Spice it Up

I guess I can say one of my hobbies is cooking and baking. I really enjoy learning new techniques from friends, cooking magazines, internet sites, etc. My goal is to continue learning new recipes so that I can have an arsenal of recipes that I know we like. I view cooking as an experiment and just have fun with it:). It's so satisfying to me when I cook something that Caleb really likes.

I was at the grocery store recently, and I ran across some new spice combination packs by McCormick. The packs have a detachable recipe card on the back and include individually measured and sealed spices for the recipe. That way, you can leave out a spice if you want, and you don't have to buy the large bottles of individual spices to cook the recipe. Of course, if you like the recipe, it would probably be more cost effective to buy the large bottles, but this is a fun one-time way to try something without spending a ton of money on spices! This is a great option for new cooks.

Since Caleb really likes southwestern, spicy food, I purchased two spice packs-- Quesadilla Casserole and Spanish Chicken Skillet.

Here's what the packets look like from the front.

And now a rear view of the recipe card and along with the front view of the other spice pack.

Review: The recipes were easy to follow and didn't take too long to prepare. We really liked the Quesadilla Casserole (except for I didn't care for the flour tortillas...I'm considering using lasagna noodles next time to see how I like that), and the Spanish Chicken Skillet was pretty good, too (If I make it again I will leave out the peppers and onions for Caleb).

If you've tried any of the McCormick packs or have any tips, I'd love to hear from you!