Makes about 1 1/2 cups
In a medium bowl, stir together the buttermilk and mayonnaise until fully mixed. Add in the other ingredients, adjusting for taste.
Store covered in the fridge for up to a week.
Jamaican Jerk Seasoning
Spread some on salmon or ribs before grilling or add into a brown sugar marinade for chicken.
Combine all ingredients; store in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Baharat Seasoning
Baharat, a Middle Eastern spice combines cardamom, coriander seeds, cinnamon, and cloves. Stir some into your next vegetable dish, or mix some with lime juice and oil for a savory marinade.
Using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, mash the ingredients together for 2 to 3 minutes.
**You can substitute white pepper if you want a less spicy blend.
Cajun Seasoning
Makes about 2 cups
Combine the paprika, onion, garlic, cayenne, white pepper, black pepper, thyme, oregano, New Mexican chile, and chipotle chile in a bowl. Store in a covered container up to 6 months.
Substitutions: You can use hot or smoked paprika instead of regular to change the flavor. This recipe doesn’t call for any salt, do remember to salt your ingredients in addition to using the spice in a recipe.
Everything Bagel Spice
Combine ingredients together and store in an airtight jar.
Garam Malsala Powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Mix cumin, coriander, cardamom, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in a bowl. Place mix in an airtight container, and store in a cool, dry place.
Five-Spice Powder
3 tablespoons cinnamon
6 star anise or 2 teaspoons anise seeds
1 1⁄2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 1⁄2 teaspoons Szechuan peppercorns or 1 1/2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
3⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
Combine all ingredients in blender or coffee grinder. Blend until finely ground. Store in airtight container. It will keep up to 2 months.
Note: For a more intense flavor, toast the whole spices in a dry pan for a few minutes.
Any leftover curry powder would be delicious mixed into deviled eggs, sprinkled over quartered new potatoes before roasting, or stirred into yogurt and served with pita chips or warm naan. Perfect for use in soups, stews, curries. Try sprinkling on fried potatoes or scrambled eggs.
Curry Powder 1
Makes about 3 tablespoons
Combine chiles, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, and cumin seeds in small bowl. Add cold water to cover, then drain. Place drained mixture in heavy small skillet. Dry-roast over medium-low heat until seeds are dry, slightly darker in color, and beginning to pop, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from pan from heat, and let cool in skillet.
Place nutmeg, white pepper, and turmeric in spice mill or grinder. Add the cooled spice mixture, then grind to powder. Store in a cool place in an airtight container.
Add ingredients to a spice grinder or mortar and pestle and grind up. Place in a small jar with airtight lid and shake to combine. Store in a cool dry place for up to 6 months. When ready to use, add to dishes according to taste.
Add all spices to a small jar and shake. Store in airtight jar for up to 3 months.
Sweet and Mild Curry Blend
Makes 1/4 cup
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon fennel seed, crushed
1⁄2 teaspoon clove
1⁄2 teaspoon ground mustard
1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
1⁄8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
Combine all ingredients, and store in a glass or plastic container with a tight-fitting lid.
Making quick refrigerator pickles only take a few minutes, and you can eat them in as little as 30-40 minutes. I like the idea of making small batches, and changing the herbs or seasoning level between jars. Have fun and experiment with flavor!
Ingredients
3/4 cups white vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp kosher or pickling salt
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 cup water
1-1 1/2 lbs cucumbers
2 cloves garlic, peeled and halved (or 1 tsp minced garlic)
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
8 dried cloves
1 tsp dried dill
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
4 pint jars with lids, washed and sterilized
Combine the salt, sugar, and vinegar in a small non-reactive saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar and salt are dissolved, then removed from heat. Add in the water and let cool.
Slice the cucumbers into thin rounds or spears and put into cleaned and sterilized pint jars. Mix coriander, red pepper flakes, mustard seeds, dill, and garlic. Split evenly between the jars, and add the cloves. Add the cooled brine to the jars, dividing evenly. You can add a little cold water if needed until the liquid covers the cucumbers. Place the lids on the jar and tighten and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, but they will have a better flavor if you can wait 24 hours. They will keep in the refrigerator for up to a month.
I like waiting 48 hours to 2 weeks before opening my quick pickles, but you can certainly eat them sooner than that. The nice thing about doing small batches is that you can experiment with different vegetables or spices without committing to a large amount.
Variations: asparagus, carrots, green beans, cabbage, brussels sprouts, radishes, cherries
Ingredients
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 tbsp honey or granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
1 pint canning jar (I always have an extra jar on hand, just in case I make too much for one jar)
Clean and sterilize the canning jar(s) and lid(s) and set aside. Pack the onions into the jar, and set in the sink or on a kitchen towel in case the vinegar splashes later.
In a non-reactive saucepan mix the vinegar, water, honey (or sugar), salt, and pepper flakes. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, then pour over the onions in the jar.
Use the back of a spoon to make sure the onions are submerged in the vinegar mixture. Carefully tighten the lids on the jar(s) and let cool to room temperature. It should take about 30-40 minutes.
You can eat the pickled onions after they’ve cooled off, or you can store them for up to three weeks. They are best eaten within a week of pickling, and make sure to store them in the refrigerator.
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One of my biggest regrets is not learning how to make bread at an earlier point in life. Not only is it easy, relatively quick (with a little planning), and delicious, but it is rewarding and fun as well. If you have children, you can get them to help measure ingredients and knead the bread. It is a great way to help them connect to what they are eating.
Ingredients
3-3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 package dry active yeast
1/2 cups warm water
1 cup warm milk
3 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil or melted butter
Pour the 1/2 cup of warm water into a small bowl or cup and stir in the yeast and sugar. Stir gently, and let sit for 5 minutes. If the yeast is not foamy after 5 minutes, discard and purchase fresh yeast.
Place 1 cup of the flour into a bowl and add the warm milk. Stir until well blended (it will be fairly runny and gloppy). Add the rest of the flour a cup at a time, salt, butter or oil, and stir well. The dough will be shaggy and sticky at this point. If you have a stand mixer, combine in the same steps using a dough hook. Knead the dough on a lightly floured board (or let the stand mixer work it with the dough hook) for 5-10 minutes until it is smooth. It should feel soft and a little springy to the touch at this point.
Shape the dough into a ball and put it into an oiled bowl, then flip the dough over so that the ball has a light coat of oil. This will help keep the surface elastic while rising. Cover the bowl with a clean damp towel and let it rest on the in a warm area for 1-1 1/2 hours until it is doubled in size.
Lightly butter or oil a loaf pan and set aside. The dough should be puffy and rounded. Punch the dough down, then place back on a lightly floured board. Knead the dough for 3-5 minutes. It will feel tighter than the first kneading due to the development of gluten.
Stretch the dough into as much of a rectangle that you can, then fold up in thirds. Place the dough into the loaf pan with the seam (edge of loaf) on the bottom. Brush the top of the loaf lightly with oil or melted butter, cover with the damp towel again, and leave in a warm area for an hour. The dough should almost double in size again.
Once the dough has doubled it should be at or near the top of the bread pan. Preheat the oven to 375°F and make sure the rack is in the middle of the oven. Bake 30-35 minutes, or until the loaf is golden brown. Remove the loaf from the pan and set on a rack to cool.
Let the loaf cool for 2-3 hours before cutting. If you slice it too soon, the inside will be gummy instead of nice and fluffy.
Wasn’t that easy? Enjoy!
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