Spice Island's Salad Herbs

By Kathryn M.

I was looking for a substitute for Spice Islands Salad herbs and contacted Spice Islands.

The recipe they gave me is: 1 teaspoon basil, 3/4 teaspoon tarragon, 1/8 teaspoon cardamom, 1/8 teaspoon thyme and a hint of anise seed. I hope someone can use this.

Christmas Pepper Jelly

By Steve B., Overland Park, Kansas

Don't miss Steve's other spicy contribution: How to Build a Habañero Pepper Pie

Hot-Hot Mustard

from Darlyn

I have been making hot mustard for over 40 years. My mother-in-law was born in the USA and she taught me so much about cooking. My mother was German descent first child born in this country, she cooked simple tasty food, but my husband likes the Hot...Hot...food. My daughter's husband likes Hot...Hot...Hot...Food, so I would like to start making grainy mustards.....There is one thing my mother-in-law told me about was hot mustard and how to mix it....

Use dry mustard

Into a small bottle fill half way with dry Mustard

Add white vinegar with equal parts of Milk or cream

Mix until no lumps form and the mixture is smooth

Refrigerate it will Get hotter as it sits....The Milk and Vinegar is the key

I make Chive vinegar every year, pour into small bottles and give for gifts.

Use the chive vinegar instead of the white vinegar then you get the Wow factor

I myself can not eat hot food, I am an oddity....

Frozen Pickle Pops

from Carol in Cyberspace

"Sell for $1.00 -$1.50 depending on the size of the pickle."

To make pickle pops, start with a large jar of dill pickles, drain off the liquid and refill with presweetened Kool-Aid. For jalapeno pickles drain about half the liquid from the pickles and dump in a jar of sliced jalapenos-liquid and all. Transfer the contents of jars to freezer containers or put individual pickles in little plastic “jackets” and freeze. I make several piercings in the pickles before combining them with the liquid. I also insert popsicle sticks in one end of the pickles before putting the in the jackets (treat bags from Hobby Lobby).

McCormick's Salad Herbs Spice Blend

A faithful aPinchOf.com visitor writes:

I was looking for the blend and could no longer find it in stores.

I checked out McCormick's website and found it had been discontinued.

So I sent the marketing department an email and here's their response ENJOY!!! :

"Dear McCormick Consumer:

Thank you for taking the time to contact us. We appreciate your interest in our Salad Herbs and welcome the opportunity to be of assistance to you.

As of May 2001, our company was no longer manufacturing Salad Herbs. It is always a difficult decision to discontinue a product that consumers enjoy. We have taken the liberty of forwarding your request to the appropriate Marketing personnel.

We do suggest trying Herbes de Provence for a similar flavor or we have a recipe:

Salad Herbs

2 tsp. tarragon leaves

2 tsp. basil leaves

2 tsp. thyme leaves

1 tsp. parsley flakes

1 tsp. marjoram leaves

1/4-1/2 tsp. mint leaves

We invite you to join our "Friends and Flavor Club" and receive our newsletter, and personalized recipes and cooking tips. You can join by clicking on "Friends and Flavor" at www.McCormick.com.

We hope to have the continued pleasure of serving you.

Sincerely,

Leslie Lindle

Consumer Affairs Specialist"

Lavender Jasmine Rice

By Tim M. from Wyandotte, MI

Lavender Jasmine rice is a very nice and different side dish. It goes very well with Seafood and Asian dishes. The flavor is very delicate and floral, yet it will hold its own when paired up more aggressive tasting foods. Our favorite combination is to have a seared lemon pepper tuna filet with wasabi on the side, a Asian veggie combination with water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, carrots, onions etc. in a spiced up sweet & sour sauce and a nice serving of the lavender jasmine rice.

Lavender Jasmine Rice

Serves 4

1 cup of Jasmine rice

1 1/2 cups of water

4 Tbs. of a heart smart margarine (not the light kind)

6 to 8 dime sized slices of fresh Ginger (remove before serving) or 1 1/2 tsp. of ground dry Ginger

1 tsp. of dried Lavender buds, bruise the buds before cooking to release more flavor

a pinch of salt

Melt the margarine in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the Ginger and Lavender and gently stir while cooking over low heat to bring out the flavors for about 2 min. Add the water and salt then bring to a boil. Stir in the Jasmine rice and bring to boiling again. Immediately cover with a lid and reduce heat to the lowest possible heat. Cook for 20 min. then turn off heat and let set for 10 min. Do not remove the lid. At the end of this time fluff the rice with a fork and remove the Ginger slices. Enjoy.

Best Beef Stew Ever

from Joel J. just outside of Dallas

You ain't gonna believe this recipe. But try it with NO modifications before you start playing with it. You'll likely find, as I did, that there's no reason to change a thing. My friend, Dennis Schnelzer, in San Diego, who is the best non-professional cook I know, gave me this recipe. I cannot begin to describe how good this is.

Take 3 or 4 good-sized onions, peel and rough chop them.

Put them into a large pot with LOTS of olive oil - LOTS - add a bit more. Trust me.

Saute the onions until golden - don't allow them to burn. Pull the onions aside and insert a chopped chuck roast - bite sized or double bite-sized. Brown the meat in the onion-flavored olive oil.

Once brown, add the onions back.

Now add - listen closely: 12 chopped cloves of garlic - yes, that's 12.

Add a couple of bay leaves. Add MORE olive oil - Quite a bit more olive oil

Then, add water to cover. Cook until the water is all evaporated (Reduce down to the oil).

It's ready to serve.

Salt and pepper to taste

Eat whatever you want with this, but crusty, Italian or French bread is good. I like a good red wine with this. You may not.

To the recipe add a can of beef bouillon if you want a richer, even more flavorful stew......

Broccoflower Bonanza

from Meri Ann M. in parts unknown

I wanted something light and wanted to use some of my fresh herbs growing on my deck. I also wanted to try something new. So I bought a broccoflower and started grabbing some of my herbs. I serve this at my backyard parties with grilled burgers and chicken.

1 head of broccoflower

1 cucumber diced in 1/4" cubes

1 small Vidalia onion (or other sweet onion) diced small

handful of finely chopped fresh herbs listed below:

lime or lemon thyme

chives

oregano (greek)

a pinch of fresh mint

a pinch of fresh dill

lemon olive oil

Citrus Champagne vinegar

Throw all the ingredients in a pretty bowl and toss with the oil and vinegar to taste. Salt and pepper optional.

Great served on top of a light white fish, chicken or as a side with a grilled burger or pork chop.

Herbed Venison Steak

from Janet Downing of Fairbanks, Alaska

This recipe has evolved over the years. I find the marjoram lessens the "wild" taste of the venison. This is a favorite of my family. Of course I also use it with Moose and Caribou.

4-6 pieces of venison sirloin steak

1 Tbsp marjoram (enough to thoroughly cover the steaks)

1 small onion chopped

1/2 green bell pepper chopped

3 med garlic bulbs minced

salt and pepper to taste

2 Tbsp canola oil

1 cup flour

1 cup of water

1 cup of milk

Rub steak with fresh or dried marjoram and let sit while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Chop onions and green peppers, mince garlic.

Place oil in heavy skillet, Add half of the onion, peppers, and garlic to pan. Dredge the steak in flour and add to the pan. Add the rest of the onion, peppers and garlic to pan. Cook for about 3 minutes until the steak is brown in one side and then turn it over and stir the vegetables around so they don't burn. Add the salt and pepper. Brown the meat on the second side and remove from the pan. (Prepare a gravy) Stir thoroughly and add enough of the flour to absorb the oil and make a rue, add the water and stir until it thickens, then add some milk and stir. As the gravy thickens add more milk until the gravy is the consistency you want. Add steaks back to the gravy and make sure they are well covered by the gravy. Turn down the heat to low and let simmer for 30 minutes with a tight lid. (It is especially good if you put it in the oven at 325 degrees for 30 minutes)

Roasting Garlic Fast

from new reader E.

Hello everyone:  About roasting garlic. Your ways sound wonderful albeit a lot of energy used for such a small mass. We also love garlic in nearly everything. Consequently I came up with such a simple method. Try it, bet you'll like it. Just take a full head of garlic, or more, clean the cloves, put them in a micro wave friendly container. I use a Corningware cup or glass custard cup. Cover the garlic with virgin olive oil...cover with something, like waxed paper, parchment, or just plain paper towel, folded as necessary and microwave for one minute, depending on the amount of garlic and the power of your microwave. Let stand a few minutes. This leaves you with soft garlic that can be tossed into sauces, potatoes, vegetables...wherever you

like it. The bonus is some lovely garlic flavored oil that can be used anyway you wish.

Creamy Curry

from SJ in Louisiana

I brown pork, chicken or beef in a stir fry pan in a little olive oil.  I add a couple of tablespoons of curry powder and brown.  I add an onion cut in small wedges, and/or a diced tomato, and/or rough chopped cabbage or what have you. Add a little cayenne pepper, or hot sauce for heat and stir fry till tender. Add about a half-cup of half and half cream and simmer.  Thin with a little water for a nice curry sauce.  Yum!

Turkey Walnut Salad Wraps

from SW from GA

This is a wonderful recipe which I converted to a low carb one, but the original recipe was given to me by my sister. I have no idea where she found it. I'm growing dill and am always looking for new ways to use it, so here's one she sent me. I make these low carb by using low carb wraps, carb smart mayo and cutting back a bit on the walnuts. I have found that if you chop the nuts fine, you can get by with fewer when going low carb.

2-4 (depending on size) flour tortillas … we use 4 of the smaller ones

½ c mayonnaise

½ tsp lemon juice

2 tbs fresh dill (I have never measured it … just go pick a handful, chop it up and toss it in!)

1 ½ cup diced or shredded cooked turkey

1 tbs sliced green onion or as much as you want like I do

¼ c chopped walnuts

salt and pepper to taste

Romaine lettuce leaves

Remove tortillas from refrigerator. Let stand at room temperature, or warm on griddle for a warm wrap, while preparing filling. In medium bowl, mix together mayo, lemon juice, and dill until smooth & creamy. Stir in chopped turkey, (I do this in my mini chopper) green onion and walnuts.

Rosemary-Lavender Brownies

inspired by AK posted by SKB

Here's the recipe developed when someone wrote to the website wondering if I had a recipe for brownies with rosemary and lavender.  Frankly, it is the recipe from the back of the Bakers Chocolate box with double vanilla and the chopped herbs added. It has always been my favorite brownie recipe, now made better!

4 squares (four ounces) unsweetened chocolate

3/4 cup butter

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup flour

1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon dried lavender flowers, crushed

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13"x9" baking pan with foil; coat the foil with non-stick spray.

Melt the chocolate with the butter (2 minutes on high, if using a microwave). When the chocolate is completely melted, stir in the sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla, mixing well. Stir in the flour with the rosemary and the lavender until well blended.

Spread into prepared pan. Bake until brownies begin to pull away from the edges of the pan and the center is set, 30-35 minutes. Be careful not to overbake or they will be dry. Cool on a rack in the pan and then lift out the foil before cutting into bars.

Crock Pot Turkey Dill

Submitted by SW from GA

This is a recipe that I have enjoyed which I found on a computer recipe program, so I can't give credit to the proper owner. I believe it was originally intended for dried dill to be used, although I don't know this for sure as the recipe didn't say. I do know that it doesn't call for enough dill to suit my taste, so I just cut enough of the feathery fronds to coat the meat good, depending on the size. This is absolutely delicious!

1 boneless breast of turkey (3 to 3 1/2 lb.)

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. dill weed

1/4 c. water (I used ½ cup as I have a big crock)

1 tbsp. vinegar

3 tbsp. flour

1 c. sour cream

1 tsp. dill weed

Sprinkle both sides with salt, pepper and 1 teaspoon dill. Place in slow cooking crock pot. Add water and vinegar. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours or until tender. (Mine took about 6 or 7 hrs.) Remove meat. Turn crock pot to high. Dissolve flour in small amount of cold water and stir in meat drippings from pot. Add the second teaspoon of dill weed. Cook on high until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in sour cream. Turn off heat. Slice meat and serve with

sauce. Serves 6-7.

Like I said, I don’t measure the dill. Just pick a bunch and chop it up and roll the breast in it to coat good. Used a little oil to make it and the salt and pepper stick, but it doesn’t call for it. I put it on before I go to bed and take it up when I get up. Hubby and I both love this one.

Siamali

Another yummy offering from Argyro T. of Cyprus

Ingredients:

2-3 small oranges

1& 1/2 cup semolina

1 cup vegetal butter

5 eggs

vanilla

baking powder

1 cup sugar

1 cup almond crumbs

Sirup: 1 & 1/2 cup sugar and 1 & 1/2 cup water.

We steam the oranges for 5 minutes in a steamer and when they boil we take out the seeds.

We spread butter in the baking bowl.

We beat in the mixer butter with sugar and add the eggs, the almond crumbs, the semolina, the baking powder and the vanilla. At the end we add the oranges and mix them.

We put the mixture in the bowl.

We bake it in a medium oven for one hour.

After baking we imbibe it with the sirup.

Pumpkin Butter

Submitted by Nancy of San Antonio, Texas

This is a really simple recipe for pumpkin butter using the same spices for pumpkin pie listed on the label of Libby's Pumpkin.

1 can Libby's pumpkin

1/2 tsp salt

1    tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp cloves

1 cup sugar

Mix all ingredients in saucepan.  After bringing to a steaming heat, reduce heat and cook until all ingredients are well incorporated and smooth, about 15 minutes.

Let cool and put in containers.  This freezes nicely or can be kept refrigerated.

It is very good on biscuits or cornbread.

Jerusalem Artichoke & Leek Soup

(A delicous, hearty, nutty flavoured soup to warm up cool autumn and winter days)

Submitted by Marigold of New Zealand

This recipe has Jerusalem artichokes, those knobbly brown tubers, relatives of the sunflower, as its main ingredient.

They grow so easily that anyone with a small patch of soil and a temperate climate can produce large quantities of this interesting vegetable. Dig them once the flowers have begun to die off, but be warned, any small piece of tuber left in the ground will produce more plants next year.

This recipe is one that I created as I had vast quantites of artichokes  and very little information on how to use them. I'd be interested in any other recipes that use them.

250g ( 1/2 lb) Jerusalem artichokes

250g ( 1/2 lb) potatoes

1 leek

25g (1oz) butter

1 litre (4 cups) stock (chicken or vegetable)

white pepper

salt

Peel artichokes and potatoes and cut into small dice.

Cut leek lengthwise into four then slice into small pieces.

Melt butter in large saucepan. Add vegetables and simmer on very low heat with lid on until vegetables are tender.

(approx 30mins).

Add stock and simmer a further 10 mins.

Pour soup into a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. .

Reheat,  season with salt & pepper to taste and garnish with chopped chives or parsley before serving with crusty bread.

Salmon Crusted with Pistachios

Submitted by DeDe of Las Vegas, Nevada

Shell salted pistachios and grind/chop them to medium consistency. Once ground/chopped, lightly season them with seasoned salt, black pepper, and a dash of cayenne. (Although the nuts are already salted, the addition of seasoned salt is a definite complement.)

Scale the salmon filets, the skin stays on. Check for any pin bones, wash and leave the fish damp so the nuts stick better.

Roll the salmon in the chopped nuts, heavily crusting the fillets. Once thoroughly coated, press the nuts into the fish to make certain they do not dislodge during frying.

In frying pan, pour olive oil 1" deep. And heat to very hot. Fry fish skin side first. It will cook very quickly, so stand by. It was a first-time experiment and I'm sure of the total frying time, but I think it was about 3 minutes on each side, if that long. (It was a large filet, very ample for the two of us salmon lovers.)

I drained it for only a moment on a thirsty towel. It was amazing that it really had not absorbed the oil.

Bought more salmon filets today because I am dying to do it again -- It was just that good.

Halibut is equally tasty prepared this way.

Coconut Cake

Submitted by Argyro T. of Cyprus

1 1/2 kilo sugar

10 eggs

1 baking powder

3 vanillas

3 glasses flour

3 glasses ground coconut

1/4 butter

Method "butter whitening"

sugar: half for the cake, half for the sirop

oven: 200 degrees

The method starts by beating butter with egg yolk and half the sugar and continues with other ingredients. Egg whites are beaten separately to form a marenga which is folded in the dough carefully at the end. Some ground coconut is left behind to be spread at the top after imbibing the cake with the sirop. If you imbibe it when the cake is hot, then the sirop should be cold and vice versa. That is when the cake is cold, it must be imbibed with cold sirop.

His (Mr. Demetri's) measurements are not very consistent, but I hope you can manage with this.

Note: No instructions were given for making the syrup but you might try boiling the remaining sugar with half as much water and a bit of lemon juice for five minutes.