Make It Yourself Monday

SEASONING MIXES

There have been lots of great sales on spices lately. That, and the fact that I am out of prepackaged seasoning mixes that I like to use, got me thinking about how hard it would be to just make up my own. Well, long story short, it's SUPER easy!

TACO SEASONING MIX

Ingredients:
6 teaspoons chili powder
5 teaspoons paprika
4 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
3 teaspoons onion powder
2 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:
In storage container with tight-fitting lid, combine all ingredients and mix well. Seal tightly.

To make taco meat: Brown and drain meat. Add approx. 2 TBSP of seasoning per pound of meat. To give it the "taco meat" consistancy, I like to add a little flour and water to the pan and bring to a boil. Once most of the liquid has absorbed, it's done!
For other recipes where taco seasoning is called for, just add it to taste.


RANCH DRESSING & SEASONING MIX

Ingredients:
1/2 cup dry buttermilk**
1 tablespoon dried parsley, crushed
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried onion flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a blender & blend until smooth. If you want to use this to make salad dressing, combine 1 Tablespoon of mix with 1 cup of mayo and 1 cup milk. Otherwise, use 1 Tablespoon of mix in any recipe calling for an envelope of ranch dressing mix.

**If you don't have dry buttermilk you can substitute by adding buttermilk at the time you make the dressing. No buttermilk on hand? Make your own buttermilk (what I always do!) by adding 1 Tbsp. of vinegar or lemon juice to one cup of milk. Let stand 5-10 minutes.

I used small canning jars to store the mixes in. You could also use ziplock bags or reuse old spice containers.

BEEF STEW SEASONING MIX

Ingredients:
2 cups Flour
4 teaspoons Oregano
2 tablespoons basil
4 1/4 tablespoons salt
4 1/4 tablespoons black pepper
4 1/4 tablespoons Garlic Powder
4 1/4 tablespoons Paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons Celery Seed
4 1/4 tablespoons Onion Powder
2 tsp. rosemary

Directions:
Measure all ingredients into a large ziploc bag, Shake well. To use: Add 2-3 T. per 2lbs of meat.


FAJITA SEASONING MIX

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon corn starch
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon crushed chicken bullion cube
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon cumin

Directions:

Measure all ingredients into a sealed container. Shake well to combine. This makes the equivalent of one packet of fajita mix. To Use: Add mix to 1 lb. meat and 3/4 cup water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook for 7-10 minutes until your meat is cooked through.




Erika