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spices

Chocolate Spiced Truffles

 

SSD Truffle 1

I was amazed at how simple this recipe is! My friends at The Spice & Tea Exchange gave me this recipe – they are a wonderful source for rich spices and flavored teas! If you ever have a chance to go to their store in St. Augustine, FL, it is a treat for your senses! The smells of the spices, the beautiful jars of spices and specialty teas – Wonderful!

The basic recipe is as follows:

Chocolate Truffles

Ingredients:

  • 1 Cup heavy whipping cream
  • 11 oz. Bittersweet chocolate or semi sweet chocolate (I used bittersweet for a dark, rich flavor)
  • 1-2 Tablespoons favorite liqueur  (My suggestions: brandy, rum, spiced rum, Chambord, Kahlua or other favorite.)

Assorted Spices and Other Toppings:

Preparation:

Place the chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl.  Scald the cream in a small saucepan, pour over the chocolate, and let stand for 5 minutes.

Whisk gently until fully incorporated, add the liqueur and stir until smooth.

Place in fridge until it has hardened. Scoop out about 1 tsp of the cold ganache and roll it into a truffle.  Roll in favorite sugars or spices, then chill until firm. Serve at room temperature.

To see the original recipe from The Spice & Tea Exchange, click here.

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Spiced Chocolate Truffle (left) and Candy Cane Truffle (right).

Five Flavorful Homemade Spice Blends

I love using spices when I cook, and I especially love the convenience of pre-packaged spice blends!  But when I began looking at the salt content and additives in the packets, I thought there has got to be a better way! So here are five, very flavorful spice blends that will save you on salt and additives. Simple, flavorful and awesome!

Note: All spice blends will stay fresh in air-tight containers for up to 6 months.

Homemade Curry Powder Recipe:

Homemade Curry Blend from SimpleSolutionsDiva.com.
Homemade Curry Blend from SimpleSolutionsDiva.com.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup Paprika
  • 1/4 cup Cumin
  • 1 tablespoon Fennel Powder
  • 2 tablespoons Ground Mustard Powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground Red Pepper Flakes – more or less to taste adds spiciness
  • 3 tablespoons ground Coriander
  • 1/4 cup ground Turmeric root
  • 1 teaspoon Cinnamon Powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Cloves Powder – Adds complex flavor

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients into an air-tight jar and shake!

 

Homemade Italian Seasoning

Homemade Italian Seasoning, from SimpleSolutionsDiva.com.
Homemade Italian Seasoning, from SimpleSolutionsDiva.com.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup Basil leaf
  • 1/2 cup Marjoram Leaf
  • 1/2 cup Oregano leaf
  • 1/4 cup cut and sifted Rosemary Leaf
  • 1/4 cup Thyme Leaf
  • 2 tablespoons Garlic Powder

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients into an air-tight jar and shake!

 

Homemade Ranch Mix

Homemade Ranch Seasoning Mix, from SimpleSolutionsDiva.com.
Homemade Ranch Seasoning Mix, from SimpleSolutionsDiva.com.

Mix one tablespoon of this mix with 1/3 cup mayonnaise and 1/4 cup milk or buttermilk. This is also great sprinkled by itself onto fish or chicken before cooking.

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup dried Parsley leaf
  • 1 Tablespoon Dill leaf
  • 1 tablespoon Garlic Powder
  • 1 tablespoon Onion Powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Basil leaf
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preparation:

Mix all ingredients together in jar or food processor (I used my single serve sized blender!).

 

Lemon Pepper Seasoning

Homemade Lemon Pepper Seasoning, from SimpleSolutionsDiva.com.
Homemade Lemon Pepper Seasoning, from SimpleSolutionsDiva.com.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup fresh lemon zest (zest approximately 10-12 lemons to get 1 cup)
  • 1/3 cup peppercorns (black or mixed colors)

Preparation:

Place peppercorns in a food processor {or clean coffee grinder} and pulse just a few times until coarsely ground. Combine together in a bowl the fresh lemon zest and ground peppercorns and combine thoroughly. Pour out onto a parchment lined baking sheet and place in oven on lowest setting (mine was lowest at 170 degrees). Bake for about 1 hour or until zest is dried. Place mixture back into food processor and pulse until finely ground.

For ideas on what to do with all those lemons you used to get the zest, check out another Simple Solutions Diva post! (Click Here) 

Homemade Taco Seasoning

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Click Here to see my zesty, homemade Taco Seasoning recipe!

Simple Recipe: Zesty, No Salt Taco Seasoning


We LOVE tacos at our house, and this recipe is so easy, you’ll never want to buy those prepackaged versions (full of salt and additives) again!

SSD Taco SeasoningZesty No Salt Taco Seasoning 

(Adapted from Rachel Ray recipe)

  • 1 Part Chili Powder
  • 1 Part Ground Cumin
  • 1 Part Garlic Powder
  • 1 Part Onion Powder
  • 1/3 Part Tumeric
  • 1/4 – 1/2 Part Crushed Red Pepper (I used ground red pepper)

Combine all the parts into a good container with a secure, air-tight lid and shake until combined. Enjoy! Feel free to play with the amounts – maybe you like more red pepper, or you want more cumin!

Consider using fresh spices in this mixture for a more potent flavor. One of my favorites is to order through The St. Augustine Spice and Tea Exchange. You can check out their website and wonderful spices by clicking here. (Though nothing beats going into one of their stores and just inhaling the aroma!)

Thank you to WTLV-TV’s First Coast Living for inviting me on to talk tacos and taco seasoning!

 

Simple Holiday Survival: Top Spices For The Holidays


Did you know spices have a shelf life?  Humidity, heat, sunlight, and exposure to air can pull the flavor and aroma right out of spices and dried herbs. With the holidays here, now is the perfect time to replace those holiday spices you bought last year!  Colleen Messner of The Spice & Tea Exchange in St. Augustine, Florida, has a list of the top spices you should have in your cabinet for the holidays. (And most of them can be used year round!)

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Top Spices For The Holidays

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Nutmeg
Photo from Food.com.

Nutmeg – This brown seed, when grated, provides a warm, spicy/sweet flavor to dishes. A whole seed can be stored indefinitely in an airtight container. Best when freshly grated.

 

Allspice – This spice tastes/smells like a combination of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. I love it on pork tenderloin!

 

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Cloves
Photo from Food.com.

Cloves – This fragrant, nail-head shaped spice is perfect for decorating a ham or whole orange. Imparts a warm and sweet flavor.

 

 

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Green Pod Cardamom
Photo from Food.com

 

 

Green Pod Cardamom – Cardamom has a strong, unique spicy-sweet taste. Best when purchased in pods, which are removed and discarded before grinding the seeds. Adds great flavor to danish and other pastries.

 

 

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Star Anise
Photo from Food.com

 Star Anise – Sweet/warm spice with a licorice flavor. Great to use in pastries, stews or even asian cooking (It is one element in Chinese 5 Spice Blend).

 

 

 

 

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Candied Ginger
Photo from Food.com

 

Candied Ginger – Perfect to use in gingerbread or even chopped as decorative (and tasty!) topping for cupcakes!

Cinnamon – The favorite in the Simple Solutions Diva household! Warm and sweet, cinnamon works well in so many recipes during the holidays!

 

Storage Tips

  • Keep all spices in a dark, cool and dry place, away from heat. (So I guess that means I need to move my spice shelves away from the stove!)
  • Leafy items, such as oregano, basil, bay leaves do best when stored in the fridge.

Order Fresh Spices and Dried Herbs

If you would like to order any or all of these spices FRESH from the Spice & Tea Exchange, follow this link HERE to be taken directly to the products page of their website!

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