"snack" news and stories

Pringles is among the here-since-the-70s foods that persistently redesign/refocus to make themselves either upscale or trendy enough to draw 21-century folks.

While Pringles has taken a shot at the gourmet market with their Pringles Select flavors, they really just want to appeal to the kids. Thus, we have the new Pringles Extreme flavors, the latest attempt to make something cool just by adding the word "extreme" to it. (Just like extreme sports drinks, extreme chewing gum and extreme ice cream.)

There's Blazin' Buffalo Wing, Kickin' Cheddar and Screamin' Dill Pickle. Only taste will tell whether it's got kick.

When snacking, the tendency is to automatically reach for whatever tortilla or potato chip is within reach. Pity, since there is a whole scrumptious world of other options. So, just in time to have everyone over to watch the big game, here are a few ideas to put something else in the basket on the coffee table and also a few suggestions about dips they might pair with.

1. Lime Tortilla Chips - Light-years ahead of the plain kind. Tostitos makes the tastiest ones. There go very well with fruit salsa, usually mango or peach.
2. Sweet Potato Chips - Everyone from Pringles to Terra manufactures these, though I would swing toward the latter, since the Pringles also have cinnamon. They match nicely with corn salsa or bean dip.
3. Banana or Plantain Chips - Yes, I know they're not the same thing, but close enough for my purposes. Another standout with fruit salsa, though I also like them with guacamole.
4. Pretzel Chips - A nice combo of two great salty snacks, the chips and the pretzel. Try with spinach or onion dip.
5. Tabasco Cheez-Its - Don't put anything on these. You'll wind up devouring much of the box and you don't want anything to get in your way.

Slashfood confession time. I, Annie Scott, am addicted to imitation crab.

It's so colorful and friendly, and you can buy it by the pound! Normally, I'm pretty averse to food that doesn't really look like ... food, but the juicy texture! The way it separates in my mouth! It's just dry enough to eat as a finger food and oh, you bet I do eat it as a finger food.

My worst vice? Dipping it in pesto. Seriously, give me a small vat of pesto and a styro-wrapped pound of imitation crab and you have just bought yourself peace and quiet. For like, an hour.

It has a great balance of protein and carbs, fills me up, and is more fun than (and cheap as) a can of tuna fish. And it's delicious.

I don't recommend it for parties, because everyone knows it's not "real" food, but for the comfort of your own private snacking delight? There is no substitute for imitation crab.

I admit that when I first saw Leeann's (2 Nuts in a Shell) photo of the bears in a boat, I thought that the boat was a sled and that the two groups of bears were in a race to make it to the bottom of the hill/pate. If they were a bit more reclined, it would be a luge competition.

Boat or sled, the concept is adorable and Leeann was able to use it to successfully get her child, Jaden, excited about celery - a challenge right up there with luge.

The same idea would be really cute with any animal from a box of animal crackers or the concept could be taken one step further by using a healthier boat passenger. Any ideas for veggies that look like bears?

For a fun finger-food rich in Omega-3s and protein, check out this spicy mix of almonds and hazelnuts, courtesy of the show everyone loves to hate/hates to love, 30 Minute Meals.

Sesame Five-Spice Roasted Nuts

1 cup peeled whole almonds
1 cup whole hazelnuts
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons five- spice powder (ground star anise, Szechuan peppercorn, cinnamon, cloves, fennel seed)
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 cup smoked almonds. Preheat oven or toaster oven to 400 degrees F, and roast the nuts for 7 minutes.

Toast sesame seeds over medium heat in a skillet for 2 minutes and remove from heat. Add butter, five-spice powder, and hot sauce, then add roasted nuts and smoked nuts and toss to coat in butter. Add sesame seeds and toss with nuts. Serve warm.

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