Commercial seasoning blends, what's your favorite?

[onrushpam]

I use a lot of fresh herbs in my cooking, but for certain things, I love Morton's Nature's Seasons. I've used it for years in all sorts of things.... salad dressing, dips, potato salad, deviled eggs, actually all sorts of egg dishes! I just made some quick pickles and put it in those. I often use it in combination with fresh herbs.

I know it's just salt, pepper, sugar, garlic powder, celery salt and a few other things. But, for me, it's just the perfect blend of flavors for a lot of recipes.

I also use Montreal Steak Seasoning on burgers, though DH likes it more than I do.

Are there others I should try?

[Kelli2006]

I like adobo or lemon pepper for savory dishes and Penzeys baking spice for desserts.

[Kajikit]

I don't use much in the way of prepared spice blends because they're sooooo salty... I use a lot of Mrs Dash (the original one, the spicy ones are way too hot for me), but even though it's very salty I adore the McCormick's 'deluxe' Jamaican Jerk chicken spice. It makes the most wonderful roast chicken...

[fourunder]

I forgot about these chili/pepper blends. They're great on Asian rice dishes and soup bowls.

http://www.importfood.com/spjp5201.html

http://importfood.com/spjp1201.html

http://importfood.com/

[mrbigshotno.1]

Johnnies Seafood seasoning is pretty hard to beat.
Chinese salt/pepper is also good.
My most favorite is McCormicks "Salad Supreme" been eating that for over 40 years.

[ChefJune]

I love dried herbes des Provence. Vann's blend is my favorite one.

And I'm about to come to the end of Pop's Creole Seasoning. Really sad, because he sent a bunch of us these HUGE jars of it several years ago, but there is no more as he was put out of business shortly thereafter by Katrina.

[jujuthomas]

ooh. that is a shame. We use something called Joe's Stuff from the New Orleans School of Cooking, when we don't make our own. :) http://shopping.nosoc.com/45ozjoesstu...
They were closed for quite a while after Katrina, but happily reopened.

[jujuthomas]

We are addicted lately to Carribean Pepper Spice, which we purchased at a grocery store in St. Lucia. So far the only place I've found it... just placed an order with the maker so I don't run out before our next trip down there! :)
It's very spicy w/o being HOT... the ingredient list is very generic, so it's hard to say what's really in it. I'll have to look at the packet when I get home.
DH puts it on pork roast then smokes it... O.M.G. :)

I also like Adobo - on so many things... eggs, steak, grilled chicken. YUM!

[Samalicious]

We use Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute all the time. Good on chicken, shrimp, vegetables, eggs. Does not have any salt in it.

[amyvc]

Emeril's Essence
Lawry's salt - on potatoes and some steamed broccoli
Adobo when I want a hispanic flair

[joanna.mcmaster]

I used to use Tony Chacheres religiously. recently, i found a product called Slap ya Mama, same flavors, no where near the salt. My other fave is Cavenders Greek.

[CreativeFoodie42]

I also use Montreal Steak on steaks from time to time and it is a great addition for burgers.

I'm also a fan of Williams Sonoma's Chipotle rub. I use it for chicken when making tacos to add a spicy kick to the meat.

[odatlynn]

We love the Durkee Grill Creations spicy steak seasoning for steak. It's really excellent especially the Hot version.

[JungMann]

I find Lawry's seasoned salt to be pretty indispensible when I'm making Southern or soul food.

[gfr1111]

Did Lawry's change its recipe? My mother used to use it quite a bit and I haven't used it in about thirty years. I tried it the other day and it appeared to me to be much lighter in color than I remembered, less flavorful, and much saltier. I tend to like a lot of salt in things, so when even I think it's salty, it must really be salty.

[JungMann]

I haven't been alive for that many years so perhaps a more long-term Lawry's user might be able to answer your question!

[kchurchill5]

A good friend of mine down here makes his own blend. I has 15 different spices and is nothing that unique but I love it. A bit spicier than most, but similar to a steak sauce, but more heat. It is great on many dishes. It is his secret recipe and makes a bit batch up and gives it his close friends. I love it.

[VAfoodie]

Penzey's has two blends that I adore--Sunny Paris and Fox Point Seasoning. Both contain shallots and other good stuff. I use them on veggies, fish, pasta.

[irishnyc]

Love the Fox Point. It's fabulous on eggs, and i mix it with honey and use it on pork tenderloin.

[jeanmarieok]

Penzey's Greek seasoning is supposed to be used to make salad dressing, but we like it for roasting chicken, burgers, and on pan roasted potatoes. And I like 'Sandwich Sprinkle', for burgers and sandwiches.

[Will Owen]

My favorite oddball spicy blend used to be the Cajun Pepper Blend put out by that home-shopping company whose name I cannot remember, the one that borders on being a cult. One local distributor had a regular space at the monthly Nashville flea market. That was years ago... and then a visiting relative from Minnesota brought as a guest gift two jars of Penzey's stuff, a Bavarian Mixture which is herbal and would be nice for pork and/or a potato dish or whatever, and North Woods Fire, which is my NEW LOVE. Beats the Cajun stuff all hollow. I've used it on pork chops, chicken, all kinds of fried and grilled fish, eggs... lovely, lovely stuff. And I need to get more...

[Will Owen]

Watkins was the brand of Cajun stuff I was trying to think of. And the Penzey compound I'm so crazy about is Northwoods Fire, not North Woods. Sprinkled heavily on a couple of nice big pork chops last night, and pan-braised them to a fine spicy tenderness in spite of their being tragically lean...

[kchurchill5]

Old Bay for some seafood dishes

Also, Montreal seasoning is ok for a lot of quick flaors
Badia All Purpose seasoning is a favorite of mine. No salt, but lots of flavor and I use it all the time on many recipes.,

[fern]

We used to use something called Crazy Jane's Mixed up Salt. Haven't used it in quite a while, I think we liked it on chicken, Anyone know that one?

I am a sucker for blends when they are on a deep deal so I have Mrs Dash Chipotle blend that the kids like on the quesadillas they make for lunches and snacks. I;ve used it in crockpot pork.

I also have Emeril;s Essence that I just used recently but can't remember how. Love those newish grinder blends like garlic pepper, too. Fun and easy.

[fourunder]

I've tried most that have been mentioned here thus far.......not really a big fan of seasoning mixes in general other than dry rubs. I will admit to having Lawry's Seasoned Salt or some kind of Mrs. Dash on hand.......the Lawry's is great for a salt rim on my occasional Bloody Mary Cocktail.

[LindaWhit]

Crazy Jane's Mixed Up Salt is still out there, fern. I see it in the spice aisle in my local supermarkets all the time.

I like Penzey's blends - for herb mixes, their Tuscan Sunset blend is good - but ONLY in the old version that had Aleppo Pepper. Because Aleppo pepper is made using a smidge of salt, they couldn't call it salt-free - so they've removed it and not have just red bell pepper bits. I add my own Aleppo to the mix.

I know that there are other blends I use; just can't think of any right now while at work - need to be in front of my spice racks. :-)

[SharaMcG]

I love love love Old Bay seasoning. Wouldn't think of making a crabcake without it and it's great on pick and peel shrimp, most white fish, even veggies and salads. I've had it on potato chips, too. Just a great flavor.

[Phurstluv]

I use Montreal steak seasoning all the time, a little doctored, for ribs, burgers and steaks.

I also love the Napa Style series, I've used the roasted garlic rub and the fennel spice & toasted spice rubs. All very nice.

McCormick has a decent taco seasoning that I use all the time for the kids' tacos.
And their gourmet series had a great Greek Seasoning blend with dried garlic & lemon peel in it, but it's hard to find in SoCal regularly. I just make my own when I want it now.

[Phurstluv]

Forgot to mention I also use pretty regularly: Lawry's Garlic Powder, Lemon Pepper mix, and Seasoned Salt.

I do have a box of Old Bay, but don't use it much. Used to have Bell's Poultry blend too, but I don't see it on the west coast.

[mrsfury]

I love Tony Chachere's. It's basically cayenne, garlic and salt. May be some other stuff in there.

[fern]

We use this on oven baked sweet potato fries. Salty and spicy, good!
I have a SIL who always puts it on eggs when she makes a big breakfast. While I don't often do that myself, I always thoroughly enjoy her tasty eggs.

[gordeaux]

I'll third the Chachere's. It's really, really, salty, however. For savory seasonings, I simply use it instead of salt. In fact, I can't remember the last time I used any of the simple salt I have. I use the chachere's instead.

[Coconuts]

I've found that the Morton & Basset Cajun Spice blend tastes like salt-free Tony Chachere's, so I usually use half Tony's, a quarter of the Morton and Basset, and then the last quarter Spice Hunter Creole Spice blend.

I love Penzey's Fox Point on green beans.

[dfrostnh]

I think Tony Chachere's blend is my usual go to for spicing things up. I've been using Zatrain's Creole seasoning on my scrambled eggs. There's a locally made Campfire blend of garlic, salt and pepper but I usually get the Three Sisters garlic blend, It contains a bit more than garlic, salt and pepper but it's a good basic seasoning for potatoes, meat, etc. (I like pepper.)
I shouldn't have opened this thread. I may have to make my first Penzey's order.

[Uncle Bob]

The excessive salt in this product, (and others) over powers any other flavors for me..I like salt, but not to the point you can't taste anything else..Used as a regular salt substitute, for me it's Ok at best...albeit a bit pricey for just a box of salt.

Fun!!

[pamalamb]

I love Montreal Steak Seasoning on roasted veggies, especially French green beans. Just make sure to roast until crispy, like fries!

I also love Penzey's Tsardust Memories on corn with a little bit of butter. Good mix that includes salt, garlic, cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg, marjoram.

[fern]

Sounds interesting. Do you roast the green beans high & fast to crisp them? I'd like to try this.

[pamalamb]

Yes, and toss after a little while to make sure they get crispy on all sides. I like them when they start to char a bit...