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    4 New Twists on Guacamole

    By | Shine Food – Tue, Feb 19, 2013 10:05 AM EST

    Spice up your guacWhether you make your guacamole from scratch or go start with our recent store-bought taste test winner, here are four ways to jazz up your guac.

    1. Smoky 'n' Sweet
    Stir in 1 finely chopped chipotle in adobo (more if you can stand the heat), 2 tsp. of the adobo sauce it's packed in, and 2 Tbsp. orange juice (a little sweet to balance the heat).

    2. Tangy Treat
    Many of the prepackaged guacamoles are a little too tame for me. I like my guac on the tangier, spicier side, so I like to stir 1/4 c. jarred salsa verde into it. Salsa verde contains a lot of the ingredients I'd be adding to it anyway, like lime juice, chiles, and onions.

    Related: Bobby Flay's Party Recipes

    3. Tropical Twist
    Sometimes if my guests aren't as into spicy foods as I am, I like to turn down the heat in my guacamole by adding some finely chopped mangoes and/or pineapple and then topping it with crumbled up bits of cooked bacon. The mangoes and pineapple bring refreshing sweetness and acidity to the rich, creamy avocados and the savory, delectable bacon adds some meaty crunch. Plus, let's be real, everything tastes better with bacon.

    Related: Corn and Avocado Salad Recipe

    4. Con Queso
    To add a salty bite to my guacamole, I like to dust it with a few pinches of chili powder, then top it with a few tablespoons of crumbled up Cotija cheese, a hard Mexican cow's milk cheese that is similar to feta but without the tanginess (feta makes a pretty decent substitute though).

    What are your favorite party snacks? Let me know in the comments!

    --By Sherry Rujikarn

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