Grind Your Own Seasoning... Easily

 
I love to use a variety of herbs and spices.... and yet, I do not like to pay high prices for them. I also love to grind them but again, I do not  like to pay high prices for them. Also, I prefer to mix my own, rather than use the pre-made mixes found in grinders in the store.

I was glad to find a wonderfully easy solution. :)  After looking at different stores and buying a couple of ginder bottles with herbs in them and using them up, I was excited to try putting my own into the bottle, BUT I found that many of the bottles with a grinder are made so that they cannot be re-used, as the lids are either "snapped on" at the factory or glued to the bottle.

 I was sad to see that, but kept looking and finally found some brands of herb/seasonings with grinders that do have a screw off top and they can be re-filled and re-used.  The main store I have bought them at is Aldi's.  I am not sure what the price is currently, but I was paying about $1.69 each... they have black pepper, poultry seasoning, herb seasoning and a couple of others.

I bought a few of them and tried them... they were okay, but my main interest was in using the bottle, so after using them up, I started to experiment.  My initial attempts were quite tame... dehydrated onions and garlic... and maybe Celtic salt. :)  That was okay, but I have branched out much since then.

I haven't bought any for a long time, as I just keep using the bottles I have. One problem with them is that the bottle itself is glass, but the lid is a hard plastic, so the lid CAN break.. yes, this is the voice of experience talking. :)  Once the lid breaks, it is time for a new grinder bottle. 

Here, you can see that I have put several herbs and spices in and they are rather layered. I fill it about 3/4 full, leaving the extra space to allow for the mixing of the herbs and spices as I shake the bottle. You could also mix them up in a separate bowl and then just fill the jar - either way will work fine.

Here is what it looks like after mixing. 

 Any dried herbs and spices that you like to cook with, can be used.  I use Celtic or mineral salt - the ones with the chunks.. they are so healthy for us and they grind nicely.  I usually use a lot of dried onions and garlic as my base... and then... add whatever sounds good.

I like to have a couple of different mixes made up and ready to use.

This mix has Celtic salt, chopped peppercorns, dill weed, dill seed, rosemary, dried onions, dried garlic, crushed red pepper, savory.

I rarely put any ground seasoning in... I use the whole rosemary and savory, so using things dried from our garden works well. I do like to add tumeric, so sometimes I put that in a mixture... and I use the powdered spice.

In some of my mixes, I will add dried peppermint or spearmint, parsley, thyme, oregano, stevia or others. Just be sure they are safe for human consumption, and then you can "play" with them.

It helps to label the mix.... I don't always do this as we tend to go through it rather quickly and I just fill it back up again... and it isn't always the same every time. :) I have been using a lot of dill weed and dill seed (though both are dill, the flavors differ a bit) ... and we enjoy the slight flavor in different foods... it adds something a bit unique, but doesn't taste like pickles!

I really like using such a mixture on hamburgers....  and the family loves it.  It works well in soup, casseroles or other foods. It works best to use it when there is a bit of time for the herbs/spices to cook into the food... we don't use these on the table to put onto already cooked food.

Anyway, this is easy.... tasty.... AND much more economical than buying prepared herb and spice mixtures. This way, it is possible to buy in bulk, but still have the convenience of a mix all ready to grind. I love how God helps to stretch our food dollars in such ways. :)

Thank you for visiting my blog today. I hope you are having a great day and week.

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