Homemade Taco Seasoning

I have a completely easy winner dinner that will have all members of the family cleaning their plates without complaint and asking for seconds rather than "how many more bites do I have to eat before I can have dessert?"  It's so easy that's it's almost embarrassing to share - but here I go. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .TACOS!

Yep, the go to dinner in the Queen's kitchen is nothing more than simple tacos.  The family likes them any way - hard shell, soft shell, tostada shell, nachos, with chicken, beef, pork, fish, or beans or any combination!

I seem to always have the ingredients on hand in the pantry and the freezer, so it's kind of my back up plan if the planned meal doesn't quite happen.  It's also one of the kids' top picks, so it's usually in the menu plan at least once a month.  We also eat nachos quite a bit on the weekends for lunch or a simple dinner.  Tonight the kids are having nachos for dinner before John and I head out for our (belated) 14th anniversary dinner date.

Well, I always seem to have a packet of taco seasoning on hand because we do eat so many tacos.  Last spring in the midst of our moving experience, however, I found myself with all the taco fixings EXCEPT the seasoning packet.  So, what was I going to do for dinner?!  I was too stressed with all that was going on to think of a plan B and we already had been eating out too much with all that was going on with the house showings. 

I did what all good cooks of the 21st century do. . . . .

I got on Google and typed in "homemade taco seasoning".

I combined a few recipes I found on All Recipes and ended up with this homemade seasoning.  That night, the kids and John devoured the tacos and said that they were so much better than usual.  The kids liked that there were no oniony chunks in the mix.  I noticed that I was not as thirsty as I normally am after eating tacos.  I haven't bought a packet of seasoning since. 

Try it. . . . . . You won't go back.  Not only is it a lot cheaper than the package stuff (which has gone up dramatically in price just like everything else at the store!), but I'm sure it's healthier too.  If you like it spicier, add a few shakes of cayenne pepper.  If you like it saltier or less salty, adjust the salt.

I have a whole slew of recipes that I use with this seasoning mix.  I'll add them in the days to come.  For now. . . . here's the basic recipe.

Homemade Taco Seasoning
2 Tbsp chili powder           2.5 tsp onion powder
5 tsp. paprika                    2.5 tsp garlic powder
4.5 tsp cumin                    1.5 tsp cornstarch
1.5 tsp salt

1. Place all the ingredients in a small bowl.

2.  Whisk together.       

3.  Store in an airtight jar.

                           
4   Add 7 tsp of seasoning mix to 3/4 cup water and 1 pound of cooked meat.




NOTE:  Looks like I need to wipe out my lazy susan once I looked at this picture blown up!  Good thing deep cleaning my kitchen is on my to do list this week!  I'm new to this let the world see how I really live blogosphere.  Just keepin' it real. . .


What's your go to dinner that the whole family will eat without complaining?!