Gunk-less Tacos

One of the key reasons I love to cook things from scratch is that you avoid all sorts of Unidentified Food Ingredients or as I call them "UFIs" or "gunk." Haven't you ever wondered what all those unpronounceable food items are on some ingredient lists? Me too. And since I am not a food scientist, I just have a blanket policy that if it is unpronounceable, listed just as an acronym or has a number (ie, food dye), it doesn't go in our grocery cart. Here's a simple way to avoid some gunk in your tacos. It is a homemade taco seasoning mix that is not laden with any UFIs, is a huge cost savings compared to pre-made mixes, can easily be adapted to your family's tastes (more/less spicy, or can be made lower sodium) and is easy to double or make in bulk to conveniently have extra on hand when you need it. If you make a bulk batch, use approximately 3 tablespoons per pound of meat, chicken or beans. Sweet Pea Taco Seasoning Mix 1 tablespoon chili powder 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon onion powder 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/4 teaspoon ground oregano 1 teaspoon sweet paprika 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper Pour into a bowl: And mix: Easy peasy, ready to go. We used this mix for taco night last night, which is always a favorite meal for R and G. When I was assembling their tacos, I had a "eureka!" moment, which I will share in next week's Tuesday's tip... SPC