Seasoning Blends

Ever need to make a dish and find you are out of a seasoning blend called for? No packets of chili seasoning in the cupboard? Don't want to keep Pumpkin Pie spice on hand for the couple of times you use it? Just mix up your own.

Italian Seasoning
2 parts dried basil
2 parts dried marjoram
2 parts dried oregano
1 part dried sage

Taco Seasoning
6 parts minced dried onions
4 parts chili powder
3 parts salt
2 parts garlic powder
2 parts cornstarch
2 parts ground cumin
1 parts cayenne pepper

Chili Seasoning
2 parts paprika
2 parts cayenne pepper
4 parts garlic powder
2 parts onion powder
4 parts ground red pepper
2 parts ground cumin
1 part salt

BBQ Dry Rub
5 parts white sugar
5 parts brown sugar
2 parts salt
1 part ground black pepper
1 part paprika

Lawry's Seasoning
12 parts salt
4 parts sugar
2 parts paprika
1 part turmeric
1 part onion powder
1 part garlic powder
1 part cornstarch

Southwest Seasoning
6 parts chili powder
6 parts paprika
3 parts ground coriander
3 parts garlic powder
3 parts salt
2 parts ground cumin
1 part cayenne pepper
1 part crushed red pepper flakes
1 part black pepper
1 part oregano

Poultry Seasoning
2 parts salt
2 parts white pepper
2 parts paprika
2 parts dry mustard
2 parts garlic powder
1 part ground bay leaves

Apple Pie Spice
4 parts ground cinnamon
2 parts ground nutmeg
1 part ground allspice
1 part ground cardamom

Pumpkin Pie Spice
4 parts ground cinnamon
2 parts ground ginger
1 part ground nutmeg
1 part ground allspice

Cross Posted to Candy Hearts and Paper Flowers

Buttermilk Skillet Cornbread

Nothing goes better with Chili then a little cornbread. Especially when said cornbread is sweet buttermilk cornbread, hot out of the oven, slathered with butter and drizzled with honey, with a crispy outside from a hot cast iron skillet. Is your mouth watering yet? I'm going to share my cornbread secrets with you, and I've been told many a time that my cornbread is the best!



Secret #1: Buttermilk
Secret #2: Honey
Secret #3: Hot Skillet

Don't have buttermilk? I keep a buttermilk powder on hand for baking when you want the buttermilk flavor, without added liquid. However, you can use it to substitute in a pinch.

Now, this week I got to up the secret factor, because I got to use some AMAZING honey, and I don't know if I'd ever be able to live up to it with any old honey again. I got my honey from Haff Apiaries (701.663.1619‎) in Mandan, North Dakota, it's raw unpasteurized honey and the best I've ever tasted. I also used White Lily White Buttermilk Cornmeal Mix, this is hard to find up here in North Dakota, so I order it online. While I do think it makes a better cornbread, you can use whatever corn meal you have.

Buttermilk Skillet Cornbread

INGREDIENTS
2 cups White Lily White Buttermilk Cornmeal Mix
-OR-
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour

1 1/2 cup buttermilk
-OR-
1 1/2 cup milk
2 Tbsp buttermilk powder

1 egg, lightly beaten
4 tsp honey
1/4 cup vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS
Generously grease 8-10" cast iron skillet (I use butter flavored shortening for this, butter just doesn't do as good a job)
Preheat skillet in oven to 425
Measure cornmeal (and flour, if needed) into a bowl and stir (with a wooden spoon) it up to break up large clumps
Add remaining ingredients and mix until just moist, it will have some clumps
Pour into skillet and put in oven for 20 - 30 minutes (depends on the skillet size, start checking on it at 20 minutes. You want the top to get to a nice deep golden color.

Submitted to Need To Knead

Chili with a Little Sass

As temperatures starting dropping, I can't help but crave some chili and cornbread. Well, the air is cooler and I haven't made chili yet this autumn. Time to rectify that! The cornbread will come on Tuesday. I love mixing dark and light kidney beans. I like the heartiness of the dark kidney beans, but the light ones seem to have a softer bite to them, which I prefer. I also make chili in bulk. Why? Because the flavor only gets better with time, so each bowl is better than the last.



This isn't quite Chili with a Kick, not too spicy... More like Chili with a Little Sass, just enough attitude without being too spicy.

Chili with a Little Sass

INGREDIENTS
3 lbs ground beef
1 large onion, diced
32 oz can of tomato sauce
32 oz can of diced tomatoes
2 15 oz cans of light red kidney beans
2 15 oz cans of dark red kidney beans
2 4 oz cans of diced green chilis

SEASONING
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
2 tsp ground red pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt

-OR-

2 packets of your favorite chili seasoning

TOPPINGS (all optional)
sour cream
shredded cheddar
tortilla chips
diced jalapenos

DIRECTIONS
Brown the ground beef, strain the drippings
Keep the ground beef in the strainer while you saute the diced onion
Once golden brown and slightly translucent, add ground beef back and rewarm
Mix together the seasoning (or use the packets)
Rinse the beans in the strainer
Add beans, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and seasonings to the ground beef mixture
Mix thoroughly, and simmer over medium low heat for 8-10 minutes
Serve with toppings