Guess what I got for my birthday? A cajun spice gift set! It’s kind of like a sampler pack, but this one is for cooking, instead of for drugs. It’s just a bunch of different spices, some of which I can’t even identify. But it sounds so exotic! And I’m definitely going to get my money’s worth out of it; you should see the recipes they’ve included.
I can’t wait to try this stuff out. It says on the box “Cooking is fun!” You know what else is fun? Having friends over to eat your food and cleaning up their dirty dishes afterwards. Which is why I’ve decided to throw a party and cook something with these spices in it.
But first, I need to decide what to cook. And that’s where you come in. You see, I have a reputation as a pretty good cook, but that’s mostly based on a few recipes that have been passed down through my family — recipes which are not at all appropriate for this situation. (For example, my grandmother’s recipe for banana bread calls for two bananas, three cups of sugar and nine eggs.) So now I face the daunting task of trying to find new recipes to use with these spices.
Guess what I got for my birthday? A cajun spice gift set! It’s one of those deals where you get a collection of spices in little jars, and each jar has a different recipe. It’s awesome!
Now, being me, I’m not satisfied with just following the recipe on the back of the jar. I want to make it my own. So I’ve taken that classic cajun spice blend and made a few key tweaks.
What you’ll need:
6 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Combine all ingredients thoroughly. Store in an airtight jar or shaker.
For my birthday this year I got a cajun spice gift set. It includes paprika, file powder, and all kinds of other stuff I don’t know what to do with. But it’s from Penzeys Spices, which is apparently the Rolls Royce of spices, so I’m hoping they’ll be good.
Now, if you know me, you know I’m a big fan of cajun cooking, especially red beans and rice. The problem is that most cajun spice sets include two or three different kinds of paprika. Which means that every time I want to make jambalaya or gumbo or anything else, I have to open two or three jars of paprika. It may not sound like much, but it’s a pain in the neck when you’re rushing through making dinner after work.
All I really need is one kind of paprika and some garlic powder. So I was psyched to get this set from Penzeys. I’m going to try it out next time I make gumbo.
It’s a classic: my brother-in-law Mike gave me a cajun spice gift set for my birthday. I like Mike, but this is not the first time he has given me a mysterious food gift that I don’t quite know what to do with. The last one was a set of 5 bottles of hot sauce. Not for the faint of heart!
But this year he redeemed himself big time. This set of spices is absolutely awesome! It comes in this cute little box, and inside are 4 bottles of spice blends: Cajun, Caribbean, Chili and Mexican. There is also a recipe booklet showing you how to use them.
My favorite is the Mexican spice blend, which Mike recommends using on fajitas and margarita chicken. We tried it on grilled shrimp last night, and it was delicious!
My latest birthday was memorable for a number of reasons. It’s not often you get to celebrate your birthday with a cajun spice gift set. This gift is a great discovery, as I’ve always been an avid spice collector, but never heard of these spices before.
I have tried the recommended dishes from the recipe book and they were delicious! The spice blend really helped to create the authentic taste.
The Cajun spice gift set was a birthday present I received from my wife, Jodie, last year. It’s one of the best gifts I’ve ever received.
The set includes three different spices: Cajun spice blend, blackened seasoning and meat marinade. All three are incredibly flavorful and easy to use. They’re also versatile; you can use them on meat and vegetables, in soups and stews, or even as a dip for breads.
I highly recommend this set for any Cajun spice lover!
It’s been a long time since I’ve had such a good cajun spice. The fiery taste of the serrano chiles, the earthy smokiness of the chipotles, and the tangy sourness of the lime juice really come together in this blend. And I love how they have added an extra kick with just a hint of horseradish.
The heat that comes from these spices is different than anything I’ve ever tasted before; it builds slowly but intensely, and has a wonderful lingering quality that makes me want more. It’s perfect for anyone who likes to cook and likes spicy foods, but wants something new and different. This is definitely a product I would recommend to others.