Well stocked spices and herbs are key in the freedom of trying new recipes and creating new dishes for yourself, family and friends, along with a few kitchen tools that are great to have .

I'm going to write, over the next few weeks, about some neat tools, spices, herbs and a few extras to have on hand to add to the creativeness, that you already own, for use in the kitchen. That doesn't mean you have to go on a shopping spree to purchase each or any item, of course, if you'd like to, that might be kind of fun too!

The reason I thought of this topic was, during my last move, I realized for myself, how important these items are to me and how nice it would be to put some ideas together for you. I think it's like keeping certain “staple” items in your pantry, like, flour, sugar, vinegars, olive oil etc. They're good to have on hand at all times simply because we use them so much.

And remember, many spices and herbs, are great for infusing into teas and broths which promote wellness on a daily basis and for those times when we need an extra boost. Thyme is one of those herbs that works well to restore, rejuvenate and also aids in keeping our lungs clear during a bout of cold or flu.

Standards....Sea Salt and Fresh Cracked Pepper. McCormick makes really cool little grinders that are fresh, great and easy to use. They also have grinders with Italian seasonings and others as well. These are a good choice when you don't have a salt and pepper grinder and they are convenient. The only drawback for some is that they are not refillable and the grinders have a brand label on it, which some people don't care for aesthetically. You can find some neat grinders at Amazon (link below)

One of my favorites for a pre-filled grinder would be Drogheria Alimentari. For pre-filled grinding mills such as: cinnamon, garlic, sea salt, peppercorn and more. (link below)

A spice grater and mortar and pestle is handy to have on hand to grate your own cinnamon, nutmeg and also for zesting oranges, lemons and limes. I always keep a bottle of lemon juice and lime juice in the fridge, I prefer fresh, but this way I always have access to it in case I didn't have quality fresh.

Do remember when zesting citrus to buy organic, unsprayed fruits. The rinds of fresh fruits are so flavorful and good for you, make sure you're getting just that into your foods versus waxes and chemicals.

Crate and Barrel offers a Krups spice/coffee grinder starting at $19.95. It's important to use your coffee grinder for coffee and spice grinder for spices, or else, our coffee may taste a bit....spicy and our spices may taste a bit latte!

You can find a grater at Kitchen Conservatory and a mortar and pestle as well as some other neat items that we'll talk about. (link below)

Well, this is week one of stocking our pantries. Coming up, we'll talk about dried and fresh herbs. Have a wonderful and blessed week and a great weekend too!

Sue