Spices

[belle&sebastiansmom]

I'm cooking more from scratch. Well, trying to!

What are the essential spices in your kitchen? And what are some spices that you have on hand because every once in a while they pop up in a recipe?

 

[FireDancer]

My most used spices are:

Star Anise
Cardamon
Allspice
Lavender
Smoked Paprika
Black Pepper

 

[OceanAnnie]

Well I like combined spices. Saves time and it works for me.

All spice
Pumpkin spice (It has nutmeg, cinnamon and I can't think of the rest, but good stuff! ) I use it in a lot of baking. Pumpkin bread, pies and such, but also apple bread and pies.
Cinnamon
Italian spice (mix of oregano, basil, onion, garlic, and others)
Garlic powder (I also have minced and chopped garlic in the fridge)
Garlic salt
Chili powder
Cumin
Curry powder
Cream of tartar
Nutmeg
Paprika
Red pepper flakes
Dried minced onion (I also have onion on hand, that's for the times I'm out)
Seasoned salt
Jennie's Crazy Mixed Up Seasonings (I'm low on that)
Old Bay Seasoning
Turmeric

(and baking powder, baking soda)

That's off the top of my head. Some of that stuff I use a lot. Some just for a special dish once in a blue moon. Good things to have on hand though.

 

[Meriweather]

Cinnamon
garlic
pepper
cumin
corriander
paprika
cayenne
adobo
basil
oregano
tarragon
thyme
chipotle

I use a lot of pepper blends too
and other blends.
I also like having dried onions, garlic, green and red bell peppers, celery and chives on hand.
And dried lemon and orange peel.

My favorite spice place is Penzeys.
http://www.penzeys.com/

 

[wdwmom2]

My favorite spice place is Penzeys.
http://www.penzeys.com/

Oh, you so beat me to it!!!!! I just visited the one in the Strip District out in Pittsburgh. I thought I had died and went to spice heaven!!!! Unfortunately I couldn't really bring any home, DH and I were on a motorcycle trip and really didn't have a lot of extra room to pack it. There is one very close to my home, maybe 45 minutes away. I really need to take a spice road trip!

 

[OceanAnnie]

Oh, you so beat me to it!!!!! I just visited the one in the Strip District out in Pittsburgh. I thought I had died and went to spice heaven!!!! Unfortunately I couldn't really bring any home, DH and I were on a motorcycle trip and really didn't have a lot of extra room to pack it. There is one very close to my home, maybe 45 minutes away. I really need to take a spice road trip!

OT- Did you get your hair cut? It was a cute cut you were considering.

 

[wdwmom2]

OT- Did you get your hair cut? It was a cute cut you were considering.

Yes I did!!!!!! About a week after I origionally posted it. I really should post a follow up to my origional thread. I meant to and forgot. Check out the post below and you will see why my head has been in the clouds lately!!! Oh, and my haircut is there too!!!

Here it is... http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2314533

 

[OceanAnnie]

Yes I did!!!!!! About a week after I origionally posted it. I really should post a follow up to my origional thread. I meant to and forgot. Check out the post below and you will see why my head has been in the clouds lately!!! Oh, and my haircut is there too!!!

Here it is... http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2314533

Awesome! I'm sure it looks great! Going to check out the thread now.

 

[suejai]

My most used spices are:

Star Anise
Cardamon
Allspice
Lavender
Smoked Paprika
Black Pepper

What do you use lavender in? I have always wondered what it would be like.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I have almost everything the other people posted but would ad:

Dill
Marjoram (in stew its yummy coupled with paprika)
Bay leaves (tomato sauce, chicken soup)
Worcestershire sauce (kept in fridge good in meatloaf and beef based soups)
Goya flavor packets are nice in soups, gravy & rice dishes.
Hot sauce kept in the fridge along with my mini lemon and mini lime in case I don't have fresh on hand.
Vanilla and Almond extracts, baking soda, baking powder and cornstarch are also really commonly called for when baking.

Also not quite a spice but very useful if a soup, sauce or gravy end up too thick, Wondra quick mixing flour.

Other miscellaneous things I always keep on hand for flavoring home cooking are about 6 bags of frozen chopped onions I go through in a month and 1 bag of frozen chopped peppers.

The spices can be expensive but with the holidays coming up you will begin to see sales prices and coupons.

Good luck.

 

[Pugsley]

Other miscellaneous things I always keep on hand for flavoring home cooking are about 6 bags of frozen chopped onions I go through in a month and 1 bag of frozen chopped peppers.

What?!?!? You can freeze chopped onions? That has never occurred to me, and it sure would be helpful. I hate chopping them and at least this would get it over with all at once.

 

[FireDancer]

What do you use lavender in? I have always wondered what it would be like.

It is more of an aromatic than a flavor but I like it on Salmon. I use it along with ginger or sage. It also works on most white fish like Mahi Mahi or Flounder.

The only way to really use it is to use a mortis and pestle to crush it just before you want to use it. If you get it pre-crushed it will loose all of its aroma quite quickly.

There are many French dishes that use it and I love to cook French recipes but I am one of those people that alter it to make it healthier. With French food this usually means making it without the sauce and substituting olive oil for butter.

 

[LuvOrlando]

What?!?!? You can freeze chopped onions? That has never occurred to me, and it sure would be helpful. I hate chopping them and at least this would get it over with all at once.

I didn't think of it either until one day a few years ago when I stumbled across them in the frozen veggies section. First I thought, who on earth would serve a bowl of chopped onions, then it hit me. I have been using them ever since. Each bag runs around 99 cents but the amount of time and effort it saves me with hot food prep makes them the brass ring in my house.

Other things I chop myself and freeze are garlic cloves & shallots. First I chop the loose garlic cloves in my mini chopper. Then I put a bunch into a quart size zip-loc bag. Next I roll it out flat with a rolling pin and lay it flat to freeze. Once the garlic freezes it keeps its shape and can be moved around the freezer easily. All I have to do is break off about a thumb size portion of the flattened garlic and I have one clove ready to be dropped into my pot. I tend to manually dice up the shallots because I like them a little chunkier, but I do the same thing with the zip-lock bag. Other things that keep are bacon fat, for a touch of flavor in my split pea soup or if bacon is called for in a recipe but I don't have any around, ham bones and turkey necks etc. also to be dropped into soups for a little extra flavor (I strain the innards out before adding veggies because they get icky). Leeks, scallions and chives freeze well too, and are easy to chop when frozen trough... just don't bother trying to freeze high carb veggies, they always end up mealy, yuck.

I don't mind cooking but some of the tasks are just so darn time consuming I am always looking for ways to lessen my time. These hints are tried and true in my house.

 

[cjlvsccm]

I'm cooking more from scratch. Well, trying to!

What are the essential spices in your kitchen? And what are some spices that you have on hand because every once in a while they pop up in a recipe?

I just started cooking more in the last couple of years too, and it's been fun trying things!!

Essentials:
rosemary, basil, oregano -- my foundation herbs, in varying amounts on just about any sauteed chkn
cumin -- in chili or anything Mexican-ish
garlic pepper -- terrific on almost everything... has some salt in it, but we use very little salt
thyme -- great "secret ingredient" on egg dishes!
parsley -- have found that it does bring out the flavor of a lot of things
dill -- in several sauces and on salmon
cinnamon -- a good strong variety
fresh peppercorns in grinder -- use a lot, since we don't use much salt
minced onion/ onion powder/ garlic powder -- only if we don't have real onion or garlic

Keep on hand, even if seldom used:
sage -- for dressing, and rubbed on turkey (along with rosemary and thyme)
poultry seasoning -- mainly for chkn stew
Old Bay -- use very lightly when used at all
pumpkin pie spice/ allspice/ nutmeg -- usually only for holiday baking


I have lots of others... I know there are more in the spice rack we received as a gift, I just never look at the ones I don't use.

Good luck in your scratching!!

 

[LuvOrlando]

wrong spot

 

[minniecarousel]

Is there an inexpensive place to buy spices? I'll check Trader Joe's & Cost Plus, but anyone know of another place? I finally threw out old spices & need new ones. They seem expensive at the grocery store.

 

[OceanAnnie]

I've actually found some spices on sale at Walgreens before. I didn't go there looking for spices, but happened upon them. They were fine. Good price!