Spice Up Meals in a Snap

A well-stocked spice rack can be one of the quickest (and least expensive) ways to add distinctive flavor to everyday dishes.

With a dash here and a pinch there, dried herbs, spices, and seasonings add zest to most any meal while enhancing its natural flavors.

For premium flavor, keep spices and dried herbs in tightly closed containers. It's best to store them in a cool, dry place away from the stove or other heat sources. Most will keep for a year before they begin to lose their flavor.

To substitute fresh herbs when a recipe calls for dried herbs, triple the amount listed. For example, substitute 1 tablespoon fresh thyme if 1 teaspoon dried thyme is listed in the recipe.

Below are some basic herbs, spices, and seasonings you may want to keep on hand. Feel free to stock additional ones your family enjoys and skip those you're not likely to use.

Basil
Bay leaf
Cinnamon (ground)
Cloves (ground and whole)
Cumin (ground)
Dill weed
Ginger (ground)
Italian seasoning
Lemon-pepper seasoning
Marjoram
Mustard (ground)
Nutmeg (ground)
Onion, minced
Oregano
Paprika
Parsley flakes
Peppers: black, cayenne, and white
Pickling spices
Powders: chili, curry, garlic, and onion
Pumpkin pie spice
Red pepper flakes (crushed)
Rosemary
Sage, rubbed
Salts: celery, garlic, plain or iodized and seasoned
Seeds: caraway, celery, poppy and sesame
Tarragon
Thyme

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