I know it is very hip to be in love with Thomas Keller or David Change right now (and I am not doubting their genius!) but you all, I am still representing my serious Food Network love for Rachael Ray. Hang on while I claim my seat at the unhip foodie table. Alright, now that we’re comfortable…You see the thing is, she taught me to experiment with my cooking and to not fear the kitchen. These are things that absolutely turned me on to cooking, so while I don’t love every single 30 Minute Meal she puts out, she will always have me as a member of her fan club. (Especially now that she makes 6 ingredient dog treats that are the only kind that Buster can eat with barfing! Yay!)
(Talking about dog barf in a recipe post. Pretty sure I’m doing this wrong.)
Anyway, one of the most awesome kitchen short cuts that she taught me was about using grill seasoning for things that you aren’t actually grilling. Mind: Blown, I KNOW! Grill seasoning is generally a pre-mixed group of herbs and spices that really kick up the flavor of any kind of meat and vegetables, and in my kitchen, as well as in grocery stores everywhere, you will often see it labeled as Everyday Seasoning or Montreal Steak Seasoning or perhaps some other branded name that basically means “Sprinkle me on meat and vegetables and I will make them taste good.” And it really is a useful addition to your spice arsenal. I especially love mixing it into burgers as a base seasoning, or rubbing it on chicken or fish when I am feeling no inspiration but don’t want to eat something bland. You may also want to try the Meat spice seasonings.
The only problem comes when you pick up one of these pre-packaged bad boys and the end up being full of preservatives or weird ingredients or things you can’t pronounce. WOMP WOMP! You know what I’m talking about — it is the packaged taco seasoning effect. It’s always a bummer to realize that something that tastes so delicious but is full of so much crap. This becomes especially inconvenient if you are doing a Whole 30 or a really strict nutrition challenge, which is why I wanted to share a super simple recipe for making your own Everyday Seasoning that is completely FREE of garbage, and completely FULL of flavor.
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- 2 tablespoons paprika
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- 2 tablespoons crushed black pepper
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- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
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- 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
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- 1 tablespoon granulated onion
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- 1 tablespoon crushed coriander
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- 1 tablespoon dill
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- 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon of dehydrated onion flakes (optional, for texture)
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- Mix all ingredients together in a bowl
- Rub on chicken or steak, sprinkle on veggies, or mix a TBS or two into your burger mixture for a wonderfully seasoned dinner.
Hope you mix up something delicious!
****For more seasoning inspiration check out What’s In My Spice Cabinet + 4 Delicious Blends You Should Try.
That sounds delicious, thanks for sharing! I’m terrible at coming up with my own mixtures of seasonings when I season chicken or veggies, I’ll think two things sound good together and it’s the exact opposite!
Is your dog on the BARF diet?
WHY OH WHY did I never think of making this?? So simple, yet so awesome. I’ve been lamenting the fact that most spice blends seem to include sugar and/or yeast (which, WHY??) but I really want to use them on the Whole30. Not only are they good for meats, I even like to use them in salad dressings — they really perk up an olive oil / vinegar blend.
I LOVE Rachael Ray and I love using steak seasoning in my burgers! When we moved to this city, the hubs worked late and we had cable for the first time ever. Cable + home alone = watching all the 30 minute meal shows. I was like “oh that’s how you prep garic, oh that’s how you peel an onion, oh yes, you totally should squeeze your lemon upside down to avoid seeds getting in your food!” I don’t care what people say, that RR chick is a genius for us every day folk.
I have never watched Food Network and have no idea who those people are, and am therefore not hip at all. However, I DO know who Rachel Ray is and I think it’s probably time I find out more about these 30-minute meals you speak of!
I will definitely try this seasoning mix, as my spice cabinet is simply reDONKulous… I tend to buy the pre-mixed stuff instead of thinking to create my own (duh!) One of my favorite pre-fabs is Northwoods Fire Seasoning by Penzey’s. A-MAZing on eggs and veg and no added extras: salt, chipotle pepper, Hungarian paprika, Tellicherry black pepper, rosemary, thyme, and cayenne. If you can crack the code of spice ratios on that one, I’d love to know!
Hi Holly!! I don´t watch Food Network, therefore the two men you speak of … no idea. However, when I used to live in the states Rachel Ray was by far my favorite cook!! LOVED HER. I bought all her books and my mom just bought me two for Xmas. Love her 30 minute meals. I am not doing Whole30 because of the fact that we just moved and we have NO kitchen (as of yet) … but I do love all your recipes and clothing style and absolutely love your blog. Inspiration!! I hope you don´t mind I stole one of you first blogs (the ABC Slam books) as my first blog. I am starting going Paleo in February (again, when our kitchen is ready) where I will begin detailing how I am doing and my reading habits. =) It´s not quite finished, but hopefully one day. =) Thanks for all your insights!! =)