First of all – Garlic Salt.

This is the super easy combination of it’s name-sake ingredients, usually at a ratio of 1 part garlic granules to 3 parts sea salt. There is really NO REASON to pay for this blend in the store. Bulk salt and herbs are so cheap that you should already be refilling the same jars you have without having to pay for another jar. The same reigns true for garlic salt. Once you have a designated jar, (if you even need that!) simply refill it with the ratio you prefer.

Next in line for one of the most common and basic spice cupboard mixes – Lemon Pepper.

This blend can be made several ways.

• You can use fresh or dried lemon zest, pepper, and salt. (Probably the truest way to make it.)
  • zest of 3 lemons, 3 T ground pepper, 1 T sea salt
• You can use lemon juice with lemon zest, pepper, and salt.
• You can use a crystallized lemon, pepper, and salt. (see below)
• You can use a dash of citric acid, pepper, and salt.

For myself, using crystallized lemon is really fast and easy. This lemon powder can be used for a lot of other things, and doesn’t loose it’s flavor over time. It’s intense though, so it doesn’t take much.

Be aware that what you taste one minute after you mix it, will be different than what you taste 5 minutes after it’s mixed. The crystallized lemon really settles in there! You can also try this blend using crystallized lime or a combination of the two.

The third piece to this puzzle – Garlic Lemon Pepper.

I’m not going to lie, one of the easiest ways to go about this is to simply mix store bought garlic salt and store bought lemon pepper. This however, ends up being a pretty salty blend. By mixing your own you will not only save money but you will have complete control over the flavor profiles.