I love to use different spices to change up my recipes and make dishes different each time I make them. Since I just bought a bunch yesterday to replenish my collection I thought I'd take a few pictures and share my favorites with you. (Full bottles look better than empty ones!)
I love spices from World Market because most are organic and the price can't be beat. I think $3.00 for a glass jar is a great deal! (And often you can buy refill bags for $.99.) They have an amazing selection of different combinations that can't be found anywhere else. I think my favorite is the Greek Mediterranean.
(For most spices, click on the link to see the list of ingredients. There are a couple that didn't come from World Market.)
Cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and ginger are a great combination in all things pumpkin, muffins and oatmeal especially! Cinnamon is also good with Greek yogurt, a little raw honey and some fresh fruit. A little nutmeg sprinkled on chicken gives an interesting flavor. I also like Ginger Chicken, but prefer to use fresh ginger, although powder would work.
Salt, pepper and garlic go in every savory dish I make, including omelets, chicken, and soup. Pink Himalayan is a bit pricey, but is also one of the best to use since it contains many trace minerals that are removed from processed white salt.
See what I mean? Empty bottles are just not photogenic! But I love chipotle (chip'-oat-lay) on baked chicken and in black bean soup. Chili powder and cumin are great in soups, rice and beans or on chicken. I use cilantro in rice, or on chicken with cumin and chili powder, or with fajitas seasoning. (Hint: squeeze a little lime juice on that!)
Dill and curry are excellent with eggs, either in omelets or in egg salad. Curry is also a fun way to change up chicken salad.
Mesquite, Fajitas, and Greek Mediterranean are my favorites for chicken! All three are also excellent in omelets! If you're a steak lover these would work well for that too.
The traditional Italian spices, what can I say? Oregano, basil and thyme are also favorites for omelets and chicken! Thyme is fabulous in my Basement Potato Soup, too! I opened the thyme to use last night and the smell was amazing!
All photos (c) 2011, Kathy Fannon
Chicago Chop & Steak, Thai and Baharat...again, great in eggs or on chicken. Do you get the feeling I eat a lot of eggs and chicken? I do. And except for the sweet spices in the first picture, any of these are fabulous in stir-fry veggies too!
I'm not a fan of beef, but if you are experiment with these on your steak or burgers. You may discover a new way to enjoy them.
Do any of these spices sound like something you'd like to try? What are your favorite spices and how do you use them?
