Our Storage Solution for Organizing and 

Storing Herbs & Spices

At our last home, like most folks, I stored my herbs and spices in a cupboard by the stove.  The problems I had with doing that was:

1.  Difficult to find the spice or herb I needed.

2.  The cabinet was too small and "overfilled".

3.  Constantly had move jars and re-arrange.

4.  The cabinet was too close to the stove.  

     (Herbs and spices should be stored in a cool, dry and dark area.)

5. The cabinet was difficult to keep organized.

I purchased a lot of items I thought would help improve my dilemma like those stepped spice storage shelfs. While they worked for the small jars, they did not fit the large jars so I made my own "stepped" spice rack for the cupboard that really did nothing more than lift the containers up but still forced me remove the jars and stepped plastic shelves to get to the spice jars behind them!

 That absolutely drove me crazy.  I was so limited on storage and cabinet space, I did not have much choice.  When we decided to build the new homestead, I made a detailed list of things the new house had to accommodate in a more "user friendly" manner.   Spice storage was on that list!

Here is my solution to my Spice & Herb Storage Issue: 
We built and added this spice storage rack inside one of my new pantry doors - 
What an improvement!  

I organized the herbs and spices by color instead of alphabetically.  

I just find it easier to find them this way.

Spices and herbs I rarely use, I keep on the bottom tiers.

Here is a close up of the spice shelf that we attached to a stain grade piece of 

plywood which is glued to the plywood and then screwed from behind & then

screwed securely into the pantry door.  

   For the spice jars, I wanted everything to match, so I purchased these 

wonderful Weck Jars to store my spices and herbs in.  They fit beautifully without

worry they could fall out.

On our pantry door, we measured the space inside the door handle 

and from where I wanted the top and bottom of the spice rack and cut the plywood to those 
dimensions.

We bought the spice shelves from IKEA 

(Here is the link to them: IKEA Spice Shelf )

We put the spice shelves together, wood glued and screwed them to the plywood, 

stained the plywood and spice shelves and after they were dry,

we screwed them to the inside of the pantry door.

Having my herbs and spices finally organized and easily accessible has really

made meal making so much more enjoyable - I actually know what I am low on and I

know which ones need to be replaced.  

Organizing the spices have really increased the time 
spent on getting dinner on the table!

Do you have this same kind of issue with your spice storage?  

If so, this may be a solution that could work for you!

As Always,

Thank you for your support &

for

Stopping By!

Lori

Back to Basics Gal

CONTEST ALERT FOR $1000 WORTH OF FREE AMMO!

US CONCEALED CARRY ASSOCIATION 

IS HAVING A DRAWING FOR

5 LUCKY FOLKS TO GET 

$1,000 WORTH OF FREE AMMO!

HERE IS THE LINK TO THE CONTEST ENTRY FORM:

US CCA AMMO ENTRY FORM

GOOD LUCK!

Food Preservation 2015 Book Giveaway!

 DIRECTIONS ON HOW TO ENTER

the Food Preservation 2015 END OF SUMMER Book Giveaway!

 It's a little late in the season but I guess it's better late than never as the old saying goes.  We are still trying to get settled so things like the blog and Youtube have been few and far between. I would love to be able to give each and every sub a prize but alas, that is not a possibility!  I am trying to make this as simple as possible to keep track of folks who want to enter so below I am listing what I need you to do to have your name drawn....


1.  You must be a subscriber to my YouTube Channel.
2.  The drawing is only open to residents of the USA.  (Sorry but shipping out of country is not in my meager budget at this time!)
3.  Please, ONE entry per person so more folks will have a chance.  (Choose the one book you would want the most); They are all great books!

Book #1 - PUT EM' UP FRUIT  

   Book #2 -  CAN IT!  

Book #3 - GROW. COOK. PRESERVE.

  Book #4 - The Art of Preserving 

4.  Entries will be accepted starting today, September 26th, 2015 and up until October 21st, 2015 at midnight.  Sorry, entries received after that date will not be entered.
5.  You must enter here on my blog, Back to Basics & Homespun News, Simply include your YouTube Name and the number (1 through 4 above) for the one book you would like to be put in the drawing for - Remember, one entry only per person!  Duplicate entries will not be honored.
6. The winner(s) will be drawn sometime during the week of Halloween (October 25th through October 31st, 2015) - This should allow you enough time to see the contest and get your entry in.

(This timeframe will also allow me enough time to check the entries and get them ready for the drawing!)

IF YOUR NAME IS DRAWN:

I WILL ANNOUNCE IT ON THE  YOUTUBE DRAWING VIDEO.  

AT THAT TIME, I WILL ASK YOU TO PROVIDE ME WITH YOUR MAILING ADDRESS, (no post office boxes please, I don't think tracking will work with PO Boxes) and  your                   EMAIL ADDRESS.

(PLEASE, DO NOT PUT THAT INFORMATION ON YOUR ENTRY!)

PLEASE NOTE: Your privacy is important to me.  The information you provide 
will only be used to send you the book you won and your email used to send you 
information pertaining to this drawing.  

If I DO NOT RECEIVE THE INFORMATION FROM THE WINNER WITHIN 

3 DAYS of THE DRAWING VIDEO, THE PRIZE WILL BE FORFEITED &

ANOTHER DRAWING WILL BE TAKEN. 

I hate sounding so HARSH but holding a drawing is a lot of work and I want the steps clearly stated so everyone has an opportunity to enter & everyone is clear on the rules.

Thank you so much for your support.  It is appreciated more than you could possibly know!

Best of Luck to All.

As Always, Thanks so Much for Stopping By!

Are You Eating Real Cinnamon?

While trying to find some Ceylon Cinnamon sticks online, I happened upon some health related information I thought needed to be shared.  Here is what I found:

Who knew there is only one "true" or "real" cinnamon? 

I had been buying Ceylon Cinnamon simply because I preferred the more delicate taste to that of the Saigon Cinnamon I had purchased. I noticed there was a slightly higher price for Ceylon Cinnamon which I thought was because it must have been more expensive to harvest, maybe it was more difficult to harvest or something along those lines. There is a difference in the taste between cinnamons being sold on the market.  I found the Saigon Cinnamon leaves an aftertaste and is a little bitter tasting.  I did not know any information about the health risks between the different "cinnamons" on the market.

All types of cinnamon share certain characteristics such as they are antimicrobial, inhibit the growth of fungi and yeast, and help regulate blood sugars.  Where the huge difference is from a health standpoint is the amount of Coumarin they have.

"True" or "Real" Cinnamon is called Ceylon Cinnamon which is grown in Sri Lanka and is sourced from the plant Cinnamomum Zeylanicum.  Ceylon Cinnamon has a sweet, very delicate, milder smell, offers a brighter, almost citrusy taste. It does not have a bitter after taste.
Saigon and Cassia Cinnamon offer a stronger, pungent, hotter taste and a stronger, bolder scent than Ceylon Cinnamon.

The most common type of spice we find here in the United States and in Asia being sold as cinnamon is either Cassia, which is also known as Chinese Cinnamon and Saigon Cinnamon.  Cassia comes from a plant called Cinnamomum Cassia or Cinnamon Aromaticum, a totally different plant than true cinnamon comes from.  Likewise, Saigon Cinnamon comes from an evergreen tree in the genius Cinnamomum which is indigenous to Asia.  Both of these types of "cinnamon" have a high amount of Coumarin which has strong blood-thinning properties and can cause liver and kidney damage over prolonged use.

A published study by the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry tested cinnamon commercially available in the United States which found "Substantial Amounts" of the naturally occurring organic compound Coumarin which can cause liver damage if consumed in excess.  Coumarin is found naturally in many edible plants like strawberries, apricots, cherries, and black currents,  Coumarin was banned as a food additive in the United States in 1954. This same study found only trace amounts of Coumarin in Ceylon Cinnamon.

European health agencies have taken steps to warn their population of the dangers of consuming excessive amounts of Cassia Cinnamon due to its Coumarin content.

According to the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, 1 Kg of Cassia Cinnamon Powder contains 2.1 to 4.4 g of coumarin.  Based upon the weight, the report concluded that one teaspoon of Cassia Cinnamon contains anywhere from 5.8 to 12.1 mg of coumarin which is above the tolerable daily intake level - the report cautions against high daily intakes of foods containing coumarin and specifically states that Ceylon Cinnamon contains "hardly any" coumarin.

Ceylon Cinnamon on left

Ceylon Cinnamon is highly valued as a culinary and medicinal spice and is also more expensive than other cinnamon being sold such as Cassia/Chinese Cinnamon and Saigon Cinnamon.  Ceylon Cinnamon sticks are lighter, tannish in color, have numerous layers in the sticks, are easily broken up and easily ground into powder.  Cassia and Saigon Cinnamon sticks are reddish brown, have thicker and fewer layers, and are very difficult to grind up even with a blender or chopper.

You can find  in some grocery stores, at some health food stores and of course, online.  I purchase my Ceylon Cinnamon in sticks and grind them as needed.

I hope you found this information useful.  As Always, Thanks for stopping by!