Homemade Taco Seasoning

I realize that with sales and coupons it is really easy to get free packets of taco seasoning.  In fact, I had a packet of taco seasoning in my own cabinet that I got for free a couple months ago.  But then I got to looking at the label:

I don't know if you can see the ingredient list that well, but listed is: Monosodium Glutamate, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Silicon Dioxide, and Ethoxyquin.  Yuck!  I know that I don't want to feed this kind of thing to my family, if I can help it.  I have actually been making my own taco seasoning for about a year now.  After you try homemade taco seasoning, you will know that the flavor can not compare with that of store bought, not to mention that you can control how much sodium goes into it and avoid all the unnatural ingredients listed above.  Homemade taco seasoning may be a little more expensive than store bought, but that is because real quality ingredients are going into it, instead of junk!  If you do a lot of cooking at your house, chances are that you probably have all the ingredients on hand already, and it is so easy to throw together.  I usually use this recipe from allrecipes.com.

This is what you will need:  

• 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 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

All that you have to do is combine all the ingredients together in an airtight container.  I usually use about 2 Tablespoons to season 1 lb. of ground meat, but you can adjust this depending on how spicy your family likes their food.  After I have browned the meat, I sprinkle the taco seasoning over it and stir it to coat evenly.  I then add a couple tablespoons of water to the mixture to dissolve the seasonings and thoroughly coat everything.  Then, I just continue stirring the mixture over the heat until any excess water evaporates out.  Usually I triple or quadruple the recipe above because it does not make that much.  I store mine in a canning jar that has a screw on lid:

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