Making Your Own Special Seasonings News Letter
Fri, 30 Jul 2004, at 11:42 a.m.

This news letter is from an AOL food chat and is printed here at Recipes From Friends with permission of host Judee.

If you don't have a place for a vegetable garden you might want to start growing your own herbs. Most do very well in pots and many will winter over. I have been growing herbs for about 6 years now and haven't bought any in the store since. For spices I usually buy them in bulk. Making your own special seasonings is so easy and they make wonder gifts.

Judee

Welcome back Around Our Kitchen Table! Tonight, we're looking out for the herb gardener's among us and those of us who like to control the amount of additives in our foods. Tonight, we're focusing on creating our own dry herb mixes to liven up our recipes and use up some home grown herbs. Even if you don't have an herb garden, you'll be able to purchase any ingredient to use these recipes. These would also make wonderful gifts packaged in nice jars with pretty cloths tied on the lid. Don't forget to go the extra mile and attach a favorite recipe that will use your spice mix!

Our first blends are for Seasoned Salt, Chili Powder and Curry Powder. Each are prepared as follows:

Grind each of the various spice mixtures together (a coffee grinder works very well for this but get another grinder to grind your coffee. Store each mixture in the dark in airtight spice jars.

Seasoned Salt

2 Tbsp salt
½ Tbsp sugar
½ Tbsp paprika
½ tsp mace
½ tsp celery salt
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp curry powder
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp mustard powder

Chili Powder

3 tsp ground chilies (about 12 dry chilies)
2 tsp ground coriander seeds
1 tsp ground cumin
¾ tsp garlic powder
2 tsp oregano (crushed)
¾ tsp ground cloves

Curry Powder

¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cardamom¼ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp ground coriander seed
¼ tsp ground cumin seed
¼ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground chili pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp ground pepper
pinch turmeric (optional)

For mustard: add the water to the ground mustard and stir. Apparently, the colder the water, the hotter the mustard. Let sit for a time in refrigerator. Add remaining ingredients and blend. You can also add herbs and/or substitute wine for some of the vinegar for differently flavored mustards. Pour into sterilized jars to seal. Refrigerate mustard.
***End of Recipe***

Herb Seasoning Blend

Use this homemade herb seasoning in sauces or on chicken or fish.

2 tbsp. basil
1/4 tsp. dried grated lemon peel
1 tsp. dried leaf oregano crushed
1 tsp. celery seed
2 tbsp. onion powder
1/8 tsp. black pepper

Combine all ingredients; store in an airtight container.
***End of Recipe***

Italian Seasoning

1 cup dried basil
1 cup dried parsley
1/2 cup oregano
1/2 cup dried minced onion
1/4 cup dried thyme
1/2 cup dried minced garlic
1 Tablespoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried sage

Blend thoroughly, store in airtight container

For gift: Place blend in a pretty jar. Fill linen napkin lined basket with herb mix, several packages of pasta, pasta tools, and recipe for spaghetti sauce as follows: Add 1 tablespoon of mix to 2 cups of fresh peeled chopped tomatoes. Simmer till tomatoes are tender but not mushy. Serve over pasta
***End of Recipe***

Cajun Seasoning

1 box salt (26 oz)
3 Tbs. black pepper
2 Tbs. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. nutmeg
2 Tbs. parsley flakes (crunched)
4 Tbs. red pepper (ground) (cayenne)
2 Tbs. chili powder

Combine all ingredients; store in an airtight container.
***End of Recipe***

I made the following seasoning last year and it one of our favorites. We sprinkle it on beef, pork, chicken and eggs.

Bayou Blast - {Emeril's Creole Seasoning}

1/2 tablespoon Paprika
2 tablespoons Salt
2 tablespoons Garlic powder
1 tablespoon Black pepper
1 tablespoon Onion powder
1 tablespoon Cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon Dried oregano
1 tablespoon Dried thyme

Combine all of the above ingredients thoroughly. This recipe yields 2/3 cup of Emeril's famous "Bayou Blast" Creole seasoning.
***End of Recipe***

Garam Masala is called for in Indian cuisine. There are as many different combinations of herbs and spices as there are cooks in India. This is a mild blend and some can be quite hot.

GARAM MASALA (SPICE MIX - MILD)

3 oz Coriander seeds
1 oz Cumin seeds
1/4 oz Fenugreek seeds
1 oz Cloves
2 oz Cardamom seeds (brown is best)
1/4 ts Mace
1/4 ts Nutmeg
1 oz Cinnamon
1 oz Black pepper

Roast coriander seeds, cumin, and fenugreek seeds separately for a few minutes until their rich aroma is given off. Combine with all other ingredients and grind. Pass the mixture through a sieve and store in an airtight jar.

NOTE: Roasting the ingredients separately is important since each gives off its characteristic aroma at a different time.
***End of Recipe***

Fines Herbs

½ tsp parsley
½ tsp tarragon
½ tsp chives
½ tsp chervil

Finely chop herbs and blend together.
***End of Recipe***

The following 4 different spice rubs:

Spice Rub #1

4 tsp garlic granules
4 tsp crushed fennel seeds
4 tsp dried thyme
2 Tbsp pepper
1 dry chili, ground
2 Tbsp paprika (get the good Hungarian kind)
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar

Spice Rub #2

3 Tbsp demerara sugar
1 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp freshly ground pepper
1 Tbsp garlic granules
1 Tbsp dry chili flakes
1 Tbsp dried thyme
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano (optional)
1 tsp crushed fennel seeds (optional)
1 tsp other dried herb you like (optional)1 tsp other dried herb you like (optional)

Spice Rub #3 - "Old Bay Seasoning"

½ tsp celery seed
1 Tbsp black peppercorns
4 dried bay leaves
1 tsp cardamom seed
1 tsp mustard seed (optional)
½ tsp whole cloves
1 tsp Hungarian paprika
¼ tsp mace (or nutmeg)
1 tsp salt

Dry Rub #4 - Flour and Herb Rub (Ideal for Chicken Wings)

4 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp Tomato Basil flavored dry soup mix
1 Tbsp Chicken flavored dry soup mix
½ tsp dried savory
½ tsp dried thyme
½ tsp each any other dried herb you like
½ tsp chili flakes
1 tsp pepper

Mix herbs and spices well (use a pestle and mortar or your coffee dried herb & spice grinder). Of course, as always, the measurements are not written in stone; you will probably want to change the amounts of each ingredient to suit your tastes. Each mixture can be kept in a jar on the shelf. These are dry marinades. Rub generously on chicken or pork about an hour (or more) before grilling. (Refrigerate the meat as it is sitting in the spice rub.)

Grilled chicken is wonderful on spaghetti with mint pesto and sugar snap peas.

To use #4, pour some of the flour mixture into a plastic bag. Toss wings to cover entirely. Push each wing around in the bottom of the bag to ensure that each one has herbs as well as flour on it. Bake at 350F till golden brown and crispy. Wings made this way are delicious cold or hot.
***End of Recipe***

Poultry Seasoning

2 Tablespoons dried marjoram
2 Tablespoons dried savory
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1 Tablespoon dried sage
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme

Blend all and use for stuffing and poultry. Makes 1/3 cup.
***End of Recipe***

GREEK SEASONING BLEND

2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon beef bouillon granules
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container.

Serve with steaks, pork chops, chicken, or fish.

Yields 1/4 cup.
***End of Recipe***

Turkey Onion Soup

3 med. onions, chopped (1 1/2 C.)
3 med. leeks, chopped (1 C.)
1 bunch green onions, sliced (1/2 C.)
3 shallots, finely chopped (1/3 C.)
3 carrots, sliced (1 1/2 C.)
3 stalks celery, sliced (1 1/2 C.)
1 T. cooking oil
2 1/2 lb.. turkey breast half, skinned
5 1/2 C. water
1/2 C. snipped fresh parsley
1 1/2 t. dried oregano, crushed
1 1/2 t. Greek seasoning
1 t. salt
1 t. fennel seeds, crushed
1/2 t. ground black pepper
2 bay leaves

In a 4 qt. Dutch oven, cook the onions, leeks, green onions, shallots, carrots and celery in oil over medium-high heat for 7-10 minutes or until tender. Add turkey, water, 1/4 C. of parsley, oregano, Greek seasoning, salt, fennel seeds, pepper and bay leaves. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 1 to 2 hours or till meat is tender.

Remove the turkey from the Dutch oven. Cut the meat from the bones; discard bones. Chop meat and return to Dutch oven with remaining snipped parsley. Remove bay leaves and discard.

6 servings
***End of Recipe***

Gingen sent me this recipes. She is not on AOL and I appreciate her offering this to share.

Creole Seasoning

*(Yield: 3/4 cup)

Ingredients:
8 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons pepper
2 tablespoons garlic powder
8 teaspoons paprika
8 teaspoons cayenne pepper
4-1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1 tablespoon thyme
2 tablespoons grated lemon rind

Method:
In a screw-top jar, combine all ingredients. Shake thoroughly to mix.
Keep in a dry place.
***End of Recipe***