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McCormick Spices

The Number One, Best Gift Idea for Cooks and Foodies!

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McCormick's Spice Rack With Spice Jars

When I decided to write about this gorgeous McCormick Gourmet Spice Rack, Three Tier Wood, 24-Count, I had the next holiday (Mother’s Day) in mind. It occurred to me, though, that – while this Wooden Spice Rack (with 24 jars of excellent spices) would be ideal for Mother’s Day – there isn’t a holiday or special day that this wouldn’t be a perfect fit for!

If your family is anything like our family, you have birthdays and anniversaries sprinkled all through the year along with holidays.  One of my daughters and I were looking at our own personal calendar and realized there was just ONE month of the year that didn’t include at least one special day.  Overly ambitious March, October, and November more than make up for Easy Breezy September,  though.

What makes the  McCormick Gourmet Spice Rack, Three Tier Wood, 24-Count a perfect gift idea for any cook or foodie in your life?

Let’s break it down…

  1. While this handsome spice rack can be placed on a counter, my favorite thing about it is the fact that it can be mounted on a wall.  I get all kinds of giddy thinking about the extra cabinet and counter space this would free up.
  2. McCormick Spices are top of the line. Not only is the wooden spice rack a dream come true – all on its own – but it comes with 24 beautiful jars of McCormick spices!  Have you ever priced spices? The value of the spices exceeds the price of this spice rack.
  3. If you grow and dry your own herbs/spices, you could easily refill the jars throughout the year.
  4. Mismatched, scattered tins and jars of spices scattered across your counter or shoved into a cabinet are a cluttered nightmare. Cluttered nightmares take the joy right out of cooking.

But the number one reason this is the bestest of the best when it comes to gift ideas for cooks and foodies?  Well… because I said so! I am  your typical cooking-obsessed, food-addicted foodie extraordinaire and when I look at this beautiful wooden spice rack with its equally beautiful jars of spices, my heart skips a couple of beats.

And that’s the best kind of reaction to get from your favorite cook, right? That’s when you know they’re about to make you something extra, extra special.

Whether you’re shopping for someone else or for yourself, click through one of the links or the picture for more information.

 

 

McCormick Spices Shake Things Up!

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McCormick Gourmet Collection Smoked Paprika

Of all the McCormick Gourmet Collection spices, I believe the Smoked Paprika was the first one I tried. I know, for a fact, that I’ve bought and used enough bottles to build a tower to the moon.

Okay, maybe I exaggerate a wee little bit. But I’m a frequent flier, this is certain.

Not long ago, I heard someone on television (I can’t even remember who it was, I think I was only half awake!) talking about the one spice they’d keep if they could only have one – in addition to salt and pepper – for an entire week. This person (whoever it was) said their choice would be garlic. Funny, I remember the choice but not the voice.

I also remember thinking, “As much as I love garlic and Cayenne Red Pepper, no one… but no one… could ever separate me from my Smoked Paprika.”

Just listen to the description from McCormick:
Spanish sweet red peppers are naturally smoked over wood planks to obtain its distinctive smoky taste. For great color and flavor, use in recipes for chicken, fish, pork, potatoes and rice.

Fellow foodies, it tastes EVEN better than these words lead you to believe.  The flavor Smoked Paprika gives to food is just mind boggling.  I’ve used it in hummus, on fried eggs, on deviled eggs, on grilled tilapia, in guacamole, on pork, on chicken, in pasta salad, in potato salad, on asparagus, in soups (potato soup and tomato soup LOVE Smoked Paprika), in beans, and on and on.  Sometimes I think the only thing I haven’t used it on is popcorn.

Hmmmm….

When you try Smoked Paprika (and after reading McCormick’s description, I know you will), keep in mind that a little goes a long way.  It’s great on everything I’ve ever introduced it to but Smoked Paprika shines even brighter than the July sun when it pairs up with eggs.

If you’re like us, you’re trying to eat healthier.  Spices like the ones in the McCormick Gourmet Spice Collection serve a dual purpose:

  • They add delicious layers of flavor to your dishes.
  • You can use less salt (you often don’t even need any!) than ever before.

For lunch this afternoon, I made a Morningstar Farms Spicy Black Bean Burger (These are DELECTABLE!).  I always heat a little Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a small skillet, add the burger and cook it through – flipping once.  All of the Morningstar Farms products are excellent but this one is even more Heavenly than the rest. It requires absolutely no seasoning at all, I think doing so might just be unethical.

I didn’t want to put it on buns this time, so I grabbed my much beloved Smoked Paprika and something else I’m infatuated with: Red Beans.  I put a little Olive Oil into another small skillet, sauteed chopped garlic and scallions in the oil for about a minute, then added a can of drained and rinsed red beans.  I heated them and added a little Smoked Paprika.

I put the delicious Spicy Black Bean Burger in the middle of my plate, covered it with a heaping helping of the red beans, snipped a little fresh cilantro over the entire production (using my much-beloved herb scissors).  I saved the leftover beans for the next day.

McCormick Spices can be your best friend when you’re trying to eat healthier.  They take salt completely out of the equation for a lot of foods.  Smoked Paprika is just one of their spices that keep you from ever reaching for the unhealthy salt shaker.

McCormick Spices Shake Things Up!

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McCormick Ground Cayenne Pepper from the Gourmet Collection

I first tried McCormick’s Gourmet Collection Ground Cayenne Red Pepper several months ago. I wanted some “quality” cayenne pepper for a batch of Spicy Guacamole I had in mind for a Sunday Night Football game.

I can’t remember who was playing, but I do remember my first bite of that guacamole!

Guacamole is a beautiful thing. McCormick Cayenne Red Pepper is a beautiful thing. When they get together? Well, you might want to warn your taste buds they’re coming. They’ll want to brace themselves for the spectacle.

I’ve fallen in love with many of the spices in the McCormick Gourmet Collection (hence the week-long series of posts being comprised in their honor) but the ones I use the most are the Ground Cayenne Red Pepper, the Saigon Roasted Cinnamon, and (the star of the next post) Smoked Paprika. Granted, there are some I’ve yet to try, but I’m working on it.

You’ll be the first to know when I do.

Below are some of my favorite Guacamole tips and tricks:

  • When buying avocados for guacamole, you want them to be soft but not squishy. Squishy means they’ll probably have a lot of grayish brown spots that you’ll have to cut away. Wasted avocado is never good.
  • Always use a little lemon or lime to keep the freshly cut avocado from turning. Once the fruit is cut, exposure to air will cause it to lose its gumption! They turn pretty fast, so I always splash them with a little lemon or lime as soon as they hit the light of day.
  • In the produce aisle, you’ll probably find packets of guacamole mix. Some are labeled mild, some are spicy, and some may be extra spicy (trust them). These mixes don’t require additional lemon or lime, they’re armed and ready to prevent the avocado’s transformation. They’re also really quite good.
  • Never think that you have to limit guacamole to avocado, salt, and lemon or lime juice. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a can’t miss combination, and sometimes I insist on my guacamole rolling old school. However, guac-ing on the wild side makes for an outrageous stroll. Stir in chopped jalapeno (or even more temperamental peppers if you’re brave), firm tomatoes, chilies, red onion, green onion, scallions, red pepper flakes… or any combination of the above.
  • McCormick Gourmet Collection Ground Cayenne Red Pepper, Smoked Paprika, and Roasted Ground Cumin are each excellent in guacamole.

McCormick Ground Cayenne Red Pepper from the Gourmet Collection is one of those spices I refuse to run out of.  Along with my “baby,” McCormick’s Smoked Paprika – when the bottle gets low, off I go.  I hit the spice aisle harder than the Steeler’s defensive line ever hoped to hit anyone.

Below are a few other ways I jazz things up in the kitchen with Cayenne Red Pepper:

  • Eggs
  • Hummus
  • Soup (Excellent with tomato soup)
  • Boca Burgers and Morning Star Burgers
  • Hominy
  • Pasta Salad
  • Fried Chicken
  • Pork Chops
  • Sausage
  • Turkey Bacon (wake up call)
  • Black Beans
  • Chili
  • Spaghetti Sauce
  • … basically anything you want to add a little fire to.

Make this one of the next spices you try, I guarantee you won’t regret it.

McCormick Spices Shake Things Up!

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McCormick Roasted Ground Ginger

Another day, another outstanding McCormick Gourmet Spice. Today it’s Roasted Ground Ginger and it smells as wonderful as it makes your recipes taste. I’m completely in love with Asian recipes and food, so Ginger is a seasoning I call on often. There’s something extra bold about McCormick’s Roasted Ground Ginger and your nose lets you know it long before the recipe’s even made.

Below is a recipe for you to take Roasted Ground Ginger for a test drive. Just don’t make the mistake for substituting another ground ginger. Make a special trip to the store for the real thing. If you don’t, your nose will never forgive you. Do you want that on your conscience?

McCormick Roasted Ginger Vegetable Stir-Fry Recipe

Roasted Ginger Vegetable Stir-Fry Recipe

1 3/4 cups chicken or vegetable broth, divided
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon sherry
2 teaspoons McCormick® Gourmet Collection Roasted Ground Ginger
3 tablespoons oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups cauliflower florets
1 bunch thin asparagus, trimmed and cut diagonally into 2-inch pieces (2 cups)
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
4 ounces snow peas, trimmed
4 green onions, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch pieces (1 cup)
McCormick® Gourmet Collection Sesame Seed, Toasted (optional)

1. Mix 1 1/2 cups of the broth, soy sauce, cornstarch, sherry and ginger in medium bowl until smooth. Set aside.

2. Heat oil in large deep skillet or wok on medium-high heat. Add garlic and cauliflower; stir fry 1 minute. Add remaining 1/4 cup broth; cover and cook 5 to 7 minutes or until cauliflower is tender-crisp, stirring occasionally. Add asparagus, bell pepper, snow peas and green onions; stir fry 3 to 4 minutes or until tender-crisp.

3. Stir broth mixture. Add to skillet; stirring constantly, bring to boil on medium heat and boil 1 minute. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seed, if desired.
Tips

Roasted Ginger Shrimp & Vegetable Stir-Fry: Prepare recipe as directed, adding 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined, at the end of Step 2. Stir fry 2 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink. Continue as directed.

Images and Recipe Credit: McCormick

McCormick Spices Shake Things Up!

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McCormic Roasted Saigon Cinnamon Gourmet SpiceOne of the food brands I’m most loyal to is McCormick.  McCormick spices are sheer perfection – and why in the world would you want to mess with perfection? Seriously, if all of the other spices and seasonings disappeared, you’d never miss them. McCormick has everything you could ever hope for and the quality is more than you could ever hope for.

I’ve recently tried five new McCormick Gourmet Spices that have rocked my culinary world and I look forward to sharing them with you.

I was going to do one massive post, but I was afraid one of these special spices would get lost in the mix or overshadowed by paprika (you know how flashy she is).  So, as it is, I’m going to take a different McCormick Gourmet Spice each day and tell you why I love it and why you need it.

First up is one I used (for like the gazillion-th time) this morning: Roasted Saigon Cinnamon.

In addition to drinking coffee and petting my cats, I love few things in the morning as much as I love oatmeal .  Wholesome, delicious, nutritious – what better way to start the day?  Roasted Saigon Cinnamon is a brilliantly tasty addition to oatmeal.   Not only does it taste sensational, there’s a hidden benefit:  When you use an extraordinary spice like this one, you’ll be able to use less sugar and less butter.

You’ll make your heart and waistline so happy they’ll want to kiss your cinnamon-y mouth.

I’ve also found that Cinnamon Toast is a whole new ballgame with Roasted Saigon Cinnamon.  It’s bolder and better than ever before.

Other uses for Roasted Saigon Cinnamon include:

  • Cut a grapefruit in half and “section.”  Sprinkle with Roasted Saigon Cinnamon and place on a baking sheet (sprinkled side up).  Bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees.  Yum!
  • Cinnamon Rolls and Coffee Cakes
  • Sprinkle on top of French Toast
  • Spread cream cheese on a toasted bagel or English muffin. Sprinkle with Roasted Saigon Cinanmon.
  • Stir into your pancake or waffle batter for a pleasant surprise.
  • Sprinkle on sliced apples, pears, or peaches.
  • Make a cup of coffee or hot chocolate. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with cinnamon.
  • Use in your favorite apple pie recipe.
  • Use in peach cobbler recipes.
  • Scoop yogurt into a bowl.  Top with apple slices, granola, and cinnamon.
  • Top frozen yogurt or ice cream with cinnamon and warm peaches (is your mouth watering yet?)

McCormick Recipes Using Roasted Saigon Cinnamon

Cinnamon Ginger Apple Pie

Cinnamon Whipped Cream

Cinnamon-Apple Bacon Brunch Bake