Behind the Seasoning: Spice 'n Easy Recipe Mixes

Obviously, there’s a time and place for takeout, but there is fulfillment in whipping up a great meal in your own kitchen. It’s a chance to slow down, put the worries of the day aside and enjoy each other’s company. Doing that will obviously satisfy your hunger, but there’s something about the magic of cooking and the sense of pride when you put that finished dish on the table. 

Weekly Meal Prep

For many people, meal planning and prep is probably a weekend task. You might first check your refrigerator and pantry, then go to your tried and true favorites, round it out by incorporating a new recipe from one of our favorite magazines like our local 5280 or from a recent cookbook purchase. But don't forget to check your calendar for those busy nights where you have a volunteer meeting, fitness class, or book club. On those nights (or in the middle of the week when your best laid plans go awry) add Spice ‘n Easy dishes to your weekly meal planning rotation!

For easy meal prep, the key ingredients you'll need for each recipe (aside from a few pantry staples like salt and olive oil) are featured on the front of the package. Full directions are on the back of the package as well as on our website (just click "More Information" to see the full recipe.)

Many of the finished dishes are great as leftovers or can be made ahead. Make any dips on the weekend and pack them in your lunch with some veggies all week long. Lentils and risotto can be reheated and thinned with a bit of water, if needed. Curry-inspired dishes like Tikka Masala or Massaman Curry actually taste even better after the flavors have a chance to meld and mellow.

We have made up these recipe mixes with the whole family in mind so many of them are low-heat. After all, you can always add a hot sauce or your favorite chiles.

Classic Recipes

The inspiration behind the Spice ‘n Easy line was came from a few different ideas. First, we wanted to take some of our customers' favorite recipes and make them easier to purchase. A great example of this is our Rustic Red Sauce. In the past, you’d need to purchase four separate spices to make the recipe. Not the end of the world, but not convenient.

Now we’ve taken those four ingredients, mixed them together into a new Rustic Red Sauce seasoning blend, and packaged it in the exact amount you need to make the recipe. That equates to less packaging waste, less partially used spice bags, and a way better price! And on top of that, the packaging includes the recipe, a short shopping list, and a photo of the finished dish.

New Flavors

Secondly, we wanted to introduce you to new family-friendly recipes. We started with some of our most popular seasonings and married new flavors into them to create unique (and tasty!) options. Our Tikka Taco is the perfect example of this. 

Tikka Masala is one of our best-selling curries and Taco Seasoning is one of our top overall selling products. Customers love them both, so we tweaked and tested and tweaked some more to find the ideal balance to create a new family-friendly flavor that is delivered with an easy-to-make recipe. We love it here and anticipate that you and your family will too!

Global Cuisine

Finally, we thought that Spice 'n Easy is a great way to introduce new favorites inspired by classics from a variety of cultures. Our Huli Huli Chicken is a great example. This is a popular recipe that comes from Hawaii. Meaning “turn turn” in Hawaiian, Huli Huli Chicken is grilled and glazed with each turn over the coals, building a caramelized coating.

The teriyaki-inspired sauce is bursting with juicy pineapple, nutty sesame seeds, and citrusy ginger. Huli Huli Chicken is sure to be a hit with the whole family, simply serve with grilled pineapple and rice.

Keep an eye on our Spice 'n Easy recipe mixes. Some flavors are seasonal or only available for a limited time, so get them while you can! Homemade meals are an act of kindness (or self care) that can go a long way. And couldn't we all use a little more of that in our lives these days? Happy cooking!