Chai Spice Mix

I love chai spice. Last year I made chai tea mix used whole organic spices, toasted and ground myself, add it to powdered milk, instant tea and suger  and gave it as gifts...it was great, but the spices were a little heavy that way so this time I just bought organic already ground spice at our local Earth Origins health food store...so nice to get them in any amount you need. Myself I like just the spices so I can ad it to my coffee myself and make it as sweet as I want it or not. I also add it to my steel cut oatmeal, granola, and granola bars. I know there is a lot more you can do with it. Now there are many versions and many different tastes, likes and dislikes. Here is a basic recipe that I go by and it is of course adjustable according to your taste. Just add more or less of what you like and it will be perfect.

Chai Spice Blend
2-3 teaspoons cardamom
2-3 teaspoons cinnamon
1-2 teaspoons ginger
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg or mace
1/4 teaspoon white pepper

and mix

store in an air tight container...add it to your tea or coffee with so sugar and cream or sweet condensed milk and mix and enjoy.

I used it in and on my oatmeal this morning

Berbere, Michigan Part I and a New Puppy

Hi, I am back! From our visit to Michigan and  back to school getting ready for the kids on Monday! 

Before I left for my trip I blended some more spice mixtures. Here I tried berbere, it's an Ethiopian spice blend that every family has there own recipe, and it's used in many dishes like their stew and for meats and such.

While I was off for the summer I was able to organize most of my spices and label the stainless steel tins that I like to use, and fill them with fresh spices. This made it easier to gather all the spices that I needed for the blends. I am actually happy to cross at least one thing from my long list that I wanted to get done over the summer.

First you toast the whole spices that you have like cardamom pods, allspice berries, peppercorn, cumin, cloves, chilies, coriander, fenugreek seeds (I didn't have the seeds just powder).

• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 12 cardamom pods
• 2 dried de arbol chilies stemmed and deseeded (you can do this to taste)
• 1 teaspoon or 6 whole allspice berries

Lightly toast the seeds in a tiny skillet and let cool before grinding them. Remove the shells from the cardamom pods, and if you don't like it too spicy remove the seeds from the chilies. Grind them all together in a spice grinder and add to the remaining powdered spices.

• 3 tablespoons paprika
• 2 teaspoon dried onion flakes
• 1 teaspoon garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon salt

Mix together well and store in an air tight container.

I used berbere in my meatballs and I really enjoyed this flavor...even in my lunch the next day! Use it on eggs, in soups and stews and to season roasts, and I'm sure it would go well on veggies too!


A few vacation photos.

Sharing a little of my Michigan trip. Here we are in Grand Haven, Michigan  on the west coast right on Lake Michigan. W

Chicken and Olive Tajine

My co-worker gave me this recipe, she has never made it before, but she did taste it when her writing teacher made this and brought it into her class one evening. She thought I'd like it since I am interested in different regional cuisines. She was telling me about the preserved lemons that were used in this dish. I looked for them at the local shops by us that carry Moroccan foods and such. I put the recipe aside probably for a year or so, not really sure. I finally decided this year with my good crop of lemons to make my own preserved lemons...you know since I knew nothing was used on them like fertilizer and pesticides...maybe just lizards walking on them (I cleaned them super good) :)

So it has been over a month since I started the jar of preserved lemons where they have been hanging out on my counter looking all pretty. Every so often truing the jar, moving all the salted juice around the coriander seeds and cinnamon stick, wondering how much you will be able to taste all the flavors they might bring...


...the wait is over, actually it wasn't that bad waiting for it...now if it was soaking in a good booze with sugar instead of salt, that's another story :D

When you use the lemons they recommend that you rinse it will and take out the flesh and just use the outer peel (remember these are washed very well before preserving) . Some will say you can use the whole thing and it will give a stronger flavor.

Chicken and Olive Tajine
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 pounds of skinless chicken parts (I used the breast tenders and boneless thighs)
3 cloves garlic, chopped (I used a little more, my preference)
1 onion chopped (I used the sweet Florida onion)
2 tablespoons ground ginger (I used some fresh chopped and and a little ground)
2 tablespoons cumin
2 tablespoons turmeric (I should of used my fresh turmeric too)
1 tablespoon paprika (I had smoked paprika so I used half that and half red chili powder)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon Lebanese spice mix (I used my spice blend because I didn't have any ras el hanout, or you could use a Moroccan blend if you have one or not you can skip it)
2 cups chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley
1 cup chopped cilantro
1 preserve lemon (I used half, my lemons were larger than the ones I've seen)
1 7 1/2 oz jar pitted Greek olives (I used some mixed olives I got at the Middle Eastern store)
4 quartered boiled potatoes (I used little red potatoes)


In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil and saute the chicken in two batches until browned on both sides. Set aside. (I used a Dutch oven since I had to set aside the chicken anyway I just placed in on a dish until I needed it back in the pot)

Heat a 6 quart cooking pot, add remaining oil and saute the onion,and garlic until transparent, adding the ginger, cumin, turmeric, paprika, salt, pepper, spices, and 1/2 cup of water and cook for about another 5 minutes or so...

Add the chicken, tomatoes (I added some garlic at this time so it wouldn't burn or turn bitter in the saute) ...

...parsley, cilantro, olives, lemons...

...and enough water to almost cover the ingredients and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes. Add boiled potatoes and cook another 10 - 15 minutes, or until chicken in done. (I didn't quite boil the potatoes all the way through before I added them because I knew they would be cooking in the pot for another 15 minutes).

The recipe has you serve it with French bread so you can soak up every last drop of the delicious broth. Lots of broth here, so...


....I thought another way to soak up the broth...it would be good over rice, or couscous of course!!



This Moroccan dish is highly spiced and is usually made in a tagine hence the name I imagine,
but since I don't have a tagine I couldn't tell you how or if better using one. It turned out good using the Dutch oven, and it was even better the next day for lunch!


I used my glass lock & lock lunch box that I got for Christmas and it worked great to warm everything up.
Our neighbor's cat who thinks he lives at our house (we never feed him, just the birds out front by way of the bird feeder) has found a new place for his afternoon nap! My daughter's bed, of course she doesn't mind the company!

Sweet Spiced Nuts!!

Dogs just don't understand daylight savings time...how to you explain to them that we change the clock back in the fall. My dog is still getting us up at 5:00AM thinking it's time to get up for work. He used to just make sure we got up on the weekends at 6:ooAM he could not get that it was Saturday either. So funny (well not really it pretty anoying actually) he will stand outside the slider door looking into the bedroom and bark, needing nothing other than for us to get up! Today it was again 5:00am and he was standing there...in front of the open door...after he had already been outisde...and bark, pause, bark, pause, bark, bark...are you up yet? Ahhh...dogs...Sheesh!

Yes Autumn is here and even though we don't really get the typical fall weather here in Florida we are able to turn off the AC (at least in my house we do) open the windows and sliders, and sitting outside and really enjoy the room temperature. Now we can do the baking that we have been wanting to do and the house smells like spices, my favorite.

Spiced Nuts are an easy way to get your house smelling good. I first made these for a chopped salad, and since have made them for a Christmas or house-warming gifts. They are perfect to set out for when company comes, but I warn you...they don't last long, the bowls will be empty before you know it! The recipe is adjustable to what you like...add a little chili powder or cayenne if like some heat!

Ingredients:
1 cup pecans, walnuts, almonds or mixed nuts what ever you have or want
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon or pinch or nutmeg and/or cloves
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
3 teaspoons butter, melted



In a bowl mix brown sugar with spices...in a seperate bowl melt the butter. Then dip the nuts in small batches in the metled butter then into the sugar and spice mix...


Spread out on a cookie sheet lined with parment paper (for easy clean up) . Walnuts on the left and I used a bag of the pecan pieces on the right ...this is great for salads!



Place in a 375 degree oven for about 8 minutes. Now I learned the hard way that 8 minutes is about right...
...much more than that and the sugar and spice coating will start to melt off, and end up all over the parchment paper...just keep any eye on them.



Walnuts all sweet and spicy just waiting for you...so good, I like it when the sugar gets a little caramelized.



The smaller pieces I just store in a jar until I am ready to use them in a salad. I usually don't like it too sweet, but this is a nice little touch of sweet and spice to the salad.

Are you on my gift list?


Edited to add photo and I really should wake him up

Syrian Bread

When I was a child growing up in west Michigan we had a neighbor that lived at the end of our street, that would make Syrian bread. Occasionally she would bring us some and I loved it. I never did get her recipe. When I was young I didn't cook much, and that was mostly due to the fact that my mom was such a good cook. When she did let me help it was usually my job to make the salad....and I hated making salads. I had to tear the lettuce so it wouldn't bruise and it seemed no matter how much I tore at it, the big salad bowl never got full.

Then she would let me brown the ground meat for spaghetti bolognaise or chili or something. She asked me to season it...oh now this was interesting to me. I started to sprinkle the usual salt, pepper and garlic powder. That was good, but I wanted to see what a little of this and a pinch of that might do...over the years when I learned a little more about herbs and spices (which I love and have a passion for) she would call me into the kitchen and would ask if I wouldn't mind seasoning whatever it was that she was making for dinner.



Actually I don't know what that has to do with anything other than that is a bit on how I got started experimenting with different recipes and made them my own. I haven't really thought about Mrs Ansara's Syrian Bread until I ran across this bread on Treat and Trick...and what luck, it was a bread machine recipe!!! Whoo hoo!!

Into the bread machine:
1 1/8 cup warm water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons yeast

Hit the dough cycle.
Preheat oven to 400 degree F.
When the cycle is complete punch down dough and divide into 8 and make into balls. Roll each ball out into about a 6" circle, (mine ended up being a little more rectangular),
Brush tops with melted butter and bake (probably will only be able to bake a couple at a time) 8 minutes and then flip and brush other side with the butter and bake for another 5 minutes.

While I baked some I also did what she did and made some on the griddle about five minutes each side. You can tell when they get done with the little golden spots that start to appears. I topped some of them with ...black and white sesame seeds, garlic, and sea salt (I keep this blended and in a jar to use on many things). On a few others I topped with zaatar seasoning (also a blend that I've made), but didn't get a picture of those. I guess they tasted too good hot off the grill to stick around for a photo op!





Some more backyard (well actually this is my front yard) photos. I saw some seed pods or tunas on my cactus. I thought this was a Trichocereus pachanoi ( San Pedro) cactus, but it seems it gets confused with T. peruvianus (Peruvian Torch) one or the other is said to contain mescaline even though in small amounts...and since I am not sure. I will stick to my prickly pear cactus and wait for those to fruit! :)

I have heard that they rarely produce this sweet fruit. One split open yesterday and it looks like the white dragon fruit inside. Still it looks pretty cool against the bright blue sky!

Fried Rice with Japanese Seven Spice

If you have been reading my blog for any amount of time...then you know how I like to try different spices. The last time I was visiting my parents I picked up some Sansho Seven Spice Blend. To find out it is known as Japanese Seven Spice, Shichimi togarashi, and it apparently has been around for a long time. There are a a few different versions as do many spice blends, but this one has sansho pepper and poppy seeds in it, along with red chili, seaweed,orange peel, white and black sesame seeds. It is used as a table seasoning to enhance Japanese noodle dishes and grilled fish.


Of course it would be good on rice, and I have used it on chicken. Then I noticed a simple fried rice with Japanese seven spice on Vegan Yum Yum .... you also know how much I love fried rice, and how perfect to try out this spice blend. Now fried rice you don't really need a recipe for, and it is a good way to use up what you have on hand and throw together a great tasting quick meal. I find it's best to use day old or cold cooked rice, so the next time you make rice just throw a little extra in and save the rest for your next meal of fried rice! :D



I love this spice, it has just a nice amount of heat and the orange peel gives it a nice citrus flavor without being too much. I know my daughter loves it because of the seaweed in it...reminds her of furikake on rice.

For this fried rice: adapted from Vegan Yum Yum

2 cups cold cooked rice

1 tablespoon oil

1 shallot chopped

1 teaspoon ginger paste

1 teaspoon garlic paste or clove of garlic chopped

2 tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons Japanese seven spice

shiitake mushrooms

shrimp (I used frozen little ones)

1-2 carrots chopped

1 egg

I have made a few fried rice here on my blog but I will do a quick run down on how to ...In a large pan or wok heat the oil and cook the shallots and carrots until soft, then add the mushrooms and cook around 3 minutes, add ginger, garlic, and shrimp and cook a few more minutes until shrimp are pink. Add the rice, you can hear it sizzle when the cold rice hits the hot pan, cook a bit to warm it through. Separate all the ingredients to add the egg in the middle and scramble it until cooked, add the soy sauce and mix everything up good. Sprinkle it with the Japanese seven spice.

You can vary the ingredients to what you have or what you like...that's the nice thing about fried rice. I will make this again with the Japanese seven spice for sure!! When I run out I might have to figure out how to get the ingredients to make my own!



Edited to add the spice photos...the ingredients listed on the back of the package - red chili, seaweed, sansho pepper, orange peel, poppy seeds, white & black sesame seeds.




Hope this helps!

Lebanese Mixed Spice

I really like mixing my own spice blends, again this is a way we can control what goes in what we are eating. I usually buy organic whole spices and grind them myself. I was going to make my Chai spice blend, that I love to use in oatmeal, tea, coffee, cookies...needless to say I love that blend. (I will post it soon) I was going to make it again, and since I put it right in my coffee I found it's better to get the pre-ground organic spices from a nearby health food store. Since I had some extra spices and a lot of the same ones go into this mix I thought I would make this seven spice blend. It is very versatile and can be used in meatballs, with chicken, pork, lamb, beef, it is used in kafta, kibbeh, and many Lebanese dishes.

This was adapted from a recipe I saw on Chowhound. Some will have you use equal parts of all seven, but sometimes cloves, and nutmeg can be a little overpowering. It's nice I can get my spices in little baggies and scoop as much or as little as I want, it's a good way to try spices.

Lebanese Mixed Spice or Lebanese 7 spice mix

1/2 teaspoon powdered allspice

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoon spoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon ground fenugreek

2 teaspoons powdered ginger

Mix them all together and store in a airtight container. It makes a small amount so a spice jar would probably work better, but you can always double it. I like to reuse glass jars, I do it all the time...jam jars or condiments, if it's glass I can't throw it out. Some day I'll show you what I do with them all...or maybe make some jam!

You can use it when making tabouleh too...check out my recipe on Our Krazy Kitchen where it's my Saturday for Cultural Connections.





Since I am out of school (work) for the summer and my husband started his own business we have been able to have more meals together. I am helping him when and where I can. We met for breakfast with a friend who is painting his office. This is an old fashioned diner type drive in, the food is good, but really basic drive in food...




...but it's the atmosphere (all outside) you really go for, it's fun and everyone is so friendly. Many regulars meet for lunch or breakfast.

Do you have a hole-in-the-wall place that you enjoy going to?

Herbs and Spice Blends

I love herbs and spices, and like to grow many of my own herbs. I like to use fresh when I can. I also love spice shops and could spend a lot of time visiting one. When I go to Michigan to visit family one of my must do stops is Penzey's Spices. I like to check out the blends that they have and what they use them for. You can buy them on line which is nice, the package comes with nutmeg, bay leaves and cinnamon sticks as packing materials, but it's just not the same as being there. Just to be able to open the lid and smell or taste each and any spice that you want is a treat. One that I use quite often is Parisien Bonnes Herbes it is salt free it is good on veggie. I also like to use it on potatoes, eggs, chicken and pork. It's even good in breads. The last time I went there I met my sister and her daughter-in-law there to by some PBH. They wanted to buy some because they have been reading my blog and I have recipes that called for it by name. When we got there, there was only one package left... (I don't usually get the jars because I like to use the stainless steel containers that I refill)...like I said there was one package left and they got there before I did so they got it! I told them it was okay because I had most of the herbs and wanted to try blending it myself. This is my version:
Bonne Herbes
1 tablespoon dill weed
2 tablespoons chives
2 tablespoons French basil
2 tablespoons French tarragon
2 tablespoons chervil
1 teaspoon ground white pepper

Another place I get my herbs and spices is from Mountain Rose Herbs. They are high quality and mostly organic. They also carry teas, oils, essential oils, herb extracts, many bulk products to make your own lotions, soaps and such, and much more. It has monthly specials too. (this is where I got my pound of marjoram for like $3.50).

My second seasoning blend for today is Za'atar. Za'atar (zaatar) is a mixture of sumac, sesame seed and herbs frequently used in the Middle East and Mediterranean areas.

It is used as a condiment there and can be mixed with olive oil and spread on breads and baked, or sprinkled on top. It's used as a seasoning on foods like kabobs, meatballs, salads, and veggies. I like it on chicken and fish. The sumac has a little tang like lemon would. There are many different blends and like dukkah each family develops their own special blend.

Za'atar

1/4 cup sumac
3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
2 tablespoons thyme
2 tablespoons marjoram (or oregano or 2 T of both)
2 teaspoons mint
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

Store za'atar in a cool, dark place in a plastic zip bag or in an airtight container.

I like more sesame seeds in mine than most of the zaatar that you'll see. That's what's nice about blending your own, you can make it the way you like it!

I keep some in the freezer and some in a jar so I can use it at any time.

If you want to you can put it all in the spice grinder and whizz it around a little, if I do this I'll add some savory to it. Other wise savory can be a little "woody".

What are some of your favorite spices and herbs? Do you have a special blend that you like to use often? Are you willing to share?

Next spice blend: Herbes de Provence