Spicy Recipe Round-Up for Valentine's Day
Valentine’s Day is a great time to spice things up…in the kitchen. Fortunately, we have a secret ingredient for kicking the flavor up a notch while still keeping it simple. Meet the Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrel-Aged Ghost Pepper Mash, which is responsible for that oh-so-signature sweet heat in two of our favorite gourmet products: Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrel-Aged Spicy Maple Syrup and Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrel-Aged Pepper Sauce.
While most of us admit to a pretty big sweet tooth, we also love the sweet, oaky heat we get from our Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrel-Aged flavor-infused gourmet favorites. Even though we didn’t think we could manage to add any layers to our admittedly pretty darn perfect (and forever favorite Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrel-Aged Pure Maple Syrup), we were blown away (or fired up, if you will) by the combination of naturally sweet and spicy combination of flavors when we added our ghost pepper mash.
Of course, we always have a stash of our OG Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrel-Aged Pepper Sauce in our proverbial back pocket, as quite a few of us feel the need to add it just about everything - from Sunday morning eggs to Sunday night chili.
In case you were wondering, these both make a perfectly spicy yet effortlessly easy Valentine's Day gift for the heat lover in your life. They also serve as the star of the show in our Spicy Recipe Round-up for a fiery Valentine's Day Menu that starts with our ridiculously easy Spicy Shrimp Bowls with Spicy Maple Peanuts!
We happen to have a pretty big family, one that really, really (really) likes to gather to enjoy good food and time together, so while flavor is key when it comes to our menus, so is the easy factor. One thing you can count on in the regular rotation of our family dinners is "Make-Your-Own-Bowl" Nights. This really kicked off when we were growing up with Taco Salad Night and Chili Night, but as we have all forged into deeper varieties of options, we have expanded this to include many creative options - all with one thing in common - simplicity!
Spicy Shrimp bowls are among our current favorites, and they are a fool-proof menu for an easy and delicious Valentine's Day dinner at home. Delicious shrimp tossed in the easiest two-ingredient marinade ever, topped on fluffy white rice, with an endless option of toppings, will be a sure hit - especially if you add our Spicy Maple or Maple-Glazed peanutsfor an extra layer of crunch, texture, and Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrel-Aged flavor.
Spicy Maple Shrimp Bowls are basically a "choose your own adventure" meal. We cook our shrimp (preferably wild-caught gulf shrimp) and toss in a could-not-be-easier marinade of Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrel-Aged Spicy Maple Syrup and soy sauce (optional add-ins are chili sauce or even a dash of Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrel-Aged Pepper Sauce if you want to really amp up the heat.
After many attempts at making the fluffiest white rice possible, we have found a few tips that make for the most flavorful and soft base possible. We use jasmine rice, rinsing it first to help it not stick together and subbing coconut milk for water when cooking rice for extra rich layers of flavor and a softer, fluffier rice base. The rest, as they say, is up to you!
Some suggested toppings for your spicy maple shrimp bowls: shredded carrots, shelled edamame (hot or cold), pickled onions, sauteed veggies, snap peas (raw or steamed), cucumber, sliced ginger, jalapenos, radish, pickled veggies, sliced green onion, toasted sesame seeds...really this is an endless list of flavorful possibilities. The real beauty of "make your own bowl" night is that you can tailor the set-up and options for small or large groups and everyone can make their meal exactly how they like it. We have found that little hands really enjoy getting in on the buffet-style action too.
The underlying heat of our Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrel-Aged Spicy Maple Syrup is naturally sweet and smoky, allowing you to layer depths of spice and heat to your preference but allowing those of us with low spice tolerance to enjoy it. For those who live on the spicy edge - we recommend finishing with our Spicy Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrel-Aged Mayonnaise, Spicy Maple Glazed Peanuts, and, of course, a dash (or two) of our Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrel-Aged Pepper Sauce.
Need even more spice in your life? Try some of our other favorite spicy recipes for a fired-up Valentine's Day.
Hot Sticky Toffee Chicken Wings
Goat Cheese with Spicy Maple Pecans
Spicy Maple Hot Bacon and Cheddar Dip
Pappy's Spicy Potato Salad
