Cajun Seasoning Chili Powder Crab Boil Curry Powder

Pickling Spice Poultry Seasoning Pumpkin Pie Spice Taco Seasoning

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CAJUN SEASONING - No list of spice blends would be complete without a Cajun mix. Cajun-style cooking has become very popular, but often the spice ingredients are not listed with the recipes. As with all blends, the pre-mixed products are quite expensive so make your own. From what I have been able to determine, although some of the spices in Cajun Seasoning are common to all brands, there are others that differ according to the manufacturer's preference. The common ingredients are: paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, oregano and thyme. Other ingredients include, but are not limited to: celery, sugar, turmeric, cumin, bay leaf, mace, cardamon, basil, marjoram and rosemary.

My basic recipe:

1 tablespoon paprika 1 tablespoon ground cumin 1 tablespoon salt 2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons onion powder 2 teaspoons black pepper 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 teaspoon dried oregano

Makes about 6 tablespoons. Add cayenne pepper if you like it hot.
(This is the blend I use as a dry rub for meats. For a slightly sweet taste, add about 2 teaspoons sugar. I would use much less salt if using the mixture to flavor sauces, stews and other preparations. Both things should be considered if packaging the blend for gifts.)

CHILI POWDER - Chili powder should not be confused with dried or powdered chiles. It is a blend, consisting mostly of powdered chiles, with other spices and herbs included. Unfortunately, many packaged chili powders also contain too much salt and not enough of the other spices for my taste. The ingredients in a basic chili powder are: ground chiles and/or cayenne pepper, ground cumin, garlic powder and oregano. Crushed hot peppers could be used in place of, or in addition to, powdered chiles.

My basic recipe:

1 tablespoon ground cumin 1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Makes about 2-1/2 tablespoons, enough for 1 large batch of chili.

CRAB BOIL - The spices used in a crab boil are similar to pickling spice. It is used for boiling shrimp, lobster, crayfish and crab. The ingredients are: mustard seed, peppercorns, cloves, allspice, coriander, bay leaves, ginger, dill seed and caraway seed. For a hotter blend, add some crushed hot peppers.

My basic recipe:

1 tablespoon mustard seeds 1 tablespoon black peppercorns 1 tablespoon whole cloves 2 teaspoons whole allspice

2 teaspoons coriander seeds 2 teaspoons dill seeds 5 dried bay leaves 1 small piece dried ginger

Makes about 1/3 cup.

CURRY POWDER - There are so many different types of curry powders and pastes, hot or mild, depending on the country or the dish. I am not going to get into all of that since I have read about, but have no experience using them. I will deal with the curry powder that most of us can purchase in our grocery stores. The ingredients are: turmeric, coriander, cumin, fenugreek, ginger, nutmeg, fennel, cinnamon, cardamon, cloves, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Use whole spices, if available, and grind in a mini-processor or coffee grinder. My recipe includes some whole and some ground spices.

My basic recipe:

1 tablespoon coriander seeds 1 tablespoon fennel seeds 1 bay leaf 1 teaspoon ground cardamon 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon Pinch nutmeg Black pepper to taste

Grind the coriander and fennel seeds with the bay leaf. Makes about 2 tablespoons.

PICKLING SPICE - Pickling spice is most often used for canning pickles, but in some other dishes as well. The ingredients are: cinnamon, mustard seed, bay leaves, allspice, dill seed, cloves, ginger, peppercorns, coriander, juniper berries, mace, and cardamon. For a hotter mix, add some crushed hot peppers.

My basic recipe:

2 cinnamon sticks, broken 1 tablespoon mustard seeds 2 teaspoons black peppercorns 1 teaspoon whole cloves 1 teaspoon whole allspice

1 teaspoon juniper berries 1 teaspoon crumbled whole mace 1 teaspoon dill seeds 4 dried bay leaves 1 small piece dried ginger

Makes about 1/4 cup.

POULTRY SEASONING - I have never cared for poultry seasoning, maybe because it is often used in excessive amounts and in some foods to substitute other flavor that is missing. A good example is the crab cakes served in many restaurants that taste more like poultry stuffing than crab. That's because there is very little crab in the mixture. However, I often use the 3 herbs in combination that are most prominent in poultry seasoning: rosemary, sage and thyme. Other ingredients include: savory, marjoram, dill, allspice and ginger.

My basic recipe:

1 teaspoon dried rosemary 1 teaspoon rubbed sage 1 teaspoon dried thyme

Makes about 1 tablespoon, enough for 1 chicken dish.

PUMPKIN PIE SPICE - The spices in pumpklin pie spice can be used in all sorts of baking, as well as some main or side dishes. Try it in a pumpkin stew or baked winter squash. The ingredients are: cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, mace, ginger and cloves.

My basic recipe:

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground mace 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Makes about 2-1/2 teaspoons, enough for 1 pumpkin pie.

TACO SEASONING - I really do object to the sodium content in most packaged taco seasonings. And many of them contain MSG. Making your own is very simple. The ingredients are: cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, paprika, allspice, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Flour is often added as a thickening agent.

My basic recipe:

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon onion powder 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon paprika Salt to taste Black pepper to taste Cayenne pepper to taste

Makes about 1 tablespoon, enough to season 1 pound ground beef.