What is in your frugal spice rack?

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clemencia2us
Posts: 11446
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 9:21 am

Re: What is in your frugal spice rack?

Post by clemencia2us »

MackerelCat wrote: Wed Feb 08, 2023 11:18 am I used to have some herbs in the yard, Jackie, but the rosemary died after the last surprise snow and our yard is taken over by the dogs.

There is very little usable cabinet space in my kitchen (the top shelves are out of my reach) so I made a stacking spice storage system out of some little free-standing wire shelves in a cupboard. The cooking spices and herbs are in shallow plastic baskets from Dollar Tree and slide underneath. The baking spices are in shallow Rubbermaid containers without lids and sit on top. I made cute labels for the contents out of Contact paper. It's alphabetized and I can just lift out the basket or container needed.
I used to have a huge rosemary bush, but it eventually dried up. I would keep a basil plant in a pot. Would use that for pizza. Would have my green onions. I tried growing garlic - but no luck.
jgomez1002
Posts: 486
Joined: Sat Sep 19, 2015 8:41 pm

Re: What is in your frugal spice rack?

Post by jgomez1002 »

I have a LOT of spices and herbs. So MANY!

I used to buy most of my spices on the cheap. Not so much now since my daughter graduated with a degree in Meat Science and works in the food production industry. She, or her colleagues have toured many different types of food processing plants throughout the world. She has learned so much, like much of the cheap preground pepper is swept off the floor. Buy whole peppercorns. Pepper is not from the US or Europe.

I grow and dehydrate peppermint, spearmint, lemon grass, rosemary, lavender, oregano, lemon balm, thyme, lemon thyme, marjoram, tarragon, chives, parsley, chives, onions, stevia and sometimes more.

I buy cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, paprika, garlic, lemon pepper, pepper, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, anise, nutmeg, cloves, celery salt, adobo, file powder, and I don't know what else.

I have many spices from Penzys. I have used that company for years.
Quilter51
Posts: 2815
Joined: Sat Aug 29, 2015 6:04 pm

Re: What is in your frugal spice rack?

Post by Quilter51 »

I love Penzy's especially their personalized herb blends. like their pasta sprinkle and cake spice. Great for a not very good cook like me who loves flavor
floridacatlover
Posts: 8060
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 7:21 am

Re: What is in your frugal spice rack?

Post by floridacatlover »

I have most of the common spices and flavorings including salt, pepper, onion flakes, garlic salt, celery salt (which I love for poultry), 2 different Mrs. Dash blends, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice. I do not like cumin or tarragon at all.
SandiSAHM
Posts: 2263
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 11:46 am
Location: Oklahoma

Re: What is in your frugal spice rack?

Post by SandiSAHM »

I've never heard of Penzey's - now I have to shop :lol:

Our spice rack is two shelves and a full 2ft x 4ft "rack" mounted to the pantry wall under the spice shelves (spices on the shelves are too big to fit in the rack).

There's too much stuff in there. Curry; some 'brands,' some from India when DH was working with folks there, they would send stuff back to us when other folks went to visit - "Can you give this to Wil when you see him?" Amazing stuff.

Big bottles - dried basil, garlic powder, 6 different kinds of chili powder plus a container of dried chilies, onion powder, cumin, cinnamon, mint, bay leaves, some vegan powders to augment soups (like bouillon, but powder), the regular rack has the usual thyme, majoram, sage, rosemary, ginger (fridge also has regular ginger) a couple kinds of vanilla extract, almond and maple extracts, tumeric, lots of little bottles I can't remember. We grow a few - mint, oregano, basils, dill, chives, rosemary - that we also either dry or freeze depending on what's goign to be done with it.

There are a couple different iterations of carob and 4 varieties of cocoa/chocolate in there right now but those aren't "spices" - though I've used cocoa in moles.

If anyone is in the mood to post a Spanish or Mexican-style rice, that'd be great. I'm hit or miss on flavored rice.
HappyDaze
Posts: 4186
Joined: Tue Oct 15, 2019 11:11 am

Re: What is in your frugal spice rack?

Post by HappyDaze »

Jackielou wrote: Wed Feb 08, 2023 8:33 am I do grow some herbs myself so I have a few bags of those, parsley, thyme, oregano, rosemary, mint, basil and sage that I use for cooking.

I also have a rather large spice rack that contains all manner of herbs and spices. I don't really think there is a spice I don't have (need to pick up more cinnamon and turmeric when next I shop). My spice rack was made by Hubby many years ago and consists of a top rail for larger bottles and jars, 4 turn tables, and a bottom cubby that holds the bags I use to refill the containers on the turn tables. I then have the really large bottles (garlic powder, seasoning salt) in a cupboard as they do not fit in the rack.

I use a great deal of them in my cooking and baking. Perhaps now that I am not baking as much I will need to cut back on what I have.
Jackie, I love that your hubby made your spice rack. I have one on my kitchen wall that I bought at a thrift store years ago but it holds essential oils and my spices are in a drawer.

What do you use tumeric for? DD has some tea that contains tumeric but I have never cooked with it.
"All his life he tried to be a good person. Many times, however, he failed. After all, he was only human. He wasn't a dog."

Charles M. Schultz
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