Homemade Spice Mixes

Spice Market (Mısır Çarşısı) Istanbul
Originally uploaded by exfordy

Dry Jerk Seasoning by Helen Willinsky

2 Tablespoon onion flakes/powder
2 teaspoons ground thyme
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons dried chives

Combine and store in a glass jar with a tight seal. Keeps 3 months.

Homemade Seasoned Salt

6 tbsp salt (I prefer Kosher)
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp marjoram
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 1/4 tsp paprika
1 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp dill
1/2 tsp celery salt

Put all ingredients into a mini food processor or spice blender and give it a whir on low. Use anywhere you want a kick of flavor!

Homemade Poultry Seasoning

1 tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp paprika (try smoked paprika for a twist!)
1 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp ground bay leaves
1 tsp garlic powder

Measure all ingredients into a jar or zip top bag, seal and shake well. Rub well into poultry before baking, grilling, or tossing in the crockpot.

Homemade Taco Seasoning

1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp powdered oregano
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt

Mix all ingredients together. This makes the equilivant of a 1/4 ounce package of commercial taco seasoning mix. You can mix this into ground meat, or use as a seasoning rub before grilling chicken or skirt steak.

Southwestern Seasoning Blend Tex Mex

2 1/2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp Kosher salt
1 tbsp dried oregano
2 tbsp paprika
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper

Measure all ingredients into a jar or zip top bag. This is a mixture that you can use on just about anything when you want that Southwest flavor.

Dry BBQ Rub

6 tbsp brown sugar, tightly packed
2 tbsp Kosher salt
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Measure all ingredients into a jar or zip top bag. I rub this mixture on a pork shoulder and then let it sit overnight in the refrigerator.

Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice

2 tbsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp ginger
1 1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ground cloves

Measure all ingredients into a jar or zip top bag. Mix it into one cup of brown sugar, 2 cups of baked pumpkin, 1/4 cup of evaporated milk and two egg yolks. Then fold this into two whipped egg whites and 1/3 cup of sugar and bake in a prepared pie shell for a wonderful pumpkin pie.

Hat tip to Simple Mom