I love to make my own seasoning blends. It allows me to tailor the flavors to my particular tastes, and it also allows me to adjust the heat so my kids will enjoy their food as well. To top it off, I’m able to avoid all those unpronouncable chemicals that look like someone just ran their hands over the keyboard when coming up with a name (sodiumbicloroethylphosphotrimethylnitrite80 anyone?).

Here’s a few of my favorites. Enjoy!

Seasoned Salt

6 tbsp salt (I prefer Kosher)
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp marjoram
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 1/4 tsp paprika
1 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp dill
1/2 tsp celery salt

Put all ingredients into a mini food processor or spice blender and give it a whir on low. Use anywhere you want a kick of flavor!

Blackened Seasoning

4 tsp ground paprika
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsps garlic powder
1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tsp salt (Kosher)
2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp ground cayenne pepper, or to your taste – be careful!
1 ttsp dried oregano
3/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Place all ingredients in a jar, give it a good shake, and store in a cool, dark place. Shake up the jar well to distribute the spices before each use. I use this by putting a light coating of butter on a piece of chicken or fish, then covering it in the spice blend. Place the prepared meat on a scorching hot iron skillet (hint: use the grill outdoors to avoid setting off the smoke detector), and cook through, turning once. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Poultry Seasoning

1 tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp paprika (try smoked paprika for a twist!)
1 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp ground bay leaves
1 tsp garlic powder

Measure all ingredients into a jar or zip top bag, seal and shake well. Rub well into poultry before baking, grilling, or tossing in the crockpot. It really does jazz up poultry and keeps it from tasting bland.

Taco Seasoning

1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp powdered oregano
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt

Mix all ingredients together. This makes the equilivant of a 1/4 ounce package of commercial taco seasoning mix. You can mix this into ground meat, or use as a seasoning rub before grilling chicken or skirt steak. We use it primarily for tacos and burritos and it tastes so much better than the commercially available mixes.

Pumpkin Pie Spice

2 tbsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp ginger
1 1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ground cloves

Measure all ingredients into a jar or zip top bag. Mix it into one cup of brown sugar, 2 cups of baked pumpkin, 1/4 cup of evaporated milk and two egg yolks. Then fold this into two whipped egg whites and 1/3 cup of sugar and bake in a prepared pie shell for a wonderful pumpkin pie.

Dry BBQ Rub

6 tbsp brown sugar, tightly packed
2 tbsp Kosher salt
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Measure all ingredients into a jar or zip top bag. I rub this mixture on a pork shoulder and then let it sit overnight in the refrigerator. The next day, I take the shoulder out and let it come to room temperature, then smoke it at 190 degrees for 20+ hours with hickory smoke. Again, my mouth is watering…

Southwestern Seasoning Blend

2 1/2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp Kosher salt
1 tbsp dried oregano
2 tbsp paprika
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper

Measure all ingredients into a jar or zip top bag. This is a mixture that you can use on just about anything when you want that Southwest flavor kick. Try it on eggs, fish, or chicken for a powerful Tex-Mex taste.

Be willing to experiment with these and try some variations if you dare! Be careful when handling two things though, raw eggs or meats, and red pepper or cayenne. Always wash your hands thoroughly after handling meat and whatever you do, don’t rub your eyes for at least two days after touching cayenne … trust me … the voice of experience!

Photo by Sara Nicastro

Darla is an an all-American Iowa girl, married to the Chief of Police and mom to an 11-year-old boy (it’s all about the testosterone at her house). Currently she works from home as an accountant and also as a silver power seller on eBay, and is the Managing Editor for Blissfully Domestic. She writes on numerous blogs, such as Sassy Homemaker and Chic Critique.

I know all of you savvy Simple Mom fans are well aware that slow cookers (such as Crock Pots) are more than just food warmers, but did you know that they’re close to a full-service station? They defrost, cook, warm, reheat and beyond.

Here are a few simple tips for getting the most out of your slow cooker:

• Baked potatoes are great in a slow cooker – just wrap them in tinfoil, bake them on high, and they’ll be done when you arrive home. Throw some meat on the grill and you’ll have an instant meal.

• I use a slow cooker to thaw and brown hamburger. You do need to be home to make this work, but it saves a ton of energy as well as clean-up (and for even easier clean-up, I highly recommend slow cooker liners).  Place the meat frozen in the slow cooker, turn it on high, and come back every 30 minutes to scrape off the outside meat.  It’ll be defrosted and cooked in less than two hours. Add your remaining ingredients, and you’ll have a homemade dinner start-to-finish in just a few hours and no clean up time.

• For chicken, place frozen parts in the slow cooker, checking back every 30 minutes and rotating until they are completely cooked. Add the remaining ingredients, and once more, there’s very little clean up for a full meal.

• You can follow the same method for a roast as well. To keep a roast moist, use some sort of a red sauce – anything from salsa, to canned tomatoes, to Italian stewed tomatoes, to tomato sauce will work. I’m not a fan of tomatoes, so I was pleasantly surprised to find that the meat was so moist and flavorful.

• Finally, add a can or two of Cream of Golden Mushroom soup to your slow cooker for a nice and simple gravy.

What slow cooker tips would you like to share? I know you’ve got some up your sleeve.