Dry Rubs and Seasonings

We had a great pepper season and I was able to dry lots of cayenne peppers which I later ground into a powder. With plenty of cayenne, I made a couple of spice blends to keep in the pantry. I like to pass all the ingredients through a fine mesh sieve to eliminate spice clumps. Store seasonings in an airtight container and use within six months.

I add taco seasoning to enchiladas, soups and dips (and tacos, of course).
Feel free to add more or less cayenne, depending on how much heat
you prefer. I also added some of our dried cilantro. 

Taco Seasoning
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 ½ teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (to taste)
1 Tbsp dried cilantro
Combine all the ingredients and store in an airtight container. To season taco meat, add 2 Tbsp spice blend and 1/2 cup water to 1 pound ground meat. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Made with brown sugar, this BBQ rub pairs well with pork. I especially like to
rub on a rack of ribs and place in the fridge overnight before grilling. 

BBQ Rub
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp paprika
1 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp onion powder
1 tsp cayenne
Combine all ingredients and place in an airtight container.