This page contains both dry seasoning blends and some seasoning pastes. Everything on this page is intended to be used to flavor a dish or meat, and sometimes that comes in the form of a rub, other times it’s sprinkled over, or perhaps it’s added to a sauce. The pastes that are included on this page can be used in exactly the same way. I have, however, not included marinades, as they will soon enough have thier own page. Neither have I listed any condiments. These are typically intended to stand alone, as their own flavor, and are usually used as more of a dressing or dip. As for Barbecue Sauces in particular, well they have their very own page as well, with an ever expanding collection of styles from all around the world.

Achiote/Annatto Paste (Recado Rojo)

This blend is straight out of the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. The Mayan decendants of this region, including many from Belize and Guatamala, have three major pastes used commonly in their cuisine. This red one, a black one, and a green one. They are the leaping-off point for many recipes.

Although you can this paste pretty cheaply from a Mexican grocery store, if you don’t have one nearby, or simply prefer to make things from scratch, it really isn’t difficult. It also freezes well, so you can make  a large batch and have it on hand anytime.

The recipe expands below, but for more information you can check out this page completely dedicated to this unique paste.
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Achiote/Annatto Dry Rub and Seasoning Blend

Working first, with the paste listed above, I wanted to recreate it’s wonderful flavors with a fast and easy to use dry rub.

Ground Annatto has such and incredibly unique flavor and with absolutly no spice it’s very family friendly. You can use this blend on any kind of meat or simple over steamed or grilled vegetables.
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Awesome Blend

this was one of my very first personal blends. So often I found myself reaching for the same herbs and spices, whether it be for a steak or my popcorn, and could not help but say to myself, “This would be so much easier if it was already blended!”

I might suggest chopping the chives down, but there is little work involved otherwise. You can also choose to grind everything down to a homogenized powder. This works very well for pretty much any application.
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Bold and Spicy Herb Blend

It’s the rosemary that really makes this blend stand out, but don’t go thinking it will make everything taste like stuffing! Using Hungarian paprika, a mild and sweeter paprika, combined with hot cayenne, the blend of rosemary and oregano round everything out with a perfect harmony between green and red.

As for the garlic, I use granules so that each bite comes with bits of each flavor. No homogenizing here! Along with this, you will need to break down the twiggy rosemary first, so that every ingredient joins the mix as roughly the same size.

Although perfectly suited for steak or pork chops, and even blacking as such, this blend really shines on roasted turkey; be it a whole bird or just a breast. Feel free to adjust the spice to your own liking. As-is, it’s pretty hot.
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Dill and Chive Blend

This blend was originally created off a mix that was intended to be added to sour cream and mayo for a dip. Indeed, this one is good for that as well, but I’ve also used it on steak, chicken, and even popcorn.
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Egyptian Dukkah/Duqqa

This blend, as the name implies, is an Egyptian classic! It is most often served with bread and olive oil for dipping, but also on vegetables.

It has been gaining popularity all around the world, and can be purchased pre-packaged many places, but why not make your own?
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Everything Bagel Blend

There are a few of us out there that absolutely crave the savory flavor combination you get on a good Everything Bagel. But why does it only come on a bagel? What if I want an Everything Pork Chop? What about a loaf of Everything Bread? (Mix this seasoning (unsalted) right in with your dough ingredients.)

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Homemade Furikake Blends

A basic Furikake would be sesame seeds and salt, but there are a TON of variations for these rice sprinkles. So many, in fact, that we have dedicated an entire page to them, here! But for curiosity sake, here is a list of the 8 blends we’ve put together, and their basic ingredients.

• • Gomashio Furikake – Toasted Sesame Seeds and Salt; Sometimes With Nori
  • Noritama Furikake – Sesame Seeds, Nori, and Egg Yolk; Seasoned
  • Nori Komi Furikake – Sesame Seeds, Seaweed, and Salt
  • Shiso/Perilla Furikake – Sesame Seeds, Seaweed, and Shiso/Perilla; Seasoned
  • Yasai Fumi Furikake – Sesame Seeds, Vegetable Chips, and Nori; Seasoned
  • Ebi Fumi Furikake – Sesame Seeds, Shrimp, Nori, and Egg Yolk; Seasoned

And my personal Favorite (and personal creation):

• Semiserious Smoked Salmon Furikake – Toasted Black and White Sesame Seeds, Smoked Salmon, and Nori; Seasoned

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.
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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.
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Greek Seasoning

It took a little while to come up with a good Greek seasoning blend, but I am very happy with this one! The sumac was the secret to getting a little bit of tartness, but not an overwhelming amount of lemon. When mixed with sour cream, yogurt, and a little feta cheese it makes a great Greek dressing. You can also use it to season meats, burgers, and seamed or roasted vegetables.
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Fűszer – Hungarian Spice Blend

This fűszer, or ‘spice,’ plays off some of the common flavors found in Hungarian cuisine, as well as many of the surrounding countries of Central and Eastern Europe. It leans on paprika and black pepper for kick, but without any real spice, making it very family friendly. It’s perfect for any cut of meat or roast, as a seasoning for soups or stews, or added to base for a dip or a dressing.
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Shichimi Togarashi – Japanese 7 Spice

This spicy and citrusy blend dates back to the 17th century of current day Tokyo. It is often used on noodle dishes or with meats such as grilled chicken, beef dishes, and broiled eel. I highly recommend it for garnishing tebasaki, or to season a tare dipping sauce for tempura or Gyōza dumplings.
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Fast and Easy 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.
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Better Lemon Pepper

I LOVE popcorn. I eat it many times a week. Garlic and lemon or lime have been one of my staple go-to flavors for years, but a recent taste testing of different paprikas really opened my eyes to expanding my popcorn seasoning a little. I wanted to take what I liked about lemon pepper and make it, well, better!

But don’t think you’re limited to using this for just popcorn! It’s fantastic on meats, seafood, and vegetables.

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Mediterranean Blend

This colorful blend offers many of the favorite seasoning flavors we all crave. Just the right amount of garlic, a splash of chive to go with onion flakes, plenty of green herbs, and one very special ingredient; dried tomato!
This mix is perfect for a lot of applications. It’s great on any kind of grilled or pan fried meat; beef, pork, chicken, or fish. It’s also great for steamed vegetables. As for roasted dinner, you can use it as a rub for poultry or beef as well as the accompanying vegetables. It’s just as great sprinkled on pasta with some olive oil and bit of parmesan cheese.
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Pompeii Smoke and Fire Blend

This recipe was originally created as a blackening blend, with much, (all-be-it non-PC,) joking involved, but it was such a good combination that it quickly became a staple in the cupboard. Oregano, basil, and garlic make the base for classic North Mediterranean fares, while smoked paprika, salt, and pepper along with an easy blend of flaky chilies give it the flavors for it’s name-sake.

Let’s not even mention how beautifully colored it is! Pressed onto a piece of meat, bright reds stand out against the plentiful green herbs, with dark specks of chili scattered around. Smoke and Fire for sure!
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Yuzu Kosho

There is no denying that this is a bit of a knock off, just because I don’t have access to yuzu citrus, but you ?probably? don’t either.

This fermented paste uses the zest of several citrus, with the addition of minced chili. Though you won’t get to use it instantly, somethings are worth waiting for!
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Za’atar

To simply offer A za’atar recipe is a disservice to all of the Middle Eastern cultures. With a base of green herb, sesame seed, and salt, the options branching out are nearly endless. Because each region, and each family for that matter, have their own variations and preferences, I have listed several options below. If you want to know more about the hows and whys behind each of these be sure to check out the page that we have completely dedicated to all things Za’atar.

When combining the ingredients from each recipe below, it is best practice to grind the listed green herbs, spices, and salt first, then add the and sesame seeds.
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