers, with a delightful crispy texture, would be great paired with some sake or Japanese green tea!
  • Yuletide Yakisoba - you'll love this Japanese stir-fried noodle dish made with a sweet sauce containing powdered bonito and mackerel! These great Japanese flavors are warm and comforting, and perfect for the holiday season!
  • Seaweed & Sauce Christmas Crunch - the savory taste of these crispy puffs seasoned with seaweed and zesty vinegar is absolutely delightful! You won't be able to get enough of this delicious snack!
  • Sleigh-bell Salted Cheese Cookie Sandwich - this yummy cheese cookie just might be my favorite snack! The buttery cookie with a creamy and salty cheese in the middle will melt in your mouth!

Last but not least, the "drink!"

A TokyoTreat Japanese Subscription Snack Box in the background and a fizzy drink packet in the foreground.
  • Festive Foamy Fizz - to enjoy this drink, open the packet and then add cold water. Stir, then sip on a perfect bubbly fizzy drink for the holiday!

This TokyoTreat Box Is A Perfect Taste Of Japan!

You'll absolutely LOVE this Christmas themed TokyoTreat Box! It offers a good balance of sweet snacks versus savory snacks, and the "drink" snack is super fun to experience as well.

It was a real pleasure to enjoy some well-known traditional Japanese snacks and Japanese sweets such as Kit Kit, as well as new snacks like the Warming Tom Yum Pretzel Sticks.

If you love Japanese snacks, I urge you to treat yourself to TokyoTreat Japanese subscription snacks boxes filled with Japanese delicacies today!

Delve Into Japanese Snack Culture With TokyoTreat!

Two Japanese women one holding an open TokyoTreat snack box and the other holding a package of Kit Kat and a Fanta. They are in front of a yellow backdrop.

TokyoTreat subscription boxes will deliver the best snacks to your door each and every month.

As mentioned, many of these snacks and sweets are limited-edition flavors which you'll definitely not want to miss out on!

You can look forward to tasty Japanese snacks and traditional Japanese treats in future boxes which may include:

  • Kit Kat
  • Calbee chips
  • Pocky

Of course you'll also be treated to different brands that may be new to you that will offer a fun variety of flavors, some weird but all wonderful!

You'll also anticipate themed seasonal boxes, such as Halloween, the Sakura Festival, Moon Fest, and of course Christmas, as reviewed in this post.

So what are you waiting for? Head over to TokyoTreat.com and start snacking!!!

Love Japanese Food? Then Check These Out!

If you love Japanese food, then you'll want to check these out:

Join Me On A Fun Food Journey!

If you'd like to come along on this food journey with me, please sign up to get the latest recipes and inspiration for you to expand your food comfort zone! It's an incredible journey, please join me by signing up here.

Questions or comments? Email me at grace@explorecookeat.com.

Cheers!

Grace

Delicious Hatch Green Chile Ice Cream Recipe

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Ice cream made with Hatch green chiles? Don't knock it till you try it!

This creamy, dreamy homemade Hatch Green Chile Ice Cream is a New Mexico-inspired frozen dessert unlike anything you've ever tasted — cool vanilla ice cream swirled with smoky, lightly spicy roasted Hatch chiles for a flavor combo that is absolutely addictive.

Easy to make from scratch with just 7 ingredients and a standard ice cream maker.

Make it before Hatch chile season ends!

A gold rimmed bowl containing Hatch green chile ice cream. The bowl contains a gold spoon with a crystal top.

The ice cream world is full of weird and wonderful flavorings! Some of my tried and true favorites are Icelandic Rye Bread Ice Cream and Indian Saffron Ice Cream.

A new favorite of mine is this Hatch Green Chile Ice Cream! It's super delicious with a unique flavor, and really easy to make from scratch!

I heard about this ice cream on a trip to Albuquerque, New Mexico. While in New Mexico, the Chile Capital of the World, I looked hard but unfortunately couldn't find it. Therefore, I had to make it myself and I'm so happy that I did!

Don't knock ice cream made with Hatch peppers till you try it! If you are intrigued, please read on to find out what you will need to make this unique ice cream, which is a great way to enjoy these green peppers!

Jump to:

🥘 Ingredients

Ingredients needed for Hatch green chile ice cream including egg yolks, vanilla extract, salt, sugar, diced Hatch green chiles, whole milk, and heavy cream.

Here's what you'll need to make this one of a kind ice cream:

  • Roasted Hatch chiles (peeled, deseeded, and diced) - For instructions on how to roast fresh Hatch chiles, visit my Homemade New Mexico Green Chile Sauce Recipe, and follow steps 1-4. You can sub Anaheim chiles if Hatch chiles aren't available
  • Heavy cream
  • Whole milk
  • Sugar
  • Egg yolks - for extra richness
  • Salt - I love adding a generous pinch of salt to dessert recipes
  • Vanilla extract

You should be able to get these ingredients at your local grocery store. Also consider the Hatch Chile Store for all your Hatch chile needs.

Now, you'll typically find Hatch chiles in "mild" and "hot" varieties. I used a half and half mixture of fresh chiles in my ice cream, which was just the right amount of heat for me. You can use whatever ratio of mild and hot you would like!

So let's get ready to have some fun making this easy recipe for a delicious Hatch green chile frozen dessert!

🔪 Instructions

I have adapted and based this recipe on Hatch Chile Store's "Hatch Green Chile Ice Cream" recipe and "How To Make Classic Vanilla Ice Cream" from thekitchn.com.

Freeze Your Ice Cream Bowl

If your ice cream make uses a bowl that needs to be frozen, be sure to freeze it according to manufacturer instructions prior to starting. My Kitchen-Aid ice cream maker bowl requires 24 hr in the freezer.

Set Up An Ice Bath

Set up an ice bath with 2 nesting bowls. Place ice and cold water in the larger bottom bowl and set the smaller bowl on top to cool.

An ice bath consisting of 2 nesting bowls. The larger bowl contains water and ice and the smaller bowl is poised above the bottom bowl.

Mix Egg Yolks and Sugar

Add the egg yolks and sugar to a small bowl, and whisk together until well combined.

A glass mixing bowl containing egg yolks and sugar. There is a blue whisk being used to stir these ingredients.
Add egg yolks and sugar to a bowl...
A glass mixing bowl containing egg yolks that have been whisked with sugar. There is a blue whisk pictured in the bowl.
Whisk until well combined.

Warm Milk, Chiles, Salt, and Vanilla Extract

On a medium heat, warm the milk, vanilla extract, salt, and ½ of the diced Hatch green chiles. Stir constantly and bring to a simmer, about 3 minutes, then remove from the heat.

A large saucepan containing milk, vanilla extract, and diced Hatch green chiles. There is a blue spoon in the saucepan being used to stir the mixture.
Warm milk, ½ of the chilies and vanilla extract...
A saucepan containing a mixture of milk, vanilla extract, Hatch diced green chiles, egg yolks, and sugar. There is a blue spoon with a wooden handle being used to stir the mixture.
Bring the mixture to a simmer.

Tempering

Pour about ½ cup of the hot milk (try to avoid the chiles) into the egg and sugar mixture, whisking constantly (about 30 seconds). This step is called tempering, and helps the eggs from curdling too much.

A glass mixing bowl containing a mixture of sugar and egg yolks. There is a blue whisk pictured in the mixing bowl.

Cook On Low To Thicken

Now add the egg mixture into the saucepan with the rest of the milk, and cook on a low heat until the mixture has thickened (enough to coat the back of your spoon or spatula). Be sure to stir constantly. This may take around 10 minutes or so.

A large saucepan containing simmering milk, vanilla extract, and diced Hatch green chiles. A glass mixing bowl containing a mixture of some warmed milk, egg yolks, and sugar is poised above the saucepan.
Add the tempered egg mixture to the saucepan...
A saucepan containing a mixture with egg yolks, sugar, milk, diced Hatch green chiles, and vanilla extract.
Cook until the mixture has thickened.

Strain

Once the mixture has thickened, use your mesh strainer to strain it into the top bowl set up for your ice batch. You'll be straining out the green chiles in this step.

As you can see below, some of the egg curdled, but the strainer helped remove most of that. The finer the strainer that you use, the better it will work to strain out any curdled egg.

An ice bath set up with 2 metal mixing bowls the bottom bowl contains ice and water and the top contains a thickened egg and milk mixture flavored with Hatch green chiles. There is a strainer above the ice bath which was used to strain the egg and milk mixture through to the top metal bowl.

Add Cream And Cool In Ice Bath

Now stir the heavy cream into the mixture, and leave it to cool completely in the ice bath. This may take around 20 minutes or so.

An ice bath set up with 2 metal mixing bowls the bottom bowl contains ice and water and the top contains a thickened egg and milk mixture flavored with Hatch green chiles. There is a red measuring cup containing heavy cream poised above the egg and milk mixture, and some of the cream has been poured into the egg and milk mixture.
Add the cream to the strained mixture...
An ice bath set up with 2 metal mixing bowls the bottom bowl contains ice and water and the top contains a blue spoon and a mixture containing cream, egg, milk, vanilla extract. The mixture is flavored with Hatch green chiles and some curdled egg is visible on the bowl.
Stir it in and allow to cool in the ice bath for around 20 minutes.

Churn

Once cooled, add the remaining ½ of your diced Hatch green chiles to the cooled mixture. Add this mixture to your ice cream bowl/machine, and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions. My Kitchen-Aid ice cream attachment recommends around 25 minutes or so.

A Kitchen-Aid stand mixer with an ice cream attachment being used to make Hatch Green Chile Ice Cream.
Churn your ice cream...
A Kitchen-Aid Ice cream maker containing Hatch Green Chile Ice Cream.
This is what I got after 25 minutes of churning!

Enjoy Or Freeze!

Ok! You can enjoy the ice cream now, or freeze it for a few hours for later enjoyment!

A tub containing Hatch Green Chile Ice Cream. There is an ice cream scoop pictured in the tub.

Suggestions For Serving

Two gold rimmed bowls containing Hatch Green Chile ice cream. Each bowl contains a gold spoon with a crystal top and there is a Hatch Green Chile in the background.

It's time to sit down and relish this ice cream with a superbly delicious flavor!

You can eat this as is, or consider pouring some chocolate syrup over it, which is how I will enjoy it next time I make this ice cream.

By the way, you see those gold spoons? My husband is the one who informed me that professional ice cream taste testers use gold spoons (or gold plated I should think!) to taste ice cream. It seems you can taste ice cream in its purest form when using a gold spoon per GoldSpoonCreamery.com.

The ones we use are not pure gold, just gold plated, but they look super cool and it works for us! 😄

I hope this will become one of your favorite Hatch chile recipes!

You'll find a printable recipe card with nutrient information below!

FAQ

What green chile peppers can I substitute if Hatch chiles are not available?

Hatch chiles are preferred, however they are not always in season and available. I recommend using Anaheim peppers if Hatch chile peppers are not available. They should be roasted, skin peeled, deseeded, and diced the same as you would with Hatch chiles for this recipe.

Are Hatch chiles spicy?

You may find both "mild" and "hot" Hatch chiles available when you shop for them. Opt for "mild" if you are not a big fan of spicy chiles. The "hot" Hatch chiles do have a kick to them, so yes, I would call those spicy!

When is Hatch chile season?

Hatch chiles, from the Hatch Valley region of New Mexico, are typically available for a limited time from mid to late July through late summer and sometimes into October. Of course, the availability will vary depending on the weather. Let's hope for a good long season of availability!

Why do we roast Hatch chiles (Hatch chilies)?

Roasting Hatch chiles helps to intensify their flavor, and it will give the chilies a rich and smoky flavor. I usually roast mine under a preheated broiler and then peel and discard skins prior to deseeding and dicing. For instructions on how to roast them please visit my Homemade New Mexico Green Chile Sauce Recipe, and follow steps 1-4.

Some Other Recipes You May Enjoy!

Here are some other recipes you may enjoy:

1,000 Foods To Eat Project

In conclusion, Chile Peppers are listed in the book 1,000 Foods To Eat Before You Die, by Mimi Sheraton. I am working my way through the foods listed in this book. This is called my 1,000 Foods to Eat Project. Chile peppers are foods #81 in my project! Please visit the 1,000 Foods To Eat Project page to see some other MUST TRY foods of the world that you may love to try!

Join Me On A Fun Food Journey!

I invite you to come along on this food journey with me! Please sign up to get the latest recipes and inspiration for you to expand your food comfort zone! It's an incredible journey, please join me by signing up here.

Cheers!

Grace

Hatch green chile ice cream in a gold rimmed bowl.

Delicious Hatch Green Chile Ice Cream Recipe

Grace Stewart
Hatch green chile ice cream? YES! Don't knock it till you try it! This green chile ice cream is pretty easy to make, unique, and delicious!
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
20 minutes cooling time and 25 minutes churning time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, New Mexican
Servings 8 servings
Calories 247 kcal

Equipment

  • ice cream maker I used a Kitchen-Aid stand mixer ice cream attachment
  • mesh strainer
  • 2 mixing bowls of different sizes, to create an ice bath
  • Small bowl to mix egg yolks and sugar
  • Saucepan
  • whisk

Ingredients
  

  • 6 each Hatch green chiles roasted, peeled, deseeded, and diced
  • 1.5 cups whole milk
  • 1.5 cups heavy cream
  • ⅔ cup sugar
  • 4 each egg yolks
  • 1 ts vanilla extract
  • ⅛ ts salt

Instructions
 

  • If your ice cream make uses a bowl that needs to be frozen, be sure to freeze it according to manufacturer instructions prior to starting. My Kitchen-Aid ice cream maker bowl requires 24 hr in the freezer.
  • Set up an ice bath with 2 nesting bowls. Place ice and water in the larger bottom bowl and set the smaller bowl on top to cool.
  • Add the egg yolks and sugar to a small bowl, and whisk together until well combined.
  • On a medium heat, warm the milk, vanilla extract, salt, and ½ of the diced Hatch green chiles. Stir constantly and bring to a simmer, about 3 minutes, then remove from the heat.
  • Pour about ½ cup of the hot milk (try to avoid the chiles) into the egg and sugar mixture, whisking constantly (about 30 seconds). This step is called tempering, and helps the eggs from curdling too much.
  • Now add the egg mixture into the saucepan with the rest of the milk, and cook on a low heat until the mixture has thickened (enough to coat the back of your spoon or spatula). Be sure to stir constantly. This may take around 10 minutes or so.
  • Once the mixture has thickened, use your mesh strainer to strain it into the bowl set up for your ice batch. You'll be straining out the green chiles in this step.
  • Now stir the heavy cream into the mixture, and leave it to cool completely in the ice bath. This may take around 20 minutes or so.
  • Once cooled, add the remaining ½ of your diced Hatch green chiles to the cooled mixture. Add this mixture to your ice cream bowl/machine, and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions. My Kitchen-Aid ice cream attachment recommends around 25 minutes or so.
  • Ok! You can enjoy the ice cream now, or freeze it for later enjoyment!

Notes

I have adapted and based this recipe on Hatch Chile Store's "Hatch Green Chile Ice Cream" recipe and "How To Make Classic Vanilla Ice Cream" from thekitchn.com.
For instructions on how to roast Hatch green chiles, visit my Homemade New Mexico Green Chile Sauce Recipe, and follow steps 1-4.
Your ice cream is ready to eat soft-serve style once it has been churned.  However you can harden the ice cream in your freezer if you prefer a more hardened solid ice cream.
I used a mixture of mild and hot Hatch green chiles, and could taste a bit of spice it was great!  You can elect to use all mild or all hot, whatever takes your fancy!

Nutrition

Calories: 247kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 3gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 61mgSodium: 69mgPotassium: 113mgFiber: 0.03gSugar: 20gVitamin A: 737IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 87mgIron: 0.1mg
Keyword green chile, hatch green chile, ice cream
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

How To Make The Best Ever HOT Scorpion Pepper Bacon

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Prepare yourself for EXTREME HEAT — this is not for the faint of heart! This outrageously delicious Scorpion Pepper Bacon is made with just 3 simple ingredients — bacon, brown sugar, and Trinidad Moruga Scorpion pepper powder — one of the world's hottest peppers measuring a staggering 1.5 to 2 million Scoville Heat Units! The result is the most incredibly hot, sweet, salty, and fruity bacon you will ever taste in your entire life — completely addictive and absolutely spectacular!

Oven baked HOT Scorpion Pepper Bacon on a rack. There are bacon drippings underneath the bacon.

Prepare for EXTREME HEAT. I kid you not, this Trinidad Scorpion Pepper bacon is INTENSE.

The first time I tried this bacon I had a slight headache and my stomach started hurting. But believe it or not I wanted more!

The hot, sweet, salty, and fruity flavors in this bacon are out of this world! So if this sounds like something that would make you happy, then please read on! I'll show you how to make the BEST Ever HOT Scorpion Pepper Bacon!

Jump to:

Trinidad Moruga Scorpion Peppers

First please allow me to tell you a little bit about Trinidad Moruga Scorpion Peppers.

Now, these chili peppers are some of the world's hottest chilies in the world. At the time of this writing, Pepper X Peppers have been named as the World's Hottest Pepper as of August 23, 2023.

Pepper X surpassed the Carolina Reaper peppers as the World's Hottest Pepper, and the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion is currently in 3rd place, not too far behind the Carolina Reaper.

Scorpion Peppers And Their Scoville Rating

The heat level of the Scorpion peppers in EXCEPTIONALLY HOT. These chilies measure between 1.5 million - 2 million SHU (Scoville Heat Units) on the Scoville scale.

Basically, the lower the number on the scale, the less "hot or spicy" the pepper will be. For comparison, ghost peppers, which are very very hot peppers, measure from 600,000 - 1,041,427 SHU on the Scoville scale. And Scotch bonnet peppers come in at 125,000 - 300,000 SHU!

Where Do Scorpion Peppers Come From?

The name of this variety of chili pepper tells us where it comes from. Trinidad Moruga Scorpion Peppers come from the village of Moruga on the island of Trinidad.

How Do Scorpion Chiles Taste?

So we know these chiles offer intense heat, but how do they taste? They have a delightfully fruity flavor and are also sweet. So you get an awesome sweet and spicy combination in these chilies!

Why Chili Heads Will LOVE This Recipe!

If you are a chili head, you will LOVE this recipe because:

  • As a lover of spicy food, it doesn't get much better than this! The Scorpion pepper will deliver the exceptional heat that your taste buds desire!
  • When combined with brown sugar and bacon, you know you have an unbeatable combination! In addition to being hot, the bacon has great flavor with fruity, sweet, and salty notes which are so so beyond fantastic!
  • This recipe is easy and quick! Prep time is about 3 minutes and total time approximately 30 minutes.
  • You'll have a blast making your own homemade hot and spicy bacon!

🥘 Ingredients

Bowls containing brown sugar and scorpion pepper powder, and uncooked bacon on a plate. There is also a bottle of Sonoran Spice Company Trinidad Scorpion Powder.

So you only need 3 ingredients to make this EXTREMELY SPICY bacon:

It should take about a minute or so to gather these ingredients, so on to the simple recipe!

🔪 Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400F and line the bottom of a roasting tray with aluminum foil for easier cleanup.

While the oven is heating up, make your spice mix by combining the Scorpion pepper powder and brown sugar in a small bowl.

A small bowl containing a mixture of brown sugar and Scorpion pepper powder. There is a spoon with some of the mixture in it in the bowl.

Season the bacon by sprinkling the spice mix on both sides of the bacon. Press the spice mix down with your hands. Try to use an equal amount of seasoning on each slice of bacon.

Uncooked bacon on a white plate. There is a person sprinkling a mixture of Scorpion pepper powder and brown sugar onto the bacon.

Lay the seasoned bacon on a rack and place it in your foil lined roasting tray. If you don't have a rack, you can place the bacon directly in the tray (you will just have to drain the bacon of fat if you don't have a rack for use).

Uncooked bacon sprinkled with scorpion pepper powder and brown sugar. The bacon is on a rack over a foil lined baking pan.

Place the rack in the center of your oven and bake until the bacon is crispy to your liking. Now, it took me about 25 minutes. I recommend to check your bacon after 10 minutes, and then approximately every 5 minutes until your bacon is perfectly crispy!

Scorpion pepper bacon on a roasting tray rack baking in an oven.

Remove the roasting tray and allow the bacon to cool, during which time the bacon will continue to crisp up a bit. Then get ready to enjoy your HOT bacon!

A person holding a piece of Scorpion Pepper Bacon. Behind this is a roasting tray with rack containing more Scorpion Pepper Bacon over foil with drippings underneath.

Suggestions For Serving

Oven baked HOT Scorpion Pepper Bacon on a rack. There are bacon drippings underneath the bacon.

My favorite way to enjoy this bacon is as a snack. This spicy delight doesn't last very long at my house!

Slices of this spicy bacon would also be perfect to add to your hamburgers, or how about adding crumbled bits to spice up your salad?

The full printable recipe card can be found below! I hope you will enjoy this wonderfully hot and fiery bacon!

FAQ

When was Trinidad Scorpion Pepper the world's hottest pepper?

Trinidad Scorpion pepper was named the world's hottest chili pepper in 2012.

Where does Trinidad Scorpion Pepper come from?

This intensely hot pepper comes from the village of Moruga in Trinidad and Tobago.

How can I store this Scorpion Pepper bacon?

Store this Scorpion pepper bacon in an airtight container in your refrigerator. This is best enjoyed within 3 days.

Some Other Great Recipes You May Enjoy!

Here are some other great recipes that you may enjoy:

1,000 Foods To Eat Project

In conclusion, Bacon is listed in the book 1,000 Foods To Eat Before You Die, by Mimi Sheraton. I am working my way through the foods listed in this book. This is called my 1,000 Foods to Eat Project. Bacon is food #74 in my project! Please visit the 1,000 Foods To Eat Project page to see some other MUST TRY foods of the world that you may love to try!

Join Me On A Fun Food Journey!

Finally, I invite you to come along on this food journey with me! Please sign up to get the latest recipes and inspiration for you to expand your food comfort zone! It's an incredible journey, please join me by signing up here.

Cheers!

Grace

Oven baked HOT Scorpion Pepper Bacon on a rack. There are bacon drippings underneath the bacon.

How To Make The Best Ever HOT Scorpion Pepper Bacon

Grace Stewart
This recipe will show you how to make the BEST EVER HOT Scorpion Pepper Bacon! This is not for the faint of heart!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 3 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 28 minutes
Course Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 4 people
Calories 526 kcal

Equipment

  • Oven
  • roasting tray preferably with a rack

Ingredients
  

  • ½ lb bacon I've used regular cut, not thick cut bacon
  • ½ tablespoon Scorpion pepper powder this amount is HOT! Adjust down if you want a "milder" heat
  • 1.5 tablespoon brown sugar

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 400F and line the bottom of a roasting tray with aluminum foil for easier cleanup.
  • While the oven is heating up, make your spice mix by combining the Scorpion pepper powder and brown sugar in a small bowl.
    A small bowl containing a mixture of brown sugar and Scorpion pepper powder. There is a spoon with some of the mixture in it in the bowl.
  • Season the bacon by sprinkling the spice mix on both sides of the bacon. Press the spice mix down with your hands. Try to use an equal amount of seasoning on each slice of bacon.
    Uncooked bacon on a white plate. There is a person sprinkling a mixture of Scorpion pepper powder and brown sugar onto the bacon.
  • Lay the seasoned bacon on a rack and place it in your foil lined roasting tray. If you don't have a rack, you can place the bacon directly in the tray (you will just have to drain the bacon of fat if you don't have a rack for use).
    Uncooked bacon sprinkled with scorpion pepper powder and brown sugar. The bacon is on a rack over a foil lined baking pan.
  • Place the rack in the center of your oven and bake until the bacon is crispy to your liking. Now, it took me about 25 minutes. I recommend to check your bacon after 10 minutes, and then approximately every 5 minutes until your bacon is perfectly crispy!
    Scorpion pepper bacon on a roasting tray rack baking in an oven.
  • Remove the roasting tray and allow the bacon to cool, during which time the bacon will continue to crisp up a bit. Then get ready to enjoy your HOT bacon!
    A person holding a piece of Scorpion Pepper Bacon. Behind this is a roasting tray with rack containing more Scorpion Pepper Bacon over foil with drippings underneath.

Notes

Please note that the nutrition information does not include info on the Scorpion pepper powder.  Accept my apologies for any inconvenience this may cause. 
If you don't have a rack available, you may want to remove the bacon after roasting and place it on a paper towel lined plate to help absorb the bacon fat. 
The ½ tablespoon of Scorpion pepper powder makes this bacon EXTREMELY HOT.  Please use caution.  If you are not used to EXTREMELY HOT foods, then please adjust the amount of Scorpion pepper powder down to 1 ts or even less. 

Nutrition

Calories: 526kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 0.01gFat: 56gSaturated Fat: 22gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 25gCholesterol: 54mgSodium: 86mgPotassium: 6mgSugar: 4gCalcium: 4mgIron: 0.03mg
Keyword bacon, scorpion pepper
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Christmas White Chocolate Cheddar Texas Trash Recipe

by 1 Comment

This page may contain affiliate links. So, I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link. This post is about an awesome Christmas White Chocolate Cheddar Texas Trash Recipe!

A red bowl containing Christmas White Chocolate Cheddar Texas Trash with a bowl containing green and red M&M's and additional bowls with the Texas Trash in the background.

What's the perfect snack for the holiday season? Why it's Christmas White Trash of course!

Also known as White Christmas Crack, this sweet and salty treat usually contains some variation of cereal mixture (like Chex Cereal), pretzel sticks, and candy (M&M's are popular) coated in white chocolate.

But let me do you one better. Let me introduce you to my Christmas White Chocolate Cheddar Texas Trash Recipe!

Jump to:

A Twist On The Typical White Christmas Trash Recipe

I am a cheddar cheese lover and craver of all things savory! So I surmised that pairing cheesy and savory flavors with white chocolate which I also love, would be sensational. And you know what? I was right!

The combination of cheddar, salty, and chocolate flavors is beyond compare, and you just have to believe me when I say you won't be able to get enough of this easy snack recipe!

So let me tell you where I think the name "Christmas White Texas Trash" comes from. The white is for the white chocolate and the trash refers to using up little bits of this and that that you might have hanging out in your cupboards, rather than throwing them away in a trash bag.

This snack is very often made at Christmastime. And as for Texas? Well, Texas is known for some big, bold, and savory flavors, which this sweet and salty snack mix definitely has!

And now we have "Christmas White Chocolate Cheddar Texas Trash," which includes the delicious flavors of cheddar! What could be better?!?!

🥘 Ingredients

Bags of Cheddar Chex Mix, Snowflakes Cheetos, Cheetos cheddar pretzels, Christmas M&M's, and Ghirardelli Classic White Chips.
Our star ingredients!
Bowls containing Cheddar Chex Mix, white chocolate baking chips, Snowflake Cheetos, red and green M&M's, Cheetos pretzels, and vegetable oil.
All the savory ingredients are cheddar flavored.

So here are the ingredients you will need to make this white trash snack mix:

Some grocery stores may not carry the Cheetos products, but you should be able to find them at Wal-Mart (I bought most of these items at Wal-Mart). I have also provided links to Amazon (with exception of the Cheetos Cheddar Pretzels) if you'd like to purchase from there.

If you want to leave out the Cheetos Snowflakes and Pretzels, feel free to do so! Just include an equivalent amount of Cheddar Chex Mix to sub for the snowflakes and pretzels.

Or sub other cheddar flavored and/or savory snacks instead!

🔪 Instructions

Combine the Cheddar Chex Mix, Cheetos Snowflakes, Cheetos Pretzels, and M&M's in a large bowl.

Red and green M&M's, Chex Mix, Cheetos Pretzels and Cheetos snowflakes in a blue bowl.

Add the white chocolate chips and vegetable oil to a microwave safe bowl. Microwave at 30 second intervals on 50% power at a low temperature until the chocolate is melted. Stir well to make sure all the white chocolate is melted and is creamy.

Pour the melted white chocolate over the ingredients in your bowl, and stir to combine ensuring each piece is covered in some of the chocolate.

Red and green M&M's, Chex Mix, Cheetos Pretzels and Cheetos snowflakes tossed with melted white chocolate in a large blue bowl. There is a yellow spoon with a wooden handle in the bowl.

Lay the white trash on a silicone baking mat or some parchment paper and allow the chocolate to harden. It took one hour for my white trash chocolate to harden at room temperature.

Red and green M&M's, Chex Mix, Cheetos Pretzels and Cheetos snowflakes tossed with melted white chocolate spread out on a silicone mat.

You can place the white trash in your fridge if you'd like to speed up the chocolate hardening process.

Suggestions For Serving or Gifting

A red bowl containing Christmas White Chocolate Cheddar Texas Trash.

If you've made this white trash recipe for yourself, then I recommend putting some in a small bowl and eat slowly, savoring every delicious mouthful.

Placing the entire batch in a large bowl and eating from it is spells DANGER! Because once you start eating this great treat, it is hard to stop!

If you can bear to part with some of your Texas Cheddar White Trash, then consider gifting some to your favorite people. Place some in pretty cellophane bags and watch the recipients smile in delight as you hand them your edible gift!

FAQ

How should I store Texas cheddar white chocolate Christmas trash?

Store your delicious sweet treat in an airtight container on your counter, and enjoy within a week. I doubt it will last that long though!

What other bold flavors can I add to this white Christmas trash?

Although I haven't tried adding these, why not consider adding some Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, or even cayenne pepper to your white trash? Let's go crazy!

Why do we add vegetable oil to the white chocolate?

The vegetable oil helps give you a smoother meltier white chocolate which is much easier to pour. I tried melting the white chocolate chips without the oil, and the melted chocolate didn't pour as easy. It's highly recommended to add the oil.

Some Other Great Recipes You May Enjoy!

Here are some other great recipes that you may enjoy:

Join Me On A Fun Food Journey!

Finally, I invite you to come along on this food journey with me! Please sign up to get the latest recipes and inspiration for you to expand your food comfort zone! It's an incredible journey, please join me by signing up here.

Cheers!

Grace

A red bowl containing Christmas White Chocolate Cheddar Texas Trash with a bowl containing green and red M&M's in the background.

Christmas White Chocolate Cheddar Texas Trash Recipe

Grace Stewart
You'll love this recipe for Christmas White Chocolate Cheddar Texas Trash! The cheddar, salty, and chocolatey flavors are a taste sensation which you won't be able to get enough of!
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 2 minutes
Time for the melted chocolate to harden. 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 4 minutes
Course Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 6 people

Equipment

  • microwave for melting the baking chips
  • large bowl
  • silicone baking mat can also use parchment paper

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups Cheddar Chex Mix
  • 1 cup Cheetos White Cheddar Snowflakes
  • ½ cup Cheetos Cheddar Pretzels
  • ⅓ cup Christmas M&M's
  • 5 oz white baking chips Ghirardelli is preferred! Can also sub almond bark
  • 1 ts vegetable oil

Instructions
 

  • Combine the Cheddar Chex Mix, Cheetos Snowflakes, Cheetos Pretzels, and M&M's in a large bowl.
    Red and green M&M's, Chex Mix, Cheetos Pretzels and Cheetos snowflakes in a blue bowl.
  • Add the white chips and vegetable oil to a microwave safe bowl. Microwave at 30 second intervals on 50% power until the chocolate is melted. Stir well to make sure all the white chocolate is melted and is creamy.
  • Pour the melted white chocolate over the ingredients in your bowl, and stir to combine ensuring each piece is covered in some of the chocolate.
    Red and green M&M's, Chex Mix, Cheetos Pretzels and Cheetos snowflakes tossed with melted white chocolate in a large blue bowl. There is a yellow spoon with a wooden handle in the bowl.
  • Lay the white trash on a silicone baking mat or some parchment paper and allow the chocolate to harden. It took one hour for my white trash chocolate to harden.
    Red and green M&M's, Chex Mix, Cheetos Pretzels and Cheetos snowflakes tossed with melted white chocolate spread out on a silicone mat.
  • Eat and enjoy! This can disappear super fast it's so good!
    A white bowl containing Christmas White Chocolate Cheddar Texas Trash. There is a glimpse of someone holding a piece of the Texas Trash containing white chocolate covered M&M's in the picture.

Notes

If you want to leave out the Cheetos Snowflakes and Pretzels, feel free to do so! Just include an equivalent amount of Cheddar Chex Mix to sub for the snowflakes and pretzels. Or sub other cheddar flavored and/or savory snacks instead!
You can place the white trash in your fridge if you'd like to speed up the chocolate hardening process.
Please accept apologies for the lack of nutrition information!
Store in an airtight container at room temperature and enjoy within a week.
Keyword Christmas snack, Christmas white trash, texas white trash
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Carolina Reaper Spicy Roasted Almonds Recipe

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This page may contain affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link. This post is about a Carolina Reaper Spicy Roasted Almonds Recipe!

Small bowls filled with roasted almonds garnished with sea salt flakes, and bottle of Carolina Reaper powder on the side.

Have you tried the Blue Diamond XTREMES Carolina Reaper Almonds? To be honest, I haven't tried them yet. However, I love that I can make my own spicy reaper almonds and enjoy them as HOT HOT as I want them to be!

Carolina Reaper Chili Peppers are, at the time of this writing, the world's hottest chili pepper! If you are as enamored with this spicy pepper as I am, then you'll love this easy recipe for almonds spiced up with the hottest pepper in the world!

Jump to:

What Is The Carolina Reaper?

Carolina Reapers were created and bred by Ed Currie (aka Smokin' Ed) of the PuckerbuttPepperCompany of South Carolina.

The Reaper peppers have the distinction of holding the Guinness World Records award for World's Hottest Chili since 2013. These measure between 1.5 million - 2.2 million SHU (Scoville Heat Units) on the Scoville Scale.

From Wikipedia: "The Scoville scale is a measurement of the pungency (spiciness or "heat") of chili peppers, as recorded in Scoville Heat Units (SHU), based on the concentration of capsaicinoids, among which capsaicin is the predominant component." Basically, the lower the number on the scale, the less "hot or spicy" the pepper will be.

For comparison, cayenne pepper, which is often used in spicy nut recipes, measure from 30,000 - 50,000 SHU on the Scoville scale. And jalapeno peppers come in at 2,500 - 8,000 SHU!

🥘 Ingredients

Bowls containing raw almonds, salt, butter, Carolina Reaper powder, and sea salt flakes.

You only need 5 ingredients to make this spicy and perfect snack! They are:

All of these ingredients, with the exception of the Carolina Reaper Powder, should be available at your local grocery store.

Making your own Reaper almonds is so amazing, because you can control the amount of chili powder to produce the perfect level of heat to suit you!

Ok, let's move on to making this spicy and great snack!

🔪 Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350F. Place your raw almonds in a roasting tin or on a rimmed baking sheet, in a single layer taking care not to crowd them too much. You can line your tin or baking sheet with parchment paper if you like, but it's not necessary.

Roast at 350F for around 13-15 minutes (tossing halfway through) until they have turned a lovely shade of golden brown.

Raw almonds in a roasting tin.
Place the almonds in a single layer trying not to crowd them.
Roasted almonds in a roasting tin.
Roast for around 15 minutes at 350F until they turn golden brown.

When you have about 5 minutes left of roasting time, prepare your seasoning. Melt the butter in a mixing bowl (or saucepan and then transfer to your mixing bowl). Add the Carolina Reaper powder and the salt to the melted butter, and then stir to combine.

A glass bowl containing melted butter, salt, and Carolina Reaper powder.

Combine almonds with the melted butter and seasonings, and stir well.

At this point, I recommend you taste the almonds (after allowing them to cool a bit) to see whether you want to add more Carolina Reaper powder. If so, add a little at a time, stirring to mix everything until well combined, until you reach the heat level you are after.

A glass bowl containing Carolina Reaper spicy roasted almonds and a yellow spoon.

Allow about 10 minutes for the almonds to cool down to room temperature, and then add sea salt flakes to taste. Now it's time to enjoy your spicy almonds!

Small bowls filled with roasted almonds garnished with sea salt flakes, and bottle of Carolina Reaper powder on the side.

Suggestions For Serving

Small bowls filled with roasted almonds garnished with sea salt flakes, and a container of sea salt flakes and bottle of Carolina Reaper powder in the background.

Enjoy this delicious snack with your favorite ice cold beverage! If you are concerned that they may be overly spicy, then you may want that beverage to be an ice cold glass of milk. 😃

These spicy nuts make a great addition to your charcuterie board, and of course they are perfect for game day.

Enjoy them as a cocktail nibble, or they make a great gift for your chili head friends!

Variations

If you want to mix things up a bit, you may want to consider:

  • Adding garlic powder to the spice mixture - I haven't tried this but I think it would be delicious!!
  • Adding a little maple syrup for a sweet heat!

Also, I have also roasted the almonds after tossing them with melted butter and spices.  This also works well, but if you are sensitive to strong odors the smell of the Carolina Reaper when roasting may affect you.

However you decide to enjoy these almonds, I hope this will become one of your favorite recipes for spicy nuts!

FAQ

Do I need to soak the almonds before roasting them?

It's not necessary to soak the almonds before roasting them. According to Healthline.com, soaking them may make their digestibility better and also help you absorb the nutrients better. However, roasting them without soaking the almonds is perfectly fine!

Are spicy almonds healthy?

Almonds pack a serious nutritional punch! According to WebMD.com, some of the health benefits of almonds include lowering blood pressure and lower blood sugar levels. They may even help with weight loss (as long as you don't eat too many) as they help you feel full quicker due to the their protein and fiber content!

How many almonds should I eat per day?

Almonds are a great healthy snack! Almonds.com states that 1 ounce of almonds, or 23 almonds a day, is the perfect portion, as recommended in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

How should I store the roasted almonds?

Store roasted almonds in an airtight container on your countertop. These are best enjoyed the day you make them, but they'll keep for 3-4 days (if they last that long!).

Some Other Recipes You May Enjoy!

Here are some other recipes that you may enjoy:

Join Me On A Fun Food Journey!

I invite you to come along on this food journey with me! Please sign up to get the latest recipes and inspiration for you to expand your food comfort zone! It's an incredible journey, please join me by signing up here.

Cheers!

Grace

Small bowls filled with Carolina Reaper Spicy roasted almonds garnished with sea salt flakes and a container of sea salt flakes and bottle of Carolina Reaper powder in the background.

Carolina Reaper Spicy Roasted Almonds Recipe

Grace Stewart
Experience the burn with this Carolina Reaper Spicy Roasted Almonds Recipe! Great for snacking and perfect for us chili heads!
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 3 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Cooling down time 10 minutes
Total Time 28 minutes
Course Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 3 people
Calories 279 kcal

Equipment

  • Oven for roasting almonds
  • roasting tin or rimmed baking sheet for roasting the almonds
  • microwave or small saucepan for melting butter
  • mixing bowl for combining seasonings, butter, and almonds

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup almonds raw whole almonds, which we will roast
  • 1 tablespoon butter you could sub olive oil if you prefer
  • ¼ ts salt
  • ¼ ts Carolina Reaper Powder can adjust the amount to suit your tolerance for heat
  • sea salt flakes add to taste

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 350F. Place your raw almonds in a roasting tin or on a rimmed baking sheet, in a single layer taking care not to crowd them too much. Roast at 350F for around 13-15 minutes (tossing halfway through) until they have turned a lovely shade of golden brown.
    Roasted almonds in a roasting tin.
  • When you have about 5 minutes left of roasting time, prepare your seasoning. Melt the butter in a mixing bowl (or saucepan and then transfer to your mixing bowl). Add the Carolina Reaper powder and the salt to the melted butter, and then stir to combine.
    A glass bowl containing melted butter, salt, and Carolina Reaper powder.
  • Add the roasted almonds to the melted butter and seasonings, and stir to combine. At this point, I recommend you taste the almonds (after allowing them to cool a bit) to see whether you want to add more Carolina Reaper powder.  If so, add a little at a time, stirring to mix everything until well combined, until you reach the heat level you are after.
    A glass bowl containing Carolina Reaper spicy roasted almonds and a yellow spoon.
  • Allow about 10 minutes for the almonds to cool down, and then add sea salt flakes to taste. Now it's time to enjoy your spicy almonds!
    Small bowls filled with roasted almonds garnished with sea salt flakes.

Notes

Please note that the Nutrition Information does not include info for the Carolina Reaper powder or the sea salt flakes you may add to taste.  Please accept apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.
I have a high tolerance for chili, so the ¼ ts of Reaper Powder that I recommend using gives me a nice heat that's not overpowering.  If you have a high tolerance as well, feel free to add more Reaper Powder if you really want a blow your head off type of heat!  Alternatively if you are chili sensitive, you can adjust the amount of Reaper powder down. 
The Reaper powder can be unpleasant if you happen to inhale it, so take care not to inhale it and definitely don't touch your eyes after handling! ☺️
I have also roasted the almonds after tossing them with melted butter and spices.  This also works well, but if you are sensitive to strong odors the smell of the Carolina Reaper when roasting may affect you.
Above all, enjoy!!

Nutrition

Calories: 279kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 10gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 200mgPotassium: 356mgFiber: 6gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 9IUCalcium: 134mgIron: 2mg
Keyword almonds, spicy almonds, spicy food
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Easy Hawaiian Spam Musubi Recipe

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Bring a taste of Hawaii to your kitchen! This easy Spam Musubi recipe features glazed Spam, sticky white rice, and crispy nori. It’s the ultimate sweet and savory snack that will transport you straight to the islands!

Several Spam Musubi's which are Spam slices on top of a bed of rice wrapped in nori.

Ok, so I haven't been to Hawaii. But, I have been to Hawaiian Bros Island Grill! This fast food restaurant is where I was introduced to the iconic Spam Musubi. I fell in love with this delicious Hawaiian snack, and relished the idea of making these for myself at home so that I could enjoy them anytime!

So allow me to tell you a little bit about Hawaiian Spam Musubi!

Jump to:

What is Hawaiian Spam Musubi?

Spam, a precooked pork shoulder and ham product, was introduced by Hormel Foods Corporation in 1937. It became a very popular food in Hawaii during World War II, when many American troops were sent to Hawaii when America entered the war after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Spam has a very long shelf life and could easily be included in a soldier's rations as fresh meat was not always feasible. So, soldiers could get their protein by consuming this high calorie, salty, and quite delicious canned meat.

Eventually residents of Hawaii started to enjoy Spam, and sometime during the 1980's Spam musubi was invented and became extremely popular!

The Spam musubi was influenced by the Japanese onigiri, which is rice that is pressed and wrapped in nori (seaweed).

Today, Spam musubi can be found all over Hawaii in grocery stores, local convenience stores, and supermarkets. This local favorite is a delicious, inexpensive, and portable snack, and most everyone who tries Spam musubi loves Spam musubi!

So if you are ready to make this quintessential easy snack that is so beloved in Hawaiian cuisine, then please read on and I'll tell you what you'll need!

🥘 Ingredients

A can of Spam, a yellow bowl with cooked rice, a pink musubi maker, strips of nori, and a glass bowl with soy sauce.

Here are the simple ingredients that you will need to make this Hawaiian-style Spam musubi:

  • Spam - I've used regular Classic Spam for this recipe.  If you are watching your salt, there is a less sodium version of Spam that you can use. 
  • Nori seaweed - I used 2 sheets of nori and cut the seaweed into 7" x 1" strips; there are approximately 5 strips of nori per sheet, so you'll need 2 sheets and will have a little nori leftover if you cut the sheets to this size
  • Teriyaki sauce - you can use a prepared sauce like Kikkoman's or see the notes in the recipe card for an easy recipe to make your own teriyaki sauce
  • Cooked rice - this refers to cooked short grain rice like you would use for sushi rice; it's best to use this as this short grain rice will stick together better than long grain rice

If you need a recipe for cooking short grain or sushi rice in the rice cooker, please visit my sister Tami's Sushi Rice Recipe For The Rice Cooker. Just omit the sushi vinegar dressing. 😉

Ok, now let's get ready to make this tasty snack from the Hawaiian islands!

Musubi Maker (Musubi Mold)

Pink musubi maker or musubi mold with a rice paddle.

Before I jump into the instructions, I want to recommend using a musubi mold (also known as a musubi maker) to create your Spam musubi. The one I ordered on Amazon (link provided) also comes with a cute little rice paddle, as well as 2 triangle molds for rice balls. 😃

The musubi maker consists of the mold (which is the size of Spam slices), and a hand held portion with a handle that you use to press down on the rice.

You don't absolutely have to have one of these to make this Spam musubi, however it really helps to form your musubi.

If you don't have the Spam musubi mold, then you can use your hands to shape the rice into a rice bed that is the size of your sliced Spam.

🔪 Instructions

Slice the Spam into 8 equal slices, and prepare 3 cups of cooked short grain rice/sushi rice (without the vinegar).

Cut a nori sheet into strips approximately 7" x 1". Scissors are a great way to cut the nori!

A can of Spam alongside slices of Spam.
Cut the Spam into 8 slices.
A can of Spam, slices of nori, and a container of Teriyaki sauce.
Cut the nori sheet into strips approximately 7" x 1".

Fry the slices of Spam in a large skillet on medium high heat for around 3-4 minutes per side until they are golden brown. If your Spam starts to stick to your pan, you can add a little bit of oil to loosen it up.

Slices of fried Spam in a large skillet.

Lower the heat to medium, and then add the teriyaki sauce. Cook the Spam in the teriyaki sauce for about 30 seconds per side.

A skillet containing slices of fried Spam. There is a hand holding a small bowl with teriyaki sauce poised above the skillet.

Lay a piece of nori down and place the musubi mold over the nori as pictured. This should be placed perpendicularly to the strip of nori in the middle of the strip.

Add 2 to 3 spoonfuls of cooked rice into the musubi mold, and then use the presser to press firmly down on the rice.

A slice of nori on a wooden cutting board, topped with part of a musubi maker.
Lay the musubi mold across the nori strip.
A strip of nori topped with a pink musubi maker. There is a bed of rice in the musubi maker and there is the presser part of the musubi maker poised over the bed of rice ready to press it down.
Add some rice and press down with the musubi press.

Now add a slice of Spam on top of the rice in the musubi mold.

Remove the mold. Use water to moisten the top of the nori strip, and then wrap the nori strip over the Spam and rice. The moistened part should lay on top of the other part of the strip so that the ends will stick together.

A strip of nori topped with a pink musubi maker containing a bed of rice topped with a slice of Spam.
Place a slice of Spam on top of the rice.
Strip of nori topped with a bed of rice and a slice of Spam. There is a finger pressing down at the top edge of the nori.
Moisten the nori so that when you wrap it over the musubi it will stick together.

And now, it's time to enjoy your Spam musubi IMMENSELY!

Several Spam Musubi's which are Spam slices on top of a bed of rice wrapped in nori.

Suggestions For Serving

Several Spam Musubi's which are Spam slices on top of a bed of rice wrapped in nori.

It's time to gobble up these delightful musubi! You can eat these either warm (my preference) or at room temperature.

If you have extra teriyaki sauce, you can drizzle some over the musubi for extra deliciousness. Or, serve it with some soy sauce or Japanese mayo (like Kewpie)

I like eating the whole thing all at once. It's a bit messy, but totally delicious! Enjoy!

FAQ

How can I store leftover Spam musubi?

Wrap leftovers in cling wrap and store in your refrigerator. Allow it to come to room temperature or warm them up for a few seconds before eating them. Best enjoyed within a couple of days!

What other ingredients can I add to Spam musubi for enjoyment?

Try adding some sesame seeds or sprinkle furikake onto the top of the rice before adding your piece of Spam.

Some Other Recipes You May Enjoy!

Here are some other recipes that you may enjoy:

Join Me On A Fun Food Journey!

I invite you to come along on this food journey with me! Please sign up to get the latest recipes and inspiration for you to expand your food comfort zone! It's an incredible journey, please join me by signing up here.

Cheers!

Grace

Several Spam Musubi's which are Spam slices on top of a bed of rice wrapped in nori.

Hawaiian Spam Musubi Recipe

Grace Stewart
You'll love the sweet and salty flavors of this iconic Hawaiian tasty snack! This Hawaiian Spam Musubi Recipe is super easy to make and it's ready to enjoy in about 15 minutes!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 6 minutes
Cook Time 9 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Snack
Cuisine American, Hawaiian
Servings 4 people
Calories 799 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Skillet
  • 1 rice mold musubi maker this is optional, but it makes making your Spam musubi just that much easier!

Ingredients
  

  • 1 can Spam cut into 8 equal slices
  • 8 strips nori I used 2 sheets of nori and cut the seaweed into 7" x 1" strips; there are approximately 5 strips of nori per sheet, so you'll need 2 sheets and will have a little nori leftover if you cut the sheets to this size
  • 6 tablespoon teriyaki sauce you can use a prepared sauce like Kikkoman's or see the notes below for an easy recipe to make your own teriyaki sauce
  • 3 cups rice this refers to cooked short grain rice like you would use for sushi rice; it's best to use this as this short grain rice will stick together better than long grain rice
  • olive oil optional - you most likely will not need oil to cook the Spam, but if your Spam slices start to stick in your skillet when frying you can add a little bit to loosen them up

Instructions
 

  • Slice the Spam into 8 equal slices, and prepare 3 cups of cooked short grain rice/sushi rice (without the vinegar).
    A can of Spam alongside slices of Spam.
  • Cut the nori into strips approximately 7" x 1". Scissors are a great way to cut the nori!
    A can of Spam, slices of nori, and a container of Teriyaki sauce.
  • Fry the slices of Spam in a large skillet on medium high heat for around 3-4 minutes per side until they are golden brown. If your Spam starts to stick to your pan, you can add a little bit of oil to loosen it up.
    Slices of fried Spam in a large skillet.
  • Lower the heat to medium, and then add the teriyaki sauce. Cook the Spam in the teriyaki sauce for about 30 seconds per side.
    A skillet containing slices of fried Spam. There is a hand holding a small bowl with teriyaki sauce poised above the skillet.
  • Lay the nori down and place the musubi mold over the nori as pictured. This should be placed perpendicularly to the strip of nori in the middle of the strip.
    A slice of nori on a wooden cutting board, topped with part of a musubi maker.
  • Add 2 to 3 spoonfuls of cooked rice into the musubi mold, and then use the presser to press firmly down on the rice.
    A strip of nori topped with a pink musubi maker. There is a bed of rice in the musubi maker and there is the presser part of the musubi maker poised over the bed of rice ready to press it down.
  • Now add a slice of Spam on top of the rice in the musubi mold.
    A strip of nori topped with a pink musubi maker containing a bed of rice topped with a slice of Spam.
  • Remove the mold. Use water to moisten the top of the nori strip, and then wrap the nori strip over the Spam and rice. The moistened part should lay on top of the other part of the strip so that the ends will stick together.
    Strip of nori topped with a bed of rice and a slice of Spam. There is a finger pressing down at the top edge of the nori.
  • Enjoy your Spam musubi IMMENSELY!
    Several Spam Musubi's which are Spam slices on top of a bed of rice wrapped in nori.

Notes

I've used regular Classic Spam for this recipe.  If you are watching your salt, there is a less sodium version of Spam that you can use. 
If you'd like to make your own teriyaki sauce, combine 3 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1.5 tablespoon of sugar, and 1.5 tablespoon of mirin and mix well for use in this recipe. 
I highly recommend using a musubi mold as it makes making your Spam musubi that much easier!  However if you don't have a musubi mold, simply use your hands to shape the rice into a bed of rice that mimics the shape of the slice of Spam.  
I've used both long grain and short grain rice for my musubi making.  From my experience I can certainly recommend short grain over long grain!

Nutrition

Calories: 799kcalCarbohydrates: 119gProtein: 23gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 2240mgPotassium: 575mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 104IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 47mgIron: 2mg
Keyword hand held snack, musubi, spam musubi
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Manwich Texas Toast Sloppy Joe Recipe

by Leave a Comment

Upgrade your dinner game with this cheesy Texas Toast Sloppy Joe recipe! Use a can of Manwich Original and frozen garlic toast for a quick, budget-friendly meal the kids will devour. It's the ultimate messy, melty, open-faced comfort food for busy nights!

A white dish containing pieces of Texas Toast topped with sloppy joe sauce. Several pieces are topped with melted cheddar and one has melted American cheese.

I grew up eating deliciously messy Sloppy Joe's. My elementary school used to serve these for lunch, and I looked forward with anticipation when my mom would make these for dinner as well. Good times!

It had been quite awhile since I've enjoyed this easy weeknight meal. So I grabbed a can of Manwich Original Sloppy Joe Sauce at the grocery store, and proceeded excitedly to my kitchen to make Texas Toast Sloppy Joes!

Jump to:

What Are Texas Toast Sloppy Joes?

This easy recipe includes the Sloppy Joe mixture that we all know and love. However, rather than being sandwiched inside hamburger buns, it's placed on top of delish garlic Texas toast. Then we add some cheese which we'll get all nice and melty and now you have this family favorite to enjoy in a brand new delicious way!

A white casserole dish with 2 pieces of Texas Toast sloppy joes one topped with melted cheddar and the other with melted American cheese. There is a pair of blue tongs in the dish.

I hope you and your whole family are excited to try these open-faced sandwiches! Now allow me to tell you what ingredients you will need to make this delicious recipe which is perfect for busy weeknights!

🥘 Ingredients

Bowls containing tomato sauce, diced onion, garlic cloves, butter, and diced green bell pepper along with a can of Manwich Sloppy Joe Sauce and a bottle of Worcestershire Sauce. There is a package of ground beef and plates topped with Texas Toast and slices of American cheese.

So here's what you will need to make this sloppy joes recipe:

Some optional ingredients to consider are cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes, and green onions, which I think take these to the next level. 😃

These simple ingredients are easily found at most grocery stores. Now let's get to the kitchen and start preparing this delicious meal!

🔪 Instructions

Preheat your oven according to the directions on the package of Texas Toast that you are using. I used New York Garlic Texas Toast and preheated my oven to 425F. Place the garlic toast in a casserole dish or on a baking sheet. Bake toast until golden brown according to the package directions and set it aside. I like to stand my toast up and lean it against the side of my dish so that it doesn't get soggy. Reduce the oven temp to 400F and keep it on for now.

3 pieces of Texas Toast in a white casserole dish.
Toasted Garlic Texas Toast
A white casserole dish with pieces of Texas Toast standing on their edges leaning on the side of the casserole dish.
Stand them up so they don't get soggy.

Melt butter on medium heat in a large skillet. Add the minced garlic and diced onion and green bell pepper. Cook for about 4 minutes until the veggies and garlic are softened. Remove this to a plate and set it aside for now.

A large skillet with melted butter and minced garlic, diced onion, and diced green bell pepper.

Add the ground beef to the skillet, and cook it on medium heat until it has browned, around 5 minutes. Drain the excess fat from the skillet once the meat has browned.

Browned ground beef in a large skillet.

Now add the Manwich sauce, tomato sauce, garlic, onion, and green bell pepper to the skillet. Stir and also mix in the 1 ts of Worcestershire sauce at this time.

Sloppy joe sauce, tomato sauce, green bell pepper and onion, and ground beef in a large skillet. Someone is holding a bottle of Worcestershire Sauce in the foreground.

Reduce the heat and simmer the sloppy joe meat mixture for 10 minutes.

Sloppy joe sauce including beef, tomatoes, and green bell peppers in a skillet with a blue spoon resting in the skillet.

Lay the Texas Toast pieces down, and then top each slice of Texas Toast with about ⅓ cup to ½ cup of sloppy joe mixture. Then add your cheese of choice. If using American cheese then one slice on each piece works great. If using shredded cheddar cheese I recommend around 1.5 tablespoon per slice.

A white casserole dish with pieces of Texas Toast topped with sloppy joe sauce and slices of American cheese that are not melted.
One slice of American cheese per slice will do.
A white casserole dish with pieces of Texas Toast topped with sloppy joe sauce and shredded cheddar cheese.
If using grated cheddar add 1.5 tablespoon per slice.

Bake at 400F until the cheese melts. It should only take about 1-2 minutes.

A white dish containing pieces of Texas Toast topped with sloppy joe sauce. Several pieces are topped with melted cheddar and one has melted American cheese.

And now your super DELISH tasty sloppy joes with luscious melted cheese are ready to enjoy!

Suggestions for Serving

A white dish containing 3 pieces of Texas Toast sloppy joes topped with melted cheddar cheese, green onions, and cayenne pepper.

This crowd pleaser is ready to enjoy straight from your oven. Or, if you like a little heat, sprinkle some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes over the slices of Texas Toast. Some sliced green onions also add color and a bit of pizazz as well!

Texas Toast Sloppy Joes can be a fun appetizer or your main meal. As a main course, it's such an easy dinner and great accompanied by a lovely green salad.

I hope this delicious dinner idea deserves a place in your rotation of easy dinners that your family loves!

The full recipe with a printable recipe card can be found below. Bon appetit!!

FAQ

Do you drain meat before adding Manwich sauce?

If you have excess fat after browning your ground meat, it's best to drain the excess fat from the meat before adding the Manwich sauce. If you use extra lean ground beef then there shouldn't be much fat to drain.

What side dishes go with sloppy joes?

A simple green salad is the perfect side dish to balance out a delicious sloppy joe!

What is a Texas Toast Sloppy Joe?

Rather than being sandwiched inside hamburger buns, the sloppy joe meat mixture is placed on top of delish garlic Texas toast. Then we add some cheese which we'll get all nice and melty and now you have this family favorite to enjoy in a brand new delicious way!

Some Other Recipes You May Enjoy!

Here are some other recipes you may enjoy:

Join Me On A Fun Food Journey!

I invite you to come along on this food journey with me! Please sign up to get the latest recipes and inspiration for you to expand your food comfort zone! It's an incredible journey, please join me by signing up here.

Cheers!

Grace

A white dish containing pieces of Texas Toast topped with sloppy joe sauce. Several pieces are topped with melted cheddar and one has melted American cheese.

Delicious Manwich Texas Toast Sloppy Joe Recipe

Grace Stewart
This Delicious Manwich Texas Toast Sloppy Joe Recipe is super easy! You will love the sloppy joe mixture on top of garlicky Texas Toast with melty cheese!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 26 minutes
Total Time 36 minutes
Course Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 2 people
Calories 975 kcal

Equipment

  • Large skillet
  • baking sheet or casserole dish

Ingredients
  

  • 15 oz Manwich Original Sloppy Joe Sauce
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 4 pieces Texas Toast Garlic Bread
  • ½ cup tomato sauce can add more if you prefer a thinner sloppy joe mixture
  • 1 lb ground beef can sub ground turkey - select lean or extra lean ground beef
  • ½ cup onion diced
  • ½ cup green bell pepper diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 ts Worcestershire sauce

Cheese - Pick one or try both!

  • 4 slices American cheese
  • 6 tablespoon cheddar shredded (use 1.5 tablespoon per slice)

Optional

  • cayenne pepper for some extra heat!
  • green onions sliced for a bit of color and pizazz!

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven according to the directions on the package of Texas Toast that you are using. I used New York Garlic Texas Toast and preheated by oven to 425F. Place the toast in a casserole dish or on a baking sheet. Cook your toast according to the package directions and set it aside. I like to stand my toast up and lean it against the side of my dish so that it doesn't get soggy. Reduce the oven temp to 400F and keep it on for now.
    A white casserole dish with pieces of Texas Toast standing on their edges leaning on the side of the casserole dish.
  • Melt butter on medium heat in your skillet. Add the minced garlic and diced onion and green bell pepper. Cook for about 4 minutes until the veggies and garlic are softened. Remove this to a plate and set it aside for now.
    A large skillet with melted butter and minced garlic, diced onion, and diced green bell pepper.
  • Add the ground beef to the skillet, and cook it on medium heat until it has browned, around 5 minutes. Drain the excess fat from the skillet once the meat has browned.
    Browned ground beef in a large skillet.
  • Now add the Manwich sauce, tomato sauce, garlic, onion, and green bell pepper to the skillet. Stir and also mix in the 1 ts of Worcestershire sauce at this time.
    Sloppy joe sauce, tomato sauce, green bell pepper and onion, and ground beef in a large skillet. Someone is holding a bottle of Worcestershire Sauce in the foreground.
  • Reduce the heat and simmer the sloppy joe meat mixture for 10 minutes.
    Sloppy joe sauce including beef, tomatoes, and green bell peppers in a skillet with a blue spoon resting in the skillet.
  • Lay the Texas Toast pieces down, and then top each slice of Texas Toast with about ⅓ cup to ½ cup of sloppy joe mixture. Then add your cheese of choice. If using American cheese then one slice on each piece works great. If using shredded cheddar cheese I recommend around 1.5 tablespoon per slice.
    A white casserole dish with pieces of Texas Toast topped with sloppy joe sauce and shredded cheddar cheese.
  • Bake at 400F until the cheese melts. It should only take about 1-2 minutes.
    A white dish containing pieces of Texas Toast topped with sloppy joe sauce. Several pieces are topped with melted cheddar and one has melted American cheese.
  • Optional add on's are some sliced green onions and sprinkles of cayenne pepper to take these to the next level! Enjoy!
    A white dish containing 3 pieces of Texas Toast sloppy joes topped with melted cheddar cheese, green onions, and cayenne pepper.

Notes

Please note that the Nutrition Info does not include nutrition for the Manwich Sloppy Joe Sauce, and optional green onions, cayenne or red pepper flakes. Please refer to the Manwich can for nutrition info and please accept my apologies for any inconvienienc.
You may also sub shredded mozzarella cheese if you like.
Optional add on's are some sliced green onions and sprinkles of cayenne pepper to take these to the next level! Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 975kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 59gFat: 75gSaturated Fat: 34gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 27gTrans Fat: 3gCholesterol: 249mgSodium: 1467mgPotassium: 1046mgFiber: 2gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 1265IUVitamin C: 39mgCalcium: 839mgIron: 6mg
Keyword open faced sandwich, sloppy joes, texas toast
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Easy Texas Toothpicks Recipe

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This page may contain affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link. This post is about an Easy Texas Toothpicks Recipe!

Breaded and fried pieces of thin sliced jalapeños with a red bowl filled with ranch dressing on the left hand side.

Howdy y'all! I'm a Texan and I'm happy to share with you a terrific food from the Lone Star State. It's the Texas Toothpick, a delicious fried treat to eat, and not something to pick your teeth with. 😅

Jump to:

What Are Texas Toothpicks?

Texas Toothpicks are basically thin and long strips of jalapeno peppers breaded and then fried to a golden brown perfection.

A few restaurants here in Texas serve TX Toothpicks as appetizers. However if you can't get to a restaurant to enjoy these no worries as they are easy to make at home!

So let me show you what ingredients you will need to make this easy and delicious dish!

🥘 Ingredients

Bowls containing egg, milk, flour, salt and pepper, and garlic and onion powder. There are also 5 whole jalapeños next to the bowls.

You only need a few simple ingredients to make this delicious fried appetizer. They are:

  • Jalapeños - select large jalapeños for this recipe
  • Large Egg
  • Whole milk
  • All purpose flour
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • Garlic powder
  • Onion powder
  • Vegetable oil

The perfect partner to these is Ranch dressing. I can't tell you how good these are smothered in Ranch! However, you can substitute your own favorite dressing for Ranch if you like.

Ok, so now I'll go through the easy step by step instructions to make your Texas Toothpicks!

🔪 Instructions

Using a sharp knife, begin by cutting the top off the jalapeños and slice them down the middle lengthwise. Deseed and devein the jalapeños and then cut them into thin long strips. Combine the egg and milk in one shallow bowl, and whisk gently to make an egg wash. In another shallow bowl combine the flour and the seasonings and stir to combine well.

A white bowl containing flour and seasonings and a white bowl containing thin slices of jalapeños. There is also a small red bowl containing an egg and milk.

Dip a jalapeno strip into the egg wash and let the excess run off. Then roll it in the flour mixture. Repeat with each jalapeno strip.

A white bowl containing an egg wash, and a pair of tongs holding a thin slice of jalapeno over the egg wash.
Dip the jalapeno in the egg wash and let the excess run off.
A bowl with seasoned flour and a pair of tongs holding a jalapeno slice above the seasoned flour.
Then dip the jalapeno in the seasoned flour mixture.
Thin slices of jalapeños coated in a seasoned flour on a white plate.
Breaded jalapeno strips ready for frying!

Add vegetable oil to a depth of about 1" in a large cast iron skillet or large skillet. Heat the oil to about 350F and then add a few of the breaded jalapeno strips. You will want to fry these in batches so that you don't have too many strips frying at once. Fry until the jalapeño strips are golden brown which means you now have Texas Toothpicks! Drain on a plate lined with a paper towel and add a pinch of salt to each batch of Texas Toothpicks.

A breaded slice of jalapeno frying in hot oil.

Please note: The length of your frying time will vary according to how hot your oil is.  Mine fried up pretty quickly so it's best just to keep an eye on them while cooking and be prepared to remove them as soon as they turn golden brown.  If your oil is super hot, these can go from golden brown to burnt pretty fast!

Breaded and fried pieces of thin sliced jalapeños with a red bowl filled with ranch dressing on the left hand side.

How To Serve Your Delicious Appetizer!

Breaded and fried pieces of thin sliced jalapeños and a red bowl filled with ranch dressing. Someone is dipping one of the fried jalapeno slices in the ranch dressing.

Enjoy these with ranch dressing as a dipping sauce, or substitute your own favorite dressing. You'll be amazed at how fast these disappear!

I hope you will find this to be one of your most favorite delicious appetizers!

FAQ

What are Texas Toothpicks made of?

Texas Toothpicks are made of thin strips of jalapeno peppers breaded and then fried to a golden brown perfection. They make for a mouthwatering appetizer!

Can Texas Toothpicks be reheated?

Technically these can be reheated, but these are best enjoyed straight out of the hot oil! If you do reheat them, your best option is to reheat in an air fryer for around 3 minutes at 350F. Just be aware that they will most likely be a bit limp and not as crisp as when they come out of the hot oil when cooking them.

What sauces can I serve Texas Toothpicks with?

My favorite sauce to serve with this fried jalapeno appetizer is ranch dressing. However I think mayo would also work well, and why not try guacamole, sour cream, or even bbq sauce?!

Some Other Recipes You May Enjoy!

Here are some other recipes which you may enjoy:

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I invite you to come along on this food journey with me! Please sign up to get the latest recipes and inspiration for you to expand your food comfort zone! It's an incredible journey, please join me by signing up here.

Cheers!

Grace

Breaded and fried pieces of thin sliced jalapeños with a red bowl filled with ranch dressing on the left hand side.

Easy Texas Toothpicks Recipe

Grace Stewart
You've got to try this Easy Texas Toothpicks Recipe y'all! Thin slices of jalapeno breaded and fried are called Texas Toothpicks. This great appetizer is perfect served with ranch dressing!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Servings 4 people
Calories 80 kcal

Equipment

  • large skillet or cast iron pan can also use a deep fat fryer if you prefer

Ingredients
  

  • 5 each jalapeños select large jalapeños and remove the seeds and veins

Egg wash

  • 1 egg select a large egg
  • 2 tablespoon milk use whole milk

Flour and seasonings

  • ½ cup all purpose flour
  • ½ ts salt plus additional
  • ½ ts pepper
  • ½ ts garlic powder
  • ½ ts onion powder

Oil for frying

  • vegetable oil for shallow frying

Dipping sauce

  • Ranch dressing for dipping

Instructions
 

  • Cut the top off the jalapenos and slice them down the middle lengthwise. Deseed and devein the jalapenos and then cut them into thin strips. Combine the egg and milk in one shallow bowl, and whisk gently to make an egg wash. In another shallow bowl combine the flour and the seasonings and stir to combine well.
    White bowls containing flour and an egg wash, and a cutting board topped with thin slices of jalapeños.
  • Dip a jalapeno strip into the egg wash and let the excess run off. Then roll it in the flour mixture. Repeat with each jalapeno strip.
    Thin slices of jalapeños coated in a seasoned flour on a white plate.
  • Add vegetable oil to a depth of about 1" in a large cast iron skillet or large skillet. Heat the oil to about 350F and then add a few of the breaded jalapeno strips. You will want to fry these in batches so that you don't have too many strips frying at once. Fry until the the strips are golden brown which means you now have Texas Toothpicks! Drain on a plate lined with a paper towel and add a pinch of salt to each batch of Texas Toothpicks.
    A breaded slice of jalapeno frying in hot oil.
  • Enjoy these with ranch dressing as a dip, or substitute your own favorite dressing. You'll be amazed at how fast these disappear!
    Breaded and fried pieces of thin sliced jalapeños and a red bowl filled with ranch dressing. Someone is dipping one of the fried jalapeno slices in the ranch dressing.

Notes

Please note that the nutrition information does not include the information for the vegetable oil or the ranch dressing.  Apologies for any inconvenience that this may cause.
The length of your frying time will vary according to how hot your oil is.  Mine fried up pretty quickly so it's best just to keep an eye on them while cooking and be prepared to remove them as soon as they turn golden brown.  If your oil is super hot, these can go from golden brown to burnt pretty fast!

Nutrition

Calories: 80kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 3gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.5gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 42mgSodium: 310mgPotassium: 56mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 86IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 1mg
Keyword fried appetizer, jalapenos, ranch dressing, texas toothpicks
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!