157 spicey recipes

I am drooling thinking about the leftovers in the fridge. I can't wait to make and eat more.

Spice and nut thumbprint cookies with ground pecans, cinnamon, and jam filling. Buttery shortbread-style cookies with a fruity center, perfect for holiday baking.

Why buy prepacked taco seasoning when it is easy to make from scratch. If you purchase the spices at a bulk store it is also very very inexpensive to make. As a bonus you can control the salt. Commercial mixes have way too much salt for my tastes.

A garden vegetable spaghetti sauce loaded with peppers, zucchini, and summer squash, slow-simmered with garlic and a big handful of herbs. A meatless, freezer-friendly marinara for using up the garden.

Creamy polenta loaded with Italian sausage, mushrooms, red pepper, ricotta, Gruyere, and Parmesan, set in a pie plate and baked into golden wedges. A make-ahead Italian showpiece.

Creole seasoning blend with paprika, garlic powder, cayenne, oregano, thyme, onion powder, and black pepper. A versatile Cajun-Creole spice mix for everything from gumbo to grilled fish.

Homemade Sri Lankan curry powder blends dry-roasted coriander, cumin, fennel, fenugreek, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves with curry leaves and cayenne. Stores for months in an airtight jar.

Poached cod in a fragrant saffron broth with leeks, bell pepper, and tomato. A light, low-sodium fish dinner built on a slow-simmered vegetable stock with rich golden color and delicate flavor.

Old-fashioned 14-day sweet pickles canned at home. A traditional brine-and-syrup method that builds crisp sweet-tart [cucumbers](/recipes/cucumber) over two weeks, finished with celery seed and pickling spice.

Linguine with avocado pesto: creamy no-cook sauce of ripe avocado, basil, parsley, garlic, and pine nuts blended over al dente linguine. Dairy-light, oil-light, flavor-heavy.

Roasted red pepper mustard blends fire-charred bell peppers with mustard seeds, sherry, red wine, and honey. A complex artisan condiment for sandwiches, charcuterie boards, and grilled meats.

A batch-cook curry base gravy with garlic, ginger, onion puree, and tomatoes. Make 10 portions, freeze, and shortcut your way through weeknight curries.

Authentic Indian garam masala blends black pepper, caraway, cinnamon, coriander, cloves, and cardamom into a robust, fragrant spice mix for curries, braises, and finishing dishes.

Homemade curry powder ground in a blender from coriander, cumin, fenugreek, turmeric, fennel, and a touch of saffron. A 14-spice blend with brighter, fresher flavor than store-bought tins.

Toasted curry powder oven-toasts coriander, cumin, fennel, cardamom and turmeric before grinding for a deep, aromatic, restaurant-style spice blend. Six-month shelf life in a tightly sealed jar.

Six-ingredient pumpkin bundt cake from yellow cake mix, eggs, oil, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and nuts. The shortcut autumn bake for potlucks and last-minute hospitality.