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Kids Cooking Club-What spices to use.
November 02, 2007
Hello

For those who have followed our Kids Cooking newsletter from the beginning (one year ago) you've seen some changes come and go. We started out with a kids section, ask the head chef section, cooking product review and our topic for the month. Then we kept the same outline of our newsletter but put it in pdf form for printing off and keeping in the kitchen. Now I'm realizing that is a little more than I can do each month.

With my three kids, cleaning house, other usual home duties, I've just started my second website. (more on that later on) So I've done some thinking of how to make the Kids Cooking newsletter educational, fun and not so complex. I'm going to concentrate on the topic more and may or may not have a kids section, ask the head chef section, or cooking product review. I've also renamed the newsletter to the Kids Cooking Club.

Thanks for growing along with me and my website.

What spices to use in cooking.

Spices, whether it is simply salt and pepper, add flavor to your cooking that finishes off the dish. You can use dry spices that are bottled or fresh herbs. Use 3 times more fresh herbs if you are substituting fresh for dried.

Learning to use spices in cooking is acquired mostly by cooking, experimenting and often times following the recipe. Keep this list handy to discover new spices and try a few recipes at the end of the list to experiment with spices and herbs.

Here are some common spices or herbs and what they are usually used for...

  • Basil-Great in tomato dishes, such as pizza, spaghetti sauce, tomato juices or soups. Use in salad dressings or with sausage. Oregano and basil go well together.


  • Bay leaf- Use the whole leaf and add to soups or dishes. Take out leaf before serving, you use bay leaf for its flavor but don't eat it. Great in homemade chicken soup, stews or when making pickles.


  • Black pepper-A strong hot taste that is used all kinds of dishes throughout the world. Use sparingly.


  • Cayenne Pepper-Seasoning made from red chili peppers. A hot spice used for chilies, stews


  • Chili Powder-made from dried chilies. It is blended with other spices as well. Add to Mexican and Southern American dishes such as in pinto beans, tamales, enchiladas.


  • Chives-Similar to onion flavor but milder. Goes well with salads, fish, potatoes, dips


  • Cilantro-Used in Mexican dishes and salsa. Great used fresh. Also known as Chinese parsley.


  • Cinnamon-Widely used and popular seasoning. Use as cinnamon sticks for aroma. Use grounded for cookies, cakes, French toast, oatmeal. Also great on ham dishes.


  • Cloves-Use in pumpkin dishes, apple dishes, cookies or gingerbread. Whole cloves can be used as part of a potpourri or poke into an orange for a fun wonderful aroma.


  • Cream of Tartar-add to egg whites to stabilize to use in meringues or angel food cake. Used in some cookies and play dough recipes.


  • Cumin-An ingredient found in curry powder and chili powder. Great in salsa or soups.


  • Curry Powder- A combination of spices used in rices, meat dishes and dips.


  • Dill-use with cucumbers, vegetables, tomatoes, salad dressing or mixed with plain yogurt for a dip. Also used to flavor pickles.


  • Garlic-Available worldwide. Find fresh bulbs, garlic salt, minced garlic or garlic and oil mixture. Used in a variety of dishes.


  • Ginger-Buy whole and grate or used ground. Add to gingerbread, cakes, pumpkin pie, Chinese flavoring such as teriyaki sauce.


  • Italian Seasoning-Great in Italian type dishes such as pizza, spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce. This seasoning has a combination of marjoram, basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, savory, and sage.


  • Marjoram- Flavor ground beef, meat dishes, stuffing, bean soups.


  • Mustard- Ground mustard. Add in devils eggs, homemade macaroni and cheese, ham glaze. Mustard seeds are used for pickles.


  • Nutmeg-Used often with cinnamon. In cookies, cakes. Add to meat loaf.


  • Oregano-Like marjoram. Used in Italian dishes often with tomato, eggplant, spaghetti sauce, pizzas.


  • Paprika-Bright red. Sprinkle on top of deviled eggs, potato salads, chicken dishes.


  • Parsley-Used in a variety of dishes, salads. Chop coarsely if using fresh.


  • Rosemary-Season fish, beef, bread or potatoes. Use in salad dressings. Rosemary has a pleasant aroma.


  • Saffron-Orange yellow in color. Use in soup, chicken or rice. The most expensive spice you will find throughout the world luckily you only need a small pinch for whatever you are cooking.


  • Sage-Used in stuffings and meat dishes. Try with tomato juice or cheese spreads.


  • Thyme-Sprinkle on fish or chicken, then cook. Great used in barbecue and throw directly in the coals when grilling. Flavor will steam in the food cooking on the grill.


    • Some good recipes to taste test spices.

    Taco soup-The flavor of your soup will be pretty bland until you add your Taco seasoning which is where all the flavor comes in.

    Homemade Spaghetti Sauce- Italian seasoning, Oregano, parsley, and Basil all add flavor to the sauce. Without them your sauce will just taste like tomatoes with no flavor.

    Homemade Chicken Soup-Adding a Bay leaf when you boil your chicken not only flavors the chicken meat it will give a wonderful aroma to your kitchen.

    Chicken Won tons-Ginger and garlic
    Shred chicken and add 1 Tablespoon soy sauce. Taste test. Now sprinkle 1 teaspoon ginger and 1 clove of garlic. You can add a bit more ginger or garlic if you would like. This is where the experimenting comes in adding and tasting until it turns out how your taste buds like it. Open the wonton wrappers and dip your fingers in water. Brush sides of wrapper with wet fingers. Add a teaspoon of chicken mixture in the middle and fold in half.

    News Flash

    I started this website August of 2006. I started it more for my creative outlet something that I enjoy doing and wanted to put out there in the wide world in case it might help anyone else. I've just been amazed at how well it has gone in the last year. Not only are my kids learning and enjoying my adventure but I've gotten a lot of great feedback. Wow my website really has helped other people especially homeschooling moms and teachers who use my kids cooking lessons. I so enjoy your comments and just your simple thanks really brings a smile to my face.

    In the last year to supplement my website I've put together my Ebooks (kids cooking lessons, food facts, dinner menu planning)

    Kids Cooking Summer Camp

    Dinner Menu planning

    Freezer Cooking Ebook

    I've really enjoyed those projects and hope some of you had some great cooking experiences with them.

    Now after a lot of work and a lot of work left to do I've got my second website http://www.kids-sewing-projects.com up and coming. I've taken the same idea with my cooking website with the lessons but with sewing lessons and projects. Thus far I've got up to my level 2 section. My goal is each month to add the next level so keep that in mind if you visit it stills needs some work.

    The main reason why I'm telling you is because one of my favorite projects is a kids cooking apron. Enjoy!

    Sincerely
    Debbie Madson
    Head chef of www.kids-cooking-activities

    P.S. If you want information on building your own website sign up for my free ecourse on Help me build my own website. (you'll find the form on this page.) It won't help you earn a million dollars but it has some helpful resources and information to think on if you'd like to do what I'm doing. I know if I can do it -you can do it too!

    Next issue

    Our next issue we will be talking about cupcake decorating. Look for it in your email in a few weeks.


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