Herbs
 

Create your own blend of [SIZE=3]Seasoning Mixes[/SIZE] to spice up your favorite foods. Store bought can get expensive so consider making your own to use or give as “gifts” from your Kitchen for family and friends. Enjoy and good eating to all!
Gary

[B][SIZE=3]Seasoning Mix Recipes[/SIZE][/B]

[URL]http://www.recipe-recipes.net/seasoning/seasoning-mixes.htm[/URL]

I didnt go to the link yet but you are right you can make mixes for pennies on the dollar from what you get at the store.

What cooks me is if you look at most of them and their ingredients, they start with SALT.:evil:

Worth

[quote=Worth1;84482]I didnt go to the link yet but you are right you can make mixes for pennies on the dollar from what you get at the store.

What cooks me is if you look at most of them and their ingredients, they start with SALT.:evil:

Worth[/quote]

Also remember that you can save dollars by the bushel and get fresh spices to boot by buying them from the bulk jars at your natural food store. You will be absolutely stupefied at how little most spices and herbs cost once you take off the label and use a recycled spice jar

One of my favorites is a (highly modified) recipe of Emeril's seasoning - I make it with NO SALT in it. I don't salt things in the same ratio as I spice them!

~Thalia

I looked at the link for the seasoning recipes and found some pretty promising mixes. I do not use salt at all by choice and it is all but impossible to find "salt free" spice mixes.

I have found and ordered some salt free blends over the internet from a few different places claiming to do wonders for fish, pork, chicken, etc but have never found one I would re-order. They are all quite expensive also.

At least with the "do-it-yourself" recipes, it's a good place to start and you can fine tune them to your own specific taste.

Now, I'm trying to find some sodium free chicken boullion and it looks like Hormel's Herbox brand might be good but I'm having a hard time finding it locally. Guess I will have to try and order some once I find a place to do so.

[QUOTE=AKButch;86463]I'm trying to find some sodium free chicken boullion and it looks like Hormel's Herbox brand might be good but I'm having a hard time finding it locally. Guess I will have to try and order some once I find a place to do so.[/QUOTE]

It is readily available here and it has zero flavor. I used mine as more of a food coloring than anything else. It does work as a good yellow food coloring for a seasoning mix that you want kept dry until you use it.

The same company also has a sodium free beef boullion. The beef boullion does have a little flavor.

Thanks for the "heads up" on the chicken flavoring.

Have you found any sodium free chicken flavoring worth purchasing?

[QUOTE=AKButch;86501] Have you found any sodium free chicken flavoring worth purchasing?[/QUOTE]

Not yet. Hopefully the increasing awareness of the health hazards of sodium will lead to more low-sodium or sodium-free foods on grocery store shelves.

[FONT=Times New Roman]Thanks VGary for the heads up. Good stuff there. [/FONT]

I buy a lot of spice mixes from The Spice House ([URL="http://www.thespicehouse.com"]www.thespicehouse.com[/URL]) (don't leave out the "the"...it's a different type of "Spice" Store then :oops:)

I don't think their prices are bad. I LOVE the Back of the Yard's Garlic Pepper blend. I use it on just about anything that hits the grill in the Summer.

VGary.... Thanks for the link...some really great mixes there!

Herbs
 

[B]Scallop And Pine Nut Sauce With Spaghettini And Basil[/B]

1 pound bay scallops
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup pine nuts
2 tablespoons salt plus
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 pound spaghettini
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped

Wash the scallops. Remove the tough tendon on the side and dry well on
paper towels.
In a large saucepan or flame-proof casserole, heat the oil.
Add the garlic and cook over moderately low heat until softened but
not browned, about 3 minutes.
Add the pine nuts, increase the heat to moderate and cook, stirring
frequently, until the nuts are lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
Remove the sauce from the heat and season with 1/2 tsp. of the salt
and all of the pepper.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons
salt and the spaghettini. Cook the pasta until al dente, 8 to 10
minutes.
Meanwhile, add the scallops to the garlic and pine nut sauce.
Cook over high heat, tossing frequently, until the scallops are just
opaque throughout, 2 to 3 minutes.
Remove from the heat and season with an additional pinch of salt and pepper.
Drain the spaghettini, add to the scallops and toss. Add the butter
and basil and toss again. Serve hot.

Yields 6 to 8 servings.

[B]Curried Scallop Salad with Mango Dressing[/B]

seeds from 2 cardamom pods
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
pinch of crushed red pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 small shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 small, ripe mango, peeled, pitted and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 pound sea scallops
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 cups packed arugula leaves
4 plum tomatoes, quartered lengthwise
1/2 cup peeled and julienned jicama

In a small skillet, toast the cardamom, cumin and fennel seeds with the crushed red pepper over moderate heat until the spices are fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer to a spice grinder and let cool. Grind to a powder.
In a small bowl, mix the ground spices with the olive oil, vinegar, shallot and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the mango.
Season the scallops with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil until shimmering. Add the scallops and cook over high heat, turning once, until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the seared scallops to a large plate.
In a large bowl, combine the arugula, tomatoes and jicama. Add half of the mango dressing and toss well. Mound the arugula salad on plates and arrange the seared scallops on top. Drizzle the scallops with the remaining mango dressing and serve at once.
Makes 4 servings.

[B]Scallop, Arugula and Sun-Dried Tomato Risotto[/B]

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped lemon zest
6 sun-dried tomatoes, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup white wine
2 cups fish or vegetable stock
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
16 uncooked scallops
1 cup tightly packed arugula leaves
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and cook the onion for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic, rice, sun-dried tomatoes and lemon zest and cook for 1 minute, stirring to coat the rice with oil. Add the wine, stock, salt and pepper, bring to the boil then cover with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Simmer gently for 16 minutes without lifting the lid. Remove the lid and quickly add the scallops and arugula before replacing the lid and cooking for a further 5 minutes. Stir the lemon juice, cheese and reserved tablespoon of olive oil through the rice.

Serves 4.

[B]All Purpose Seasoning - Diabetic, Herb / Spice[/B]

2 Tbsp. Minced onion,Dehydrated
1 tsp. Spearmint
2 Tbsp. Sesame seeds
2 Tbsp. Parsley flakes
1 tsp. Bay leaf powder
2 tsp. Oregano
1/2 tsp. Dill seed
2 tsp. Garlic powder
1/2 tsp. Thyme
1 tsp. Celery seed
1/2 tsp. Coriander
1 tsp. Marjoram
1/2 tsp. Dry mustard
1 tsp. basil,Dried
1/2 tsp. Rosemary

In a blender, blend dehydrated onion into finer pieces. Add remaining herbs. Blend to mix well, but do not make into a powder. To keep herbs fresh, store in shaker top bottle with tight fitting lid.

Can be used on all cooking, and at the table too to be used instead of salt. This is also bottled as commercial product called "Instead of Salt" All Purpose Herb Seasoning, if you want to save time.

Yield: 1-3/4 oz. or 9-3/4 tablespoon or 29 1/2 teaspoonfuls.