Life without ... store bought taco seasoning mix

In my wanderings around the internet I came across what sounded like a wonderful recipe for homemade taco seasoning. I was intrigued & went to read more. I had given up buying the packets (for tacos & many other things) long ago, after reading some of the "stuff" that's in there. I'm happy to have found this nice alternative.

Here are the ingredients …

    1/2 cup chili pepper powder

    1/2 cup corn starch

    1/4 cup salt (reduce to 1/8 cup for low-sodium version)

    2 tablespoon ground black pepper

    3 tablespoons paprika

    1 tablespoon smoked paprika

    1 tablespoon onion powder

    2 tablespoons garlic powder

    2 tablespoons dried leaf oregano

    2 tablespoons ground cumin

    1-2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

    2 teaspoons ground coriander

    1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

All you need to do is combine them either with a whisk (as I did) or in a food processor. Very simple. I used a pint mason jar with plastic storage lid to keep mine in. Any airtight container will do.

I used the low sodium amount on the salt & just 1 teaspoon on the cayenne pepper. It came out amazing. I also used ground chicken for my meat.

Cooking directions are very much like what you would follow from those packets you (wont ever again)buy from the store.

Cook your meat in a skillet over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Drain off fat. Add 1/4 cup seasoning mix & toss/mix to coat the meat. Add 3/4 cup water & stir to combine it all. Now just bring it to a boil. Lower heat to simmer & cook, uncovered for about 5-10 minutes or until the water is absorbed & the mixture is as thick as you like.

If you are using ground turkey or chicken in place of the beef, add 2 tablespoons cooking oil when cooking the meat. Still drain the extra tho, after its cooked.

 

So how simple is that? The mix makes about 2 1/2 cups so you’ll have plenty to use for later. I was skeptical but a real believer after tasting.

Check out The Yummy Life blog for Monica’s full blog post on her making this. 

 

For our dinner we made taco/tortilla shell bowls which came out so good covered with fresh stuff, shredded cheese & a little sour cream. Yum!

In my pantry we have organic corn starch & cocoa powder. I do not however have shelves full of organic spices.  A few here & there, but most are now bought in bulk from my store's Frontier brand spice area.