I’m a huge fan of those fancy spice blends at the supermarket, such as the exotic Garam Masala or cozy Pumpkin Pie Spice, so to save money, I came up with several spice blend recipes to make at home. These recipes are simple, will save you money in the long run, and they make any dish taste awesome. As long as you have several basic spices on hand, you can easily create these spice blend recipes with what you have. Spices are some of the top sources of antioxidants in the world. They have been used in ancient cultures for years for medicinal and culinary uses.
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
1 1/2 Tbsp. ground coriander
1 ½ Tbsp. ground cardamom
1 ½ tsp. ground pepper
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground cloves
½ tsp. ground nutmeg
Directions:
Mix cumin, coriander, cardamom, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in a bowl. Place mix in an airtight container or recycled spice jar, and store in a cool, dry place for up to a year.
Ingredients:
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. ginger
¼ tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
Directions:
Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl and place in an airtight container or recycled spice jar for up to a year in a cool dry place.
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. ground cumin
2 Tbsp. ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon mustard seed
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Directions:
Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl and place in an airtight container or recycled spice jar for up to a year in a cool dry place.
Ingredients:
1 tsp. ground pepper
1 tsp. ground star anise
1-1/4 tsp. ground fennel seeds
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Directions:
Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl and place in an airtight container or recycled spice jar for up to a year in a cool dry place.
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. dried basil leaves
1 Tbsp. dried marjoram leaves
1 Tbsp. dried thyme leaves
1 powdered or ground bay leaf
1 tsp. fennel seeds
2 tsp. dried lavender
1/8 tsp. white or black pepper
Directions:
Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl and place in an airtight container or recycled spice jar for up to a year in a cool dry place.
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. ground dried bay leaves
2 teaspoons celery salt
1-1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
1-1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground celery seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground mace
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
Directions:
Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl and place in an airtight container or recycled spice jar for up to a year in a cool dry place.
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
4 teaspoons dried ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
Directions: Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl and place in an airtight container or recycled spice jar for up to a year in a cool dry place.
If you don’t have all of the necessary staple spices to make your own blends at home, try just buying one or two new single spices each time you go to the store. This will help you build up your stock of spices and then you can recreate any blend you want, or come up with some of your own. This will save you tons of dollars in the long run, and it can be fun! What’s your favorite spice blend ?