Let's Taco 'Bout it: Homemade Taco and Dip Mix

For reasons I won't probe too deeply, I find that December tends to be the time of year when I decide to go multi-ethnic on the dinner plate. This might stem from a fear of conformity (turkey? BAH. EVERYONE is making turkey, man!), but it could just be that when I'm being flooded in holiday offerings, I don't want to eat holiday stuff all month long.

Besides, it reminds me of the fact that I haven't hung up a single holiday decoration yet.

OK, so we're probably still dealing with fear of conformity.

So you're probably wondering why you would want to make the taco seasoning when you could just use a box. I've got little beef with the box mix (did you see what I did there?) but it's got limitations. So this is why you might want to make your own:

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A) I like making my own tortillas. I do! It's really easy (and really cheap, actually) and you can make them out of whole wheat, white or spelt flour. If you decide you like to make tortillas too, you don't really need the big box. B) You can season it up however you please. I'm not the biggest fan of cumin. You might think no taco is complete unless it's Melt-Your-Face spicy (I will show you how to make spicy mods below). C) MAYBE YOU DON'T EVEN WANT TO MAKE TACOS! Oh Em Gee. The seasoning base is great for taco dip or fajitas or an enchilada bake I've been making recently that my husband likes to call Mexican Lasagna.

#4 - this stuff is also awesome to give away as a gift. You can make a double plus batch and put it in this cute little mason jar and give a gift that makes people yell olé!

Or maybe you're making enough tacos to feed your entire extended family. We won't judge.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 1/2 teaspoons cumin powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fine grain table salt (or 2 tsp coarse salt)
• 1 teaspoon powdered onion
• 1 teaspoon powdered garlic
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper flakes (optional) for those who like it spicy.

Directions:

Mix everything together and store it in a container for when you want to use it. Whew, that was hard! Right?

But wait: How do I use it to make tacos!?

Brown and drain approximately 1 LB (450g) of hamburger (or alternative). Return it to the skillet over medium heat, and mix in 1tsp of cornstarch OR about 2tsp flour with the ground beef. Add 2tsp of seasoning mix to start and about 2/3 of a cup of water to make the sauce. Let simmer for 3-5 minutes, until the sauce begins to thicken.

Taste and add more seasoning mix to your taste preferences, and serve it up with the toppings and warmed shells.

Buen provecho!