Copycat Spice Mix Recipes

Depending on which country you live in, some of those crucial ingredients you need for a recipe can be difficult to find. Spice mixes are one of the most challenging if you are used to walking into your US or Canadian grocery store and always finding the mix you want in the spice section. Such is NOT the case in Mexico! This is where PINTEREST is so helpful! Below are four of the MOST common ones I never find here in Yucatan. Each is actually cheaper than buying the brand name!!

  1. Cajun Spice 2. Dry Ranch Seasoning 3. Onion Soup Mix 4. Taco Seasoning

Cajun Spice Mix

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup sea salt
  • 1/4 cup chili powder
  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons paprika
  • 4 teaspoons celery salt
  • 4 teaspoons mustard powder
  • 4 teaspoons dried basil
  • 3 teaspoons ground sage
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
  • 2 teaspoons arrowroot powder
  • 2 teaspoons dried onion flakes
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme

1. Measure out all of your dry spices and seasonings.

2. Stir until well combined.

3. Transfer to a pint-sized mason jar and store with your spices.

Dry Ranch Dressing Seasoning Mix

  • 1 tbsp dry Parsley
  • 1 tbsp Dill
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp onion flakes or dry minced onion
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder

Onion Soup Mix

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup dehydrated minced onion flakes
  • 2 tablespoons instant beef bouillon granules
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Directions

Combine the onion flakes, beef bouillon granules, and onion powder until blended. Store in an airtight container.

This makes the equivalent of 1 package soup mix. Use anywhere that onion soup mix is called for (recipes, mix with sour cream for a dip, etc).

Taco Seasoning

  • 1/2 cup chili powder
  • 1/4 cup onion powder
  • 2 tbsp ground cumin
  • 2 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tbsp kosher salt or sea salt
  • 1 tbsp black pepper

1. Measure all of the ingredients into a lidded jar.

2. Shake until all ingredients are combined.

Notes

This recipe makes about one cup of seasoning.

Before each use, give it a good shake. Makes 3 tbsp. seasoning = 1 packet

For one pound of meat, use 3 tbsp. of seasoning plus about 2/3 cup of water.

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Slow Cooker (Crockpot) Swedish Meatballs

What to do without Costco? I have had a bag of turkey meatballs in the freezer for awhile. The truth is we didn’t really like them! Not to waste I found this slow cooker recipe for Swedish meatballs and I got the chance to use them all up, never to buy again. If you have been following for sometime you will know that I had previously made meatballs for use with pasta. This recipe called for frozen ones. Et voila! Actually they tasted awesome…great for a buffet table.

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Slow Cooker/Crock Pot Swedish Meatballs

Ingredients:
1 can cream of mushroom (or chicken) soup, low sodium*
1 can beef broth, low sodium*
1 packet dry onion soup mix
2 tbsp. A1 steak sauce
1 (2 lb.) bag frozen meatballs
1 (8 oz.) container sour cream (1 cup)
1 (16 oz.) package egg noodles

sliced mushrooms (optional)

Directions:
In a 5-6 quart slow cooker, mix undiluted soup with beef broth, onion soup mix and steak sauce. Stir well.

Then add in frozen meatballs.

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high 3-5 hours. (My slow cooker is always faster than the recipe calls for, in this case they were done in about 4 1/2 hours.

After meatball mixture is almost cooked, add in the sliced mushrooms and stir in sour cream.

At this time, put a pot of water on the oven to boil for your egg noodles (make according to package directions.) Drain noodles well when done.

Mix noodles and meatballs together. Or serve meatballs on top of noodles.

Note: Low sodium is my personal preference for this to keep it from being too salty. If I’m serving for a crowd, I will mix together noodles and meatballs and keep my crock pot on the ‘warm’ or ‘buffet’ setting. But when it’s just my family, everyone can serve themselves and grab as many meatballs, noodles and sauce as they like.

http://www.thecountrycook.net

Onion Orange Chicken

Onion Orange Chicken This one has been around for quite a few years. Simple enough for kids, supervised by parent….

1 pkg. Lipton Onion soup mix

1 can frozen orange juice, thawed

2 1/2 lb, chicken cut up*

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Blend soup and juice. Pour 1/2 of it over the chicken pieces in a baking dish. Bake, basting frequently with the other half of the juice mixture. Cooking time about one hour. Serve with rice of your choice, along with some vegetables.

* I used boneless chicken thighs and the cooking time was around one half hour.