PEPPERMEISTER’S Photo Contest Winners!!!

Tags

chile, gardening, giveaway, organic, peppers, photography, recipes, spicy

Much like the Summer, PEPPERMEISTER’S Pick a Pic of Peppers Contest has come to an end.

I want to thank everyone who entered.  My wife and I looked at dozens of entries and narrowed it down to 3 finalists.  Here are the results…..

Grand Prize Winner: LK from Trying Not to be Fat!!! LK submitted this amazing pic of her own chile vodka.  I know why my wife loved it, but we both agree that LK’s creativity, photo quality, and pepper-usage had the makings of a prestigious pepper photo champion.  Congrats LK, enjoy your Stainless Steel Pepper Roaster!

2nd Place Winner: Tim Sheets. Tim regularly contributes chile advice and info on GardenWeb’s Hot Pepper forum.  Tim submitted this peculiar photo featuring one lonely cayenne pepper.  Beautiful shot Tim! Read below for your prize info…

Tim wins a Chile Pepper Taco Holder! Because… how else is Tim going to hold his tacos?

Not bad for 2nd place.

3rd Place Winner: Monica Mooney from Sweet Heat Chefs!  Monica and her daughter, Jasmine, feature amazing recipes on their site.  If you don’t believe me, ask Rachael Ray and Guy Fieri.  Monica’s fiery pic of charred poblanos made my mouth water and long for some tasty stuffed chiles.  Monica’s photo (featured below) has earned her a 3.5 oz. Lindt Dark Chili Chocolate bar which is appropriately filled with sweetness and heatness.  Congrats Monica!

Honorable Mention: Linda Roper.  Linda’s photo below displays a scary 7 pot chile.  This super hot pepper is as mean as it looks.

Linda, along with everyone who entered the contest, can receive free pepper seeds!  If you’ve submitted pics and would like to receive free pepper seeds, send your mailing address to thepeppermeister@yahoo.com

Thanks for participating! I will be giving more seeds away in October so stay tuned to PEPPERMEISTER!

FOLLOW @Peppermeister1 on Twitter for even more pepper pics and recipes.

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PEPPERMEISTER’S Garden Update and Photo Contest News!

Tags

chile, gardening, giveaway, organic, peppers, recipes, spicy

Top Left: Mucho Nacho Jalapeno Top Right: Wenk’s Yellow Center: Aji Crystal

Here is my latest installment in the series I just made up:           Peppermeister’s Video Garden Updates!

I was able to keep this down to 2 minutes!

Watch it in HD, with headphones on, because it looks and sounds better that way and let’s face it: Is watching a pepper video with headphones on the weirdest thing you’ve done today? No. Not even close. Weirdo.

Enjoy this masterful film a few times, then scroll down for news about PEPPERMEISTER’S Pick a pic of Peppers Photo Contest!

PEPPERMEISTER’S PICK A PIC OF PEPPERS PHOTO CONTEST NEWS:

The Deadline for the Pick a Pic of Peppers contest is Sunday August 26, 2012.  I’ve gotten dozens of great entries and I hope to get more as those pepper harvests keep rolling in.  Remember photos can be of anything relating to your peppers, so get creative!  You don’t want to miss your chance to win a brand spanking new Stainless Steel Chile Roasting Rack.

Check out this recipe for Chile Agave Liqueur from BOOZED + INFUSED.

PEPPERMEISTER’S Pick a Pic of Peppers Contest!

Tags

chiles, chilli, gardening, giveaway, organic, peppers, photography, recipes, spicy

Do you want to win this GrillPro Stainless Steel Pepper Roaster?

Hell yeah, you do!  All you have to do is enter PEPPERMEISTER’S Pick a Pic of Peppers Contest!  This is my first ever contest but my wife seems to like giving things away for free, so I thought I’d join in on the fun.

Here’s how it works:

• Send me your favorite pepper photos before Sunday August 26th  (limited 3 per entry).
• I will pick my favorite picture and send the winner a brand new GrillPro Stainless Steel Pepper Roasting Rack with Corer.
• That’s pretty much it!

What makes a great pepper pic?

Well, first of all, the photo must be your own, meaning that you personally took the photograph or own the photo (there are a lot of pepper peeps out there who really get their panties in a bunch if you use their pics without permission). Peppers can be beautiful, they can be scary, funny, and even erotic?  The photo could be of your pepper plant, pepper seeds, pepper harvest, pets and peppers, closeup, panorama, whatevah!  I’ve seen some great chile pics on Google Images and Pinterest and I’d love to compile a whole post featuring your pepper pics.

thesavagefeast.com, that’s what I’m talkin’ about!

About the Prize:

These pepper roasters are awesome!  I use mine on a weekly basis during harvest season.  You can make up to 24 roasted and stuffed peppers on the grill or in the oven.  The roaster holds the peppers upright so the pepper gets fully and evenly roasted while all that good stuff stays right inside.  Better yet, the roaster includes a stainless steel pepper corer which you will never get tired of using. The corer lets you scrape out all seeds and pepper innards to maximize your stuffing potential.

Not the same exact roaster, but holy crap, is that a great idea!

Here’s how to enter:

Email your pepper pics to ThePeppermeister@yahoo.com.  Make sure the subject line reads “you rarely get email to this account, why bother screening?”

Or… you could tweet your pics to @Peppermeister1

All photos must be sent by noon (EST) Sunday August 26, 2012.  Remember there is a 3 picture limit on submissions.  And don’t worry if you don’t win the roaster because everyone who enters will be getting a free packet of PEPPERMEISTER pepper seeds this fall!

After you’ve sent your chile photos check out the Carolina Reaper, soon to be the next World’s Hottest Chile Pepper!

Photo Credits: Grillpro.com, NordicWare.com

Recipe: Peppermeister’s Roasted Tomatillo Pizza

Tags

gardening, mexican, peppers, recipes, rick bayless, salsa, spicy

5 Tomatillos (halved), 5 Serrano Del Sol Chiles, 1 Espanola Improved Chile, and 2 Garlic Cloves.

Thanks to some great inspiration, this was a perfect Friday night meal.

I woke up to an episode of Mexico: One Plate at a Time on the DVR featuring Chicago Chef and mexican food/culture enthustiast, Rick Bayless.  If you love Mexican food or just have a lot of interest in cooking, I highly recommend this show.  Rick teaches about so many aspects of Mexican traditional dishes and often takes you into his restaurants and his impressive garden.

rickbayless.com

This episode included a delicious looking pizza that featured a no-knead crust made from a beer-based dough.  Rick topped this crust with tomatillo salsa, sauteed chorizo, goat cheese and thinly sliced red onion.  I decided to change a few things based on what I had on hand.

Ingredients:

• Roasted Tomatillo Salsa, but add 2-3 more Serranos or Jalepenos (Recipe Here)
• Pizza dough – I used whole wheat from a tube
• Spicy Sausage – I used smoke andouille chicken sausage, (I recommend real chorizo)
• White Cheese – Monterey Jack or Oaxacan cheese
• Onions

Directions: Cook the crust according to package directions at least half way before adding any other ingredients.  Saute 2-3 links of spicy sausage with onions in olive oil until the meat is browned, not burnt and the onions are soft (chop up or crumble to your liking). When the pizza crust is just starting to become golden, remove it from the oven and add the other ingredients. Spread the tomatillo salsa over the pizza crust and distribute shredded white cheese over the whole pie pizza.  Finally, add the sausage and onion mixture to the top.  Bake for an additional 8-10 minutes or until you feel you’ve made the finest pizza you are capable of making.  Serve with beer or sun tea or both. Enjoy!

P.S. I told Rick Bayless (via Twitter) how much I enjoyed his Roasted Tomatillo Salsa recipe and sent him some pics. You’ll never guess what he said……For another amazing pizza recipe check out A Fork in Each Hand.

To see an impressive pepper garden and hear some lovely tunes check out Way Right Kevin’s Youtube page.

Next Week – “Peppermeister’s Pick a Pic of Peppers Contest” to win this awesome Chile Roaster, details soon.

Recipe: Peppermeister’s Half-baked Turkey Chili Pie

Tags

chili, chili pie, cornbread, gardening, jalapenos, organic, peppers, recipes, turkey chili

This is a really easy recipe that gives people the impression that you might actually know what you’re doing in the kitchen (although, we’ll still know the truth).
This recipe comes down to 2 essential ingredients: your favorite chili and your cheapest favorite cornbread mix.

I don’t really believe in sticking to one tried and true chili recipe.  I have the firm belief that a chili recipe should be based on the freshest ingredients you can get and your mood based on the weather, the event, or whatever is in your pantry.  That being said, I will share the chili recipe I used to make this pie. Don’t be intimidated by the number of ingredients, you probably have a lot of this stuff on hand, if not, improvise!  Please feel free to use any chili (canned is acceptable in dire cases, try Amy’s organic).

INGREDIENTS:

Chipotle Turkey Chili

• 1 1/2 lbs lean ground turkey
• 1 can red kidney beans
• 1 can black beans
• 1 large chile pepper (I used a Jalapeno)
• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 Tablespoon Olive oil
• 1 medium onion (chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic (chopped)
• 2 Tablespoons Chipotle hot sauce (pureed chipotles are fine too)

The following optional spices are to be added to taste:

• Chili powder
• Smoked paprika
• Dried chile flakes
• Black Pepper
• Salt
• Cumin
• Cinnamon
• Cocoa Powder
• Coriander
• Mexican oregano
• Cilantro

For the cornbread topping:

• Cornbread mix
• 1 can of creamed corn
• 1 Tablespoon agave syrup (optional)

Directions:

Brown turkey meat in a saucepan with olive oil, salt, pepper and chili powder.  Stir in everything else (except beans) and cook covered on medium heat for 5 minutes.  Add beans and replace lid.  Cook on low for 20 minutes.  Adjust spices to your liking. You can add water, stock, or beer if you want a soupier chili (not recommended for this recipe because you want a thicker chili that will hold up in pie form).

Spread chili out into a shallow baking dish.  Mix cornbread batter with creamed corn and agave syrup and spread evenly over the chili.  Bake at 400 degrees until golden brown (20-25 minutes).  Let cool for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Need more spicy recipes? Try these:

• Spicy Turkey Meatloaf
• Peppermeister’s Asian Beef Tacos
• Mucho Mojo Marinade

“Just the Tip” Sunday: Fire it up!

Tags

flames, gardening, grilling, organic, peppers, recipes, roasted, vegan, vegetables

Photo Credit: badtzmarucy831.wordpress.com

I’m not going to lie.

I don’t LOVE every pepper in my garden.  For instance, the Biker Billy jalapeno I’m growing is way too hot.  I love hot chiles, I enjoy habaneros, scotch bonnets, thai dragons, etc. but, when I want a jalapeno, I expect jalapeno heat and this chile ended up taking away from the fresh and milder flavor one would traditionally expect from a jalapeno and replaced it with a kung-fu assault on my taste buds (not recommended as a gift to civilians).

Even my beloved Ancho 101 poblanos, which have made a nice life for themselves in my self watering container, are a bit too floral for my liking and disappointed as a stuffed chile (when merely baked).  Then I fire-roasted them and I realized what the Ancho 101 is all about.

Just Add Fire.

If you haven’t realized by now, green chiles and ripe red chiles from the same plant will have different tastes and heat levels.  The same can be said for chiles that are roasted.  If you take the short amount of time to roast a chile, you will be treated to yet another flavor and heat level from your chile.

If you have a gas stove, you can roast your chiles by holding them over the burner with a pair of tongs, or bionic hands.  If you don’t have a gas stove, that sucks, gas stoves are pretty awesome.  A grill or a carefully watched broiler would have the same flavor enhancing effect.

Check out this easy guide for roasting chiles on any stove at AlliEatFood.com

cosmicchile.com

Recipe: Mucho Mojo Marinade

Tags

beer, chicken, cuban, gardening, marinade, mojo, peppers, pork, recipes, spicy

If you're in a marinde slump, this mixture is guaranteed to get your mojo back.

After making two lackluster dinners in a row, I needed to get back my kitchen mojo (a.k.a. my spicy swagger, a.k.a. my pepper prowess). I had a small pork roast trimmed and ready to bathe in a concoction of flames and flavors (flam-vors?), but I was having trust issues with my pallet and I knew I needed something time-tested.  I looked to the cookbooks in the kitchen for inspiration but I found nothing.  Then, I remembered it.

There’s a binder where my wife keeps all of her most trusted recipes.  I only have one recipe in there that I have deemed “binder-worthy” called “Mojo Marinade” (pronounced mo-ho) that was given to me by my friend, Kelly.  I’ve made a few adjustments, primarily just to add some bite to it.  The meat that soaks in this mixture will be incredibly tender and dripping with savory and tangy juiciness.  You’re welcome in advance.  Enjoy.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Olive Oil

6-8 Large Cloves Garlic, thinly sliced crosswise

2 teaspoons Ground Cumin

1/2 cup Lime Juice

1/2 cup Orange Juice  (or grapefruit)

1 1/2 teaspoons Course Salt, or more to taste

1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper

1/2 teaspoon Oregano

1/3 cup chopped Fresh Cilantro

1 chopped Habanero chile

2 sliced Jalapenos or Serrano chiles

Optional:

1/4 cup tequila

Directions:

• Heat olive oil in a sauce pan with garlic, chile peppers and cumin until garlic becomes tan and fragrant. Do not burn it.
• Once the garlic is ready, add all of the other ingredients (except cilantro) and bring to a steady boil for 2 minutes.
• Remove from heat and let cool before adding chopped cilantro.
• Pour over any meat and marinate for at least 90 minutes.
• Grill or roast meat and prepare for glory.

http://www.boulderbeer.com

Here’s a recipe for Spicy Squash Soup that I cannot wait to try from walkablefeast.

Recipe: Homemade Sriracha Sauce, Ode to a Rooster.

Tags

chiles, curry, gardening, hot sauce, humor, peppers, recipes, rooster sauce, spicy, sriracha, thai

Photo Credit: http://www.theoatmeal.com

Oh, the beauty of the Rooster.  Why even try your own version of this perfect condiment?  You can get a pretty large bottle of Rooster Sauce for under three bucks at almost any major grocery store.  Hell, Walmart carries it!  It’s not your typical vinegar based cayenne sauce because it’s thicker and kicks way more ass.  It’s great on everything and it brings the perfect blend of thai chile heat, garlic, and a subtle sweetness that makes every drop of sweat worth it.  Try it in soups, eggs, pizza, noodles, tacos, steak, chicken…. you get it.  There are entire cookbooks dedicated to incorporating Sriracha sauce in to every recipe!  I also suggest their chili garlic sauce which comes in a jar instead of a squeeze bottle.  It is much thicker and much hotter, making it a great base for any quick stir fries.

But have you had FRESH Sriracha?

The ingredients are simple enough and the process only takes a few minutes (minus the 3 months it took to grow the peppers).   The only special tools you need are a food processor and some clean hot sauce bottles or jars.  I use a mini chopper that works well and I’ve used a blender which gets the job done too.

The beer is not included in the recipe but it is necessary to the process.

The recipe below will yield about 1 1/2 cups of delicious hot sauce.  This sauce will keep in your fridge for 3 weeks.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup  chopped Thai peppers (I use 20 mature Kung Pao chiles, use whatever you have access to)

1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice

3 cloves of garlic

2 Tablespoons brown sugar (or palm sugar, if you’ve got it, for a more authentic touch)

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 cup white vinegar

Directions

• Rough chop the chiles (seeds in) and garlic and add all ingredients to food processor and chop away until you get a smooth sauce.
• You can add filtered water to the mixture to get your desired consistency.
• Pour mixture right into jars and leave in fridge.  It will get better every day until it’s gone.
• If you have a strainer and don’t like texture to your sauce, feel free to get fancy and use it (also, you will have less sauce and I will think you are less cool).

This will remedy even the crappiest Chinese takeout.

Check out the Oatmeal’s open letter to Sriracha Sauce.

For another recipe that goes great with Sriracha check out PEPPERMEISTER’s Thai Fire Curry.

“Just the Tip” Sunday: Sharing is Scaring Edition

Tags

chile, chile plants, chilli, gardening, gardening tips, humor, just the tip, organic gardening, peppers, recipes

Photo credit: mightysweet.com

This time of year is when all of our hard work finally (and hopefully) pays off.  At long last, we can shower our friends and families with our bounty of exotic and rare chiles.  But will they finally get it? Will they finally understand why you have more pictures on your computer of pepper plants than you do of them?  Will they finally understand that you couldn’t make it to your brother’s birthday party because those peppers weren’t going to pickle themselves?  Will they finally understand why you escape out to the garden in the wee hours wearing a head lamp just to see that first habanero pod dangling from what was once a tiny seed but is now on its way to becoming your own homegrown produce stand?

No, but you’re going to try anyway.

Some tips to remember when sharing peppers with civilians:

• Know your recipient.  If you’ve heard them complain that barbecue sauce is too spicy, don’t even bother.
• Label those chiles.  Permanent marker on a plastic sandwich bag works fine.
• Mail them! It’s cool to box up peppers and send them in the mail, just be sure to pick them a day or two before ripe so they can mature a bit in transit. Cross Country Nurseries is mailing out fresh chiles right now!
• Just give someone enough for 1 or 2 recipes.  If you overwhelm a non chile-head with a heap of peppers, they’ll either spoil or get misused.

And finally….

• Be Practical!  Include a recipe, or some information about the chiles you’re giving them.  If you really want to turn someone on to your pepper passion, you’ll need to share the experience.  An interesting story about a pepper, along with some direction on how to make some amazing pork tacos, will appeal to their senses and get them involved in the process.  Next spring, guess who will be asking you for seeds?

I heard you like jalapenos? Here's a ghost chile.

Here is a super simple recipe for roasted peppers.

For More PEPPERMEISTER’s  “Just the Tip” Sunday, Check out…

JTTS Seed Savers Edition

JTTS Murder Edition

JTTS Pick’em Edition

Harvest Update: Use’em or Lose’em.

Tags

gardening tips, ghost chile, habanero, homemade, hot sauce, humor, jalapeno, organic gardening, peppers, recipes

Booya.

Some Saturdays are better than others….

This past Saturday, I spent a great deal of time picking peppers, making hot sauces, and cooking up dinner (stuffed peppers of course).

So here’s what I picked for the above photo:

Left Side (from top to bottom)
Biker Billy Jalapenos, Kung Pao Hybrid, Cobra Chile, Serranos.

Middle (from top to bottom)
Bowl of Sport chiles, red Big Jim, 2 orange Las Cruces chiles and 2 ripe Ancho 101 Poblanos.

Right Side (from top to bottom)
Yellow Limo chiles* and 2 giant Pepper Joe Cayennes.

Kung Pao Sriracha, North African Piri-Piri, Limo Peach and a few more jars of pickled Sport Chiles

The Limo Peach sauce I made is inspired by a popular habanero sauce recipe I found at Allrecipes.com.  I substituted Limo chiles for habs.  It came out kind of salty, so be careful.  The Sriracha sauce is quite amazing.  I will post the recipe when I feel you are ready for it.  My wife has had it with every meal since I’ve made it, which is quite a change from Sunday’s reaction to my 10 serrano guacamole: “You’re trying to kill me”.

*Coming this week….. Pepper Profile: Limo Chile