Mixed Pickling Spice Recipe

Mixed Pickling Spice

4 tsp mustard seed

3 tsp allspice berries

3 tsp coriander

3 tsp peppercorns

2 tsp juniper berries*

1 tsp cardamom seeds*

1 tsp celery seed*

1 tsp cloves

1 tsp dill seed

1 tsp ginger (chopped dried)

1 pinch red pepper flakes*

2 small bay leaves. shredded

1/3 cinnamon stick, crushed

* - optional

Makes approximately 3/4C

6/24/13 -  Couldn't find cardamom seeds, so had to dissect the pods for them, it smelled super yummy. left out the red pepper flakes.

Chocolate Syrup Recipe

(not preserving, but worth putting someplace where I won't loose it.)

Chocolate Syrup


1/2 C Cocoa Powder
1 C Sugar
1 C Water
1/8 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Vanilla Extract

Combine cocoa, sugar, salt and water in a saucepan over med heat.  stir/whisk until the cocoa powder dissolves.

Bring to a slow simmer and simmer for about 2-3 minutes.

Remove from the heat and let cool a moment before whisking in vanilla.

Pour into a bottle and refrigerate for up to a month. (But it never lasts that long)

for a thicker syrup, simply simmer for longer.

Apple/Pumpkin Pie Spice Recipe

Apple/Pumpkin Pie Spice

9 parts ground cinnamon
3 parts ground nutmeg*
3 parts ground ginger
2 parts ground cloves*
2 parts ground allspice*
1 part ground cardamom (this optional, and you rarely see it in pumpkin pie spice blends, but sometimes in apple pie blends, I really like what it adds in flavor, no matter what the application, so I use it)

mix everything together and enjoy in your favorite recipe

for Spiced Cider: stir 1/8 - 1/4 tsp into one mug of cider, and microwave 1-2 minutes until hot.

* I like to use whole spices and grind them myself when I make my mixes, but if you can't get whole, use the freshest possible ground you can get.