Quick Gingerbread House

Each year at Christmastime, my kids and I make gingerbread houses out of graham crackers and frosting. This year I noticed that makers of my favorite graham cracker had started making gingerbread crackers. I quickly bought a box and a bunch of small candies, nuts, and dried fruit (to decorate our little houses). We use the frosting to hold the cracker walls together. To make a quickie icing bags, I fill plastic zip bags with frosting, zip the baggie closed, and snip a wee bit off one corner. Squeeze the icing through the hole you made in that corner. For a simple white icing to drizzle over your completed house, mix together a cup of powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of milk or cream.

Taco Seasoning

If you’re like me the letters MSG turn you off. I was thrown for a loop when I noticed my store-bought taco seasoning had MSG (aka Monosodium glutamate) and silicon dioxide in it*. So I set about stirring up my own taco seasoning. Why have extra sodium in your seasonings and condiments? Here’s my recipe: * 2 teaspoons chili powder * 4 teaspoons ground cumin * 2 teaspoons ground oregano * 2 teaspoons salt * 1 teaspoon dried red pepper * 2 teaspoon dried minced onion (or onion powder) * 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder I use this much like I would the ready-made seasoning mix. Also works nicely sprinkled over a cheeseburger or coldcut sandwich. *Care to guess which brand of seasoning I’m referring to? Hint: if you fast-food tacos, you’ve probably had it.