DIY Spice Mixes

For quite a few years now I've made the spice mix that we use for tacos.  The main reason I started making it was because it was very hard to locate a taco spice mix that was safe for my son.  At one point it was impossible.  So I took a base recipe from an allergy free cookbook and altered it.  A few years later we found a premade mix we could use by Ortega. 

I still use the homemade mix.  Now because of the truth of cost.  For around $10, I can make enough of the mix to get us through 6 months or so.  It breaks down to about $.16 a meal.  That's a great deal less expensive that $1.84 per meal (if I get a good price).  If you find yourself using a mix repeatedly, you may want to seriously consider finding a good recipe and making the mix yourself.  The mark up on store bought spice mixes is really outrageous.  And you can eliminate those things that you really don't need in those amounts (like salt) or that someone doesn't like.  For example, my nephew can't stand cinnamon.  So when I cook for him, I either eliminate it or sub something else.

Right now I'm working on growing all of the ingredients for the taco mix so that I don't have to buy them.  This batch got made using home grown oregano and onions that I dried and powdered.  Just those changes have added a nice flavor kick.  I'm looking forward to seeing what it will taste like with all of the ingredients being home grown fresh.  In the back of my mind is the thought that I may end up decreasing the amount used per meal if the flavor kicks up too much, which will make it even more affordable.

And it's not just the mix that tastes better.  Mom has gotten around to trying the spices I gave her and is amazed at how strong they are.  And her cats are in heaven with the catnip which she is having to keep to tiny amounts.  I watched one of her cats sit there and rub itself all over the tiny section of carpet where a two leaf segment dropped.  It was determined to enjoy every last little bit of that catnip.  The next batch gets split between my brother and I.

For me the amazing part is the difference in flavor even from items that I purchase bulk or at natural food stores.  It seems that no matter how fast they package it and ship it, it can't compete with something picked a week or two ago and dried at home.  I'm looking forward to emptying my spice jars out and refilling them with the home grown herbs this year.  I'm also looking forward to experimenting with making a dried spice & veggie mix to use for our chili.  Do you have any spice mixes that you have made and/or use on a regular basis?  Please share.