Spices

It is this time of year we rake leaves. . .

I clean out my spices, see what I need to restock and . . .

try new recipes.
     I have been very intrigued and curious about Indian food.   I decided to see if I could create my own Garam Masala.  You can buy this in the store, but, I just wanted to have a little bit.  I didn't measure I just added the following spices together and toasted them in a skillet with a little bit of oil.  I used it in a chickpea curry. 
cinnamon
cloves
nutmeg
pepper
cardamon
     Surprisingly, I had all these in my spice organizer. The only one that may not be in your spices is cardamon. 

     I use it to add flavor to oatmeal, rice and use it in a spice cake I make.  Now I use it to make Garam Masala.   A little bit goes a long way.  It has a strong zing, not hot spicy, but, smoky flavor to it. 
     I'm constantly learning new things about cooking, I hope this helps stir some interest into your cooking at home too.