Blackening Seasoning Mix

Ok so I am cheating again on the post a day thing:)  I was making the Cajun chicken Alfredo and instead of buying blackening mix, I made it.  I knew I must have all the necessary ingredients (and I did) to make it since I have a very full spice cabinet.  Why add another jar to that jumble? This did make enough for two or three of the dish I made it for, so I took a practically empty jar of paprika and made it in that.  (Conveniently the jar held a pinch more than the 1 tablespoon needed for this)  The mixture is very spicy by itself,  but isn't very once it was in the dish.  I rarely buy pre made spice mixtures.  First of all, they usually have some odd sounding chemical in them that I don't really want or need.  Secondly, they are inevitably mostly salt.  I like controlling the amount of  salt in the food we eat.  I love salt, but as I have slowly reduced the amounts of salt (not all mind you, salt is very key to food tasting good) I find we need less to enjoy our food.  It is easy to do too.  The Internet always has a recipe, but it isn't strictly necessary.  The first time I made my own spice mixture, I made a taco seasoning.  I just looked at the back of the packet and noted the spices and the order in which they were listed. The first ingredient was cumin, so I knew that there was more of it in the mix than any other spice.  The first time I made it it took a bit of experimenting, but it came out great and I used what was in my cabinet and no 11 letter ingredients in my mix.



Blackening Seasoning Mix (ala Paul Prudhomme)

1 T  sweet paprika
2 1/2 t  salt
1 t  onion powder
1 t  garlic powder
1 t  cayenne
3/4 t  white pepper
3/4 t  black pepper
1/2 t  dried thyme leaves
1/2 t  dried oregano leaves
Combine all ingredients. Keep unused portion in tight container