Taco Seasoning

When I was growing up, my mom made tacos every week. I grew up in LA. =) I ate quesadillas several times a week as my afternoon snack. It still surprises me to meet people that don't eat tortillas very often, because everyone ate them where I grew up! Anyways, back to the tacos.

When my mom made tacos, she would mince a small onion and saute it with a pound of ground beef. Then, she would add an 8 oz. can of tomato sauce. I always liked it this way growing up. My husband grew up though in the Northeast with taco seasoning. So, I started looking for a combination of spices to add to our tacos.

A few years ago, I read Miserly Moms by Jonni McCoy and adapted her recipe. I don't mix up the spices ahead of time. I just pull them out and make a light sprinkle of each spice over the top of the browned meat and onion mixture. After I've browned the meat, I add the spices before I add the tomato sauce. These are the spices I sprinkle over: Oregano, Cumin, Chili Powder (mild), Garlic Powder, and a little salt. Then, I add the can of tomato sauce and heat it through with the meat. I only give a light sprinkle of each spice over top. If you like it spicier, you can play with the amount that you add. I would start light and then add more if you'd like.

Most packaged spices add in preservatives and often MSG, so I feel a lot better about cooking the meat this way! I also drain a can of black beans sometimes and add them to the meat to make it stretch a little farther. =)