Snack Chat

Get 'Corn'-y For National Tortilla Chip Day

Today is National Tortilla Chip Day -- a day to celebrate the snack that was created years ago by a tortilla factory owner trying to find a way to re-purpose tortillas that weren't pretty enough to sell to her customers. From those humble beginnings, the versatile tortilla chip has become a snack enjoyed by millions of people in a variety of ways. Here at Frito-Lay, we offer three brands of tortilla chips (Doritos, Santitas and Tostitos), and below are a few ways to enjoy them on their special day:

• Straight from the bag -- Doritos brand flavored tortilla chips are a perfect snack from the minute you open the bag. With flavors ranging from Toasted Corn and Taco, to Nacho Cheese and Cool Ranch, to Fiery Habanero and Tapatio, there's plenty of flavor without a dip. Tostitos Artisan Recipes Roasted Garlic and Black Bean and Fire-Roasted Chipotle flavored tortilla chips also offer great flavor baked directly into the chip!
• Dip into something more exciting -- Tostitos brand tortilla chips offers a variety of snacks made with three simple ingredients: corn, oil and salt. Tostitos Scoops! tortilla chips are engineered to be the perfect partner to salsa, queso, guacamole or any other dip you choose to enjoy!
• The sky's the limit -- Why dip when you can build? Nachos make a great snack with an endless combination of ingredient combinations. However, a sturdy base like Santitas brand tortilla chips is important to make sure that perfect bite of cheese, beans, jalapeños, chicken and sour cream makes an unbroken journey from plate to mouth.

What's your favorite way to enjoy tortilla chips? Be sure to let us know in the comments and have a Happy Tortilla Chip Day!

- Joe

L.O.V.E. Your Heart During American Heart Month

February is the month of love – with that comes brightly colored flowers, construction paper notes from secret admirers and opportunities to celebrate the special people in our lives. However, we don’t typically think of our physical hearts amidst all the love notes and chocolates.

February is also American Heart Month, dedicated to increasing awareness about America’s leading cause of death and one of the leading causes of disability: heart disease and stroke. As a registered dietitian, I like to take the opportunity every February to focus some of my attention on my personal heart health. I’ve included a few tips on how you can “L.O.V.E.” your heart below. For more information on heart disease and stroke, please visit the American Heart Association’s website at www.heart.org.

Learn your healthy weight range, and take steps to stay within it. Keeping your weight at a healthy level is not just about outward appearances –  it is also beneficial for your health and helps to lower your risk for heart disease and other chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes.

Own your numbers. Have you checked your blood pressure, weight, cholesterol or blood sugar level lately? If not, February may be a good month to schedule a physical examination with your doctor to discuss your risk of heart disease and stroke, and talk about actionable steps to decrease that risk.

Vary your diet. I like to use February as a month to try new recipes that include foods I don’t typically use, or to include ingredients in new ways. Take a little while to linger in your grocery store to see what heart-friendly fare you can discover!

Exercise! Exercising regularly is important to keep your heart in shape, reduce your risk of developing heart disease and maintain a healthy weight. Exercise by doing active things you enjoy such as playing action-oriented games with friends and family or taking your dog on a walk.

What steps will you take to improve your heart health this month?

-- Katherine

Fritos + Green Chilies = Mighty Migas Fritos Pie

In our ongoing search for fun and interesting "extreme" ingredients to feature in our Fritos Pie Remix series of videos, we recently found the Sweet Treats and More blog. This site is filled with delicious recipes and run by Kristy, a stay-at-home mom who enjoys baking, cooking and making good food for family and friends.

Inspired by Kristy's blog, Frito-Lay Executive Chef Stephen Kalil has created a new Fritos Pie Remix recipe that includes green chilies, an ingredient Kristy uses frequently. Combining green chilies, chorizo, eggs and more, Chef Stephen created a "stove-top casserole" that's both tasty and easy to make: Mighty Migas Fritos Pie.

Check out the video below, and visit the Fritos Pie Remix website to see all the remixed recipes. And don't forget to suggest an "extreme" ingredient you'd like to see Chef Stephen use -- you might just see it on a future episode!

- Michael

Celebrate Valentine's Day with Great Recipes from "Tastes From Home with Frito-Lay"

I'm notorious for not being much of a planner when it comes to Valentine's Day. If you're like me and still curious what to do for dinner tonight, I've got you covered. Below are ten great recipes from our "Tastes From Home with Frito-Lay" e-cookbook to make tonight's dinner planning a little easier while still keeping the occasion special. 

Appetizers:

• Salmon Croquettes
• Pam’s Vegetable Soup

Main Courses:

• Spiced Pork and Pepper Skewers with Mango Sauce
• Bruschetta Chicken with Pasta
• Easy Spinach Enchiladas
• Lemon Tarragon Chicken

Sides:

• Smashed Ranch Potatoes 
• Tomato Cucumber Salad

Desserts:

• Super Angelfood Cake Delight
• Lemon Meringue Pie 

Be sure to check out the rest of the e-cookbook for ideas as well as the "Recipes" section of www.FritoLay.com. Also, feel free to share with us in the comments below how you plan to make tonight's Valentine's Day dinner a great one!

- Joe

Introducing our Fan of the Month: Dee Landry!

Every month, we’re highlighting a new Frito-Lay fan and sharing the fan’s fun facts and snacking tips. If you would like to be part of our fan program, sign up here, and you just might be featured as a Fan of the Month in the future!

We’d like you to meet February's Fan of the Month, Dee Landry (pictured below)! Dee is a big fan of Cheetos Puffs cheese flavored snacks and even has a special way of enjoying them. Check out all of Dee’s fun facts in her Q&A below, and be sure to take a look at what creative snack mix she created!

• Favorite Frito-Lay snack: It's a toss-up between Rold Gold Pretzel Tiny Twists and Cheetos Puffs Cheese Flavored Snacks.

• Favorite dip recipe or way to enjoy your chips: I like Rold Gold pretzels with cream cheese.  For Cheetos Puffs cheese flavored snacks, I like to pour some in a bowl, and let them sit for several hours. That's the best way for me to enjoy them.

• If you could be a Frito-Lay chip, which would you be and why? Lay’s Classic potato chips because they're a classic.

• What extreme ingredient would you like to see our chef use in a Fritos Pie Remix recipe? I'd like to see him use peanut butter.

• Which chips would you pair together to make a new snack mix? I would combine Cracker Jack Original Caramel Coated Popcorn & Peanuts with El Isleño Plantains.

• What are some tips you can share for snacking smarter or living healthier? Always measure or weigh one serving and stick to it. If you have to, separate the entire bag into one-serving portions and put them in individual baggies for an easy snack!

• If you could work at Frito-Lay for a day, what role would you want to be in and why? I'd like to work in quality control to see how Frito-Lay makes sure their products are fresh and perfect and only the best chips are sent out to customers. Not to mention, I'd make it a point to taste the product to make sure it's up to the right flavor standards.

• Give us 3 fun facts about yourself: 
  • I have a dream of writing a book and becoming a bestselling author.
  • I'm crossing my comfort zone and trying new recipes, and coming up with some of my own by experimenting with different seasonings and spices.
  • My husband thinks I'm crazy, but I love limburger cheese sandwiches.

• Most memorable Frito-Lay snacking moment: The day I discovered my favorite method for enjoying Cheetos Puffs cheese flavored snacks. I forgot to seal the bag when I was done, and the next day I had these puffs that weren't as crisp but seemed to have even more flavor.  

• Tell us why you are a Frito-Lay Fan: I’m a fan because of Frito-Lay’s variety of chips available and because they constantly offer new flavors. There are so many different types of chips I've enjoyed but never knew they were from Frito-Lay - including my favorite, Santitas tortilla chips. 

A big thank you to Dee for being our February Fan of the Month -- a fan of so many of our snacks! You can learn more about Dee on her blog, What’s the Buzz, and by following her on Twitter. And, come visit us again in March to meet our next Frito-Lay Fan of the Month right here on Snack Chat. 

- Joe