Homemade Garlic & Herb blend

As the economy continues to decline, I've learned many of the kitchen skills my great-grandmothers knew, but which have been neglected by most today. No, I don't spend all day in the kitchen. But I've found if I make certain items from scratch, I save a considerable amount of money. Too, the end result is often healthier, being free of preservatives. To top it off, I can also do something few great-grandmas did: I can make these from-scratch recipes convenient by putting them together in bulk and storing them until I needed.

Because most of us are having to cut back on our spending these days, I'll be blogging about a variety of DIY mixes. Today, I'm posting recipes for popular spice blends. Over time, I'll share other types of mixes, including seasoning and baking mixes.

A Few Tips

* Add all the ingredients for any given spice blend to whatever container you will store it in. Then shake to blend.

* Store DIY spice mixes in air tight containers. You could re-use old spice jars, or you could use canning jars with lids or sealable storage bags (like Ziplock bags). The latter is the least convenient, since they quickly clutter up your spice drawer.

* Be sure to mark your DIY spice blend containers so you don't forget what's inside.

* DIY spice blends last about as long as store bought spice blends - but all spices loose their flavor and potency over time. Prolong the life of spice blends by keeping them in a cool, dark, dry location.

* I use sea salt for all my spice blends. I buy it coarse and grind it fine, as needed. If you use table salt, you'll want to reduce the amount of salt in the recipe or it will end up too salty - and too full of sodium. Note: Non-iodized salt has a more mild flavor than iodized salt.


* You may use herbs from your garden, but they should be thoroughly dry before adding them to a mix.

* Save even more money by purchasing your spices in bulk.

* Grocery store bulk spice bins that allow you to scoop out however much you wish to buy can save money. However, the spices tend to be less flavorful and potent because they are exposed to so much light and air before you purchase them.

* If using or purchasing whole spices (such as coriander seed, allspice, or cloves), toast them first in the toaster oven or traditional oven. This helps bring out their flavors. If needed, you may then grind the whole spices in a (clean!) coffee grinder.