Back to the Basics---Why Those Little Seasoning Packets stay at the Store....

Good to morning to you!

I was pleasantly surprised to have such a wonderful response to this series the last two days, and it makes me remember how when someone first introduced me to the concept of Master Mixes I spent every last hour of free time I had reading up on it, and then messing around in my kitchen.

I hope I have inspired a few of you to do that in the last two days!

Now I want you to think outside the baking mix box. Literally.

Think of a grocery shopping trip. 

Without children, or crazy people pushing their carts down the wrong way in the aisles.

Next, imagine you are looking at your list, and down at the bottom, in the Aisles section, are listed Taco Seasoning, Chili Seasoning, Gravy mix, and Cream of Mushroom Soup.

Or even All purpose seasoning, like a Mrs. Dash.

Heck, lets even throw in a jar of Ginger Garlic Asian seasoning.

I really could keep going on, but you get the picture.

Let's say on average, you are going to spend .50 cents a packet on those seasonings, which we all know is ridiculous in pricing, but will drive home my point.

And the cans of soup are also .89 cents, ok?

Your jar of special Asian seasoning that you cant live without, and the Mrs. Dash run you about $5 for the two of them together. All together, you drop right around $8-$10 of your grocery budget on prepackaged seasonings for your meals.

Or you could seriously think about just buying my book with 50 recipes and many different variations, and learn how to do all this yourself, thereby saving you tons of money in the long run.

Its up to you, really. 

 I understand how we can get in the mindset of thinking that it is more of a bother to make something than just buy it....I do.

I used to do that...

Until I figured out that it was way way WAYYY cheaper to simply buy the ingredients, and make them, giving me twice or three times the amount of product for the cost.

Not to mention something that I knew exactly what went into it, 

and could tweak to my family's tastes and preferences.

In my book, The Master Mix Way, I have devoted an entire section to making your own seasoning mixes, and showing you how to replace those silly packets of mix that are ridiculously overpriced for the product, and give you many options to choose from in seasoning.

Ranch dressing.

Mrs. Dash seasoning.

Gravy Mixes.

Really I could just go on and on, but instead today I have a surprise for ALL my readers---the ones who are just reading about this way of slimming down a grocery budget for the first time, and my awesome readers who have been with me from the beginning (and probably own the book).

Today, you don't just get my recipe for Taco Seasoning, or All Purpose Seasoning, 

and the Master Mix for making your own Cream soups. 

You get a whole new recipe that I think I have totally perfected for use at home.

And you guessed it...Its the Asian Garlic Ginger seasoning.

So next time you walk down that grocery aisle, think to yourself.....someone, somewhere, came up with this, and it can be made at home.

Come back tomorrow for another post on making your own drink mixes, instead of buying those overpriced and unhealthy instant coffees and little packets of hot chocolate!

Or chai.

Or...... :)

Many blessings to you and yours,

Heather

Taco Seasoning Mix

1/4 cup instant minced onion

2 Tbs mild or hot chili powder

3 Tbs cornstarch

2 Tbs garlic salt

2 tsp paprika 

2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried organic lime peel

Makes the equivalent of three seasoning packets, and you use 2 Tbs of the mix plus 1/2 cup water to 1 lb of ground meat. This is fabulous as a chip topping or popcorn topping, especially when combined with cheese powder. :)

All Purpose Seasoning mix

2 tsp basil

2 tsp oregano

2 tsp marjoram

1 tsp tarragon

1 tsp thyme leaves

1 tsp Rosemary leaves

1 Tbs garlic powder

1 Tbs onion powder

1 tsp red pepper flakes if you like a little heat.

Put it in an old shaker from another seasoning, and use it on everything. :) Our favorite is baked potatoes with butter and this seasoning.

Cream Of Anything Soup Mix

The credit for this amazing recipe goes to Crystall of everydayfoodstorage.net

I have yet to find a better Master Mix to make up any kind of cream soup. We dry all sorts of veggies from the garden and sales every year, and this makes just as good of a Creamy Sausage Gravy as it does a knockout Cream of Mushroom soup.

Please Click here for her recipe....

Garlic Ginger Asian Seasoning

And now, this truly is saving the best for last.

I love this seasoning.

Love it.

Use it on everything and simply can't have noodles without it.

My family just rolls their eyes and smiles when it hits the table about four times a week for dinner, but you know what, these little bottles are pretty darn expensive.

So it was time to roll up my sleeves, and come up with a similar alternative.

And believe me, this one is a winner.

2 tsp ground ginger

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp basil, crushed

2 tsp parsley flakes

 2 tsp onion flakes

2 tsp red bell pepper flakes

1 Tbs brown sugar

2 tsp soy sauce powder (you can find that here)

1 tsp cayenne pepper

2 tsp toasted, pulverized coconut flakes

2 tsp toasted sesame seeds

1 tsp black sesame seeds

2 tsp sea salt.

1 tsp cornstarch (to keep it from clumping)

2 tsp dried organic lime peels, powdered

Now yes, some of these sound rather exotic. We have a dehydrator, so making our own red bell pepper flakes or powdered ginger, or lime peel powder is pretty easy. You can find a lot of these by clicking on the affiliate link above for the Bulk Herbs Store site, or get creative and buy them from the bulk health food section of most stores. We grow most everything in that recipe.

Try it, you will most certainly like it.

Here is a sneak peek of a few of the other seasonings listed in the book, The Master Mix Way:

Sweet and Sassy Chili Seasoning

Apple Pie Spices

Mulling spices

The Welcoming House's Spaghetti Seasoning Master Mix

...and about ten others.


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