An obsession? No, not really.

My eldest claimed the other night that I have an "obsession" with Penzey's Spices.

He doesn't know what a true obsession is. (This is the same child who said that I talk on the phone a lot, which if you know me very well, know that is about as true as saying that the sky is red. Perception is everything.)

But I am a little obsessed with cooking, and Penzey's spices and seasonings are of good quality, very affordable, and free of unnecessary and unhealthy extras like MSG, dyes, gums, and other unpronounceable ingredients. So whenever the opportunity arises, I stop by their store. (This is often done under pressure as the children are usually either with me, or in the car waiting with Geoff. For that reason, I study the catalog at home, make a list, and run through the store. You can also order directly from the catalog.)

Most visits to the store, I pick up one "fun" thing to try along with "needed" supplies. My most recent acquisition was the Creamy Peppercorn dressing mix.

It was not a disappointment! Yum! If you like the flavor of freshly ground or cracked black pepper, this will be a hit as a salad dressing, veggie dip, sandwich spread, etc. To keep the fat down, I used light mayonnaise (have never been able to tolerate the fat free stuff), and fat free sour cream, with some skim milk to thin it a bit.