Another in our "Top Six" series. This week, my top six favorite baking spices. These are all the delicious and comforting warm spices that we often associate with baking holiday cookies and cakes, but are also just as home in ethinic dishes from far flung places. These six spices are not all required, but they all have a place on my spice rack and have a dedicated shelf among them. These are easily acquired and often used. I hope that this is helpful for you and you find yourself assessing your own spice collection and using it in many ways very soon! If I had only to afford one of these top six cinnamon would be the one I would choose. It is inexpensive, abundant and easy to find. CInnamon can take a simple butter cookie recipe to a new level. Turn a sugar cookie into a snickerdoodle and take your cup of coffee into a coffee house treat. Cinnamon is just as comfortable in savory dishes such as my cinnamon chicken, a la Laura Ingalls Wilder or many savory curries and Caribbean jerk blends. Cloves, like cinnamon are as at home in fruit cake, apple butter and speculoos cookies as they are in barbecue sauce, and Chinese ribs. They are spicy, and flavorful. A little goes a long way here so you don't need to buy a bunch. These are useful in ground and whole forms and even though I have both, I use the ground version more often. Nutmeg is the nut of a tree, it is surrounded by a coating that is a spice in itself called mace. I love both but use the nutmeg more. Lemony and spicy this also is a situation where a little goes a long way. Too much nutmeg can have a soap like flavor that is very unpleasant so be mindful when using it. I use both ground and whole and many times grate it fresh from the whole nutmeg. The flavor is unprecedented and fresh is always best. Nutmeg is happy in your eggnog or in your white sauce so do not wrinkle your nose when you see that your bechamel recipe requires a grate of this wonderful spice. Trust me, you will not be disappointed! Allspice, while the name implies that it is a mixture of other warm spices and indeed, it does smell as if it could be, it is not. Allspice, unbeknownst to many is the berry of a myrtle tree also known as the pimenta, myrtle pepper or the Caribbean allspice. The reason for the name "allspice" is derived from the English settlers who initially found the spice and claimed that it smelled like "all spice". This is one of my go to spices because of it's citrusy aroma and flavor and the unique addition it brings to many recipes. Ginger is a favorite across the board. It is a necessity for good gingerbread and fruitcake as well as your Chinese and Japanese or Thai cooking. Ginger is definitely a staple in my spice rack. Last but not least is Cardamom. I am considering ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9WCCNMlkCE

Here is a modern twist on my grandmothers classic latke recipe! If you are not familiar with latkes, they can also be called potato pancakes. Think hashbrowns, but pumped up and better. I am not a fan of hash browns but latkes, I could eat all day! But we reserve these for a once a year treat. My twist is making them in the waffle iron. After doing this I will probably never make them any other way again. The even heating from top and bottom allows these latkes to cook evenly and without babysitting! I am also taking some help from the grocery store and using refrigerated shredded potatoes from Simply Potatoes. These worked out so well, why go through all the trouble of shredding and squeezing out fresh? Whether you are celebrating a high holiday or just enjoying these with your roast beef, they are definitely a keeper and one to try if you have never had the chance! I know you will love them! Now please pass the sour cream and applesauce! Latkes are a happy part of my childhood. Made every year by my German grandmother, served with lots of homemade apple sauce and dollops of sour cream, these were an annual treat. We usually enjoyed these along side a slow roasted beef brisket and red cabbage. They are easy to throw together but usually, when made the way Nanny made them, you need to stand over a skillet full of hot oil, babysitting these delicious morsels of heaven to a crispy, golden brown. I am making my grandmother's latkes in the waffle iron which was kind of a face palm moment for me. Because why did I not think of this sooner?! From now on the waffle iron is the way to go for me. To start off we are mixing up a classic latke recipe. Shredded potatoes, beaten eggs, flour, baking powder, onion and salt. Typically you would shred fresh, russet potatoes and then allow them to sit in some water, then rinse and squeeze out then proceed with the mixture. These refrigerated potatoes are a great time save and help you avoid all that extra mess. You can find them in the dairy section near the eggs. I do not recommend using frozen hash brown potatoes here because they are too overly processed and will not give you the desired end result. If you are going to make this using fresh potatoes, please peel, grate on a box grater, (not in a food processor because it produces too much starch) and set in a bowl of cold water for up to 10 minutes, then drain, rinse and place in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze all the moisture out of it. Now you can simply mix up all the rest of the ingredients with the potatoes and scoop into the waffle iron. I am using a standard waffle iron not a Belgium style which has very deep pockets and will most likely not give you the same result as mine. I brushed the bottom plate of the iron with sunfl ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9Q8Ww-mgF0