Habanero Ghost Pepper Salsa

There’s a reason this salsa features a cactus breathing fire… it’s HOT! Not brutally hot from the first bite but maybe that makes this salsa extra devious. By the third bite, you’ll be searching the fridge desperately for milk to cool the inferno on your tastebuds. I tried this salsa because I like spicy things and I love salsa (click to read my Fall Harvest Salsa review). On a family holiday just a couple of years ago, my brother-in-law happened to have some ghost peppers. Dares were made and several family members, including myself, ate a pepper each. I’m proud to say I was the only one to keep it down but it burned my mouth like hell. This salsa is almost like doing that to myself over and over again.

1 out of 5 Hawaiian Shirts – This salsa is only for the spiciest-loving masochists out there. Personally, I found the heat to be so intense after a few bites that it wasn’t fun to go back for more.

Pumpkin Tortilla Chips

Nothing says Fall like pumpkins and I’m not sure if there’s an item that Trader Joe’s won’t flavor with pumpkin. A textbook example of this is TJ’s recent release of Pumpkin Tortilla Chips. These chips deliver exactly what they advertise and more. The list of ingredients (and there are not many ingredients) includes cinnamon and nutmeg. The flavors of pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg really shine through to provide a unique and delicious snack. These chips are a little on the thin, delicate end of chips so I recommend pairing them with TJ’s Salsa Autentica or a soft cream cheese dip.

Please comment with your favorite dip suggestion for these chips.

Rating: 3 out of 5 Hawaiian Shirts – Definitely worth a try. These chips are guaranteed to be a hit snack at parties this fall.

Fall Harvest Salsa

I’m big fan of chips and salsa. Luckily for me, Trader Joe’s has an abundance of choices. Today, I discovered this bounty has increased with TJ’s new Fall Harvest Salsa. The ingredients definitely live up to the salsa’s name; pumpkin, apples, and butternut squash. All of these are complimented nicely by bell peppers, jalapeños, and even some honey. This salsa is more sweet than spicy but not as sweet as some of TJ’s other offerings like their Cowboy Caviar.

Serving suggestion: I scooped this salsa onto TJ’s Organic Corn Chip Dippers and found it to be an excellent combination of mildly sweet and salty. You’d probably do best to keep your chips or crackers on the simple side (next time, I’ll try them on some blue corn chips) so that the complex flavor of the salsa can shine through.

3 out of 5 Hawaiian Shirts – Delicious but not spicy enough for my taste.