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Spices

         I occasionally experiment in the kitchen. I have discovered there is a reason they don't mix mushrooms and yellow squash. I know from an old cookbook that if you have a recipe requiring buttermilk, and you don't have any, substitute a cup of sweet milk with 1 tablespoon of cider vinegar. (Sweet milk, for you non-cooks, means regular milk, not canned or buttermilk.)

         I have learned that a little tarragon in scrambled eggs is good. Too much tarragon and you've ruined the eggs. Turmeric is used in making prepared mustard, so it has a mild flavor. You can add it to meat, vegetables, salads, etc. And it's supposed to be good for your joints. It does turn dishes a little yellow. Dry mustard can be used in almost anything as well. It comes from the mustard seed, is mild flavored, and turns things a bit yellow. I really like to add it to cheese dishes, especially cheddar. It heightens the flavor.

         Ginger and curry are two I've been trying lately. Curry is good on vegetables and cooked fruit. Ginger doesn't just go in cookies and desserts. It goes on everything. Today, for Father's Day, I broiled steaks with salt, pepper, and ginger. They loved them. (I didn't tell them about the ginger.)I fixed stir fry vegetables with chicken last week, using ginger, lite soy sauce, and sesame seeds.

         I'm tired of buying an expensive spice for one recipe, then letting it sit in the cabinet until it's too old to use and discarding it. I'm going to learn the best use of the most common spices and do it. The family will like it or start taking me out!