Spice of Life! (make your own recipes)

Good morning everyone!  It is a glorious spring morning and in just a bit I will be outside playing in the dirt.  But until that time, I wanted to share a post I thought of this morning....

Okay, show of hands (and be honest), who here buys cinnamon sugar in the spice section of the grocery store...come on, you know who you are; Taco seasoning?  Season Salt?  Chocolate syrup?  Well after today's post you will never have to purchase those items again.  Make your own!  And it is sooooo easy!

Taco Seasoning

1/3 cup of onion powder (or 3/4 cup dried onion flakes)
1/2 cup chili powder
1/4 cup salt
3 TBS garlic powder
3 TBS of corn starch
3 TBS cumin
1 TBS-3 TBS cayenne pepper (depending on how hot ya wants it)

Mix all in a bowl and store, or you can do like I do and put it all in a mason jar and shake, shake, shake. 
*** Frugal tip.  When making your tacos, use 1 lb ground beef, 1 cup black beans, and 1 can corn in place of 2 lbs ground beef.  Stretches the meat and makes a healthier taco.

Season salt

8 TBS Salt
3 TBS Pepper
2 TBS Paprika
1/2 TBS Onion Powder
1/2 TBS Garlic Powder

Mix all in a bowl and store, or you can do like I do and put it all in a mason jar and shake, shake, shake.
*** GREAT ON OVEN FRIES!


Chocolate syrup

1 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup boiling water
1 tsp vanilla

In a sauce pan, mix the cocoa, sugar and salt well.  Add the boiling water.  Cook 5 more minutes stirring constantly.  Cool slightly.  Stir in Vanilla. 
What I will usually do, cause I am lazy and don't like washing more dishes than necessary, is;  instead of adding boiling water, I will just add hot tap water.  Stir it once really well.  I bring the whole shebang to a boil and then turn the stove off, letting the syrup cool on the burner.  Add your vanilla then and store in the fridge.  Makes about 2 cups.  *** personal tip.  This is great served with fresh strawberries for a cool healthy treat, or have fun and have chocolate milk or ice cream sundaes.

Oh and it seems I forgot to add cinnamon sugar.  Uh real easy.  1/2 cup sugar to 1- 2 TBS ground cinnamon.  Shake. 

These three little things, made by you instead of bought at the store, add significant savings to your grocery budget which can be used to buy more of the staple items on sale.  See?  There is a method to my madness.