Oh my gosh…

I made the most delicious appetizer over the weekend that took me right back to my Southern roots: Shrimp and Sweet Onion Pickle.

A little spicy and very pickle-y, this little condiment adds a tangy punch to everything. I ladled the chilled Shrimp and Sweet Onion Pickle into half-pint Mason jars and passed around little forks. Some of us ate it right out of the jar (including me), while a few rolled it into a tortilla (you can also spoon it on top of crackers).

I used Vidalia onions, but Walla Walla onions or any other sweet onion is a good option. If all you’ve got is white or yellow onions, you’ll definitely be adding a sharp, astringent bite to the pickle.

I’m sure you rolled your eyes when you saw the Mason jars in the image… because that trend is so last year five years ago. But hey, you’ve got to admit the little containers are a great way to serve some things and still make a fun addition to the table!

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Cold. Cold. Cold. Outside of my house.

Warm. Warm. Warm. Inside of my kitchen.

Turn up the oven and let the intoxicating smell of these Easy Oven-Roasted Chicken Breasts bring the family to the table. Make sure you rub the garlicky paste under the chicken’s skin so it will crisp up and brown beautifully. Watch the time and temperature… you don’t want them dry!

It may be winter outside, but this dish will warm everyone up on the inside!

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Time to take your taste buds on a mini-vacation.

Tajín is my favorite go-to seasoning if I want a little more kick than salt and pepper deliver.

In Mexico, where Tajín is made and bottled, the spicy condiment is sold as a seasoning for fruit. But early-adopters and lovers of this chile pepper-dehydrated lime juice-salt concoction use it on everything. And I mean everything.

Excellent with eggs. Terrific with tuna salad. Stupendous with steak. Amazing with… you get the picture.

Tajín’s appeal is hard to describe. It’s a bit spicy… but not so spicy that it’ll burn your face off. It’s a bit salty… but you won’t feel like you’ve just dined at a salt lick. There’s a nice acidic bite, but it won’t make you squint and pucker up.

Yep… this is exactly what you need to breathe new life into your boring mealtime repertoire.

If you’ve never tried it, sprinkle a little on some sliced cucumbers or melon. Pretty soon, you’ll be shaking it all over everything… and loving it. Your leftover turkey sandwich never tasted so good.

They’re making a low-sodium variety now, in addition to the Tajín Classico. You can find it in most supermarkets, Trader Joe’s, Target and Wal-Mart.

Let me know if you try it, what you tried it on and how you liked it!

Just as we’re all about to make that deep dive into holiday cooking, the Food and Drug Administration says 12-percent of spices brought into the U.S. are contaminated with insects, rodent hairs and who knows what else.

Please… don’t pass the pepper.

The FDA took a hard look at the safety of spice imports and also found that 7-percent were contaminated with the toxic bacteria salmonella (particularly in pepper, sesame seeds and oregano).

The FDA’s report says Mexico and India had the highest amount of contamination. Most of the problems originated in the processing and storage of the spices… not harvesting. Did you know one-quarter of the spices, food colorings and oils used in the U.S. come from India?

So, what can you do to protect your family?

Cooking will take care of the potential for salmonella poisoning, but won’t help with the bits of insects, hair and other detritus.

The BEST solution is to buy whole certified organic spices (like black pepper, cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg, etc.), wash them and grind them at home with an electric grinder. A lot of work, I agree, and not really practical (not to mention expensive).

Another idea is to buy your spices in bulk from reputable spice companies like The Spice House, Frontier Herbs or Mountain Rose Herbs. They tell you exactly where the spices originated so you can make an informed decision as to whether to purchase.

But here’s my question for you: Will the FDA report change how you cook this holiday season?