Slice onions into rings. Mix your favorite hot salsa with a few drops of your favorite hot sauce to get it slightly hotter than you would like it. Coat onion rings, one at a time in salsa, then cover with flour. Place on plate until you have a sufficient quantity ready to fry. (Do not throw out the remaining salsa and flour) When you have the rings dipped, heat oil in the pan until hot, then start frying the rings. brown on both sides. When they are done, mix the remaining salsa and flour together, add more salsa if dry, more flour if wet, until you have a thick paste, like bread dough. Fry in the hot oil until brown and crispy. The smaller the better!! Serve with lots of salt, ketcup, and salsa or hot sauce.

From: the Chile-Heads Recipe Collection
Posted By: (Jena B)
Post Date:

In a large wok, SLOWLY brown the garlic in oil. If it burns, throw it out and start over. Remove garlic from oil, slice thinly with a radial arm saw, and feed to wolves. Reduce heat slightly, mix in three ground chiles until it resembles a thick liquidy paste, and immediately stir in peanuts, coating all evenly. Increase heat slightly and continue to stir for about 15 minutes, the idea being to slightly roast the peanuts while imbuing them with the subtle essence of U-235. Add salt to taste (they won't need much). If you let the chiles burn at this point, carefully scoop up about 2 large teaspoons of chile paste and carefully spread in a thin layer on all of your ABBA records. Remove peanuts from wok, packing them back in the original jars, and reseal. Usually best after about 12 hours.

From: The Chile-Heads Recipe Collection
Posted By: Mark Seasly, SEASLY.MARK@tntv7.ntrs.com
Post Date: ???

Combine all ingredients but popcorn and heat in microwave 30 seconds. Drizzle over popcorn and toss to coat.
The more popcorn you use, the milder the taste.

From: Via The Chile-Heads Recipe Collection
Posted By: SHutt@aol.com
Post Date:

I make mine w/ a marinate of soy sauce, water, sesame oil, garlic, and minced chile peppers from the garden (I usually use fresh, but I've used dried too...)... I marinate for at least 24 hours, and then pat dry before placing in the dehydrator... I also usually use sesame seeds, but that is because I happen to love them.... I never measure the ingredients, just play it be feel of how much meat I use... In the end, the jerky comes out pretty hot, but probably not what many people on this list would consider "too" spicy....

From: Rich Davies
Posted By: Rich Davies
Post Date: Sun, 26 Oct 1997

I like Tapatio as the hot sauce ingredient for a jerky marinade. There's acetic acid in it, but it doesn't come through as a heavy flavor in the sauce itself, and isn't noticeable in the finished product. I use it with soy sauce and granulated garlic (fresh garlic if I know I'm doing this a day in advance). It's great stuff for jerky.

If you're making jerky in something like a water smoker (sans water) it also has another use. Make extra, and pour over a rack of 'dinosaur-bone' beef ribs. I like to do this so that I don't end up eating half the jerky. Something about long exposure to that aroma. I just *have* to eat something out of that smoker.

From: Greg Metcalfe
Posted By: Greg Metcalfe
Post Date: Sun, 26 Oct 1997

The kick in honey glazed nuts comes from two chilies: cayenne and chipotle.
The nuts: hazelnuts (filberts), almonds, pine, macadamias, recans, pistachios, walnuts.
TO ROAST:
Spread shelled nuts (except macadamias) in a single layer on a baking pan. Bake in a 350F oven, stirring often, until golden. Allow 5 to 7 minutes for pine nuts; 8 to 10 minutes for pecans, pistachios, and walnuts; about 15 minutes for almonds and hazelnuts. Macadamias need lower heat because they scorch very easily; roast them at 300F about 20 minutes. Watch nuts carefully since they brown quickly. For more toasted flavor, bake nuts to a darker color.
1. Remove and discard chili stems. Whirl chilies, with seeds, in a blender or food processor until finely ground.
2. In a bowl, mix ground chilies, honey, sugar, oil, salt, and cayenne. Add nuts and stir until coated with seasonings.
3. Pour nuts onto oiled 10- by 15-inch pan- shake into 1 layer. Bake in a 300F oven, stirring often, till golden brown (under skins, if not blanched) and honey mixture hardens, 25 to 30 minutes. If necessary, push nuts apart; cool in pan. Serve, or store up to 3 days.
Makes 3 cups
To Blanch: Remove shells. Immerse nuts in rapidly boiling water until the skins shrivel and loosen, 15 to 20 seconds. Drain; set aside to cool. The skin should slip off easily when rubbed or pinched off.

From: Sunset Magazine, November 1996
Posted By: Christopher E. Eaves, cea260@airmail.net
Post Date: 12/14/99

Preheat oven to 225. Place a single layer of pretzels on a baking sheet.
In a small saucepan, melt margarine over medium heat. Add remaining ingredients; stir till well blended.
Using a pastry brush, brush margarine mixture over pretzels.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes or till dry to the touch. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

From: Friendship Gifts of Good Taste
Posted By: The Chile-Heads Recipe Collection
Post Date:???

Preheat oven to 300F.
Mix all the ingredients except the nuts together in a bowl. Add the nuts and toss until they are well coated.
Spread on a flat sheet and back for 20-30 minutes, stirring frequently; you will probably need a stiff spatula to keep them from sticking. Nuts should be crispy when done.
Try this with almonds, walnuts, etc.
Eat as munchies, or use in salads instead of croutons.

From: The Chile-Heads Recipe Collection
Posted By: ???
Post Date: ???

Tabasco makes your popcorn soggy, so here's what I do instead. Repeat step 3 until plain popcorn is used up and serving bowl is full.
My girlfriend always has me make this for her (she's also a Chile-Head!).

From: The Chile-Heads Recipe Collection
Posted By: Rick Rick Myers, rcm@col.hp.com
Post Date:

Heat cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat, melt butter, and dump in nuts. Heat and stir the nuts until they brown a bit. Beware too high a heat or too infrequent a stirring, otherwise pick out and discard burned nuts.
Place the seasonings into the bag and shake to mix. Transfer the browned nuts from the hot skillet to the bag, crimp the top, and shake. This distributes the seasonings onto the buttery nuts, and allows the excess butter to be absorbed by the bag. When cooled a bit, pour nuts back into their containers.
Have recipe ready at party, for those who ask. You will probably want to step up the pepper quantities, as these are spiced pretty much to appeal even to "the old aunties" and those with mainstream tastes.
My wife (not a chile-head) makes me keep the small can home when I make these, so she can sprinkle the nuts on her Chinese food. ( adapted from the recipe for Hot Cashews in a cookbook called "Hot Stuff" that I got at a garage sale a long time ago. -gus

From: adapted from the recipe for Hot Cashews in a cookbook called "Hot Stuff"
Posted By: Gus Altobello, Jr. Work: gus.altobello@reuters.com Play: alto@pipeline.com.
Via: The Chile-Heads Recipe Collection
Post Date: ???

Preheat oven to 350 F. Toss all ingredients in a bowl until well coated. Spread pecans out on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until fragrant; stir often to prevent burning.
Makes 2 cups.

From:   Lee Bailey, from "How to Eat Like a Southerner and Live to T
Posted By:  
Post Date:  

Cut the beef into very thin strips (partially frozen helps a lot), and marinade overnight. Pat dry and dehydrate!

This is not OUTRAGEOUSLY hot, but certainly enough to make it completely avoided by my non-CH friends (pathetic masses....), and really big hit on a white-water rafting trip with a boat-load of thrill-seekers. I really liked the pineapple, but you could probably use just about any acidic fruit juice.

From: Ed Cutrell
Posted By:Ed Cutrell
Post Date: Wed, 29 Oct 1997

The other day, making popcorn the good old fashioned way, I added a quart tsp. powder to the oil while heating.

WOOOOOOOOOOOOW !!!!!!!!

Tasted good and our guest said "HOT, but good !!" and took some more.
We emptied the bowl with great joy and I think we also had another beer.
Highly recommendable.

From: Helle & Henning
Posted By: Helle & Henning
Post Date: Mon, 23 Mar 1998

Heat the oil or butter in a big frying pan. Stir in the nuts, keep stirring to prevent burning until the nuts are golden. Take from the pan and drain on some kitchen towel, while still warm put into a screw top jar and put in the other ingredients and shake until the nuts are fully covered with the mixture. The above recipe is a good basis and other stuff can be added to taste. Best eaten the next day.

From: Peter Giblin, peter@paddy.demon.co.uk
Posted By: The Chile-Heads Recipe Collection
Post Date:

I usaully need a quick "pick-me-up" by 11:ooAM everyday and try to stay within healthy means when choosing what I am going to snack on. I love baby carrots but, they tend to be a little bland when eaten raw so what I do is take a small ziplock bag and add a pinch of salt, black pepper and garlic powder along with a few drops of my favorite hot sauce. Add the baby carrots, close the bag and give it a few shakes to coat the carrots with this mixture. Keep refrigerated if you will not be eating them right away. They are delicious!!!

From: Michelle Munistari
Posted By:Michelle Munistari
Post Date: Mon, 19 Jan 1998

I never use any soy sauce when making beef jerky. I use scotch, with lots of garlic minced with it, plus seasonings--coarse black pepper, seasoned salt, crushed red chile. Jerky doesn't have to be coated with a saline solution. I usually moisten the strips of beef in the garlic seasoned scotch, then sprinkle slices with pepper, salt and lots of chile after they are spread out.

From: "Eeyore"
Posted By:"Eeyore"
Post Date: Sun, 4 Jan 1998

Preheat oven to 275.
With brush, spread butter over large baking sheet. combine sugar, salt and spices in a small bowl. Add egg white and water; stir to a smooth paste. With a fork, mix in nuts 1 cup at a time, making sure all are well-coated. Spread evenly onto baking sheet. Bake 45 minutes until crisp and golden. Let cool completely before storing.

From: ???
Posted By: ???
Post Date: ???

As restaurateurs we are always on the lookout for spicy items like this for nibbling with drinks at the bar. Our inspiration here came from chex‹a snack that Mary Sue remembers from her mother¹s bridge party nights.

Preheat the oven to 350 . Heat the oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Sauté the garlic 1 to 2 minutes. Add the almonds, pecans, cashews, Worcestershire sauce, chile powder, and cayenne and mix well. Stir in the pretzels and cook, stirring frequently, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet. Add the remaining ingredients and bake, shaking the pan and stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Turn the mixture into a serving dish and cool.
Makes about 4 cups

From:
Posted By:
Post Date: 2/3/98

Preheat your oven to 250 degrees. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a heavy cast iron skillet over a low to medium fire. Toss in the peanuts and all the spices and stir thoroughly to coat the peanuts uniformly with butter and spices They don't all have to touch the bottom of the pan, but don't make them too deep unless you want to spend the next 15-20 minutes constantly stirring. You can obviously do them in batches in series (one pan) or in parallel (more than one pan). In any event, stir them frequently, as they usually take a while to start browning but then come on like gangbusters and will scorch if you aren't paying attention. After 15-20 minutes, the peanuts should begin taking on a nice copper tone and are ready to finish cooking in a slow oven. The cooking time is not critical here; the important thing is to get uniform browning and avoid burning them. When you have achieved this, give them another stir and put the skillet on the rack in the middle of your oven.

Open a cold beer and enjoy the pregame hype. You will want to roast the peanuts anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes, depending on how you like them, stirring them every 10 minutes. We like them well done, by which time they will have a deep, mahogany hue. This takes 45-60 minutes depending on the accuracy of your oven thermostat and the doneness you have achieved when browning them on the stove. You will want to test them occasionally (more than occasionally when the aroma starts beckoning to you). Be aware that they aren't crisp when hot but become so quickly when allowed to cool.

I have done these entirely on the stovetop (no oven) in a covered skillet, and entirely in the oven (no stovetop) with good results, but the above method works best for me and seems to require less attention to avoid burning.

From: Eggert, Len
Posted By:Eggert, Len
Post Date: Thu, 22 Jan 1998

*Prepare meat by cutting into strips 3/4" X 1/2" and as long as you prefer. Cut across grain for tender and lengthwise for chewy. The more consistent you are when cutting the strips the better your jerky will dry evenly. Very cold or lightly frozen meat cuts easier.
Mix all ingredients in blender except meat and Cayenne.

Soak strips of meat in the above mixture and refrigerate for 24-48 hours in a close container (I use a Tuppleware® bread box). Shake several times to mix well.

Remove meat from brine (save brine) and pat dry. Place directly on oven racks that have been covered with tin foil and sprayed with Pam. Cook in pre heated oven @ 160F for 2 hours (with door closed). This kills bacteria, removes a lot of the excess moisture and melts any excess fat.

Return hot strips to brine mixture and refrigerate for another 6-12 hours (remember to shake several times). Remove meat from brine, pat dry and sprinkle with Cayenne powder. Spread in dehydrator. Set dehydrator at 145F. The final drying usually takes about another 6-10 hours. Do not over dry (Check every hour). Jerky should be tuff, hard and leathery, not brittle. A real mouth watering HOT treat! Enjoy.

If you don't have a dehydrator return Jerky to 140-150F oven for 6-8 hours, leaving door open a little. Do not over cook. Check texture often.

An alternate for the drying is to use a low heat smoker (cold smoking is generally done at 90 to 115 F. over 5-10 days). Leave out the Liquid Smoke® and add 1/8 cup more salt in the Marinate. Remove meat from Marinate pat dry, sprinkle on the Cayenne, then into the prepared smoker. I have done this several times and my taste buds have always voted this method first place. It takes longer, you need some equipment (if you have a smoke house you are truly blessed), and time spent tending the fire, but the result is worth every hour. Also look at "Dan's Smokehouse Jerky" recipe for details on cold smoking.

Store refrigerated or freeze in closed containers for long storage time (if not consumed in 4-5 weeks)
Note - Venison has always cooked faster for me than beef (less moisture?). So check it more frequently.
Yields about 1.5 - 2 lbs. dried jerky.
Notes: I make this nice and hot for a reason. If I leave out most of the hot ingredients my children eat it like candy (2 lbs. in 3 days!). Experiment with the heat factor to your taste.

From: Steve
Posted By: Steve, snearman@erols.com
Post Date: Tue, 24 Nov 1998