Dad's Favorite Spices

When my father-in-law was still in good health, we used to have him over for dinner every Sunday. He always raved about my cooking, especially about how flavorful my fish and vegetable dishes were. One day he asked me what spices I used because he wanted to try them himself on meals he made at home. I recommended tarragon and rosemary to start with, as I knew those were his favorites. The gentle and slightly sweet flavor of tarragon is great in sauces, and I love rosemary on potatoes and other vegetables.

A few weeks ago, Dad passed away. As we sorted through his belongings, we came across jars of tarragon and rosemary. Everyone wanted me to have them since I was the one who introduced him to these wonderful flavors.

The seasonings are now in my spice cabinet. Every time I use them, I think of Dad.

So tonight, take a minute to think of what spices your loved ones love. You'll be glad you remembered such a small, but sentimental detail!

Elle Meyer, author of Living the Thin Life, focuses on healthy and low-calorie cooking. By integrating healthy but tasty tips into all her meals, she can "live the thin life" without feeling like she's dieting all the time. Elle will be regularly contributing easy weight maintenance tips to FunnySpoon.com, which is perfect because "easy" is our middle name.

Garlic Made Easy

When it comes to cooking, I'm the queen of shortcuts. I want my food to taste good (who doesn't?) but I don't always have time to prepare things the "scratch way." That's the essence of what FunnySpoon is all about.

So what's my fave secret? It's simple:

1/2 tsp. minced garlic = 1 clove garlic

I LOVE garlic. I put it in everything I can. But I don't always remember to buy fresh garlic and I don't often want to mess with a garlic press or chop it by hand. So I make sure to always keep a jar of Spice World minced garlic on hand and when I encounter a recipe that uses fresh garlic, I just use the simple conversion above. Piece of cake!

SSS #1: Summer Slimdown Secrets!

Summer ... it's the word we can't wait to hear all winter and the word be begin to dread in the spring because we know what comes with it. Shorts, tanks and bathing suits. Yikes! I know I'm not prepared so I'm going to begin my summer slimdown program this week. But I'm going to slowly ease into it. No sense in sending my body into shock by removing all carbs (and send my husband running with fear of my 'diet mood'!).

So, here's my first VERY SIMPLE tip. Reduce your sodium intake. This is a great philosophy to live by, but really important when you're trying to shed a few unwanted pounds. Sodium helps you retain water and look bloated. Sodium is everywhere so sometimes it's hard to limit (think Diet Coke), so try using No Salt Sodium-Free Salt. I love it. It tastes exactly like salt and is course enough that it's great for cooking too. You should be able to find it right next to all those little sodium canisters on the spice aisle.



What are your slimdown secrets? Or better yet, what's your secret to avoiding all that unwanted sodium?

Ahh...gaahhhlic

Everyone grumbles about garlic breath, but I find the scent of fresh garlic is the most sensuous, tantalizing, and comforting of all savory aromas. Fresh garlic benefits any dish. Not only does it make everything taste wonderful, but it's one of the healthiest foods you can eat! Garlic is a powerful antioxidant with great antibacterial and cardiovascular benefits. To prevent the loss of garlic's healthy properties, it needs to be minced or crushed before cooking. So what's the easiest way to do this?



First of all, if you don't have a garlic press, get one now! They are so easy to use and relatively inexpensive. Most presses both mince and slice. My favorite is the OXO garlic press. It's comfortable to use, strong and dishwasher-safe.

If you have a food processor or mini-chopper, mince garlic cloves in bulk so you've always got some on hand. Minced garlic will keep in the fridge for at least five days. It freezes well also.

When you're making soup or slow-roasting meat, there's no need to mince. Crush garlic cloves whole using the flat side of a chef's knife.

Now what about that pesky skin? Some specialty groceries sell whole peeled cloves. It's a couple dollars more, but it saves a lot in time. If you're peeling the cloves yourself, start by pounding them lightly with a knife (like you're crushing them, but with less pressure.) Then try peeling the skins under water, it helps with the stickiness.

Brining Chicken

While I was home for the holidays (and all turkey'd and ham'd-out), I got a great tip from my mom for chicken. If you brine chicken before cooking it, it helps to tenderize the chicken while also adding flavor. For 1 pound of chicken (4 small boneless, skinless breasts), just mix 4 cups of water with 1 tablespoon of salt. Then add the chicken and let sit (refrigerated) for at least an hour, sort of like a marinade.

For variety, you can throw in some spices, too, such as bay leaves or garlic - get creative!

Tis the season to season!

The trick to great food is seasoning. Not enough and it'll be bland. Too much and you might not be able to eat it. The spice cabinet can be your best friend (or worst enemy) when cooking.

Take a few minutes to organize your spice cabinet and it'll not only make your cooking more enjoyable, but it'll also make your food taste better when you're able to actually find the spice you need! I keep my spices alphabetized so they're at my fingertips when I need them. I have a small tiered shelf (that you can buy for a few bucks at Target or Wal-Mart) in my cabinet and it's perfect for my spices. And it looks all nice and organized when the cabinet is open.

Did you know that you're only supposed to keep your spices for 6 months before they begin to lose their flavor and freshness? I don't know about you, but I have a tough time remembering what I had for lunch yesterday let alone when I bought a spice. I write the date that I open it on the bottom of the bottle to help keep things straight.

Seasoning packets are great! If you don't use cumin or fajita seasoning often then don't buy bottles of them for just one recipe - they'll sit in your cabinet for a year and then be thrown away. The seasoning packets can be a great alternative. They're available for all types of food - you may be able to buy one seasoning packet for a few dollars instead of 3 different spices.

Happy seasoning!

Spices: Fresh vs. Dried

I know I'm supposed to say I prefer fresh herbs and spices to dried spices. And I won't lie, you can't deny the great flavor of some fresh basil. But dried spices are so much EASIER! And I can keep them on hand and just throw together a quick dinner without having to run to the store. So if I'm already at the store, I'll consider picking some up, but when I'm staring into my pantry trying to decide what to have for dinner, it's great to know I've got an arsenal of spices at the ready.

And I'm sure most people know this, but my handy tip of the day is that 1 tsp. of dried herbs/spices = 1 tbsp. fresh herbs/spices. So keep that in mind if you're making substitutions in recipes. Bon appetit!

Find Your Favorite Spice

One of my favorite spices is tarragon. Sometimes I come across a recipe that calls for a different spice, maybe a spice I don't like or one I just don't like as much. So I just swap it out! Sometimes it doesn't work - some things just weren't meant to be together. But a lot of times I end up discovering a great new way to make a recipe my own.

What's your favorite spice? Are there any recipes that don't sound appealing to you, but would sound better if you had your favorite spice thrown into the mix? Give it a shot!