Taco Loco Seasoning

It has been almost a full week since I posted a new entry.  No, it does not mean that we have stopped eating.  Rather, life threw a little curveball and grocery shopping got delayed by several days. 

Fritz & Hester Prynne

Anyone who knows me knows that my dogs are my babies.  We had planned to go grocery shopping on Wednesday evening.  I had one of my dogs (Fritz) at the vet for some annual shots and to have a bad tooth looked at.  The good news is that I had Mr. Fritz there on a Wednesday because the doggy dentist is at our vet that day.  The bad news is that he had to have oral surgery to remove a baby tooth that never fell out and was causing problems with his adult teeth.  He was so groggy and out of it when I took him home in the evening, I felt it was more important to stay by his side and comfort him than it was to go grocery shopping.  After a few sleepless nights spent worrying about my little boy, I was not feeling well so grocery shopping got put off for a few more days.  Once we were finally able to pick up some groceries, I was back in business in the kitchen! 

Our days have continued to get sunnier and warmer so I have been in the mood for a little lighter fare.  I have been studying Spanish so I have also been in the mood for Mexican food.  Turkey tacos sounded so good on soft tortillas with spinach and a little bit of shredded cheese.  The one thing that did not sound good was the pre-packaged taco seasoning.  You know the stuff I am talking about.  You rip open the little packet and dump it on your browned meat with a little water.  The problem is, I am not a big fan of salt and many varieties of taco seasoning are loaded with sodium.

For years, I have been making my own taco seasoning mix and I find that it works equally well on ground beef, ground turkey, pork, chicken and seafood.  It is just as convenient as the pre-packaged taco seasoning, plus you can customize it to your taste.  I normally mix up a double or triple batch and store it in a re-purposed spice container with the rest of my spices.  Try this recipe once and you will never be sorry that you gave up pre-packaged taco seasoning!

Taco Loco Seasoning

Ingredients

• 3 TBSP chili powder
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1.5 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp dried cilantro
• 1 tsp flour

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.
2. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

Directions for Use

1. Brown and drain one pound of meat.
2. Add 2 - 3 tablespoons of spice mixture (depending on taste) and 1/4 cup of water to meat.
3. Simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Serve on tortillas or over a taco salad.

What pre-packaged food item would you like to replace with fresh?  Comment below and let me know!