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Having a well-stocked pantry is not about purchasing the fanciest herbs and spices or even the most expensive. A well-stocked pantry contains the necessary ingredients with which one can cook or bake a well-flavored dish. Make sure to always keep the following herbs and seasonings on hand and you will be able to make everything from tacos to Thanksgiving Dinner and your food will always taste great.

Table Salt
Black Pepper
Vanilla Flavoring
Cinnamon
Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend
Seasoning Salt
Garlic Salt
Lemon Pepper Salt
Grill Seasoning
Italian Spice Blend
Chili Powder
Ground Cumin
Cilantro Flakes
Poultry Seasoning

Black And White Basics:

Of course not pantry can do without the two most basic ingredients, table salt and black pepper. As your cooking evolves you will discover which brand and grind you prefer, but to start with I recommend regular iodized table salt and ground black pepper. You will use these ingredients in just about everything you cook and most of what you bake.

Sweet Baking:

Vanilla flavoring, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice blend are the three flavorings that are most often used in baking. Cinnamon is also used in some exotic sauces and meat dishes. When a dish calls for ingredients like ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon, you can often get away with substituting a smaller amount of the less expensive pumpkin pie spice.

Great Grilled And Roasted Meat:

I use seasoning salt on just about every type of meat that I grill, roast or fry. It is the seasoning that I start with. I usually add garlic salt as well. Garlic salt is a must for just about every ethnic recipe as well. I use lemon pepper when I grill or bake fish. It eliminates the fishy taste. It is also nice to have when a recipe calls for lemon and you do not have a fresh one. Grill seasoning works great on any meat especially if your creativity is low.

Ethnic Flavors:

Italian seasoning blend is a must for spaghetti and it also works great on chicken. Homemade taco meat is so easy you will never buy the chemical laden packaged seasoning again. Brown your ground beef with one chopped onion and one clove fresh garlic, drain the grease and add 1 teaspoon salt and one tablespoon of chili powder, two teaspoons ground cumin, two teaspoons flaked cilantro, a small can of diced green chilies and one small can of tomato sauce. The four basic spices of chili powder, cumin and cilantro are all the spices you need to start any Mexican flavored dish.

Holiday Happiness:

From baking to a great holiday turkey, if you have kept the listed herbs and spices on hand all year long, you should have a pantry that is ready to go for the holiday season. Make your own turkey seasoning rub using one tablespoon seasoning salt, one teaspoon garlic salt, two teaspoons Italian seasoning blend, one teaspoon lemon pepper, and one teaspoon poultry seasoning. I use this same spice blend when I bake a chicken; I just scale the amount way down. If I get tired of my chicken tasting like a turkey, I season it with the basic Mexican spices.

Of course you have your pumpkin pie spice blend ready to spice up your pumpkin pies, but what about the cinnamon? I have a friend that spices up her stuffing with one chopped apple and a dash of cinnamon. It really makes for a very moist stuffing and an interesting flavor.

Once you start cooking with herbs and spices and learn the different combinations you will begin to experiment with different recipes, have lots of fun and perhaps come up with some new and exciting food combinations.

Learn more about this author, Catherine Fuller.
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