I’ve posted before about enhancing food storage with a good collection of spices and seasonings to give you options with your storage staples. With Fall around the corner, it’s time to replenish the pantry with those wonderful baking spices. Here is a list of some I like to stock:
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.
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
Where do you buy your spices in bulk?