Taco Seasoning Packet for the Frugal Home-Maker
"The original recipe came from an old "Make-A-Mix" cookbook years ago. I've customized to fit our tastebuds and pocketbook. My thought is: why buy those expensive, chemically flavored little packets when you have all the ingredients on the spice shelf in Mrs. Hubbard's Cupboard?"
photo by jessymroberts
- Ready In:
- 11mins
- Ingredients:
- 9
- Yields:
-
1 foil packet
- Serves:
- 1
ingredients
-
To season 1-2 lbs of ground meat
- 1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
- 2 1⁄2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons basil
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 2 teaspoons parsley
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1⁄2 teaspoon cumin
-
At serving time
- 3⁄4 cup water
- salt & pepper
directions
- Tear off a 4-inch strip of aluminum foil, then tear the rectangle in half to have a roughly 4x4 square OR use a snack-size zipper bag.
- Dump all spices & herbs in a small pile.
- Fold foil edges up, pressing folds firmly to seal tightly.
- Store in a cool dark container.
- AT SERVING TIME: Sprinkle packet contents over browned hamburger, add water.
- Simmer lightly, cover with lid to allow onions to re-plump.
- After about 7 minutes, check if water has simmered off and if onions are plumped up. If not, add another tablespoon (or two), and continue plumping.
- We prefer our taco/enchilada meat a bit juicy, but you may wish to remove the lid and let it dry before serving.
- USES: tacos, taco salad, burrito, tostada, enchilada, Mexican lasagna.
Questions & Replies
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Reviews
-
This was really easy to make. Not too spicy, but what packaged taco seasoning is? Worked well in the recipe I prepared it for. It might be better with some salt, but for those looking to eliminate salt, this is great. Made by a Saucy Senorita for ZWT5. -
Well, I liked that it wasn't all that spicy. I like the taste of spices and herbs but am not great with spicy. So, this was perfect for me and my husband could then pile on the hot sauce and other stuff to increase the heat to his levels. It was nice to be able to taste the actual meat in the tacos rather than simply spices. The only problem is that I now feel totally loco for ever having bought the packets before when it is this simple to do yourself. Made for the Chow Hounds on ZWT5. -
So there were good things, bad things, and middle of the road things about this recipe for my gang. For the hotheads, there wasn't nearly enough heat. For the kids, this was great. For me, I liked that it had (as NELady said) an herby flavor, and NOT a cumin flavor. And still others said it tasted liked taco meat, which I guess is a good thing! :) Overall a good recipe in my book, which I may kick up with some ancho or cayenne next time I make it. Thanks for posting. Made for ZWT5, for the Groovy GastrpGnomes. -
I am most frugal, so this taco seasoning packet made sense to me! Also, I really like the freshness of the seasoning as I put it together myself instead of opening one of those pouches. I, like other reviewers, was happy that there was no flour, cornstarch, or chemicals in this. I made a double batch of this seasoning mix (for taco salads today and I will use it in recipe #141733 #141733 tomorrow for lunch). I enjoyed the basil and oregano in the mix as it gave it a more herby flavor. The spice-level was pretty tame (that's okay for me!). Easy to kick it up with some cayenne. I added some salt to the meat mixture after it cooked as I use a salt-free chili powder. Made for ZWT5, Groovy GastroGnomes! -
Great save Debber... the only problem according to my DH is that it lacked a bit of "zing". Next time I'll increase the cumin and chilli powder. Otherwise... yummmmo!
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
<p><img src=http://pages.prodigy.net/indianahawkeye/newpage21/10.gif alt=/ /> <>< wife & mother of seven (four adopted foster children grown up now & three biologicals)--my baby(!!!) is a 12th grader! ... plus five grandkids (ages 5 - 21 y.o.); been married 34 years now to the *same wonderful <>< man.* .....</p>
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<p>..... as well as quilting, writing, flower-gardening, and home-organizing, ...and very active in our <>< church, Bible study, teaching, and singing alto in choir. Plan to get back to writing and earning money at it! AND I work as a virtual assistant--check out www.elance.com for more info on VA-ing.</p>
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<p>My gastronomically GROOVIN' team mates are the lovely and talented Team Captain: CraftScout #463202, our equally talented & hip CookBook Guru (staying in the 70's mode) JackieOhNo! #386585, and a slew of Gnome-warriors including Gandalf The White #167236, Az G 946146, kellychris #416985, luvcook'n #308434, Axe #310749, NELady #743849, and sarahubasics #744296 <br /> <br />WE TOOK 5TH PLACE (no thanks to me---I was along for the ride, but unfortunately didn't get to participate very much--with an emergency trip to Montana!)!!!! <br /><img src=http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa130/nowsonexitmusic/bumbag5.gif?t=1211686551 alt=/ /> <br />My fellow hagsters included AmandaInOz, <br />CaliforniaJan, DreamoBway (Christina), JanuaryBride (Jen), JCC (Janice), jkoch960 (also Janice!), megnbrycesmom (Holly), Queenofcamping (Karen), and our lovely team captain Leggy Peggy. <br /> <br />My floozeriffic Fantabulous Friendly Foodie Floozy team-mates included captain Chef #28729 (Iowa), Chef #37036 (Texas), Chef #37449 (No. Carolina), Chef #107135 (Nebraska), Tina Chef #222055, Chef #337668 (Colorado), Chef #448342 (Colorado), Chef #306797 (Australia), and Leanne Chef #416807 (Canada). ...June/July 2007 <br /> <br /><strong>. . . M Y . . T H R E E . . C H E F S . . . </strong><br /> <br />2009 (November) <img src=http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/kiwidutch/my3chefs2009final-1.jpg alt=/ />My themes were Rise-n-Shine Breakfast and Autumn Suppers OAMC <br /> <br />2008 (Summer) <img src=http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e110/flower753/Food/my3chefs2008Small.jpg alt=/ /> My themes were Ruh! Ruh! Rhubarb! and Sparrow Guts! and Quick Fix: Pizza For Lunch! <br /> <br />2007 (June) <br />My themes were <br />*Picnic & Lunch Box Snacks* <br />*Canning Up Summer's Bounty* <br /> <br /><strong>. . . P I C K - A - C H E F . . . </strong><br /> <br />PAC Autumn '09 <br /><img src=http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j166/ZaarNicksMom/Animation6.gif alt=/ /><img src=http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j166/ZaarNicksMom/PACsticker-Adopted.jpg alt=/ /> <br />My children were Chef #1273716 and chef #321816; my mother was Chef #226863. <br /> <br />PAC Spring '09.... <br /><img src=http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg271/MrsTeny/Permanent%20Collection/PACSpring09Participation.jpg alt=/ /><img src=http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg271/MrsTeny/Permanent%20Collection/PACSpring09Iwasadopted.jpg alt=/ /> <br />I adopted Chef #176481 and Chef #892963. I then had a late-in-PAC baby named Chef #619505.... And I was adopted by Mom2Rose!!! <br /> <br />PAC Autumn '08 ... <br /><img src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/permanent%20collection/PACfall08partic.jpg border=0 alt=Photobucket /><img src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/permanent%20collection/IWasAdoptedfall08.jpg border=0 alt=Photobucket /> <br />My small family included Chef #434123; and then I got myself adopted by Chef #361931(my sheep-mother, NOT my step mother!). :rofl: <br /> <br />PAC Spring '08 ... <br /><img src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/permanent%20collection/PAC08Main.jpg border=0 alt=Photobucket /><img src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/permanent%20collection/adoptedspring08.jpg border=0 alt=Photobucket /> <br />My children Chef #797028, Chef #532407, Chef #28177, Chef #510821, Chef #356933 & Chef #429493 and from the preemie nursery I picked up Chef #488944 and Chef #665370. Charlotte J was my little mother! <br /> <br />PAC Autumn '07 ... <br /><img src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/permanent%20collection/smPACp.jpg border=0 alt=Photo /><img src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/permanent%20collection/Adopted1smp.jpg border=0 alt=Photo /> My children were Chef #179488 from KY, Chef #207616 from NC, Chef #38901 from TX...and from the newborn nursery Chef #351525 and Chef #21667, and my littlest one is Chef #469264 all the way from the Philippines! And I was adopted by Chef #451700 over in Norway! She took the MOST beautiful pictures of my recipes!!! <br /> <br />PAC Spring '07 . . . <br /><img src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/projects/pacbanner.jpg border=0 alt=Photo /><img src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/projects/200_PACpic.jpg border=0 alt=Photo /> My children included Chef #396078, Chef #402846, Chef #37593, Chef #122993, Chef #48439 from the Newborn Nursery, Chef #321820, Chef #59476, Chef #293042, Chef #236959, and Chef #196248. ... I was adopted by Chef #186802 <br /><br /> <br /></p>
