All About Food Storage has joined the Parade of Giveaways at Food Storage Made Easy.  Be sure to enter to win this fun prize to stock your cupboard with spices for holiday baking and cozy meals. I think spices are an essential part of food storage because they add flavor and variety to basic ingredients!

Here’s what you’ll win:

One large, bulk 1-lb. bag of EACH of these fresh, fragrant spices and spice blends (from Alison’s Pantry):

• Apple Pie Spice
• Pumpkin Pie Spice
• Chili Seasoning Mix
• Hearty Bean Seasoning
• Ole’ Taco Seasoning
• Savory Stew Seasoning
• Spanish Rice Seasoning
• and Rosemary & Garlic Seasoning

Plus, a 120+ page cookbook, Simple Recipes Using Food Storage, with great recipes, tips, and conversions. Total value: over $50.

Handy resource full of food storage recipes, tips and conversions!

How do you enter?  It’s soooo easy!

• “Like” the All About Food Storage Facebook Page, and/ or
• Comment on this post

You can enter your name twice for the giveaway.  The contest begins September 1st (don’t post until tomorrow) and runs through September 30th. The winner will be announced here and on the Food Storage Made Easy site on October 1st. This giveaway is limited to residents of the United States.

GOOD LUCK!

I’m joining in on the fun!  Check back September 1st to learn more about how to win a great prize package from All About Food Storage as part of the Parade of Giveaways hosted by Food Storage Made Easy. Just a week away…

My kids are generally less than enthusiastic about pie for dessert, but this new recipe for Swedish Apple Pie was a definite hit.  Instead of a traditional crust, the spiced apples are topped with a buttery, crunchy nut topping that makes the dessert seem more like a cobbler than a pie.  I photographed it with whipped cream and Cinnamon Vanilla French Toast Sugar on top, but I found it’s really stellar with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  If you are still enjoying the apple crop, this recipe is a must.  I’m considering it for Thanksgiving as well. This can easily be made with reconstituted dehydrated apples to utilize it as a food storage recipe.  Try it out and let me know what you think.

SWEDISH APPLE PIE from Dianne Lauffer in Family Fun magazine, November 2009

Filling:

2/3 c. raisins (I left these out)

3 medium apples (about 2 2/3 cups), any baking variety, peeled and sliced–use a spiral apple peeler to really save time)

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

Topping:

3/4 c. butter or margarine (I used Smart Balance)

1 c. flour

1 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 egg, beaten

1/4 c. chopped walnuts (I used pecans)

Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Soak the raisins in hot water until they plump. Drain, then combine with apple slices. Transfer the fruit to a 9-inch pie pan (it should be no more than 2/3 full). In a small bowl, mix the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg (I used a tsp. of Apple Pie Spice in place of the cinnamon and nutmeg in the recipe). Sprinkle over the fruit.

To make the topping, first melt the butter and set it aside.  In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, salt, and egg until they are evenly blended.  Whisk in the butter, then spread the topping over the fruit and sprinkle on the chopped nuts.  Bake the pie until golden brown, about 40 minutes. Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. 

 The recipe says it feeds 10, but they must have figured on more dainty pieces than we devoured. We got about 8. Enjoy!

I mixed ½ c. pizza sauce, ½ c. barbecue sauce, and 1 tsp. Smoky Cajun seasoning together. Then I stirred in half of a pint jar of canned chicken (you could use store-bought canned chicken) into the sauce and spread it onto the pizza dough. I added sliced red onions and mushrooms before topping it generously with mozzarella cheese. 

Here is the pizza dough recipe I used from the Your Home Based Mom blog:

PIZZA HUT PAN PIZZA

1 1/3 c. warm water

1/4 cup nonfat dry milk

1/2 tsp. salt

4 c. flour (I used 1 c. whole wheat and 2 1/2 c. all-purpose)

1 Tbsp. sugar

2 1/2 tsp. (1 pkg) dry yeast

2 Tbsp. oil (I used grapeseed)

Combine yeast, sugar, salt, and dry milk in a large bowl.  Add water and stir to mix well.  Allow to sit for 2 minutes then stir again.  Add flour and stir until dough forms a ball.  Turn out onto a flat surface and knead for 5-10 minutes. Divide dough into 3 balls.  Grease three 9″ cake pans (or 1-9″ pie plate and 1-9 x 13 pan).  Using a rolling pin, roll out each dough ball to about a 9″ circle.  Spray the outer edge of the dough with Vegalene (or another nonstick spray).  Cover with a plate and place in a warm area to rise for an hour.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Spoon about 1/3 cup sauce onto each pizza and spread to within an inch of edges.  Top with desired toppings and cheese.  Cook until cheese is bubbling, about 15 minutes.

Here's the topped pizza just before I covered it with cheese.

Deep Dish BBQ Chicken Pizza...just before we devoured it.

My family gobbled up this food storage recipe.  Smoky Cajun gives recipes that distinctive warm sensation that is perfect for baked beans and barbecued meats.  I can’t wait to try it in my homemade baby back rib sauce. I think it’s a fun spice to add to food storage because of its unique flavor.

Cinnamon: Obviously, cinnamon is the #1 baking spice but don’t buy anything other than Saigon Cinnamon.  The woody flavor of other cinnamon pales in comparison to Saigon’s more intense, sweet-spicy flavor.  You will definitely taste the difference in your baked goods. Cinnamon is also believed to lower bad cholesterol, lower blood sugar, and aid in digestion.

Cloves: I LOVE the smell of cloves!  Ground cloves add that extra kick to my favorite recipes, and you can taste their warm flavor even in small measurements.  Cloves were the crowning addition to my homemade apple pie filling and Spiced Apple Syrup last year.  They’re also wonderful in homemade tomato soup.  I also like to have whole cloves on hand.  You can use whole cloves to “stud” holiday hams or pork roasts to add a spiced flavor to the meat.  They are also used in homemade potpourri, or pressed into oranges for a sweet-smelling table decoration. A fun bit of clove trivia…a record from 200 BC mentioned that courtiers kept cloves in their mouths to avoid offending the emperor with their breath.

Nutmeg:  What would eggnog be without nutmeg?  Not very festive!  Nutmeg is mild but definitely distinctive in recipes.  It’s often used as a baking spice because it adds such a nice flavor to pies, cakes and custards, but it’s also great in the main dish.  Try using nutmeg to season meat and soups. Here is a simple recipe to dress up your holiday pies:

NUTMEG WHIPPED CREAM

1 cup whipping cream

2 Tbsp. sugar

3/4 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

Allspice: Allspice has the combined flavor of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, hence the name “allspice.” Like nutmeg, it’s wonderful in entrees and desserts alike.  You’ve likely tried allspice in your baked goods, but how about to perk up meatloaf or hamburgers? (Start with about 1/4 tsp. to 2 lbs. beef.) Allspice is also used in soups, pickles, and ketchup. Below are two fun recipes to try.  I especially like having a recipe for homemade chili sauce that I can throw together from my food storage items.

EASY HOMEMADE CHILI SAUCE

1 c. tomato sauce

1/4 c. brown sugar

2 Tbsp. vinegar

1/4 tsp. allspice

ALLSPICE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

1/3 c. butter, softened

3/4 tsp. ground allspice

4 c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 Tbsp. milk

Cream all ingredients together and use to frost spice cakes or cookies.

Baking Spice Blends:  Two spice blends that I use often for baking are Pumpkin Pie Spice and Apple Pie Spice.   Pumpkin Pie Spice is generally a blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice or cloves.  It is fantastic in everything from pumpkin bread to sweet potato casserole, and of course pumpkin pie.  Apple Pie Spice is basically the same with the spices in different quantities.  I love these blends because they save time when mixing any recipe that includes their spices.  If the recipe calls for measurements of 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. cloves and 1/4 tsp. nutmeg, I just add 1 tsp. of either Pumpkin Pie or Apple Pie Spice.  At my house, Fall means the kitchen is full of these wonderful spicy scents in cookies and quick breads.  They are my absolute favorite!  Buying spices in bulk is so economical that I don’t bother mixing my own blends, but if you’d like to mix your own, I have included recipes below. To show you how cost effective it is to buy spices in bulk, here is a photo of one 1-lb. bag of ground nutmeg divided into a pint jar and a shaker (I vacuum sealed the lid on the jar and put it in my long-term storage). If this seems like too much of one spice for you, share the bag with a friend.

Now that's a lot of nutmeg!

PUMPKIN PIE SPICE

1/4 c. cinnamon

2 Tbsp. ginger

2 tsp. ground cloves

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

Combine and store in airtight container

APPLE PIE SPICE

1/4 c. cinnamon

1 Tbsp. allspice

2 tsp. ground nutmeg

2 tsp. ground ginger

Lemon zest and allspice set this recipe apart!

I love zucchini bread and I have tried recipes that include everything from bananas to chocolate, but this zucchini bread recipe (from my friend, Tammy)  is my definitive favorite.  Even with the addition of healthier whole wheat flour, this bread stays moist and the flavor from the lemon zest and spices is unbeatable!  I’m including the original recipe,  and then my notes to make it even healthier. 

BEST ZUCCHINI BREAD

1 1/4 c. whole wheat flour

1 1/4 c. all-purpose (white) flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. ginger

1/4 tsp. allspice

1/4 tsp. clove

2 1/2 c. zucchini, shredded (about 3 medium zucchini)

1 c. pecans, chopped

4 eggs (or 1/4 c. powdered eggs + 1/2 c. water)

1 1/2 c. granulated sugar

1/2 c. brown sugar

1 c. oil

1 tsp. lemon zest

Measure and sift together the first eight dry ingredients and set aside.  In a large mixing bowl, add eggs, sugars and oil.  Blend thoroughly.  Slowly add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture while stirring.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and fold in zucchini, pecans and lemon zest.  Pour batter into two greased 8 or 9 inch loaf pans and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

NOTES: To make this recipe healthier (but just as tasty!), I cut the oil measurement in half with applesauce (1/2 c. oil + 1/2 c. applesauce), leave out 1/2 cup of the white sugar, and use 1 cup liquid eggs (like Eggbeaters).  To save time, sometimes I substitute 1 tsp. of pumpkin pie spice  in place of the ginger, allspice and clove.  If your garden produced more yellow squash than zucchini, you can subsitute part or all of the zucchini with shredded yellow squash (I cut the squash in fourths, length-wise, and remove the seeds before shredding.) with virtually no difference in taste.  I like to use my food processor to shred the zucchini because it keeps the zucchini from getting soggy the way it does when grated by hand.

Kitchen Cures

Natural Healers

Spices Brochure

Thanks for the great information, Emily!

APPLE PUFF PANCAKE

1 cup dehydrated apple slices  (broken into bite-size pieces and rehydrated in 1/2 cup hot water)

1 Tbsp. butter

1 Tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. apple pie spice

3 eggs (or 3 T. dehydrated eggs + 1/3 cup water)

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup milk

1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Squeeze any excess water out of apples and saute in a frying pan with butter, sugar and apple pie spice until well coated.

In a blender, whip eggs, flour, milk and salt on high for one minute.  Place hot apples in a greased 8 x 8 pan.  Pour batter over apples. Bake for 15 minutes. I served mine with some Spiced Apple Syrup that I had on hand , but it’s great with maple syrup as well. YUM-MY!!

I love Apple Pie Spice for storage.  I buy it in bulk 1 lb. packages from Alison’s Pantry. If you’ve tried Cinnamon Plus from Pampered Chef, I think Apple Pie Spice is basically the same blend (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves) for a much better price.  I like the depth of flavor and use it in place of cinnamon alone in most recipes.

You’ve likely tried Garlic Salt, but have you tried Garlic Pepper?  It is a spice blend that combines garlic, black pepper, bell peppers and salt for a one-stop seasoning.  It’s great for sprinkling on chicken and hamburgers, but perfect for summer camping recipes too.  Stir it into dutch oven potatoes, or combine it with cornmeal and flour in a ziploc bag for dredging fresh-caught trout.  Garlic Pepper is great for enhancing steamed vegetables as well.  Once you try Garlic Pepper, plain old Black Pepper seems boring.

Another seasoning I use often is Ole’ Taco Seasoning.  I think this one is a staple for food storage because you can make so many simple meals using it.  Aside from seasoning ground beef for tacos, it’s great for adding flavor to canned meats like chunk chicken and beef for enchiladas or meat quesadillas.   I use it often in taco soup, and I love it mixed into the sour cream layer of Layered Bean Dip.  Mmmm….get the chips!

I like Sloppy Joe Seasoning for similar reasons.  With tomato paste and water, it makes ground beef saucy for a delicious, super-speedy weeknight dinner.  If you are used to buying canned sloppy joe sauce, this dry seasoning mix is much more economical and will last longer on your shelf.

Barbecue Spice Blend is a convenient way to quickly season a whole chicken for roasting (like you would buy at a deli), and it makes for delicious leftovers that are great in sandwiches.  (Be sure to rub the seasoning under the chicken skin so it will soak into the meat.)  You can also pour it over meat in the crockpot for tender and spicy shredded meat to serve on fresh greens for a southwestern salad.  Barbecue Spice is also great for adding a nice western flavor to baked beans or roasted potatoes.  Stir some into your favorite homemade barbecue sauce for a kick your cowboys will appreciate!

To dress up fish or chicken, Lemon Rosemary Rub is a tongue-tingling change of pace.  It’s light flavor is perfect for summer grilling, but works great any time of the year.  Here’s an example of how I use this rub to dress up chicken breasts:

Try this simple meal in a foil packet for a delicious dinner using Lemon Rosemary Rub with almost no clean up:

FOIL PACKET FISH:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Lay out two large pieces of heavy duty foil.  Place one mild fish fillet (tilapia and cod work well) on each.  Sprinkle with Lemon Rosemary Rub.  Arrange sliced yellow squash and zucchini over the fish and sprinkle with Lemon Rosemary Rub again. Top each pile with a pat of butter and fold the foil up around the fish and vegetables to make a neat foil packet.  Place packets on a cookie sheet and bake for 22-26 minutes or until the fish flakes with a fork.  You can make this meal with salmon fillets as well, just use carrots, broccoli and cauliflower for the vegetables.

Tonight we tried a new spice blend, AP’s Southwest Mesquite Marinade.  Per the package instructions, I added 1 cup water to 1/4 c. of the marinade mix and poured it over a whole chicken.  When I do this again, I will make sure I pour some of the marinade under the chicken skin as well…wish I wouldn’t have been in such a hurry or I would have thought of it!  You can also use this spice blend as a rub.  The marinade gave the chicken a nice southwestern flavor without being overpowering.  It also made the chicken skin golden and crispy, which my husband loved.  You’ll have to forgive my immodest chicken.  Like I said, I was in a hurry, so I didn’t tie up the legs.  Anyway, I admit the presentation lacks a little….class, but the flavor was first rate. 

I only recently learned how easy it is to roast a whole chicken.  Chickens are often available on great sales, and even with my family of 7 (given our children’s appetites are still fairly small) we can get 2 meals out of one chicken. For anyone else who may be new to the process, here is how I do it.  Remove any giblets that may be in the chicken’s body cavity, and rinse the bird thoroughly.  Place in baking dish breast up.   Cut off both ends of a yellow onion and peel off onion skin.  Place whole onion inside the chicken.  Tie chicken legs together with kitchen twine if you have it.  Rub the outside of the chicken and under the chicken skin with either melted butter or olive oil, and then rub in an herb blend or simply salt and pepper.  Alison’s Pantry offers several other spice blends for rubs (that I haven’t yet tried, but I think would work great for roasted chicken) including Lemon Rosemary, Barbecue, and Cracked Peppercorn.  Then you just bake the chicken, uncovered, for 1 – 1 1/4 hours at 375 degrees.   When the chicken is done, remove it from the oven, cover it with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes to retain its juices before carving. 

We love this meal.  Tonight we served it with broccoli and sweet potato fries.  Tomorrow we’ll be eating the leftover chicken in homemade Chicken Noodle Soup.