If you are just setting up shop, you can’t go out and buy every spice that sounds good. You have to stick within a budget and, if that budget is tight, it can be tough. The key is to buy a few essential spices to start and then gradually add to your stash over time. But, where to start?
Bare Minimum
- Table Salt – nothing fancy, just a big thing of Morton’s table salt. You can put this on your food, but you need to salt the water for pasta, add salt to chocolate chip cookies, use salt to blot oil stains in your clothes, and gargle with warm salt water when you are getting sick.
- Black Pepper – you know your dad lives for black pepper, but it does kick plain food up a notch.
Just Getting Started
Once your budget allows room for expansion, there are 3 more spices that I couldn’t live without. There are, in no particular order …
- Garlic Powder – We’re Italian — ok, YOU guys are Italian. Garlic powder is essential. I use fresh garlic, ‘jarlic’, and even roasted heads of garlic, but I cannot live without garlic powder. I put it on everything I cook, from hamburgers and chicken breasts to grilled veggies and pasta sauce.
- Lawrey’s Seasoning Salt – I am sure there are all sorts of junk in this, but I use it all the time. It is an essential ingredient in chicken spaghetti and my chicken salad. It just has a little more of a kick than regular table salt. And, Lawrey’s always kicks up my garlic bread to a whole other level!
- Onion Powder– Onion powder wasn’t really on my radar until I had kids. You guys refused to eat anything with onions, but your dad and I still wanted the flavor in certain recipes. So I had to improvise. Now, I put onion powder on everything 🙂
A Little Variety
Once you’ve bought the above five, you can branch out and add a little variety.
- Italian Seasoning or Oregano – Italian seasoning has oregano in it. Sometimes I have one, sometimes I have both. Honestly, I use them interchangeably, like in our family sauce recipe.
- Lemon Pepper – We like grilled chicken with lemon pepper. We also add lemon pepper to steamed veggies and even alfredo.
- Taco Seasoning – I know not everyone is a fan of taco seasoning, but it comes in handy. You know I love a bag of pre-cooked taco meat n the freezer for quickie quesadillas, taco Tuesdays, and taco salad.
- Montreal Steak Seasoning – This comes in different flavor profiles and is good for grilled steaks, burgers, and chicken.
Spice Things Up
- Cumin – I absolutely hate the way cumin smells but, that aside, I use cumin in my salsa recipe and in refried beans.
- Garlic Salt – I admit I don’t use garlic salt that often, but when I make homemade potato wedges, I use both garlic powder, Lawrey’s seasoning salt, AND garlic salt.
- Poultry Seasoning- You can buy multiple spices and make your own poultry seasoning, but its more cost effective to just buy this. I use it for chicken soup and chicken a la king.
- Dill – Dill smells so good! I add it to homemade tartar sauce and to tuna salad.
- Mustard Powder – I can’t remember which recipe, but I use mustard powder for one particular recipe :/
- Old Bay Seasoning – Old Bay is great on fish and seafood! Use liberally!
Sweet Nothings
- Vanilla Extract- While not exactly a spice, PURE vanilla extract is an essential for your spice cabinet/drawer. Do not even bother with imitation. Just. No.
- Cinnamon – Cinnamon toast. Cinnamon rolls. I’ve even used a shake or two in chocolate chip cookies. Dad doesn’t like it that way, but I do!
- Pumpkin Pie Spice – Like poultry seasoning, you could buy each spice separately, but pumpkin pie spice does the trick for both pumpkin pie and my pumpkin white chocolate blondies.
Oh La La
- Pink Himalayan Sea Salt – I admit it. Dad and I rolled our eyes at Uncle M when he insisted on buying Pink Himalayan Sea Salt, but it tastes sooooo much better! Who knew?! Buy some when your budget allows!
- Red Pepper Flakes – I’m allergic, but these jazz up pizza and are used in many Asian recipes.
- Paprika – Same with the allergies, but looks awfully pretty on deviled eggs.
- Herbs de Provence – This is a classic French spice combo. I have some for an omelette recipe.
Obviously, there are so many more spices out there to try. Just like when you were little and I used to let you open and smell all the jars. 💘
