Enchilada Sauce Mix

It is so easy to make your own seasoning blends.  Forget about buying the prepackaged seasoning mix at the grocery store.  Making your own is so economical, it will save you money, and it tastes better too.

Ingredients

3/4 c. chili powder
3/4 c. dried onion flakes
1/2 c. paprika
1/2 c. cornstarch
6 Tbs. salt
1/4 c. brown sugar or sugar
1/4 c. ground cumin
1/4 c. garlic powder
2 Tbs. cayenne pepper (more or less depending on the amount of heat you want)
2 Tbs. oregano

Directions

In a large jar or bowl combine ingredients, mixing thoroughly. 

Store in a glass jar or an airtight container that has a tight-fitting lid. 

Enchilada sauce

Ingredients

1 c. water, divided
1 c. tomato sauce
4 to 5 Tbs. Enchilada Sauce mix

Directions

In a saucepan, combine tomato sauce and 1/2 cup water.  Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. 

In a bowl, combine 1/2 cup water and 4 to 5 tablespoons enchilada sauce mix.  Mix well.

Pour the mixture into the tomato sauce mixture and bring to a boil again.  Turn the heat to low and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.

Or if you want to use the seasoning on its own to flavor ground beef, use 2  tablespoons of enchilada seasoning per pound of beef or chicken.

Creole Seasoning

 This seasoning blend is the perfect way to perk up your meals. It is great for seasoning rice, soup, stews, or meats.

Ingredients

6 Tbs. paprika
2 Tbs. black pepper
2 Tbs. garlic powder
2 Tbs. onion powder
2 Tbs. oregano
2 Tbs. basil
2 Tbs. salt
1 Tbs. thyme
1 Tbs. cayenne pepper

Directions

In a mixing bowl or a jar, combine paprika, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, basil, salt, thyme, and cayenne pepper.  Mix thoroughly until well blended. 

Store in an airtight jar or container.

Raisin Sauce

Raisin Sauce for Ham or Pork

This is a sauce that my grandmother used to make up whenever she made ham.  It is a great compliment to serve with sliced ham or other pork dishes. 

Ingredients

1 c. boiling water
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 Tbs. cornstarch
1/2 c. raisins
1 Tbs. butter

Directions

Combine brown sugar and cornstarch together in a saucepan. 

Slowly pour in boiling water, whisking constantly to remove lumps.  

Cook and stir over low heat until the mixture starts to boil.  

Add raisins.  Simmer for 5 minutes over a very low flame, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat.  Stir in butter until melted.

Notes

You can add 1 tsp. ground mustard in the mixture when combining the brown sugar and cornstarch together. 

Fluffy Honey Dressing

This is an easy honey dressing to make with a perky flavor. It is perfect to use as a dipping sauce for fruit slices or to add in with salads.

Ingredients

2 eggs
1/2 c. honey
1/4 c. lemon juice
2 Tbs. frozen orange  juice
1/8th tsp. salt
1/2 c. heavy cream, whipped
2 tsp. grated lemon rind

Directions

In a saucepan, beat eggs until frothy/  Stir in honey, lemon juice, frozen orange juice and salt. 

Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Gently, fold in whipped cream and lemon rind.

Serve with fresh fruit as a dipping sauce. Keep refrigerated.

Sweet and Hot Mustard Dip

This sweet and hot mustard dipping sauce is the perfect compliment to dip chicken pieces into, spread over bread for sandwiches, and many other dishes. 

Add less ground mustard if you don't want it as hot. 

Ingredients

1 1/2 c. honey
1 c. vinegar
3 eggs
1 (4 oz.) tin ground mustard or less for not as much heat
1/2 tsp. salt

Directions

Combine honey, vinegar, eggs, mustard, and salt in a blender.  Blend until well combined and smooth.

Pour the mixture into a saucepan. Cook and stir over low heat until the mixture thickens and reaches a temperature of 160°. This takes about 15 minutes.

Pour the mixture into small jars and cover with a tight-fitting lid.  Place in the refrigerator.

Use this sauce to dip chicken nuggets, pretzels, sausage, or ham sandwiches.  

This keeps between 1 week and 2 months in the refrigerator, depending on the refrigerator setting and how long the jar sits out.

French Salad Dressing

Tangy French Dressing is so easy to make up.  In just a few minutes, you can have homemade salad dressing to pour over your salads, vegetables or to pour over meats. 

Ingredients

1/2 c. mayonnaise
1/2 c. ketchup
1/3 c. apple cider vinegar
1/2 c. light olive oil
1/2 c. sugar (or to taste)
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 tsp. sweet paprika
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. celery seed
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. dried mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions

In a blender or food processor add mayonnaise, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, sugar, onion, sweet paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, celery seed, chili powder, dried mustard, salt, and pepper.  Process until smooth.

Taste the dressing.  If you want it tangier, add more vinegar. If you want it sweeter, add more sugar.  

Pour into a jar with a tight-fitting lid.  We use a mason jar to store our French dressing in. Place in the refrigerator.

Best if chilled for 2 hours before using.  Will keep up to 2 weeks.

Honey Mustard Sauce

This Honey Mustard Sauce is so easy to put together. It tastes great on salads, or when used as a dipping sauce for chicken. It has the perfect balance of mayonnaise and mustard, sweetened with nature's honey!

Ingredients

1/3 c. mayonnaise
1/3 c. honey
1/3. c. Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

Directions

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, honey, Dijon mustard, paprika, and cayenne pepper.

Whisk together until well blended.

Pour into a glass jar or container that has a tight-fitting lid and store in the refrigerator. 

Use as a salad dressing, or as a dipping sauce for chicken nuggets.

Homemade Pickling Spice

If you don't have pickling spice in your cupboard, there is no need to rush to the store to buy some. It is so easy to make your own pickling spice, and it's economical too. 

Pickling spice is often used when preserving pickles, but you can also add it to preserved fruits and vegetables.  It can be used in stews and other meat and vegetable dishes.

If you're using pickling spice to canned jars of pickles or if you are making Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles, add the spices right into the brine.  If you are using it to cook with, place the desired amount of pickling spice in a piece of cheesecloth and tie it shut with a string. Toss this in during cooking. When the meal is done or you no longer need to season with the pickling spices, remove the cheesecloth bag.  Open the bag and toss away the used spices. You can wash the cheesecloth and use it again and again.

Ingredients

5 bay leaves
1 to 2 cinnamon sticks
2 Tbs. mustard seeds
1 Tbs. whole black peppercorns
1 Tbs. whole allspice
1 Tbs.ground ginger
1 Tbs/ coriander seeds
1 Tbs. dill seeds
1 to 2 tsp. hot pepper flakes
2 tsp. cardamon seeds
1 tsp. whole cloves

Directions

Crush or tear the bay leaves into small pieces. Place in a glass bowl or a jar that has a tight-fitting lid.

Break the cinnamon sicks into pieces. Add this to the bay leaves.

Add mustard seeds, whole black peppercorns, whole allspice, ground ginger, coriander seeds, dill seeds, hot pepper flakes, cardamon seeds and whole cloves

Stir to combine. If using a jar, put the lid on and shake the jar to mix the spices together.  Store in an airtight jar or container.

Steak Seasoning

Making your own seasoning is a great way to have seasonings made to the way that you like best. This recipe calls for paprika, but you can use smoked paprika. It will give your food a hint of smokey flavor.

Ingredients

2 Tbs. black pepper or whole peppercorns
2 Tbs. paprika
2 Tbs. sea salt
2 Tbs. dried parsley flakes
1 Tbs. granulated garlic or garlic powder
1 Tbs. granulated onion or onion powder
1 Tbs. dill seeds
1 Tbs. coriander
1 Tbs. cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes (optional)
1 Tbs. dried red bell pepper
2 tsp. mustard seeds
2 tsp. caraway seeds

Directions

 Combine black pepper, paprika, sea salt, granulated garlic, onion powder, dill seeds, coriander, cayenne pepper, red bell pepper, mustard seeds and caraway seeds in the bowl of a mortar and pestle. You can also use a spice grinder or food processor. Another way to break down the hard spice seeds is to place the spices in a heavy closable bag and crush them with a rolling pin, or wooden mallet.

Process until the spices until they are the consistency that you like best.

Pour this into a container that has a tight-fitting lid or use a sealable plastic bag.  

Shake the contents thoroughly to combine. Use to season steak, chicken, pork, potatoes, and vegetables.

Lemon Red Bell Pepper Blend Seasoning

It is easy to make your own seasoning blends. With a few simple ingredients, you can have your own spice blends in a jar. They will be perfect for seasoning any meal.

It is not really cost-efficient to dry your own lemons unless you have a lot of lemons, or you use them every day. However, it is cost-effective if you are a gardener and have a great harvest of red peppers.  You can dry them easily.

Ingredients

1/2 c. dried lemon peel
2 1/2 Tbs. black pepper
1 Tbs. garlic powder
1 Tbs. onion powder
1 Tbs. salt (optional)
1 Tbs. dried red bell pepper
1/2 to 1 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions

Combine dried lemon peel, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder salt, dried red bell, and cayenne pepper together in a food processor, or spice grinder. You can also use a mortar and pestle, rolling pin or wooden mallet to turn the lemon peels and dried red bell peppers into flakes or powder form.  

Process them to the consistency that you like best.

Pour them into a container that has a tight-fitting lid, or you can use a sealable plastic bag. 

Shake to combine.

Note:

You can dry your own lemon peel and red peppers.  It is not really cost-efficient to dry your own lemons unless you have a lot of lemons that you use every day.  If you are a gardener and have a great harvest of red peppers, you can dry them easily. Here's how!

Wash and dry the lemons and red bell peppers. Make sure they are completely dry before going any further. 

Zest the lemons with a microplane grater.  Do not grate off any of the pith because that is very bitter.  If you don't have a microplane grater, you can peel them. For sweet lemons, peel them like you would an orange. Tear or cut the lemon peel into smaller portions. If your lemons are thick-skinned, use a vegetable peeler to remove the outer part of the rind, leaving the white pith.

Prepare peppers for drying by cutting them in half lengthwise. Remove all the pith, or white stuff, along with the seeds. 

Cut  the peppers into thin slices. If you leave them in thick pieces, the slices will not dry properly.  They will become leathery instead of being crisp.

If baking:

Spread out the lemon zest evenly on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake on the lowest setting that your oven has. Leave in the oven to dry.  The amount of time varies a great deal.  It could take as little as 30 minutes if you used a microplane grater or several hours to a day if drying the skins.

If using a dehydrator:

Line the dehydrator tray with parchment paper if you used a microplane grater for the lemons. Place the lemon peel or red bell peppers on the rack of the dehydrator. Dehydrate them according to manufacture's directions. It can take 12 to 24 hours for the red bells and lemons to become totally dry.  It really depends on how much humidity is in the air and how much juice your peppers and lemons had in them. 

Make sure they are completely dry before you grind them up. You do not want them to have any softness to them.  They are dry when they are crisp and brittle.

**One red pepper can yield about a 1/4 cup when dried.

Honey Mustard Salad Dressing

This is a very versatile salad dressing. You can use mayonnaise, sour cream or Greek yogurt or a combination of all three. If you don't have apple cider vinegar, you can substitute it with balsamic vinegar.

You can use this salad dressing on so many things. It is a delicious dip for vegetables, pour over greens, apples, carrots, broccoli. . . The list goes on.

Ingredients

1/2 c. mayonnaise, or sour cream or Greek yogurt
1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. prepared mustard, Dijon is the best, but use what you have
3 to 4 Tbs. honey
2 Tbs. apple cider vinegar
2 Tbs. lemon juice (optional)
1 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, olive oil, prepared mustard, honey, vinegar, lemon juice, and garlic. I use an emulsion blender to combine the ingredients, but you can use a whisk, fork, spoon or a regular blender. 

Taste.  Add salt and pepper to taste. If it is too tart for your liking, add a bit more honey.

Pour into a jar that has a tight-fitting lid.

Refrigerate. This dressing keeps for about 10 days. 

Italian Seasoning

Italian Seasoning Blend

Making your own Italian seasoning is so easy, and it uses ingredients you already have in the pantry.  By making your own, you control the ingredients and the texture of them. If you want chunks of spices in your Italian blend or if you prefer a finer consistency. 

Ingredients

1/2 to 1 Tbs. bay leaf, broken into small pieces
1 Tbs marjoram
1 Tbs. rosemary 
1 Tbs. sage
1 Tbs. thyme
1 Tbs. savory
1 Tbs.oregano
1 Tbs. basil
1 Tbs. parsley
1 Tbs. chives
1/2 Tbs. garlic powder
1/2 Tbs onion powder
1/2 to 2 tsp. red chili flakes

Directions

Place the broken bay leaves, rosemary, and thyme in a mortar and pestle.  Hold the mortar in place with one hand, while your other hand uses the pestle to push down on the ingredients and roll it against the mortar while applying firm pressure.  You can also use a blender or a spice grinder to do this task as well.  Grind or process the herbs until you have the consistency you want for your spice blend. If you want your spice mix to be fine and powdery in texture, adding all the dry spices into your food processor or spice grinder.  Simply blend them until you have the consistency you desire.

Add the bay leaves, rosemary, and thyme into a small jar that has a tight-fitting lid.  Add in the sage, savory, oregano, basil, parsley, chives, red chili flakes, garlic powder and onion powder. 

Note

If any of the spices are already powder form, you do not need to use the mortar and pestle.  

The spice blend is yours. As an example, we really don't like to eat whole pieces of rosemary because they are like little pine tree needles. So we do use a spice grinder for some of our spices.

Creamy Buttermilk Garlic Salad Dressing 

We love garlic. This is a thick, creamy salad dressing that is perfect to pour over a salad, dip vegetables into, or even slather on a sandwich. 

It is very economical and easy to prepare this Creamy Buttermilk Garlic Salad Dressing at home.  The ready-made bottled dressing you buy in the store lacks the garlic flavor, and it is loaded with preservatives and sodium.

Ingredients

2 c. sour cream
2/3 c. mayonnaise
3/4 tsp. garlic powder (or more to taste) or 2 or more garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/8 tsp. cider vinegar
2 1/2 Tbs. sugar or less if you like it less sweet
1/2 to 2/3 c. buttermilk
2 green onions, finely chopped (optional)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

In a bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic, vinegar, and sugar. Mix thoroughly.  Stir in the onions, salt, and pepper to taste. 

Pour into a jar with a tight-fitting lid or a bowl with a tight-fitting lid. Place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving.  However, this dressing improves with age and for the best flavor, refrigerate at least 3 days before using.  Shake or stir well before using.

If the dressing is too thick, stir in more buttermilk.

You can easily make your own buttermilk. Pour in 1 1/2 teaspoons vinegar into a 1-cup measuring cup. Pour in milk to the 1/2 cup line. If you want to make 2/3 cup buttermilk, add an extra 1/2 teaspoon of vinegar.  Leave the milk to sit for 8 to 10 minutes. The milk will be thick and clumpy looking.  Stir until smooth and then pour it into the ingredients. 

To make 1-cup of buttermilk, pour in 1 tablespoon vinegar into a measuring cup. Pour in enough milk to equal 1-cup.

Thousand Island Salad Dressing

This is a simple and easy recipe to make Thousand Island Dressing. This dressing is similar to the sauce served on a Big Mac.  Making your own dressing will save you a lot of money, and is freshly made.

Ingredients

2 c. Miracle Whip
1 c. mayonnaise
1 c. tomato soup
1 onion, grated
1/3 c.  pickle relish **
2 Tbs. sweet pickle juice
1 Tbs. dry mustard
1 Tbs. ketchup or use chili sauce
1 Tbs. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
garlic powder to taste
pepper to taste

Directions

In a bowl, combine Miracle Whip, mayonnaise, tomato soup, onion, sweet pickle relish, sweet pickle juice, dry mustard, ketchup, sugar, salt, garlic powder and pepper.

Mix well. Place dressing in a covered bowl or a large jar with a tight-fitting lid.

Refrigerate for 24 hours for best flavor, but you can use it right away. Serve over lettuce, vegetables or sandwiches. Mix or shake before using.

** You can use sweet pickle relish or dill pickle relish. Some people prefer the dill flavor over the sweet.  

You can add more or less pickle relish as well. Some like a lot of pickle relish, and some prefer a lot less.

Spicy Southwest Seasoning

Homemade Spicy Southwest Seasoning  

Making your own Spicy Southwest Seasoning is so simple.  Chances are, you already have the ingredients sitting in your cupboard. 

By making your own seasoning, you can control the ingredients that go into your blends. You can omit the ingredients you don't like, or use more or less of each one. It is easy to make your own special blends. 

This seasoning is perfect to put on fish, beef, chicken, pork or vegetables.

Ingredients

2 Tbs. paprika or use 1 Tbs. smoked paprika and 1 Tbs. regular paprika
2 Tbs chili powder
1 Tbs. cumin
1 Tbs. parsley
1 Tbs. oregano
1 Tbs. garlic powder
1 Tbs. minced dried onion or 2 tsp. onion powder
1 Tbs. coriander
2 tsp. turmeric (optional)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

Directions

In a container with a tight-fitting lid, combine paprika, chili powder, cumin, parsley, oregano, garlic powder, minced onion or onion powder, coriander, turmeric, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper and crushed red pepper flakes.

Put the lid on tightly and shake the jar to thoroughly combine all the spices.  Place in a dry, dark place.

Homemade BBQ Seasoning Blend

Making your own BBQ seasoning is simple and easy to do. This spice blend enhances the flavor of any kind of meat. You can use it on vegetables as well.

Ingredients

1/2 c. paprika or 1/4 c. smoked paprika and 1/4 c. regular paprika
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. salt
1/4 c. chili powder
1/4 c. cumin
1/4 c. granulated garlic
2 Tbs. onion powder
2 Tbs. to 4 Tbs.  mustard powder
2 Tbs. to 4 Tbs. pepper
2 Tbs or less cayenne pepper
1 to 2 Tbs. celery seed (Optional or can use less)

Directions

In a large mason jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine paprika, brown sugar, salt, chili powder, cumin, granulated garlic, onion powder, mustard powder, celery seed, pepper and cayenne pepper.  If you want a spicier or hotter spice blend, increase the mustard powder and pepper to 4 tablespoons.

Put the lid on the jar and shake the jar until the contents are thoroughly mixed. Store in a tightly covered container or a sealable bag. 

Sprinkle over beef, chicken, pork, fish, seafood, or vegetables. Or it can be used as a dry rub over meats. 

 Taco Seasoning Mix

Buying the individual packets of taco seasoning is convenient, but it is also costly. For just a fraction of the cost of one packet, you can make your own and have it already on hand, whenever you want. 

We usually add equal amounts of cumin and chili powder because we like the taste of the cumin. But most recipes use less cumin in their mix. The nice thing about making your own spice mix is that you control the spices you like best. You can leave out ingredients you don't like and put on another spice you do like when making tacos.

Ingredients

6 Tbs chili powder
5 Tbs. cumin
4 Tbs paprika or smoked paprika
2 Tbs. garlic powder
2 Tbs. black pepper
1 Tbs.salt
1 Tbs. onion powder
1 Tbs. oregano
1 Tbs. cornstarch (optional)
1 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more if you want a spicier taco mix.)
1 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (or more if you want a spicier taco mix.)

Directions

In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, mix the chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, salt, onion powder, oregano, cornstarch, red pepper flakes coriander, and cayenne pepper.  Put the lid on the jar and shake the contents until they are thoroughly mixed together.  

A package of Taco seasoning has 2 tablespoons of the seasoning.  Use 1 to 3 tablespoons of your seasoning mix to one pound of hamburger or ground beef, along with 2/3 cup water.  Bring to a boil and stir for 2 minutes. Then taste. You can always add more taco seasoning mixture if desired, but it is very hard to remove it once you have it blended in.

BBQ Dry Spice Rub Recipe

This spice rub is so simple, using a few basic ingredients that you already have in your spice cupboard.  We use this seasoning on chicken, beef, pork and many other dishes. 

By making your own spice rubs, you control the ingredients that go in to each one. By experimenting, you can come up with the seasoning blend that you and your family love!

Ingredients

3/4 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. smoked paprika or regular paprika
2 Tbs. salt
3 Tbs. chili powder
2 Tbs. black pepper
2 Tbs. garlic powder
2 Tbs. onion powder
1 1/2 Tbs. cumin
1 Tbs. dry mustard
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. celery salt
1 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions

Combine brown sugar, paprika, salt, black pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, dry mustard, cinnamon, celery salt and cayenne pepper.

Pour the mixture into an air-tight container.

Spicy Rub Seasoning for Meats And Vegetables

It is so easy to put together your own spice blends.  If you want to save some money, use the ingredients of your choice, then putting together your own spice blend is a great way to achieve just that.

Ingredients

1 Tbs. onion powder
1 Tbs. cayenne pepper
1 Tbs. thyme
1 Tbs. salt
1 Tbs. pepper
2 Tbs. garlic powder
2 1/2 Tbs. paprika

Directions

In a small jar that has a tight-fitting lid, combine onion powder, cayenne pepper, thyme, salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika.  

Put on the lid and shake the jar to combine the spices. 

To use, run some spice rub onto both sides of the piece of meat. This spice rub is great on chicken, fish, beef or pork.  You can also sprinkle it over vegetables to give them some flavor. 

Preheat the grill or, if cooking on the stove top, heat up the skillet. Add a tablespoon of oil in the skillet or lightly oil the grill grate on the grill. 

Cook the meat, turning, so both sides cook evenly, until the chicken juices run clear, or the other cuts of meat and fish are done.

Blue Cheese Salad Dressing

Serve this thick and creamy blue cheese dressing as a dip, or poured over a wedge of lettuce. You can add more blue cheese if you want more blue cheese flavor. 

Ingredients

2 1/2 oz blue cheese, crumbled
3 Tbs. buttermilk
3 Tbs. sour cream
2 Tbs. mayonnaise
2 tsp. white vinegar
1/4 tsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1 c. green onion, chopped (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a small bowl, combine the blue cheese and buttermilk. Using a fork or the back of a spoon, break up the blue cheese by mashing it against the side of the bowl until it is the size of small curd cottage cheese. 

Stir in sour cream, mayonnaise, white vinegar, sugar, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard and green onion. Mix until well blended. You can use a blender or an immersion blender to mix it up as well. This gives you a very smooth dressing.

Season with salt and pepper.