CC Sunscreens has been in the business of helping Arizonans live more comfortably since 1992. We are proud to be a family-run, locally-owned business. All of our employees are committed to honesty, service, and integrity to our neighbors here in the Valley of the Sun. We serve the entire Phoenix metropolitan area and beyond from Queencreek, Sun City, Buckeye, to Cave Creek and all the surrounding areas.

Spice It Up

To put it mildly, Southwestern food is anything but mild. We love using hot spices to amp up the flavor of food. Food without chilis may seem empty in comparison! The number one way to up the “Southwest” quotient on your holiday meal plans is to introduce some spice to your dishes. A little bit of spicy kick can really coax flavor and nuance out of both the savory and the sweet items on your table.

If you are new to cooking with hot peppers, don’t worry, you don’t have to jump from zero to ghost pepper. In fact, you’ll want to use hot peppers carefully – a little goes a long way. Add spice only in small increments, and taste test along the way to make sure you get the flavor you want. Remember, you can always add a little more spiciness at the table, but it’s much harder to neutralize spice in foods that have gotten too hot.

Don’t know where to start? The delicious, but largely bland, palate of Thanksgiving fare is rife with opportunities to add a little chili power. Begin by adding a pinch of cayenne to your mashed potatoes or yams this year. Work a little dried pepper into the blend of your turkey marinade. Some chefs even vouch for adding a little spice to the filling of your pumpkin pie.

Cast Iron Cooking

Southwestern food also can feel a little cooped up inside a kitchen. With dishes that were prepared around campfires, barbecues and open flames, Southwestern cuisine carries a signature smoky flavor.

Southwestern staples like black beans, pozole soup and cornbread can be made entirely in one cast iron pot or pan, making them practical as side dishes as well as delicious. Cooking vegetables on a grill or over a campfire can make them a mouthwatering addition to the Thanksgiving table. Cooking outdoors also opens up valuable kitchen space, so it can be a practical idea as well a tasty one.

If you are just getting started with grilling and cast-iron cooking, don’t hang your whole meal on mastering a cooking technique that takes time and experience. Instead, cooking specific ingredients over an open fire like onions, garlic, squash and peppers to get some of the smoky Southwestern flavor onto your table.

Expand the Menu

The Thanksgiving menu doesn’t have to be set in stone. Southwestern crowd-pleasing foods like tamales can be prepared well ahead of time and fit in with the harvest flavors of Thanksgiving. Speaking of harvesting, even city dwellers can get local with their Thanksgiving meal. Prickly pears and other cactus fruits can be turned into a delicious sweet syrup for topping pies and ice cream. Unsweetened prickly pears can be used as a tangy addition to cranberry sauce. Other plants and foods from the Sonoran Desert can make your holiday gathering an unforgettable meal.

CC Sunscreens

At CC Sunscreens knowing the ins and outs of life in Arizona is a big part of what we do. Our custom sunscreens are built for your home and your life, keeping you comfortable year-round. Long-lasting sunscreens are a smart, affordable option for homes that save on your energy expenses, a great option for desert dwellers who know what fluctuations our intense sunlight can bring. If you’re looking for a stylish way to keep your home comfortable year-round, CC Sunscreens are for you – just give us a call today to get started!