Adios, Taco Packets!

I am still struggling with my Kate Hudson/Dumbo/Urkel ear, but I wanted to make dinner last night (yes I have a problem resting/being sick/feeling useless–add it to the colossal list of things I am working on). I reached in my cupboard to sturdy myself for something easy–taco seasoning mix–to add to ground chicken (for Scott) and meatless crumbles (for me), and it wasn’t there. I looked everywhere, in all of the nooks and crannies of my kitchen, swearing at the universe for cursing me with no effing taco seasoning. Of course it wasn’t there. I forgot I was sentenced to Puerto Rico Payback Hell this week.

Anyway, I am generally an organic, chemical-free kind-of girl; I do my very best to feed whole food to my family. I’ll make a batch of cookies any day to spare them from preservative-happy packaged cookies, but, still, I do use the taco seasoning packets in a pinch.

Normally, when a problem like missing seasoning arises, I view it as an opportunity to scream vulgarities in my head experiment with my own creation, and I usually come up with something tasty. Given that I can’t stand for long periods of time without feeling like I am going to pass out a la LiLo back in the day (hoping she doesn’t relapse now that her middle-age-crisis father knocked up a woman younger than me who happens to have a restraining order on his a$$), I had to work fast. Scott had one foot out the door to go out and buy seasoning. Hell no, Scott, you will not go. Don’t mess with your loving wife when her Percocet is wearing off.

I Googled homemade taco seasoning and identified the best one, in my opinion. It’s courtesy of a fellow blogger, Rachel Cooks. Her seasoning blend was easy and delicious, without the chemicals, preservatives, and mystery “natural flavorings” of the packaged variety. Trust me, I will never, ever buy packaged seasoning again. I am saying this on straight 600-mg Ibuprofen–no perks involved. Not yet today, anyway.

Give me a click on the brown box below before you check out the recipe. Okay? xo

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Ingredients

1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1.5 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 to 1 teaspoon sea salt (more or less to taste–I used 1 teaspoon)
1 teaspoon black pepper

Method

In small bowl, mix all ingredients and store in airtight container. (Or you can quadruple the recipe and mix it together in the airtight container you are going to store it in–-just give it a shake, and you have homemade tacos in a pinch!).

Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of this mixture plus 1/2 to 3/4 cup of water to one pound of cooked meat (of your choice). Simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently until there is very little liquid left in the pan.

Serve with your favorite taco toppings! I always make fresh guacamole, even when I am dying from an ear infection. Serve with lettuce, cheese and tomato…salsa, too!