SPICE ESSENTIALS: SODIUM-FREE TACO SEASONING

Steps:

• 1. PREP/PREPARE
• 2. It is all in the Chili Powder: There are a lot of good chili powders in the market, and you probably have a favorite; although I usually make my own, two of my store-bought favorites are: • Red New Mexico Hatch Chili Powder • Mexene Chili Powder If you cannot find these locally, they are available through Amazon, and if you are a Prime member, shipping is free. Is this a great country, or what? This is my homemade version: https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/soup/soup-chili/diy-kick-butt-chili-powder.html?r=1
• 3. This recipe will produce about 8.5 tablespoons of taco spice, and be enough to fill one standard spice bottle and about half of another. When a spice runs out, I scrape the label off the old bottle, and throw it in the dishwater, then when I make a new spice mix, I have a jar to store it in.
• 4. A certain percentage of the population does not like cumin. If you are one of those folks (I am not), then just leave it out, and add a bit more of the other spices, to compensate.
• 5. If you do not have any smoked paprika, I suggest going with a sweet version. But, this ingredient, to me, is important to the overall flavor of the spice mix.
• 6. Gather your ingredients (mise en place).
• 7. Use a spice blender, or mortar and pestle, to crush up the dehydrated onions.
• 8. Mix with the other dry spices, place in a tightly-sealed container, and store in a cool dry place, away from sunlight, until needed.
• 9. PLATE/PRESENT
• 10. Use in any recipe that calls for taco seasoning. FYI: Those packets of taco seasoning that you get at the grocer, each contain 2 tablespoons of seasoning. So, doing the math, you have an equivalent of 4 packets. Enjoy.
• 11. Keep the faith, and keep cooking.