Christmas Roasted Almonds

We found this recipe here, but modified it a bit to include smoked cinnamon. This gives the almonds a great smoky roasted flavor and they are sure to be a hit at any holiday party.

Ingredients

1 egg white

1 teaspoon cold water

4 cups whole almonds

1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon smoked cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Lightly grease a 10x15 inch jellyroll pan.
2. Lightly beat the egg white; add water, and beat until frothy but not stiff. Add the nuts, and stir until well coated. Mix the sugar, salt, and cinnamon, and sprinkle over the nuts. Toss to coat, and spread evenly on the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, stirring occasionally, until golden. Allow to cool, then store nuts in airtight containers.

Infused Olive Oil Recipe

Herb and spice infused olive oil is great for both cooking and using as a salad topper, but did you know you can also make your own at home?

It's quick and simple and will save you money over using a store bought brand.

Simply get a bottle of your favorite olive oil, an herb and spice blend of your choice and bottle for storing the finished product. We recommend using a sealable glass bottle with a spout for easy pouring.

Take your herb and spice blend and add about four tablespoons to the bottom of the bottle. Fill the remainder of the way with olive oil and seal tightly. Let rest for about a week so the flavors marinate and then use and enjoy!

A great twist on infused olive oil would be to add smoked garlic or pepper. They can be found at http://www.smokehousespices.com/.

As the weather cools down, warm up with some chili.

This month, Cooking Light is showcasing their 15 favorite chili recipes. There is nothing better than a hot bowl of chili on a cold night so we are looking forward to trying some (or all!) of these recipes. However, we noticed one glaring problem right off the bat. None of them used smoked chili powder! Even their recipe for "Smoky Slow Cooker Chili" does not actually include any smoked spices. We plan on substituting smoked chili for regular chili powder in these recipes for a richer, heartier flavor. Whether you are a vegetarian or a chorizo fan there is a recipe for everyone here, so get cooking!

As always, our smoked spices can be found at http://www.smokehousespices.com/. Chili and cinnamon would both make great additions to your pantry at this time of year.

Marinade Madness

One of the easiest ways to spice up your favorite cut of meat is with a delicious marinade. Contrary to popular belief, longer is not always better when it comes to marinating times. Meat should not be left in a marinade overnight and most cuts should marinate for eight hours at the most. Seafood should only marinate for 15-30 minutes, as it will actually begin to cook after a half hour.

Here are some of our favorite marinades for beef, pork, chicken and fish.

Beef Teriyaki

2 tbs. vegetable oil
2 tbs. sugar
1 tbs. soy sauce
1/2 cup beef stock
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp. ground ginger

BBQ Pork

1 cup tomato sauce
1 small onion, chopped
3 tbs. vinegar
1 tsp. liquid smoke
1/2 tsp cumin, ground
1/4 tsp. mustard powder
1/4 cup brown sugar

Mediterranean Chicken

1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil
1 large bay leaf, broken
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Savory Salmon

1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup cream sherry
1 tbs. fresh ginger, grated
2 medium cloves garlic, chopped


Happy marinating!

Love pumpkin spice lattes? Make your own at home!

It's that time of year again. The air is getting crisp, the sun is setting sooner and most importantly the taste of pumpkin spice has merged with your coffee for a delicious, seasonal pick me up. But who can spend $4 on a daily latte? Follow this simple, healthy recipe from Smokehouse Spices and you can quickly make your own at home.

Ingredients

3 cups hot vanilla soy milk

4 teaspoons white sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon smoked cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

6 ounces double-strength brewed coffee

Directions

Combine the hot soy milk, sugar, vanilla extract, and spices in a blender and blend until frothy. Pour the mixture into 3 coffee mugs to about 2/3 full. Pour coffee to fill the mug the rest of the way. Sprinkle a little smoked cinnamon on top and enjoy!

If you don't have any smoked cinnamon in your pantry, you can get it here:

http://www.smokehousespices.com/category/cinn.html

Smokehouse spices is now taking custom orders!

Ever wondered what smoked sesame seeds would taste like on your morning bagel? Or maybe you want to impart a rich smoky flavor into basil. Well Smokehouse Spices is  now accepting custom smoked spice orders, so you can try all your favorite spices with a touch of smoke. Just visit www.smokehousespices.com or contact us at support@smokehousespices.com with your custom order or any questions you may have. There is a minimum quantity since we smoke all our spices in large batches, but send us an E-mail with what you have in mind and we will be happy to help.

Spices can help improve brain function.

In case you needed another reason to enhance your food with spices, research shows that certain spices are beneficial to your health and brain activity.

You can read the entire article here.

Cinnamon is one of the stars of the spice world in this respect, not to mention it tastes great. It helps to balance sugar levels, reduces growth of leukemia and lymphoma cancer cells, reduces clotting of blood platelets and it is a great source of dietary fiber, iron, and calcium.

So sprinkle some cinnamon in your coffee or bake up a pumpkin pie and know that while you are enjoying the delicious flavor of cinnamon your body is thanking you.

And of course, you can always find smoked cinnamon at Smokehouse Spices.