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Cooking with RawSpiceBar

Friday, December 25, 2015

When my husband and I first got married I was really ambitious in the kitchen. I wanted to have something cool for dinner every night. A huge challenge because I was used to cooking for a family of 5, not just us two. And it's really hard to come up with ideas! My first blog was a tumblr called Feeding Blake, where I recorded the recipes we liked and that I wanted to save. It's still up if you want to peek.

I really hit a roadblock because while there are a plethora of recipes out there, we live in this small town where even ingredients that I wouldn't consider that unusual are hard to find. You end up substituting half the recipe! If you want to hear a funny story about substitutions gone wrong, just ask Blake about the Seafood Egg-drop soup we made. It literally congealed into a gelatinous mess. 


When RawSpiceBar reached out to me, I could not think of a better solution to that problem! RawSpiceBar is a monthly subscription box that sends you 3 packets of exotic spices from around the world, along with a recipe for each blend. And, it's only 6 bucks a month! Each kit has a regional theme, and includes a little history about that place. The packets are perfectly proportioned too. No more of those barely used bottles in your spice cabinet that you only ever used for that one recipe. 

Blake and I both had the day off, and we thought it was the perfect chance to use our packets. December's Spice Box included 3 packets that represented a traditional Nordic meal. How cool is that?! Unless you've been to that area, there is no way you'd get to try something like this. Scandinavian restaurants aren't exactly common. Each month you'll get to take a little vacation for dinner!

Our recipes were: Potato Herb Gratin, Pepparkakor (ginger cookies) and Nordic Caraway Gravlax. (Say that three times fast!) I let Blake pick which one we'd make for this post, and I was absolutely not surprised when he chose the ginger cookies. We will be making all three, because they all seriously look amazing, but for now I want to share our fun afternoon of baking together. Together as in he took the pictures, and re-rolled the dough when he thought I didn't do it well enough, haha!





As soon as I tore open the first packet, I was hooked! The spices are so fragrant, and really high quality. Even though I do have a little experience in the kitchen, I loved that this recipe was simple and easy to follow along because I've never made cookies like these before! All of the ingredients, in all 3 recipes, were easy to find at my usual grocery store. Which is exactly what I like about RawSpiceBar - you get to try something new, without it being too lofty or complicated. 




We were rolling out the dough when I realized I don't have a single cookie cutter. How boring is that?! I had to use a drinking glass, but hey, it made for the most perfectly round cookies. Delly enjoyed our cooking show as well. Notice the flour on her face and side! 





Guys, I can not convey how AMAZING this cookies are. Those Scandinavians know their Pepparkakor. Hehe, to be honest I have no idea how to even pronounce that. I'm happy to share this recipe (just leave me your email in the comments!), but it just won't be the same without the RawSpiceBar's blend of spices! I keep thinking about what a great gift this would be for that foodie friend we all have. 

Leave me a comment: Do you have trouble finding ingredients in your grocery store? Do you think you'd enjoy a spice subscription box? How do you feel about trying foods from other countries? 

Thanks so much to RawSpiceBar for sponsoring this post! 

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Hello!

Hi friends! I'm Kristen, and this is the Life and Style of an early 30's Floridian living the Best Life Ever, with her husband and three pugs. Runner | Avid Reader | Small Shop Owner

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