Cheddar-Garlic Oven Fried Chicken Breast

Ingredients
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons minced garlic (can use more or less)
2 teaspoons garlic powder, divided (garlic lovers can use more)
1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
3/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup finely grated cheddar cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
shredded cheddar cheese (optional and use any amount desired, or can use shredded mozzarella cheese)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Butter an 11 x 7-inch pan (if using more than 4 breasts use a larger pan).
In a bowl, combine melted butter with fresh minced garlic, 1 teaspoon garlic powder and salt.
In another bowl, combine the dry breadcrumbs with 1/2 cup finely grated cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese 1 teaspoon garlic powder and coarse ground black pepper.
Dip chicken in butter mixture; then in crumb mixture.
Place in prepared pan and bake uncovered for 35-45 minutes or until cooked through, larger breasts may take more time (placing the chicken on a rack in a pan will produce an extra crispy crust).
Top with shredded cheddar or mozzarella the last 5 minutes of cooking (this is only optional.

Changes I made:
Used Panko bread crumbs seasoned with onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasonings, black pepper
Skipped the grated cheddar
Baked on a rack on a foil covered cookie sheet (still a bit soggy on the bottom side)

Drunken Pork Chops

6 pork chops

2 tbs olive oil

8 oz. beer

1/3 cup ketchup

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tbs Worcestershire sauce

Cajun seasoning

Season chops with Cajun seasoning.  Brown chops in olive oil over medium high heat.  Meanwhile, mix beer, ketchup, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl.  After chops are browned, add sauce.  Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes.

Recipe from Momma Hen’s Kitchen

Chicken with Tomato Cream Sauce

Chicken
1/2 Lawry's Herb & Garlic marinade
2 Tbsp. pesto
2 boneless chicken breasts, pounded thin

Marinate chicken in Lawry's herb & garlic marinade and pesto overnight. Grill until done.

• didn't have any pesto so I added a little minced garlic and dried basil to the marinade (chicken had great flavor)
• cooked the chicken in a skillet

Pasta
1/2 pound penne pasta
In a large pot, boil water with 1 tbsp salt. Add 1/2 lb penne pasta noodles and boil according to package directions.


Sauce
2 tsp olive oil
1 shallot, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup half & half
1 tsp flour
salt & pepper (to taste)
1 tsp basil (less if using dried)
Heat olive oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until shallot is tender(about 3-5 mins). Add the garlic and chicken broth to the pan and allow to reduce by half.  Once the broth has reduced, stir in tomato sauce. Add the half & half and flour and stir well to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Turn heat to low. Add basil to sauce and mix well.

Drain pasta and add to sauce. Stir well to coat. Serve pasta in bowls, top with sliced chicken.

• added in some sauteed broccoli 
• poured the sauce over the top instead of mixing noodles in it

Chicken with Sugar Snap Peas

1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon flour , divided
1 pound thin-sliced chicken breast cutlets
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces sugar snap peas , cut in half (2 cups)
1 14-ounce can quartered artichoke hearts , rinsed
1/4 cup sprouted beans , optional (see Ingredient note)
3 tablespoons minced fresh herbs , such as chives, tarragon or dill
2 teaspoons champagne vinegar or white-wine vinegar


Recipe Directions
1. Whisk broth, mustard, salt, pepper and 2 teaspoons flour in a small bowl until smooth.
2. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with the remaining 1 tablespoon flour. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken in two batches, adjusting heat as necessary to prevent burning, until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate; tent with foil to keep warm.
3. Stir the broth mixture and add to the pan along with snap peas, artichoke hearts and sprouted beans (if using). Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the snap peas are tender-crisp, 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Return the chicken to the pan, nestling it into the vegetables, and simmer until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in herbs and vinegar.

What I changed:

• added an additional 1/2c chicken stock + 1t flour
• seasoned 3T of flour to coat the chicken
• used 3t of seasoned flour in the sauce instead of plain flour
• did not use artichoke hearts or sprouted beans
• did not cut snap peas in half
• used Dijonaise instead of Dijon
• used 1t red wine vinegar and put it in while sauce was thickening
• ground up some fennel seed and used a few small pinches instead of any of the herbs listed (this is a "to taste" ingredient) added it in while sauce was thickening 
• added 1/2t of Italian Seasoning
• only used 1/8t of salt
• flour was seasoned with ground cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and Beer Can Chicken seasoning mix by Weber

Balsamic-Glaze Marinated Pork Chops

Ingredients
Balsamic-Rosemary Vinaigrette
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 small garlic cloves
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves ( or 1/4 teaspoon dried)
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Pork Chops
4 bone-in pork rib chops ( 10 ounces each)
coarse salt and pepper
1/2 cup balsamic-rosemary vinaigrette
Directions
Combine all vinaigrette ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. With machine running, add 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil in a thin stream; blend until creamy.
Measure 1/2 cup vinaigrette for the pork chops. Refrigerate the remainder for up to two weeks or serve it over side salads with dinner.
Place pork in a shallow dish, and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Pour 1/2 cup vinaigrette over pork, and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, or up to 1 day.
Heat broiler, with rack set 4 inches from heat. Remove pork from marinade, letting excess drip off; place on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet.
Broil without turning until opaque throughout, 8 to 10 minutes, but if chops are browning too quickly, turn them. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Taco Pie

1lb ground beef
2 8oz cans tomato sauce
1 package taco seasoning (**recipe for homemade mix below)
1 8oz can cresent rolls
½ lb Mexican Velveeta
1C shredded lettuce
½ C chopped tomatoes
1 sm sour cream

Brown meat and drain
Stir in tomato sauce and taco mix
Simmer 5 minutes
Press crescent rolls (unrolled) into an ungreased 8x8 pan (edges pressed together to seal) Poke all over with fork and bake at 375 until golden brown.
Allow to cool slightly.
Cover with meat mixture, top with cheese
Bake until cheese melts
Top with lettuce, tomatoes, and a dollop of sour cream


** Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix
1T chili powder
1/4t garlic powder
1/4t onion powder
1/4t crushed red pepper flakes (omitted)
1/4t oregano
1/2t paprika (smoked paprika)
1 1/2t cumin
1t sea salt (optional)
1t pepper

Spaghetti in Garlic Gravy with Herbs and Lemon Marinated Chicken and Cherry Tomatoes (Goddess of Scrumptiousness)

Ingredients:
500 grams spaghetti pasta (cooked al dente)
1 pound chicken breast fillets (sliced into 1 inch chunks)

For the chicken marinade:
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped (if using dried, use half of the amount)
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of ½ a lemon
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon coarse salt (not table salt)
½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (to sauté the marinated chicken)

-  Add all the marinade ingredients into the chicken and marinade for 20 minutes (if making this dish in pronto) or over night (if making this dish the next day… much better).
-  Saute the marinated chicken in extra virgin olive oil until cooked (about 4-5 minutes) then set aside.

For the garlic gravy:
½ stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 large cloves garlic, finely minced
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 ½ cups chicken stock
1 Tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup parsley, chopped (to sprinkle/finish the pasta)
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
2 cups whole cherry tomatoes

-  Place sauté pan over medium heat and add butter and olive oil.
-  Saute garlic until fragrant and soft.
-  Add the flour and cook for a minute.
-  Add chicken stock and simmer gravy until thickened then add the chopped basil.
-  Season with salt and pepper.
-  Add the sauteed chicken in the gravy then toss the cooked spaghetti into this sauce.
-  Add the cherry tomatoes and finish the dish with the chopped parsley and grated parmesan     cheese (serve extra on the side).
Makes 5-6 servings.

Their picture was better then any I could take myself, so I swiped it

Chicken and Dumplings

2 cups chicken (boiled, pulled off bones)
56 oz. (7 cups) chicken broth (I use liquid from boiling chicken & add 1 Knorr chicken bouillon cube)
1 (10 1/2 ounce) can cream of celery soup (cream of chicken with herbs)
1 (10 1/2 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 teaspoon pepper (or more - to taste)
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning (or more - to taste)
onion powder, garlic powder, Tony Chachere's, cummin (just 1-2 shakes), and any other seasoning you like - all to taste
1 (10 count) can buttermilk biscuits

In large pot, bring chicken, broth, soup, pepper and poultry seasoning to a boil.
Then reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
In the meantime, lightly flour a piece of waxed paper and a rolling pin (or a round drinking glass works). Also lay out a clean piece of waxed paper to put on after rolling.
Take two biscuits and roll out in circle to 1/8 inch thickness. Lay them on the other piece of waxed paper.
Repeat with all biscuits. Then take a knife and slice the circles into one inch strips.
Bring pot back to a low boil. Pick up each strip and pull into 1 1/2 to 2 inch pieces and drop into broth on low boil.
Stir gently to prevent them sticking together.
Simmer for ten minutes.

Alternative dumplings (I like this one better, thank you L.Walther)
Mix 1 1/2 cups bisquik add 1/2 cup milk and 1 egg..mix well then drop by spoonfuls into your chicken soup/whatever. As you drop the dumplings in, I usually push them down into the liquid a little to coat so they dont turn into a big blob. Put a lid on for a few minutes..then take lid off to finish.
I have also started adding diced up green onions and various other seasonings to the dumpling mix…yummy

Saucy Pork Chops

6 pork chops, trimmed of fat (3-4)
1 cup chopped onions
½ cup ketchup
¼ cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons white vinegar (apple cider vinegar)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon salt (omitted)
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon Tony Chachere's Salt-Free Cajun Seasoning
1/2 tablespoon A-1 Garlic & Classic Herb Dry Rub
1/2 teaspoon Cumin 

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Season chops with Tony Chachere's, A-1 Rub, & Cumin 
Brown pork chops in a skillet on medium high heat * and then transfer to a roasting pan. (leave in skillet, reduce to low heat*)

Scatter onion over pork chops. (Mix onions in with other ingredients)

Mix remaining 6 ingredients together and pour over pork chops and onion.

Cover. (Leave cover slightly ajar for first 30 minutes)
Bake for about 1 hour or until meat is tender.

*My stove is Lo,1,2...8,9,Hi 
Medium High 7-8
Low 2-3

Maple Mustard Glazed Pork

1 (3 pound) pork loin
2/3 cup maple syrup
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons light soy sauce

Combine and stir all ingredients and spread over roast in shallow pan.
Surround with 1 pound carrots and about 4 - 6 medium red potatoes, halved.
Roast at 350 degrees F (meat temp 155 to 160 degrees F) for about 45 minutes to 1¼  hours.
Tip: You may need to add some liquid to your pan while this is roasting.
If grilling Marinate overnight. Reserve marinade and boil. Baste often while grilling.
I use a 1-1.5lb pork tenderloin and skip the carrots and potatoes. Sear it on all sides then roast with the glaze poured over it at 425 for about 20-25 minutes

Ginger Flank Steak

1 pound beef flank steak
½ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon fresh ginger root, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
Preparation
In a large freezer bag, combine all ingredients except for the steak. Mix well. Remove about ½ of the marinade and store it for later use. Add steak to one bag and turn over several times to coat. Set in the fridge to marinate for 8 hours. Refrigerate stored marinade as well.
Remove steak from the bag and discard marinade. Heat your grill until very hot. Place meat on the grill and cook each side for about 5 minutes. Occasionally baste with the saved marinade. Once steak is cooked to your desired level, remove from grill and allow to sit for a few minutes.
Works cooking it in the oven as well – just pour saved marinade over the steaks cover and cook – uncover for the last 20 min or so.

Chicken Breasts with Honey Mustard Gravy

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 teaspoons crushed garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Gravy
1 can (10 1/2 ounces) Campbell's® Chicken Gravy
1 tablespoon prepared mustard or Dijon-style mustard (I use Dijonaise)
2 teaspoons honey
black pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
Coat the chicken with the flour.
Warm the garlic and olive oil to blend the flavors over medium-high heat.  In a separate dish, combine the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Dip the chicken breasts in the olive oil and garlic mixture, then into the bread crumb mixture. Place in a shallow baking dish.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until no longer pink and juices run clear.
Add the chicken and cook for 15 minutes or until well browned on both sides and cooked through.  Remove the chicken from the skillet and keep warm.
Stir the gravy, mustard, and honey in the skillet and cook until the mixture is hot and bubbling.  Serve over rice.

Combined two recipes - if you find a part that makes no sense please alert me to it

Teriyaki Hamburgers

1 1/2 lbs ground beef
3 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
1 tablespoon honey
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 hamburger buns, toasted
Combine the first 6 ingredients and shape into patties.
Cook patties in a large skillet over medium-low heat 20 minutes, turning once.

Bake Me Crazy Chicken with Gravy

Recipe from Aaron McCargo Jr.

Ingredients
4 (6-ounce) boneless skin-on chicken breasts
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
2 tablespoons olive oil
Tarragon Pan Sauce:
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 shallot, diced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken stock, cold
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Dash sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
2 tablespoons chopped tarragon leaves (1½t dried)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil.
Season the both sides of the chicken with salt, pepper and smoked paprika.
Put the chicken, skin side down, into the hot oil and sear until nicely browned, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Flip and sear for an additional minute.
Remove from pan and arrange them on a quarter sheet tray with a rack.
Bake until the chicken is cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes.
Remove from the oven to a cutting board and allow to rest for about 5 minutes before slicing
For the sauce:
In a medium saucepan, over medium-high heat, add the butter. Add the garlic and shallots and cook until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Stir in the flour to form a pasty roux.
Add the chicken stock and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring frequently.
Turn heat down to medium.
Season the sauce with salt and pepper, to taste, and mix well.
Add the sherry vinegar and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to thicken the sauce.
Stir in the chopped parsley and tarragon.
Transfer the sliced chicken to serving plates and drizzle with the sauce

Food Network's picture

Chicken Teriyaki Kabobs

Ingredients:
1 Teaspoon Vegetable Oil for frying
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1/2 Cup Soy Sauce
1 Clove Of Garlic minced
1 Teaspoon Ginger Minced fresh
1 1/2 Pounds Chicken Breasts skinned and boned
1 Bunch Green Onion cut into 1"
Directions:
Cut chicken into 1-1/2" square pieces.
Thread each of eight 6" bamboo or metal skewers alternately
with chicken and green onion pieces (spear onion slices through
side, not lengthwise).
Place skewers in shallow pan. Combine soy sauce, sugar, oil,
ginger and garlic; pour over skewers and brush chicken thoroughly
with sauce.
Marinate 30 minutes. Reserving marinade, remove skewers and
place on rack of broiler pan.
Broil 3 minutes; turn over and brush with reserved marinade.
Broil 3 minutes longer, or until chicken is tender.

Easy Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients:
4 Chicken Breasts Boneless and skinless halves (put one at a time between some saran wrap and using the smooth side of the tenderizing mallet pound chicken out to equal thickness)
2 Egg slightly beaten (with seasonings of choice added in)
1c Bread Crumbs Seasoned (I added Panko bread crumbs, onion & garlic powder, and black pepper)
2-3t.  butter per piece
Spaghetti Sauce (to taste)
Italian Blend shredded cheese (to taste)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350
Dip chicken into egg then into crumbs to coat.
In skillet over medium heat, in hot margarine, brown chicken on both sides.
Put chicken on a foil covered cookie sheet using a cooling rack to keep it elevated (avoiding sogginess on one side), place in oven to finish cooking
Boil spaghetti noodles, drain, cover with sauce
Serve chicken on top of or beside spaghetti, add sauce on top of chicken, sprinkle with shredded cheese
Enjoy!

Anthony goes nuts for this one - we call it "Flat Chicken" :-D

Pork Chops Parmesan

4 pork chops
1 C seasoned breadcrumbs
3 T parmesan cheese, grated
½   t black pepper
1   T TexJoy seasoning
½   teaspoon basil
2 T flour
3 green onions, chopped
1 t garlic powder
3 T parsley
Combine cornmeal, Parmesan cheese, pepper, TexJoy, and basil.
Trim pork chops of visible fat and dredge in mixture.
Coat skillet with cooking spray and put on medium heat.
Put chops in skillet and reduce heat to medium low.
Sauté 10 minutes each side.
Add onion and garlic.
Continue sautéing another 10 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking.
Sprinkle with parsley to garnish.

I'm still tweakin this one - chops aren't as tender as I'd like 'em

Slow Cook Down Home Pork Chops and Gravy

½   cup all-purpose flour
1 ½  teaspoons dry mustard
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
6 lean boneless pork chops (1 in. thick)
1   (10 ¾ounce) can chicken broth
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Combine 1st four ingredients in a shallow dish.
Dredge chops in flour mixture and set aside.
Combine what is left of the flour mixture w/ the chicken broth and pour into your crock pot.
Pour oil into a large skillet and cook the chops in hot oil until browned on both sides.
Place chops in crock pot and cook covered on High for about 2 to 5 hours or until tender.
Serve w/ hot rice and/or mashed potatoes.
++If the gravy becomes too thick just add a little water. If you accidentally add too much water then add a little more flour.
Season w/ salt and pepper and your favorite seasonings too taste.

Chicken Enchiladas

12-15 flour tortillas (or corn if you prefer)
4 chicken breasts (cooked, skinned, boned, and shredded)
1 bunch chopped green onion
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese (softened)
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon Tony Chachere's
½ cup chicken broth (use the broth that was made while boiling the chicken)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
1 can Rotel (drained)
1- 1½ cups grated cheese

Boil chicken breasts until done (30-35 min) allow to cool, then shred.
Combine shredded chicken, green onions, and cream cheese (use 2-4 tablespoons of chicken broth to loosen).
In separate bowl mix together chili powder, Tony Chachere’s, chicken soup, sour cream, and Rotel.
Spread chicken mixture over half the tortilla, spread soup mix over chicken.
Roll up tortilla starting on the chicken side.
Place tortilla rolls in casserole dish seam side down.

Once all tortillas a filled and rolled mix 2-4 tablespoons of chicken broth with the remaining soup mixture until it reaches the consistency you want.
Top tortillas with remaining sauce.

Cover and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Remove cover, sprinkle with cheese, bake for 10 more minutes to allow cheese to melt.

Easy Chicken Dijon

Ingredients:
1 Can Cream Of Mushroom Soup
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 Split fryer chicken made into 6 pieces - wings and skin removed (keep wings) quarters and breasts separated
1/4 Cup Milk cold
2 Tablespoons Dijonaise
1/2 c onion chopped
1/4 c green pepper chopped
1/4 c red pepper chopped
1 Clove Of Garlic minced
black pepper
I used these additional seasoning blends
Kickin Chicken seasoning blend
Beer Can Chicken seasoning blend
Tex-Joy seasoning salt

Directions:
Sprinkle some black pepper and Tex-Joy on the chicken pieces, including wings.  In a large skillet melt the butter and brown all the chicken on all sides; about 4-5 minutes per side. Remove chicken, in the same skillet, add in soup, milk, and Dijonaise; stir until smooth. Add in red & green peppers, onion, garlic, black pepper, Kickin Chicken, and Beer Can Chicken seasonings (to taste), bring to a boil. Add chicken to skillet, cover skillet with a tight fitting lid and put in a 330 degree oven until chicken is tender enough to fall off the bone (roughly two hours).  Serve over rice.

Oven BBQ Pork Chops

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
8 pork chops
1 small onion, chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons vinegar
1 cup chili sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
2 to 3 drops hot pepper sauce
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large skillet over medium high heat heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, add pork chops and brown them on both sides. Place in a casserole. In a bowl mix together chopped onion, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, water, vinegar, chili sauce, brown sugar, dry mustard, hot pepper sauce, pour mixture over chops. Cover and roast for 40 minutes at 325. Uncover casserole and roast for 20 minutes more.

Kielbasa Casserole

1 large green bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (1/2 a green bell pepper, 1/2 a red bell pepper)
1 large sweet onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 lb kielbasa (or sausage), cut into thin diagonal slices
1 (28 ounce) can stewed tomatoes (fire roasted diced tomatoes)
1  cup converted white rice, uncooked
Seasonings of choice - to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine all ingredients in a 2 1/2 to 3 quart casserole dish.
Bake covered for about 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours.
Top each serving with some butter, if desired

Mom's Quiche

Pastry for one pie crust
1 tablespoon butter, softened
12 bacon slices (cooked until crisp)
4 eggs
2 cups heavy cream
¾ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ pound shredded Swiss cheese (1 cup)

Line 9” pie plate with crust
Spread crust evenly with softened butter, chill well
Preheat oven 425
Spread crumbled bacon in piecrust
With whisk, beat eggs, cream, salt and nutmeg.  Stir in cheese
Pour egg mixture into crust.  Bake 15 minutes.  Turn oven down to 325; bake 35 more minutes
Quiche is cooked when knife inserted in center comes out clean.  Let stand 15 minutes.

Creole Pork Pot Luck

Ingredients:
4  Pork Chops center-cut (3/4" )
1/8 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper ground
1/2 teaspoon Paprika or chopped parsley (I used paprika)
1/2 teaspoon Salt approximately (Season Salt or Tony Chachere’s)
1/2 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil (for frying) (olive oil)
1-2 cloves minced garlic
3/4 Cups Onions diced
3/4 Cups Green & Red Bell Peppers diced
1 Cup Rice uncooked
3/4 Cup Corn whole-kernel
2 Cups Water hot (or chicken broth)
1/4 Teaspoon Pepper fresh ground (or to taste)
1 1/2 Tomatoes - sliced (optional)

1. Season pork chops with cayenne pepper, paprika and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt.
2. In Dutch oven, brown chops in hot oil; remove and reserve.
3. Add onions, garlic, and bell peppers to skillet; saute until soft.
4. Stir in rice and cook until golden. Add corn, water, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper; arrange chops on top.
5. Bring to a boil, cover tightly and bake in preheated 375'F oven 25 minutes.
6. Insert tomato slices between each chop; cover and bake 10 minutes each longer.
7. NOTE: 2 packages (6 1/2 ounces each) Creole or Spanish rice mix can be substituted for rice, onion and bell peppers in original recipe.
8. Adjust liquid according to package directions.
9. Bake at temperature and time specified above.

                   

Hawaiian Chicken

1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup soy sauce
3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1-2 teaspoons fresh oregano (1/2-3/4 teaspoon dried)
1-2 teaspoons fresh Rosemary (1/2-3/4 teaspoon dried)
1-2 teaspoons fresh basil (optional) (1/2-3/4 teaspoon dried)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black or lemon pepper
1 4 lb. chicken broiler chicken, halved (or 4lbs *skin on* chicken breasts)
olive oil spray (for use during cooking)
Wash chicken and place both halves in a large Ziploc bag.
Squeeze lemon juice.
Combine remaining ingredients with the lemon juice and place in bag. Refrigerate for several hours (up to 6 hours), turning occasionally.
Place chicken on broiler rack, skin side down or on grill; keep chicken about 7 inches away from heat. If grilling, set chicken on opposite side of the coals to avoid flare-ups. At start of cooking, brush chicken with marinade - then discard marinade. Note: For extra flavor, sprinkle chicken liberally with salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder just before cooking. Substitute lemon pepper for the black pepper, if available, for an extra zesty kick.
Broil or grill chicken for 20 minutes or until browned on one side, avoiding flare ups. At this point, spray the chicken lightly with olive oil spray; then turn it to the other side and spray again. Cook for another 10 minutes or so until chicken is done (juice no longer runs pink).

Pork Chop and Pineapple

1 boneless pork chop per person
1 slice red onion per person
1 slice green or red bell pepper per person
2 canned pineapple slices per person
1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce per person
1 tablespoon margarine or butter per person (optional)
Salt and pepper
Directions
For each serving, lay a pork chop on a large square of heavy-duty aluminum foil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Top each chop with the onion, green pepper, and pineapple slices. Drizzle with the teriyaki sauce. Top with the margarine Wrap tightly in the foil, rolling ends to completely seal the package. Freeze or refrigerate.
When ready to eat, place packages directly in coals for 15 to 20 minutes (or bake at 350). Check to see if the pork chop is cooked through; rewrap and cook a little longer, if necessary.

Smokey Beer Burgers

Recipe from Rachael Ray

2 pounds lean ground sirloin 

1/3 pound smoked Gouda cheese, diced into 1/4 to 1/2-inch cubes  (I used shredded Colby/Monterey Jack with two shakes of liquid smoke mixed in)

1 medium onion or 1/2 large onion 

2 teaspoons smoked sweet paprika (I added one shake of liquid smoke to the ingredients since my paprika was not smoked)

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Grill seasoning (recommended: Montreal Steak Seasoning) (McCormick’s Grill Mate, your choice)

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper (didn’t salt)

2 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped (used a teaspoon of the diced up stuff in a jar and some of the juice)

Generous handful finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (didn’t use)

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 

1/2 (6oz) bottle beer 

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling (skipped)

Place the meat in a bowl and add the cheese. Peel the onion and halve it, if using the medium onion. Grate about 3 to 4 tablespoons of onion directly over the meat into the bowl. Finely chop the remaining onion and reserve for topping. Add spices to meat: paprika, cumin and about 1 tablespoon of grill seasoning and/or some salt and pepper. Add garlic, parsley and Worcestershire and beer then form 4 large patties making them a little thinner at the center than at edges. Burgers plump when you cook them so this will prevent burger bulge.  Grill about 4 minutes on each side for medium rare, 5 minutes on each side for medium and 6 to 7 minutes on each side for well done. 

I was able to get 6 large burgers from this recipe (her four were huge) and I still followed the above cook times!  

Outback Steakhouse Alice Springs Chicken

Honey Mustard Marinade
½ cup Dijon mustard
½ cup honey
1½ tspn vegetable oil
½ tspn lemon juice

Chicken
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cups sliced mushrooms (10-12 mushrooms) (optional)
2 tbsp butter
salt and pepper, to taste
paprika
8 slices bacon, cooked (I use one piece of bacon per chicken breast)
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2 tspn finely chopped fresh parsley

Briskly whisk mustard, honey, oil and lemon juice in small bowl. Whip mixture for about 30 seconds. Pour about 2/3 of marinade over the chicken breasts and marinate them (covered) in the refrigerator, for about 2 hours. Chill remaining marinade until later.

After the chicken has marinated, preheat oven to 375°F and heat up an ovenproof frying pan (large enough to hold all four breasts) with 1 tspn of oil over medium heat.
If you don't have an ovenproof skillet, transfer the chicken to a baking dish for the baking.
Sear chicken in pan for 3-4 minutes per side or until golden brown.
Remove the pan from heat, but keep the chicken in the pan.
As the chicken is cooking, sauté the sliced mushrooms in butter in a small frying pan.
Brush each seared chicken breast with a little of the reserved honey mustard marinade (not the portion the chicken marinated in), being sure to save a little extra to serve as a side.
Season chicken with salt, pepper, and a dash of paprika.
Stack two pieces of cooked bacon, crosswise, on each chicken breast. (or one piece broken into two pieces)
Spoon the sautéed mushrooms on the bacon, being sure to coat each breast evenly.
Spread ¼ cup Monterey Jack cheese onto each breast, followed by ¼ cup of Cheddar. (use your judgement on this one, I have yet to use that much cheese)
Bake the pan of chicken for 7-10 minutes or until the cheese is thoroughly melted and starting to bubble.
Sprinkle each chicken breast with ½ tspn parsley before serving.
Place extra marinade in small bowl to serve on the side.

Chicken Pot Pie

1 can cr of celery soup (omitted)
1 can cr of mushroom soup
1 can cr of chicken soup
1 large can home-style Veg-All with liquid (1/2 the liquid)
4 chicken breasts (3)
2 9in. deep dish pie crusts (thawed)
1/4 C onion minced (or to taste)
Old Bay seasoning (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
Mrs Dash Garlic and Herb (to taste)
Mrs Dash Onion and Herb (to taste)

Boil chicken breasts until cooked through (remove skin & debone)
Cut chicken into bite sized pieces
In a bowl mix together all ingredients and set aside
Pierce the bottom of one pie crust with a fork – pour in chicken mixture
Use the remaining crust to make a top crust for the pot pie
Cut slits in top crust
Bake in 350 degree oven until top crust is golden brown

Pork Tenderloin with a Honey Mustard Sauce

1 tsp olive oil
1 pork tenderloin
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tbsp honey
1 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp apple juice
1 tsp olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
Combine the Dijon mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar, apple juice, 1 tsp of olive oil, and minced garlic together in a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside so the flavors can mingle for a few hours.
Remove the silver skin from the pork tenderloin then season the entire piece of meat with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Heat 1 tsp of olive oil in large oven proof skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the pork tenderloin and cook until brown on all sides, turning occasionally, about 5-6 minutes. Place a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the tenderloin then place the skillet into the oven, and bake for 15 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 155-160 degrees (medium) or desired degree of doneness. Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing.
Heat the sauce in a small saucepan over low heat until warmed. Pour sauce over sliced pork. Enjoy.

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

2 heads cabbage, core removed and boil until leaves are soft and fall away easily
2 lbs uncooked ground beef (1lb ground beef & 1lb ground sausage)
1 egg
1 cup chopped onions
2 minced garlic cloves
2 cups cooked white rice
1¼   teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2   (28 ounce) cans tomato sauce (24oz jar spaghetti sauce of choice)

Separate the cabbage leaves once the heads are cool - remove hard spine.
Saute garlic and onions until caramelized - set aside to cool.
Mix ground meat, onion & garlic, egg, white rice and salt and pepper in large bowl.

In a large casserole dish (9x13) spread a thin layer of tomato sauce.
Place about 1/4 cup of beef mixture in the cabbage leaf, roll up like you would an egg roll so that the mixture does not fall out.
Place each roll in pan, stacking if necessary.
Cover with remaining tomato sauce. (and sliced onion - optional)
Bake in 300 degree oven for 1¾ hours or until beef is done and leaves are soft. (covered for 1 hour, uncovered for the rest of the cook time)
Serve warm/hot with additional sauce over top.

Alternate Sauce
24 oz crushed tomatoes
12 oz apricot nectar
Mix together and simmer.
Pour over cabbage rolls during the uncovered portion of baking time

How To Video: If you have never made cabbage rolls this link Easy to Follow, Step by Step at these points in the video would be helpful 0:00-1:15 and 6:12-8:40

With onions and tomato sauce before cooking

                   

With spaghetti sauce fresh from the oven

Olive Garden's Roast Pork Loin With Apple Rosemary Glaze

2 lbs whole pork loin
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and black pepper
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Rub outside of pork loin with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and black pepper.
Place pork on a baking rack with a sheet pan underneath and put it oven.
Roast for approximately 45 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Let pork rest for five minutes before slicing.
For the glaze
1 1/2 cups apple juice
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped (or 1 t dried rosemary)
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
In a saucepan combine apple juice, rosemary and sugar. In a separate cup mix cornstarch and water. Bring apple juice mixture to a boil and whisk in cornstarch mixture to thicken. Remove from heat. Spoon glaze over sliced pork loin to finish.

Honey Chicken Thighs

2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
8 skinless chicken thighs
cooking spray
6 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons cider vinegar

Preheat broiler.
Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Add chicken to bowl; toss to coat. Place chicken on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil chicken 5 minutes on each side.
Combine honey and vinegar in a small bowl, stirring well. Remove chicken from oven; brush 1/4 cup honey mixture on chicken. Broil 1 minute. Remove chicken from oven and turn over. Brush chicken with remaining honey mixture. Broil 1 additional minute or until chicken is done.

Mom's Lasagna

1-1½lbs  gr beef/sausage (1lb ground sausage & 1lb ground beef)
1 T whole basil (Italian seasoning)
1 garlic clove – pressed or diced
1 sm onion – diced
26 oz Spaghetti sauce
Brown and drain beef/sausage.
Sauté onion and garlic.
Mix all above ingredients together. (add 2-3T water to the empty sauce jar and swish around to get all the sauce, add to meat mixture) Set aside.

Prepare 8 oz box of lasagna noodles as directed on box (for a 9x13 Pyrex dish you need 6 noodles)

2 eggs
3 C cottage cheese
½ C grated Parmesan
1lb mozzarella (slices)
I use Kraft shredded for both the Parmesan and mozzarella
Mix eggs, cottage cheese and Parmesan cheese together. Set aside.

In a 9x13 pans make layers
1. Cover bottom of pan with noodles (3 noodles) 
2. Pour ½ cheese mix over noodles. 
3. Cover cheese mix with mozzarella. 
4. Pour ½ of meat mix over the mozzarella. 
5. Repeat steps 1-4 for second layer 
Bake at 375 for 30 minutes (45 minutes if it has been made ahead and refrigerated)

Herbs & Spices Flavor Map

By definition, Herbs are the aromatic leaves of plants without woody stems that grow in temperate zones. Spices are seasonings obtained from the bark, buds, fruit or flower parts, roots, seeds or stems of various aromatic plants and trees. We will use the word spices to indicate any substance, herb, spice, or vegetable used to flavor foods. There are a myriad of spices and a host of varieties. It is typically cost prohibitive to stock every conceivable type and variety of spice. For this reason, we have chosen to focus on those herbs, spices, and dried vegetables that are used the most and in a wide compliment of recipes as flavoring agents. While we are happy to source more exotic and rare herbs and spices for the discriminating and wildly adventurous cook, we present here a full compliment of spices that will allow any cook to be adventurous and successful at a minimal cost.  A “master” herb or spice is one that is used more frequently in common recipes and is often considered to be a kitchen staple. Our 10 master herbs and spices are designated with an *.

Allspice

• Description/Taste and Aroma: Dried Berries often used in ground form. It is not a mixture made up of all spices. People often think it smells and tastes like a mixture of cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. This spice tends to enhance the flavors of other herbs and spices used with it, especially when used with cinnamon and nutmeg.
• Geographic Information: Bermuda, Honduras, Jamaica, and Mexico are major suppliers.
• Uses: A versatile spice used with meats, veggies, and in sweet items. Allspice is often an ingredient in Jamaican jerk seasoning, in pickling spices, in spiced tea mixes, cakes, cookies, and pies. It is used to enhance soups, stews, and curries. It works well with apples, beets, cabbage, caramel, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, game meats, ginger, juniper, mace, mustard, nuts, nutmeg, onions, pears, poultry, pork, pumpkin, root vegetables, seafood and yams.

Anise and Star Anise 

• Description/Taste and Aroma: Two different spices both with licorice overtones. Anise comes in seed and ground forms while star anise is a cluster of tiny spokes that are most often used in ground form.
• Geographic Information: Spain and Mexico, China, Vietnam.
• Uses: Gives the distinctive taste to licorice candy. Often used in cakes, cookies, and breads, soups, and stews, syrups, cordials, and fruit preserves. . Pairs well with apples, beets, beef, caramel, carrots, chocolate, citrus, cinnamon, coconut, coriander, cranberry, fennel, figs, fish, game meats, garlic, peaches, pomegranates, pork, poultry, pumpkin, root vegetables, seafood, and is often used in tea.

Basil* 

• Description/Taste and Aroma: Many varieties are available. Sweet Basil is most often used. Leaves that are used whole, chopped, or ground. Imparts a sweet taste with a refreshing bouquet.
• Geographic Information: Grown primarily in the United States, France, and the Mediterranean region but is cultivated throughout the world and it is easy to grow your own. 
• Uses: A must for any tomato based sauce or dish. Basil is a staple in Italian and Greek ethnic cuisine. It enhances the flavor of beef, chicken, eggs, fish and seafood. Basil blends well with capers, chives, cilantro, garlic, marjoram, oregano, mint, onion, parsley, rosemary, thyme, and savory. It can be used alone or along with other spices to enhance the taste of pasta. Serve basil with artichokes, eggplant, green vegetables, mushrooms, olives, pizza, grains and some fruits. Sweet Basil is the best basil for pesto and tomato salads.

Bay leaf 

• Description/Taste and Aroma: Bay leaves are often used whole in Bouquet Garni or chopped or ground for use in other cooking. It is pungent and sharp at the same time and also both bitter /sweet. Flavor is at its peak when dried and best when used with other herbs and spices.
• Geographic Information: Originally from the Mediterranean and now grown in Europe and the Americas. It is easy to grow your own. It is prefers temperate climates that are not too cold or too hot.
• Uses: A staple in American kitchens, slow to release its flavor it is best used in soups, stews, sauces, marinades and foods that need to take time to settle for a while. The leaves also flavor classic French dishes such as bouillabaisse and bouillon. This herb is essential to French, Italian, and Greek cooking. A classic bouquet garni includes bay, thyme, parsley and rosemary. Most recipes will use a dried leaf crumbled or ground. It blends well with allspice, artichokes, beans, beef, game meats, garlic, grains, juniper, lentils, marjoram, mushrooms, nuts, oregano, parsley, potatoes, poultry, sage, savory, seafood, thyme and tomatoes. It is sometimes used as a compliment to add a note of spice to fruit compotes and puddings. It is always used with milk to prepare a béchamel sauce.

Caraway 

• Description/Taste and Aroma: Generally used in seed form or as a ground spice. It imparts its unique taste to Rye Bread. Often thought of as tangy yet sweet.
• Geographic Information: Holland is the world's largest Caraway producer. It is also grown in Germany, Russia, Morocco, parts of Scandinavia, Canada, and the USA.
• Uses: It is favored by German cooks and often found in rye bread, sauerkraut, sausage, cheese, cabbage, and soups. It adds a unique tang to broccoli, apples, beets, cured meats, mushrooms, nuts, pork, poultry, root vegetables, potatoes, seafood and yeast breads. Blends well with coriander, dill, fennel, garlic, onions, oregano, parsley, and thyme.

Cardamom 

• Description/Taste and Aroma: Ground seed of the ginger family. The seeds are between 1/4 and 1-inch long. Comes in regular (greenish white) and black varieties. Greenish White is preferred with a smoother taste. Has an intense, sweet flavor and a pungent aroma.
• Geographic Information: India, Guatemala, Vietnam, Papua New Guinea, and Ceylon
• Uses: Curry blends and breads, but the majority is used in Arabic countries as a flavoring for coffee. Most often used in sweet or savory dishes. Combines well with apples, bananas, beans, caramel, cinnamon, citrus, coconut, coriander, curry, dates, ginger, grains, nuts, paprika, pears, pepper (true), pumpkin, rice, saffron, sugar, squash, tea, turmeric, yams, and yeast breads.

Celery* 

• Description/Taste and Aroma: Both seeds and dried stalks are used It has a salty and slightly bitter flavor with an aroma a bit like parsley.
• Geographic Information: Most of the cultivated seed is grown in France and India
• Uses: In bread stuffing, casseroles, soups, stews, appetizers and as a garnish. Combines well with cabbage, cilantro, cucumber, cumin, fish, garlic, ginger, mustard, onion, parsley, pepper (capsicum and true) potatoes, poultry, rice, rosemary, sage, tomatoes, and thyme.

Chives 

• Description/Taste and Aroma: A member of the lily family it has a mild onion flavor with faint taste of garlic.
• Geographic Information: Most of North America. Easy to grow and often grown as a window plant. California produces much of the commercial crop. Grown in many parts of the world.
• Uses: Fines herbs, a traditional French herb blend, as a garnish, in mashed potatoes, soups, scrambled eggs, stews. Works well with asparagus, basil, cheese, cilantro, dill, fennel, green vegetables, horseradish, mushrooms, olives, paprika, pasta, parsley, seafood, and tarragon. Often served with butter and sour cream.

Cilantro 

• Description/Taste and Aroma: It is the leaf of the coriander plant. Some think it is similar to a mixture of citrus and parsley with a bite. People either love it or hate it. Some find it soap like others find it refreshing.
• Geographic Information: Most of North America. California produces much of the commercial crop. Staple in many Mexican dishes and grown in Mexico. Also grown in Mediterranean area.
• Uses: Most Mexican cooking. One of the first herbs to be used by humans it is used in a variety of Ethnic cuisines including Indian, Mediterranean, European, and Mexican. Great with avocados, beef, chilies, citrus foods, coconut, coriander, corn, cumin, curry, dates, fennel, figs, garlic, mint, onion, oregano, pepper (capsicum and true), poultry, sausage, seafood, and tomatoes. Better to add leaves at end of cooking as heat diminishes them.

Cinnamon 

• Description/Taste and Aroma: Dried bark of various laurel trees. One of the more common trees from which Cinnamon is derived is the cassia and Chinese cassia is very robust in flavor. Americans grew up with the cassia version of cinnamon. Cinnamon sticks are made from long pieces of bark that are rolled, pressed, and dried. It is slightly bitter and sweet at the same time. It has an appealing smell and is often used as an air freshener or to disguise odors. The higher the level of volatile oils the more intense the flavor and smell. True Cinnamon has no volatile oils. Cassia varieties from 1 to around 5 percent volatile oils. Vietnamese cinnamons have around 5 to 7 percent volatile oils.
• Geographic Information: True Cinnamon is native to Sri Lanka. The Cassia Cinnamon used in North America is from the cassia tree which is grown in Vietnam, China, Indonesia, and Central America
• Uses: One of the most common baking spices. Mixes well with Nutmeg, Ginger, and Allspice. Used in cakes, cookies, and desserts throughout the world. Often used in savory chicken and lamb dishes, used to enhance fruit and to flavor cereal dishes. Stick Cinnamon is used in pickling and for flavoring hot beverages and as aromatic decoration at holiday celebrations. Combines well with apples, bananas, beans, caramel, cardamom, chilies, chocolate, cloves, coffee, coriander, cranberry, cumin, curry, dates, game meats, figs, grains, lamb, mace, peaches, pears, poultry, pumpkin, rice, sugar, squash, tangerines, tea, turmeric, vanilla, yams and yeast breads. One of the ingredients in 5-spice powder.

Cloves 

• Description/Taste and Aroma: Brown dried flower buds of an evergreen tree in the myrtle family it is strongly pungent and bittersweet.
• Geographic Information: Madagascar, Indonesia, Brazil, and Ceylon
• Uses: Spice cookies and cakes. Much of the world crop is used in Indonesia for Clove cigarettes. Combines well with allspice, apples, bay leaf, beets, cardamom, carrots, chocolate, cinnamon, citrus, coriander, curry, fennel, game meats, ginger, mace, nuts, nutmeg, peaches, pineapple, pork, pumpkin, root vegetables, sausages, vanilla and yams.

Coriander

• Description/Taste and Aroma: Both seed and ground forms are used. It is has a strong lemon scent and can impart a lemony or orange tang.
• Geographic Information: Morocco and Romania, Europe, India, and the USA
• Uses: Indian curries, gin, American cigarettes, and sausages. It is used in a specific type of bread, some stews, and new uses for this old world spice are being found in modern times. It should be crushed or ground prior to use. Combines well with allspice, apples, bananas, beans, chili, cilantro, cinnamon, citrus, cloves, cumin, cured meats, curry, game meats, fennel, fish, garlic, ginger, mace, mint, mushrooms, nutmeg, onion, parsley, pork, potatoes, poultry, and seafood.

Cumin 

• Description/Taste and Aroma: Pale green oval seed from the parsley family. It has a distinctive, slightly bitter taste with tinge of heat or warmth left on the tongue. Also there is black cumin which is milder and sweeter.
• Geographic Information: Iran, India, Sicily and Malta but is easy to grow and adapts well to multiple climates. Does not produce seeds until the second year and is not a pretty garden plant.
• Uses: Mexican dishes such as chili. Robust stews and piquant sauces. Combines well with allspice, anise, avocados, bay leaf, beans, beef, cabbage, cardamom, cheese (hard), cilantro, cinnamon, citrus, coconut, coriander, cucumber, curry, fennel, fenugreek, garlic, ginger, grains, lamb, lentils, mace, onion, nutmeg, parsley, potatoes, poultry, rice, sausages, seafood, and tomatoes.

Dill 

• Description/Taste and Aroma: Both seed and weed are used and both come from the same annual plant. The weed is best used prior to flowering. The seeds come from the flower head and are pungent imparting a scent that is a bit like caraway, but lighter. Can have hints of anise or lemon depending upon the variety used. Has a bit of warmth to it.
• Geographic Information: Native to southern Russia. United States and India for commercial uses but it is easy to grow and can be found in many countries.
• Uses: A common pickling spice. Often sprinkled on tomatoes, blended into tuna salad, enhances dips with rye bread. Often used in German, Russian, and Scandinavian dishes. Combines well with anise, basil, cabbage, capers, caraway, carrots, chives, coriander, cucumbers, cumin, eggs, fennel, garlic, ginger, horseradish, mint, mustard, oregano, onion, paprika, parsley, potatoes, seafood, tarragon, tomatoes, turmeric, veal, vinegar, and yeast bread. When cooking, add at end of the cooking as it looses flavor if over heated.

Fennel 

• Description/Taste and Aroma: Several varieties and all have oval, green-yellowish brown dried fruit and are a member of the parsley family. It is reminiscent of anise but sweeter and less pungent.
• Common Fennel (Meim fanindum) often cultivated in kitchen gardens.
• Sweet Fennel (Famuulum dulcc) native of Italy and Portugal, smaller plant than the common fennel but the fruit is 5 times the size of the common fennel.
• Geographic Information: India and Egypt
• Uses: Fish seasoning, blackened seasonings, Italian sausages, Middle Eastern cooking, curry powder mixes. Combines well with anise, artichokes, basil, beans, cabbage, cheese, cilantro, cinnamon, cucumber, cumin, dill, eggplant, fenugreek, figs, fish, garlic, lemon balm, lentils, mint, olives, onion, oregano, parsley, pork, potatoes, rice, sausage, seafood, thyme, tomatoes and veal. One of the spices in 5-spice powder and garam masala.

Garlic* 

• Description/Taste and Aroma: The dried root is a member of the lily family. The root bulb is used and comprised of sections called cloves that are protected by a layer of skin and held together by additional layers of skin. There are several varieties each having its own flavor.  Not all are used in cooking. Distinctive, pungent, warm, aromatic, sweet and spicy at the same time. Whole cloves, minced, granulated and powdered forms are commonly used.
• Geographic Information: Native to central Asia, grown throughout the world. California produces most of the cultivated crop. The most cultivated variety is Common garlic which is a hardy plant, known in the United States by the name of English garlic; it is a native of Sicily, capable of growing in almost any soil.
• Uses: A staple in almost every cuisine throughout the world.  It is a key ingredient in Italian, Mexican, and Chinese cooking. Used with every food group except desserts and sweets. It is also rarely used in beverages. Compliments almost everything but sweet spices and fruit.

Ginger 

• Description/Taste and Aroma: Often dried and ground or "crystallized" with sugar. It is slightly hot and biting while also sweet, warm, and somewhat woody.
• Geographic Information: India, China and Jamaica. 3 species are found in the USA, but they are very different in properties than their Asian cousins. Their taste is however similar to those found in Asia. Australia has begun cultivating it now.
• Uses: Gingerbread, ginger ale, gingersnaps, fruit pies, savory dishes and Asian dishes. Combines well with allspice, anise, asparagus, bananas, basil, beef, carrots, chilies, chives, chocolate, cilantro, cinnamon, citrus, cloves, coconut, coriander, cranberry, cumin, curry, dates, fennel, figs, fish, garlic, nuts, nutmeg, onion, peaches, pears, pepper (capsicum and true) poultry, pumpkin, raisins, root vegetables, seafood, sugar, tea, turmeric, vanilla, veal, and yams. Enhances flavor in salt-free seasonings.

Mace 

• Description/Taste and Aroma: The nutmeg tree produces two spices, nutmeg and mace. Mace is the ground outer covering of the nutmeg seed. Its flavor and aroma are similar to nutmeg but mace has higher degree of pungency.
• Geographic Information: Warm climates throughout the world. Indonesia, Grenada, New Guinea, West Indies and like climates. Most comes from Banda Islands processed through Java and Sumatra.
• Uses: Primarily used in baking, it is the dominant flavor in doughnuts. It is often used in cakes, cookies, and in savory dishes like European soups and stews. Combines well with allspice, asparagus, beans, cabbage, carrots, cheese, cinnamon, cloves, coffee, cranberries, cumin, eggs, ginger, nutmeg, peaches, pumpkin, potatoes, sausage, sugar, vanilla, veal, and yams.

Marjoram 

• Description/Taste and Aroma: Grayish-green leaf. Can be mistaken for oregano. There are at least 8 species, besides numerous varieties. The species most frequently cultivated are the common or pot marjorum (O. vulgare), sweet or summer marjoram (O. majorana), and winter marjoram (O. herachoticum.) sweet with an undertone of bitterness.
• Geographic Information: United States, France, Mediterranean
• Uses: A seasoning used in pasta blends, tomato dishes, vegetables, meat sauces, poultry seasonings, soups, and stews. Combines well with artichokes, basil, beans, beef, cheese, cinnamon, cumin, eggplant, fennel, garlic, mushrooms, onion, oregano, parsley, seafood, squash, thyme, and veal.

Mustard 

• Description/Taste and Aroma: There are three types of mustards, all having yellow flowers and small round seeds.  Hot and spicy, powdered mustard has no aroma when dry, but when mixed with water it releases a hot aroma.
• Brown Mustard, Brassica juncea, more pungent and brighter flavor
• White Mustard, Brassica hirta, less pungent and more mellow in flavor. This is the mustard that is commonly called Yellow Mustard as the seeds are more yellow than white.
• Black Mustard, Brassica nigra, very strong and distinctive flavor used often in Southeast Asian and Indian cooking,
• Geographic Information: North Dakota is largest domestic producer, also found in Canada and England
• Uses: Indian dishes and a world of condiments. There are a myriad of prepared types to purchase including stone ground, salad, gourmet, Dijon, and wine varieties.Enhances meats, fish, fowl, sauces, and salad dressings. Often used in pickling or in boiling vegetables such as cabbage or sauerkraut. Combines well with beef, cabbage, capers, cheese, chilies, cured meats, fennel, game meats, garlic, honey, onion, poultry, root vegetables, sausage, seafood, vinegar /wine, and yeast breads. 

Nutmeg 

• Description/Taste and Aroma: The nutmeg tree produces two spices, nutmeg and mace. Nutmeg is the brown seed of the evergreen tree native to the Molucca Islands. It is piquant yet sweet, similar to cinnamon but has more of a bite. Less intense than its sibling, mace.
• Geographic Information: Warm climates throughout the world. Indonesia, Grenada, New Guinea, West Indies and like climates. Most comes from Banda Islands processed through Java and Sumatra.
• Uses: Primarily used in baking, it is often found in cakes, cookies, and in savory dishes like European soups and stews, sausages, meats, soups, and preserves. Nutmeg is commonly added to eggnog. Combines well with allspice, asparagus, beans, cabbage, cardamom, carrots, cheese, cinnamon, cloves, coffee, coriander, cranberries, cumin, eggs, fish, ginger, lamb, mace, onion, peaches, pepper (true), pumpkin, potatoes, pumpkin, sausage, seafood chowders, , sugar, thyme, vanilla, veal, and yams.

 Onion* 

• Description/Taste and Aroma: The ever popular onion is a bulb of Allium cepa, of either the lily or the amaryllis family. A number of varieties exist each with a unique flavor and various colors. Intensely pungent with a sharp bite. Some varieties are almost sweet.
• Geographic Information: Worldwide
• Uses: Meats, vegetables, sauces, soups, stews, appetizers, eggs, sauces, relishes, breads. Compliments everything but sweet spices and fruit. 

Oregano* 

• Description/Taste and Aroma: Multiple varieties exist. Greek Oregano is a dried leaf that is uniquely pungent, highly aromatic and a mixture of sweet and savory. The Mexican variety is more intense and has a wilder flavor.
• Geographic Information: United States, France, Mediterranean, Mexico, Turkey
• Uses: Pasta seasoning blends, tomato dishes, vegetables, meat sauces, poultry seasonings, soups, and stews. A key ingredient in chili powders. Combines well with artichokes, basil, beans, beef, cheese, cinnamon, cumin, eggplant, fennel, garlic, marjoram, mushrooms, onion, parsley, pasta, poultry, seafood, squash, thyme, tomatoes, and veal.

 Paprika* 

• Description/Taste and Aroma: Comes from a mild red pepper in the Capsicum annum family. There are several varieties and some are hotter or sweeter than others but all have a slight heat to them and a strong red color.
• Geographic Information: Hungary, Spain, South America, and California.
• Uses: Main flavor in Hungarian cooking, including dishes such as Goulash and Chicken Paprikash. Often used with eggs, fish /shellfish, cheese, sausages, tomato dishes and in vegetable casseroles. Combines well with all meats, all vegetables, and can be used to spice fruit. Often used with allspice, beans, beef, caraway, cardamom, cheese (white preferred), garlic, ginger, legumes, oregano, parsley, pepper (other capsicum varieties and true pepper), pork, poultry, rosemary, saffron, thyme, turmeric and vegetables..

Parsley 

• Description/Taste and Aroma: Several varieties exist with various tastes. Light, fresh, slightly sweet and slightly bitter taste.
• Geographic Information: California grows a large amount commercially. Often found in windowsill gardens and in home gardens as it is easy to grow.
• Uses: Curly parsley is often used as a garnish. Flat parsley, also called French or Italian parsley, is favored by chefs for cooking in soups and sauces, tuna salad, and eggs. It is often combined with other herbs and spices in prepared blends. Works well with artichokes, asparagus, basil, bay leaf, beans, beef, chives, dill, game meats, garlic, marjoram, mushrooms, grains, onion, oregano, pasta, potatoes, poultry, seafood, thyme, tomatoes, and yeast bread.

Pepper, Capsicum Chili and Bell versions* 

• Description/Taste and Aroma: Multiple varieties all from the nightshade family. Commonly called chili pepper, red pepper, or sweet pepper. Some are very hot while bell peppe have no heat to them at all. Chemicals in the fruit can produce a strong burning sensation in the mouth. Most have mild aromas but a few are very intensely pungent. Rated for hotness based on a scale devised by American chemist Wilbur Scoville in 1912 which measures the hotness or piquancy of a chili pepper, calculated on the amount of capsaicin it contains. The number of Scoville heat units (SHU) indicates the amount of capsaicin present and how hot the pepper is. Naga Jolokia is the hottest chili in the world with a rating of 1,040,000 SHU. Each year’s crop can vary so heat units shown on the scale are approximate for each type of pepper listed. Crushed Red versions can vary in hotness but most range in the 20,000 to 40,000 unit level.
• Geographic Information: Grown throughout the world. Major crops are produced in Central and South America and the West Indies. A majority are found in the Americas.
• Uses: Often combined with other herbs and spices in prepared blends. Each has a distinctive taste. Used with eggs, meats, cheese, vegetables, soups, sauces, pastas, breads. A main ingredient in Mexican, Hungarian, Italian and United States cuisine. Compliments all meats, all vegetables, and can be used to spice fruit.

Scoville Pepper Scale

• 855,000–1,050,000 Naga Jolokia (a.k.a. Ghost Pepper)
• 350,000–580,000 Red Savina Habanero
• 100,000–350,000 Habanero chili, Scotch Bonnet, Datil, Jamaican Hot, Piquin
• 50,000–100,000 Thai /Indian, Pequin, Dundicut, Sanaam, Tien Tsin
• 30,000–50,000 Cayenne, Tabasco, some Chipotle varieties, Arbol
• 10,000–23,000 Most Chipotle, Aleppo, Cascabel, CA Jalapeño
• 2,500–10,000 Jalapeño, NM Anaheim, Paprika (Hungarian wax pepper), Ancho, Guajillo
• 500–2,500 Anaheim, Poblano
• 100–500 Pimento, Pepperoncini
• 0 No heat, Bell (green, orange, red, and yellow)

Pepper, True version* 

• Description/Taste and Aroma: Multiple varieties exist.
• True Pepper is the dried berry of Piper nigrum. This is a vine indigenous to India and Asia. Pepper comes from the berries that are picked about nine months after flowering. (This is true pepper, and should not be confused with paprika, cayenne pepper, chili pepper, red pepper, and bell pepper, which are fruits from the capsicum family.)
• Black Pepper is the spiciest from unripened berries. It is sharp and pungent.
• White Pepper is from berries ripened on the vine then soaked to remove the outer hulls. It is hotter and more pungent than black.
• Green Peppercorns are immature berries freeze dried or packed in brine for preservation. Mildest in flavor.
• Red and Yellow Peppercorns are from fully ripened berries left on the vines to soak up the sun. Actual color is more of a yellow brown with a reddish tinge. Most are brined and sealed in jar as the ripe versions do not take to processing well. With the new ways of freeze-drying spices we have the ability to have true red and yellow peppercorn that are not brined.
• Rose or Pink Peppercorns are not really pepper, but are berries from a tree in Peru and are a dried fruit that are often mixed into gourmet peppercorn blends to give color and sweetness. Most often used with fish and poultry. Large quantities can cause stomach irritation so use sparingly.
• Geographic Information: India produces the bulk of the world’s pepper and it also is produced in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brazil
• Uses: It is often combined with other herbs and spices in prepared blends. It is a common table condiment and is used to season everything but sweet foods. It is used with eggs, meats, cheese, vegetables, soups, sauces, pastas, breads and is considered to be one of the most used spices. Compliments all meats, all vegetables, and can be used to spice fruit. Can be used whole, crushed, or ground.

Rosemary 

• Description/Taste and Aroma: 1inch needle like leaves. It is highly aromatic and is a bit peppery and woodsy at the same time.
• Geographic Information: Rosemary is native to the Mediterranean and grown throughout that region. It is widely produced in the USA, France, Spain, and Portugal. It is easy to grow and is a often grown in herb gardens.
• Uses: A staple in Italian cooking, it is also used in breads, lamb, pork, chicken, and pasta dishes. Combines well with apples, asparagus, basil, beans, beef, cheese, citrus, cranberry, fennel, game meat, garlic, grains, mushrooms, marjoram, onion, oregano, parsley, pasta, potatoes, poultry, sausage, seafood, thyme, tomatoes, and yeast bread.

 Sage

• Description/Taste and Aroma: There is a velvety texture to its long grayish green leaves. There are many varieties each with a slightly different taste. Some find it to be warm and pungent. Dried leaves much more intense than fresh ones.
• Geographic Information: United States is a large producer of common sage, Mexico is known for its Mexican sage. Sage is known and grown throughout the world originating in the northern Mediterranean.
• Uses: Poultry, soups, stews, bread, rice, Italian blended spices, sausages, pork. Often paired with apples, bay leaf, beans, capers, caraway, celery, cheese, citrus, beef, game meats, garlic, ginger, marjoram, onions, paprika, parsley, poultry, rosemary, savory, seafood, thyme and tomatoes.

Salt* 

• Description/Taste and Aroma: Many culinary varieties, 3 of the most common are: iodized table salt, kosher salt, and sea salt. They come in fine grain, course, flake and even smoked and organic versions. There is a choice of iodized to prevent goiters from forming and non-iodized versions. All salts are salty. Sea salts have a wide range of subtle flavor differences based on what minerals are mixed in.
• Iodized Table Salt used as an additive after cooking and used during cooking too. Some people think the addition of iodine changes the taste. Dissolves easily in water.
• Kosher Salt has a coarser grind with large enough crystals to soak up meat juices. This is normally a flake salt.
• Sea Salt comes in a variety of versions with subtle taste differences. Mediterranean is considered one of the nicer flavors. Does not dissolve as easily as table salt. Has a bigger grain than table salt. Ranges from inexpensive to very expensive.
• Geographic Information Throughout the world from both sea and inland salt deposits. Mediterranean coastal areas provide many of the well known sea salts. Table salt is usually mined while sea salt comes from the sea and Kosher salt comes from both inland and sea sources.
• Uses All salts have the ability to preserve food and to add flavor universally to any food.
• Table Salt usually fine grained. Comes in iodized and non-iodized. Used as an additive after cooking. Used to add flavor during cooking with all kinds of food. It is a universal seasoning.
• Kosher Salt has a coarser grind with large enough crystals to soak up meat juices and therefore is used in the preparation of Kosher foods. This is a salt of choice by many chefs. It dissolves faster then table salt but is made of larger grains called flakes.
• Sea Salt comes in a variety of versions with a variety of subtle taste differences based on the minerals found with it. Mediterranean is considered one of the nicer flavors. Sea salt does not dissolve as easily as table salt. Has a bigger grain generally than table salt. Has widest range of pricing from inexpensive to very expensive. A chef’s choice.

Savory 

• Description/Taste and Aroma: Comes in two culinary forms: Summer and Winter. Most savory is a blend of the two unless Summer or Winter is specified.
• Summer Savory clean, piney and peppery
• Winter Savory stronger more similar to rosemary
• Geographic Information: United States, Mediterranean, Central to Eastern Europe. Easy to grow, it is often found in herb gardens throughout the world.
• Uses:
• Summer Savory known as the bean herb in Germany. Often used with beans and legumes, lentils and green beans.. Poultry and vegetables and is often used in vegetable blends to flavor soups, stews, and sauces.
• Winter Savory game meats, red meats, pates and sausage
• Combinations: used with beans, poultry, soups, stews, sauces, sausages.

Sesame 

• Description/Taste and Aroma: Most commonly produced seed and comes in several varieties including yellowish-white, red, or black versions. Has a mild, somewhat nutty taste. Little to no aroma. .
• Geographic Information: India, Middle East, Africa, Indonesia
• Uses: Breads, Asian stir-fries, Chinese cooking, Middle Eastern cuisine, Italian breads and cookies, pasta, and as a garnish on vegetables. Combines well with beans, citrus, game meats, garlic, ginger, seafood, thyme, and yeast bread.  

Sugar 

• Description/Taste and Aroma: Sweet crystalline substances such as, sucrose, lactose, and fructose. In food usage, sugar generally refers to sucrose, which comes from sugar cane and sugar beet plants. There are several types, white (processed), brown (less processed), powdered also called confectioners.
• Geographic Information: Brazil and Hawaii produce much of the world’s supply.
• Uses: A sweetening agent. Also adds texture to baked goods.
• White sugar called table sugar. Used in baking, to sweeten tea and coffee. Common sugar used in many recipes. Several grades with Caster’s sugar being a very fine grade.
• Brown /Brownulated sugar less refined, used in baking and spice cakes. Used to season ham and pork. Generally contains molasses which gives it its brown color. Brown sugar contains from 3.5% molasses (light) to 6.5% molasses (dark). Recipes that call for "brown sugar" generally mean light brown sugar.
• Powdered also called confectioner’s sugar. Used in baking, to decorate cakes and cookies and brownies, to make icing and frosting. It is a more refined version of white sugar and comes in degrees of fineness indicated by X. XXX, XXXX, and 10X are most often found in stores.

Tarragon* 

• Description/Taste and Aroma: There are two distinct varieties, Russian native to Siberia and western Asia and a cultivated variety grown in France and Germany that is preferred for cooking. There is also a Mexican variety that is really a type of marigold and not true tarragon. Tarragon is a staple in French cooking. French variety is greener, glossier and more pungent. Most commercial Tarragon comes from dried leaves of the French Tarragon plant. It has a faint flavor similar to anise and basil. Russian variety has a slight bitterness to it and is not preferred for cooking.
• Geographic Information: Native to southern Russia and western Asia, primary producer is now France.
• Uses: Flavoring for vinegar, pickles, relishes, prepared mustards, and sauces, fish, meat, soups and stews, often used in tomato and egg dishes. Combines well with artichokes, basil, bay leaf, capers, carrots, chives, citrus, dill, eggs, garlic, green vegetables, mushrooms, onion, oregano, parsley, potatoes, poultry, seafood, thyme, tomatoes, and veal. It is able to enhance the properties of other herbs when used in moderation.

Thyme* 

• Description/Taste and Aroma: Thyme leaves are generally dried then chopped or ground. It is minty, warm and peppery with a hint of cloves.
• Geographic Information: United States, France, Mediterranean, Spain, Portugal
• Uses: Seasoning blends for poultry and stuffing, fish, chowders, soups, sauces, lamb, veal, eggs, tomatoes. Combines well with artichokes, bananas, basil, bay leaf, beans, carrots, cheese, citrus, dill, garlic, mint, mushrooms, onion, oregano, parsley, potatoes, poultry, sage, and seafood.

Turmeric 

• Description/Taste and Aroma: Marco Polo described Turmeric as "a vegetable with the properties of saffron, yet it is not really saffron." Sometimes called the poor man’s saffron. Gives pale food a yellow coloring and gives curry its distinctive yellowish color. It has a distinctive, pungent somewhat bitter taste with a slight orange - ginger undertone
• Geographic Information: India is the primary producer of Turmeric. It is also grown in China and Indonesia.
• Uses: Essential ingredient of curry powder, used extensively in Indian dishes and in Southeast Asian cooking. Often used to season eggs, spice up lentil and meat dishes, in mustard blends and relishes. Used as a less expensive alternative to saffron to provide color and flavor. Combines well with allspice, anise, beans, beef, carrots, chilies, chives, cilantro, citrus, cloves, coconut, coriander, cumin, curry, dates, fennel, figs, fish, garlic, ginger, nutmeg, onion, paprika, pepper (capsicum and true) poultry, rice, root vegetables, seafood, and veal.

 From: AdventuresinSpice.com