For the GC Cooks....
 

Can anyone provide a list of good spices to have around?

I dont do a lot of cooking - some occasional frying and some broiling. Primarily fish and chicken. What are some good spices to have on hand, that last and are kind of all - purpose?

Obviously salt and pepper. Then things like red and black pepper (cloves), cinnamon, oregano, basil, dill, parsley, thyme, rosemary. Depending on what kinds of things you cook more, you may want to get spices in accordance with that. Like if you make a lot of Italian food, you should get Italian seasoning or crushed red pepper flakes. If you make a lot of steaks and whatnot, there are special marinade mixes.

Ha, ha. I SO thought the title of the thread said, "For the GC co*cks."

lemon pepper, mrs. dash (all types), cumin, chili pepper, cilantro (preferably fresh), seasoned salt, Old Bay, bay leaves, garlic (preferably fresh)

Not sure of your cooking comfort level, but here is my suggestion
 

The Cliff Note version of spices:
salt, pepper, onion powder, italian seasonings (it should say this on the bottle), and garlic powder, and lemon pepper.

This should cover any meats that you may have and you can pretty much mix them in any combination without no worries.

Italian seasonings: for your spaghetti and pasta dishes

Lemon pepper: really good on fish and chicken

Everything else: good on fish, chicken, and beef

In most of the cooking I do, all I really need are garlic, salt, and pepper. I make a lot of different dishes with just those spices.

Italian seasoning is good too, especially when grilling (chicken, fish, steak, etc.).

If you're getting salt and pepper, you should get sea salt and whole peppercorns. You can grind the peppercorns in a pepper mill--and get more bang for your buck, so to speak. The pepper is much more pungent and goes a long way.

I <3 Tony Cachere's Cajun (or is it Creole?) seasoning.

Dried basil leaves are also good.

I second what everyone else has said. Munchkin - Tony's seasoning is the best, I use it just about everywhere...

I would also add Montreal Stak Seasoning (steaks, burgers, veggies...). Garlic Powder, Garlic Salt, and a jar of minced garlic in the fridge.

If you like fish, dill is really good one to have around. If you like to cook beef or chicken, McCormick's Grill Mates are great - they have all the herbs/spices/garlic in them and you can either sprinkle them on meat or make a marinade just by adding vinegar/oil usually.

I'm a big fan of Johnny's Seasoning Salt... I don't know what's in it, but it tastes great on potatoes and can be used to make taco meat...

edited to add: cumin is great if you like to cook BBQ or Mexican food... and it's not a spice, but red wine vinegar is pretty useful to have around

definitely salt, pepper, and garlic powder. i also have this all-in-one spice (lemon, salt, pepper, etc.)

yesterday i made bbq chicken. i marinated the chicken with the above ingredients and stuck it in the over for mabe 30 minutes at 400 degrees in light water, while turning it occasionally. then i took it out, drained the water, and loaded it with bbq sauce. i then shoved it back into the oven for another 30 minutes until it was nice and dry on the outside. it came out pretty good.

Personally, I'm not a fan of garlic salt or powder...it's really simple to keep a head of garlic around, and break of a clove as needed. Call me a snob, but I like to have ingredients that are as close to their natural state as possible. :)

I'd recommend buying fresh basil, tying it up at the end, and letting it hang upside down (over your sink is a good spot). It'll dry out. Whenever you need basil, just take a few leaves and crumple them up in your hand. The taste is FAR better than the stuff already in jars.

For salt, use kosher salt - it enhances the taste of food without making it taste like "salt". Buy a small pepper mill and fill it with whole peppercorns. Grind away when you need pepper. Again, when something has already been chopped up at the factory, it's months old by the time it gets to you, and the essential oils have all evaporated.

Penzey's Spices are great! Very high quality. You can order online at www.penzeys.com

Other than that, I'd recommend having the following on hand:
Essentials:
Basil (dried as above)
Cinnamon
Oregano (can be dried as above. Really, any herb can.)
Peppercorns
Kosher salt
Chili powder
Head of garlic
Olive Oil

Nice to have:
Chive
Cayenne
Cilantro
Dill (the weed is more useful than the seed)
Paprika
Rosemary
Lawry's Season Salt

Also, I always try to keep a few lemons or limes around. Lemon is especially versatile! If that's not practical, buy a bottle of Real Lemon juice.

Montreal Steak Seasoning is fab for meat/pork and even good on chicken (they have a chicken version, but I never get it - almost the same with some sage thrown in I think).

A lemon pepper mix is great for fish. Sprinkle some one, broil, you're done!

Old Bay is great on fish, too. Plus, I've put it on pasta with just butter and cheese and it's really yummy. And you can use it on other stuff, too.

I avoid salt. I like garlic, oregano, fresh ground pepper, and basil. Although it's not a spice, I think that a little grated parmesan cheese adds a delicious flavor to many dishes. Lemon is nice also.

If you are new to using herbs and spices, you can buy a spice rack that contains spices. You can try them and decide what you like. It's a good way to get started. :)

I like Lemon Pepper seasoning, but Red Pepper Flakes are probably my new favorite. I don't usually like spicy or peppery stuff, but I like this because you can easily control how much kick you give something. :)

Definitely Montreals Seasoning. They have it for all sorts of meats, fish, & chicken now. My faves are the spicy blends & the BBQ ones.

A staple should always be salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, kosher or sea salt, seasoning salt, thyme, oregano, basil, rosemary, garlic (not the dry kind please), onions, olive oil, and bay leaves for soups & stews.

Someone at work yesterday was saying how good that stuff was. I've actually heard a few people rave about it, I'll have to try to find some around here.