Homemade Taco Seasoning

In one of my classes with Chef Gaby we talked about whole spices and grinding our own.  We put together rubs, vinegars, oils, and other dry spices. One was this, taco seasoning.  She threw together spices I would never have thought to put together for true "taco" seasoning.  This is nothing like those taco packets.  It's better!  Why?  First off, they are whole spices that are ground.  A WOW! Bam! Burst of flavor! Second, whatever combination this is, works!!  

I only took basic notes on the spices so I figured up measurements and we liked this combo. 

Taco Seasoning

1 small cinnamon stick (broken up a little)

1 Tablespoon whole cumin seed

1/2 Tablespoon whole coriander 

1/2 Tablespoon whole fennel seed

1 Tablespoon ground chili powder

1 Tablespoon ground paprika

Macaroni Salad with Peas

Quick and easy pasta dish ready in 30 minutes or less!  It's versatile so feel free to chance up the seasonings.

Macaroni Salad with Peas

5 ounces dry macaroni (I used GF)

1/2 cup mayonnaise (I used a canola based)

3 Tablespoons buttermilk

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

1 teaspoon dill

1-1/2 cup frozen peas (more if you like)

Cook your pasta, drain, rinse under cool water to cool pasta.  Allow to drain while you mix other ingredients.

Mix mayonnaise, buttermilk, Parmesan, and dill together.  Add pasta.

Put your frozen peas in a strainer.  Run cool water over them until any ice crystals on them melt away.  This will also thaw your peas.  Stir into pasta. Enjoy!

If you do not eat it all in that sitting or make ahead to take someplace you will need add a little milk as the pasta will absorb liquid as it sits.

Homemade Yogurt using Dry Culture

Homemade Yogurt using Dry Culture

1 gallon milk (We use our own goat milk)
6 vanilla beans
1/8 teaspoon dry yogurt culture (We use ABY-2C - see below)
1/4 cup pure maple syrup

Resident yogurt maker!  Carl does all the yogurt biz in this house!

In a double boiler, dump in milk.  Add the vanilla beans which should be split and the "cavier" scraped out into the milk. Heat to 180 degrees and hold for 30 minutes.  Normally we don't like to heat our milk so high but this time we want to take out the bacteria and add in our own to take on this yogurt's flavor.

Strain to get all the vanilla bean pods out.

Feel free to use your clean fingers to press the goodies around to get all the milk thru the strainer.

Cool to 115 degrees by placing the jar in cool water/ice.  When it reaches 115 degrees add your culture and stir to incorporate.

This is the culture we use from Dairy Connection  It it meant to be a thicker sweeter yogurt.

Place in a cooler filled part way with hot water.  The temperature of the air inside the cooler with the lid shut should be 110 degrees.  If not add more hot water or change out some of the water but don't let them go over the glass dishes you will set in there. Carl has now put the yogurt into two half gallon containers.  He places his jars into glass dishes so the hot water does not directly touch the glass.

Place lid on top and let sit for 9 hours.  When it is done, stir in maple syrup and place in fridge.

We enjoy ours with homemade granola and fruit or in smoothies.

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Blueberries, granola, and yogurt.

Apples, granola, and yogurt.

Berry Smoothie