ITALIAN SEASONING, TACO SEASONING & SAUSAGE MADE SIMPLE

These blends are ones that I use in recipes that call for Italian or taco seasoning. At the end of this post is a recipe you can use to make your own sausage in just a few minutes. Enjoy!

ITALIAN SEASONING
Italian seasoning herbal blend isn’t difficult to make. Just toss these few herbs together into a small jelly jar and store with your other kitchen spices. You can use this as a substitute for the herbs in the sausage recipe as well as for seasoning in other dishes such as spaghetti, homemade pizza and chicken. I don’t add salt and pepper to this blend, preferring to add it during the cooking process.

3 Tbsp oregano
2 tsp thyme
2 tsp marjoram
2 tsp parsley
2 tsp basil
1 tsp sage

Makes a generous ¼ cup
Keep in small glass jar with tight fitting lid


TACO SEASONING BLEND
Have you tired of adding maltodextrin, monosodium glutamate, sugar, malic acid, silicon dioxide and soybean oil to your tacos? There’s a cheaper and easier way to get the taste you want without those chemicals. Make your own using 8 ingredients:

4 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp cumin
2 tsp paprika
½ tsp red pepper flakes
2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
*2 tsp onion powder
*2 tsp garlic powder

Mix thoroughly and place in a small glass jar with tight fitting lid. Keep in a dark area to preserve flavor. Use for any meat that needs seasoning, including blackened fish. Usually 2 tbsp of this mix is enough for 1 pound of meat.
*Note: I often make this mix without the garlic or onion powder. I season my dishes to taste and add fresh garlic and onion when cooking.


HOMEMADE SAUSAGE
Homemade sausage is an easy way to avoid nitrates, nitrites, chemical preservatives, artificial coloring and flavorings. Not only that, it just tastes better! Ground turkey, beef, pork and chicken are available in many retail outlets or you can grind your own. It isn’t necessary to stuff the seasoned meat into casings. I think that making sausage patties gives you more flexibility when using them in meal preparation.

To make your own sausage, combine:
1 pound beef
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, peeled & finely chopped
1 tsp red pepper flakes
¼ tsp each: fresh ground pepper, cumin, marjoram, nutmeg, oregano & ginger
1/2 tsp each: basil, thyme, sage & sea salt

(Italian sausage option: Substitute 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning for the herbs listed.)

I roll these into 2 Tbsp patties and press them to about ½ inch thickness. This allows me to be sure they are cooked completely and not underdone inside. I prepare mine in a heated cast iron pan wiped with olive oil. They can be served in a variety of ways to suit your own taste.

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NATURAL ANTISEPTICS

I’ve gotten some inquiries about natural antiseptics. Basically, an antiseptic is something that inhibits the growth of ‘bad’ organisms. Substances that kill pathogenic organisms internally are classified as antibiotic. Substances that accomplish this in surface applications are called antiseptic.A ‘bad’ organism would refer to those that are parasitic, meaning they rob the host of vital resources in order to reproduce. As the pathogen’s numbers multiply, the host’s resources are further taxed resulting in disease conditions. These organisms can be microscopic or large (like fungi). Some can live on inanimate surfaces for a time. Others thrive in living tissues.
An antiseptic will usually work by either killing the organism or preventing its growth or reproduction. Some antiseptics work primarily on bacteria while others target viruses. The benefit of natural antiseptics is that they are often more full spectrum in their action. In other words, natural antiseptics are often both antiviral and antibacterial.It gets a little complicated when you try to formulate a short list of natural antiseptics. The good news is that natural antiseptics are found all around you in many household foods, spices and pantry items. It would be difficult to find a home that did not have some natural antiseptic substance. The bad news (for me) is that it makes the topic VERY difficult to pare down for a short article.So, I’ll offer a brief overview. Keep in mind, these lists are by no means exhaustive. Some things I prefer to use more than others. These preferences are the result of research, availability, cost and my mood at the moment.Antiseptic foods you might have on hand include lemons, honey, pineapple, cabbage, carrots, onions and radishes. Spices and seasonings that are considered antiseptic include cinnamon bark, cloves, garlic, carob powder, ginger, horseradish, sage and thyme. For the antiseptic properties to be beneficial, most of these items should be used raw. Several of the seasonings can be utilized in the dry form.Herbals which are considered antiseptic include: myrrh, mullein, aloe, Echinacea, lavender, eucalyptus, St. John’s Wort, sweet clover, goldenseal, juniper, grapefruit seed extract, and tea tree oil.The third category of natural antiseptic is one I’ve named ‘other household items.’ Technically, these are substances that result from natural ingredients subjected to simple processes. However, in a pinch, and with some controlled conditions, you could produce your own version of them. They include activated charcoal, baking soda, vinegar, isopropyl rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, colloidal silver and molkosan.Of course, the simplest and easiest way to keep the skin free of pathogenic bacteria is by using clean, filtered water and well-made lye soap. Your skin is host to vibrant communities of bacteria, not all of them bad. There is a constant war being waged between the bad guys and the good guys. By regular hand washing, you help give the good guys an edge to keep your skin safe from disease caused by the bad guys. Pathogenic bacteria often feed on dirt. Soap removes the food source and helps depopulate the area of pathogens.Do avoid anti-bacterial soaps. Why? Because just as synthetic antibiotics can destroy beneficial flora in the human digestive tract, the result can be the same when used on the skin. Pharmaceutical antibiotic applications don’t just destroy the bad guys, but they kill the good also.This is an important consideration whether you are cleaning a wound or cleaning a counter top. Killing ALL bacteria means that you wipe the surface clear of even the beneficial organisms that help keep the bad in check. This leaves the area vulnerable to a renewed attack of pathogens as it has been stripped of its first line of defense: beneficial bacteria. Using natural antiseptics means that you help maintain a healthy balance just as you would by removing weeds from your garden while letting the cultivated plants remain. If you were to completely clear the ground without putting something in place of the weeds, the seeds from the weeds would soon sprout and take over the now vacant ground.

This video demonstrates how
plain soap & water effectively fights pathogens:

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