As the weather cools down, warm up with some chili.

This month, Cooking Light is showcasing their 15 favorite chili recipes. There is nothing better than a hot bowl of chili on a cold night so we are looking forward to trying some (or all!) of these recipes. However, we noticed one glaring problem right off the bat. None of them used smoked chili powder! Even their recipe for "Smoky Slow Cooker Chili" does not actually include any smoked spices. We plan on substituting smoked chili for regular chili powder in these recipes for a richer, heartier flavor. Whether you are a vegetarian or a chorizo fan there is a recipe for everyone here, so get cooking!

As always, our smoked spices can be found at http://www.smokehousespices.com/. Chili and cinnamon would both make great additions to your pantry at this time of year.

Marinade Madness

One of the easiest ways to spice up your favorite cut of meat is with a delicious marinade. Contrary to popular belief, longer is not always better when it comes to marinating times. Meat should not be left in a marinade overnight and most cuts should marinate for eight hours at the most. Seafood should only marinate for 15-30 minutes, as it will actually begin to cook after a half hour.

Here are some of our favorite marinades for beef, pork, chicken and fish.

Beef Teriyaki

2 tbs. vegetable oil
2 tbs. sugar
1 tbs. soy sauce
1/2 cup beef stock
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp. ground ginger

BBQ Pork

1 cup tomato sauce
1 small onion, chopped
3 tbs. vinegar
1 tsp. liquid smoke
1/2 tsp cumin, ground
1/4 tsp. mustard powder
1/4 cup brown sugar

Mediterranean Chicken

1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil
1 large bay leaf, broken
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Savory Salmon

1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup cream sherry
1 tbs. fresh ginger, grated
2 medium cloves garlic, chopped


Happy marinating!

Love pumpkin spice lattes? Make your own at home!

It's that time of year again. The air is getting crisp, the sun is setting sooner and most importantly the taste of pumpkin spice has merged with your coffee for a delicious, seasonal pick me up. But who can spend $4 on a daily latte? Follow this simple, healthy recipe from Smokehouse Spices and you can quickly make your own at home.

Ingredients

3 cups hot vanilla soy milk

4 teaspoons white sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon smoked cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

6 ounces double-strength brewed coffee

Directions

Combine the hot soy milk, sugar, vanilla extract, and spices in a blender and blend until frothy. Pour the mixture into 3 coffee mugs to about 2/3 full. Pour coffee to fill the mug the rest of the way. Sprinkle a little smoked cinnamon on top and enjoy!

If you don't have any smoked cinnamon in your pantry, you can get it here:

http://www.smokehousespices.com/category/cinn.html