Skip the store-bought packet and make your own homemade taco seasoning recipe that’s bursting with bold flavor and authentic taste. This easy blend of spices, like chili powder, cumin, paprika, and garlic, comes together in minutes and instantly upgrades ground beef, chicken, or veggies. Once you try this homemade mix, your next taco night will never be the same!

There’s nothing better than DIY taco night with the family! Everyone gets to build their own just the way they like it, which makes dinner fun and easy. I pile mine high with sour cream, cheese, salsa, lettuce, cilantro, and basically every topping in sight, while my kids keep it simple with their favorites. It’s a win for everyone at the table.

I didn’t realize it was so simple to make your own taco seasoning at home. Once you do, you’ll never go back to the store-bought taco seasoning packets again. This homemade version works perfectly with ground beef, ground chicken, or ground turkey, and it’s just as good tossed with roasted veggies, stirred into soups or stews, or sprinkled over taco salads.

It’s a pantry staple that’s cheaper, fresher, and more flavorful than anything store-bought, plus, it’s made with spices you probably already have on hand. No trip to the grocery store required. Mix up a big batch and keep it in your spice drawer for easy, delicious Taco Tuesday nights anytime.

Ingredients For Taco Seasoning

This Homemade Taco seasoning recipe is a total game-changer! Smoky, savory, and full of depth. Each spice pulls its weight to create that perfect balance of heat and flavor.

• Chili Powder: the bold, earthy base that gives this blend its signature flavor
• Ground Cumin: adds warmth and a hint of nuttiness
• Smoked Paprika: brings a rich, smoky undertone
• Garlic Powder: savory depth in every bite
• Oregano: adds a subtle herby note
• Coriander: brightens and balances the spice
• Onion Powder: rounds everything out with mellow sweetness
• Fine Sea Salt: enhances and ties all the flavors together
• Black Pepper: sharp bite for balance
• Cornstarch: helps the seasoning cling to meat and thicken sauces
• Cayenne Pepper: gives it that touch of heat that makes everything pop

Simple ingredients, big flavor! This mix is better than any store-bought packet and stays fresh for ages.

How To Make This Recipe

These potato rolls don’t require any kneading, and honestly, they’re hands down the best rolls we’ve ever had. Soft, buttery, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious, they’re our #1 most requested roll recipe.

These rolls are ridiculously easy to make — no fancy equipment, no complicated techniques — and perfect for any meal, holiday dinner, or special occasion. Once you try them, you’ll see why everyone keeps asking for this recipe.

These are seriously the best potato dinner rolls ever. They are so soft and seriously melt in your mouth. They are ridiculously buttery. 

Suggested Products

These are all affiliate links for amazon but you can go to a store to find a lot too. Amazon is just easiest.

• Potato Gems or Pearls – We use these dehydrated potatoes as they seem to give the best flavor and texture.
• Dough Scraper – Any ol’ scraper will do but we prefer a plastic scraper to scrape the dough and flour off our counter and out of bowls for 10x faster clean up.
• Silpat Baking Mat – We bake everything on a silpat; cookies, rolls and even loaf breads cook evenly and without sticking! No spray needed!
• Nordic Ware Cookie Sheet – The cookie sheet you use absolutely can make or break your recipe. If it’s too dark it will cause your food to look dark and over-bake. You want a cookie sheet that bakes evenly and won’t affect color.
• Stainless Mixing Bowls – I love glass mixing bowls, but the truth is, everyone should have good stainless bowls in all sizes and these are great ones.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Sugar: Feeds the yeast to help the dough rise and adds a touch of sweetness that enhances flavor. It also promotes browning, giving your rolls that beautiful golden color.
• Unsalted Butter: Butter adds richness, tenderness, and flavor to the rolls. The fat coats the flour proteins, which limits gluten development — that’s why your potato rolls turn out so soft and melt-in-your-mouth.
• Milk: Milk makes the dough tender and adds subtle sweetness and flavor. The natural sugars in milk also help with browning, while the proteins contribute to a soft, rich crumb.
• Potato Flakes: This is your secret weapon! Potato flakes (or mashed potatoes) make the rolls extra soft and moist by attracting and holding onto moisture.
• Salt: Balances the sweetness, enhances flavor, and strengthens the gluten structure so your rolls rise evenly and hold their shape.
  • PRO TIP: Always add salt after the yeast has been mixed in with other ingredients to avoid slowing yeast activity.
• Instant Yeast: The leavening agent that makes your rolls rise. Instant yeast works quickly and doesn’t require proofing in water first — just mix it right in with the dry ingredients.
• Eggs: Eggs add richness, flavor, and beautiful go

This Nutella and Dulce de Leche Puff Pastry Christmas Tree looks impressive, but it’s actually one of the easiest Christmas desserts you’ll ever make! Layers of rich Nutella and creamy dulce de leche sandwiched between flaky puff pastry! It tastes like pure holiday heaven.

A few years ago, puff pastry Christmas tree recipes started popping up everywhere, but I hadn’t seen one featuring Nutella and dulce de leche, so of course, I had to create my own!

Every Christmas Eve, my mom made homemade donuts. Honestly, I’ve never been a huge fan; they’re not quite sweet enough, yet somehow too rich at the same time. Don’t worry, she doesn’t love them either. Go figure.

Last Christmas, I wanted something that captured the nostalgia of those donuts without actually being one because deep frying is messy, smelly, and a bit of a hassle. That is how this adorable puff pastry Christmas tree was born!

Ingredients for This Recipe

This festive puff pastry tree comes together with just a handful of simple ingredients, and the result is the yummiest pull-apart Christmas Tree dessert. Here’s what you’ll need:

• 2 Sheets Puff Pastry, partially frozen: The base of the tree.
• Nutella: For rich chocolate flavor.
• Dulce de Leche: Adds creamy caramel sweetness.
• Egg Yolk: Used as an egg wash to brush on the pastry for a glossy, golden finish.
• Water: To mix with the egg yolk.
• Unsalted Butter: Optional, brushed for extra richness.
• Cinnamon Sugar: For sprinkling on top.

That’s it! Just a few ingredients for a dessert that looks impressive and tastes incredible. Now let’s get baking!

Other Fun Puff Pastry Christmas Tree Fillings To Try

This puff pastry tree is a versatile base for all kinds of delicious fillings! While we love the classic Nutella and Dulce de Leche version, you can easily swap in apricot jam, strawberry jam, raspberry jam, fig jam, or even chocolate sauce! Feeling savory? Try ham and cheese, pesto with chicken, or chicken and Parmesan for a flavor-packed alternative.

How to Make This Puff Pastry Christmas Tree?

These Christmas Trees look fancy but are surprisingly easy to make! Flaky puff pastry layered with rich Nutella and creamy dulce de leche makes a festive, show-stopping dessert everyone will love.

1. Prepare: Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with a Silpat mat. (Parchment paper also works, but be warned: melted dulce de leche tends to stick more to parchment than to Silpat.)
2. Cut: Unfold the puff pastry sheets and stack them on top of each other. Using a sh

The Best Lasagna Soup Recipe

This lasagna soup recipe has everything you love about classic lasagna with savory meat, tender pasta, rich tomato sauce, and plenty of melty cheese all in one cozy bowl.

A few years ago my husband and I had the chance to go to New York and film two episodes of Paula’s Party. It was such a fun experience. We even got to meet Carson Kressley, Cheri Oteri, Jason Priestly and a bunch of others. One of the dishes Paula made was Tastes Like Lasagna Soup and it smelled amazing. We were so disappointed we didn’t get to taste it, so when we got home we created our own version. It quickly became a favorite.

There’s just something about lasagna soup that feels like home. It’s saucy, cheesy, cozy, and truly the best kind of comfort food.

Ingredients for Lasagna Soup

This soup recipe is a cross between a creamy soup and broth soup due to the addition of a little ricotta. It’s hearty, beefy, and delicious. In other words, perfection. Here is what you will need:

• Olive Oil: For sautéing veggies
• Minced Vegetables: Diced onion (red), garlic, and bell peppers
• Fresh Herbs: Oregano, parsley, and basil
• Ground Beef: 80/20 for rich flavor
• Beef Broth: Forms the soup base
• Ricotta Cheese: Adds creaminess
• Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes: Smoky flavor with a hint of heat
• Marinara Sauce: Rao’s recommended (stock up at Costco sales!)
• Parmesan Rind: Simmer for flavor, remove before serving
• Lasagna Noodles: Use broken pieces or break up fresh ones
• Mozzarella Cheese: Melty and gooey topping
• Garlic Bread: Optional but perfect for dipping

Scroll to the end of the post to the recipe card to see all the measurements and details.

How to Make Lasagna Soup

This recipe comes together so quickly, and the steps are super easy. Here are the basic steps:

1. Sauté: Cook the vegetables until tender, then stir in the herbs and seasonings.
2. Brown: Add the beef, cook until browned, and drain any excess grease.
3. Simmer:Stir in all remaining ingredients (except pasta and cheese) and let simmer for at least 30 minutes, or up to all day for deeper flavor.
4. Add: D

One Pan Mexican Chicken Skillet with Zucchini

This One Pan Mexican Chicken Skillet with Zucchini is an easy dinner ready in under 30 minutes! It’s made with simple ingredients: chicken, seasonings from the pantry, beans, zucchini, yellow squash, cheese and all the Mexican toppings! Easy weeknight chicken dinner, here I come!

If you’re looking for more tried and true Mexican recipes with chicken you’ll love this 10 Minute Sticky Mexican Chicken,  Mexican Chicken Burrito Bowl, or this Cheesy Chicken Tortilla Soup.

Why You’ll Love this Mexican Chicken Skillet

Even though this recipe is super simple, Mexican chicken skillet with zucchini is still a recipe you’ll be throwing into your regular dinner rotation because it’s:

• Easy. Can you chop and sit? You can make this chicken skillet! (And you can also handle this tasty Ground Beef Enchilada Skillet.)
• Healthy. Veggies, lean protein, whole grains…the gang is all here.
• Tex-Mex Inspired.  Like Cafe Rio Chicken and Chopped Tex Mex Salad, these flavors are easy to love, especially for kids!
• Adaptable. This recipe is a cinch to make your own. Try different veggies, beans, no beans, meats etc and make it the way your family likes it! 

Basically, if you want a simple, healthy, delicious meal that’s ready ASAP, Mexican chicken skillet is for you! 

One Pan Mexican Chicken Skillet with Zucchini

I have “skeeter syndrome”. I know, it 100% sounds made up. Basically everyone gets mosquito bites and hates the itch, but I have the blessing of being extra, EXTRA allergic.

We sat outside talking to some friends for a quick 15 minutes and I came in with 9 mosquito bites that by the next day were each the size of a tennis ball.

Taco Tuesday Idea

We love Taco Tuesday as a family, so the last time I sprung this chicken recipe on my family for a new Taco Tuesday idea you’d think I broke hearts across the table! Even with baseball arms I needed to get something quick and easy and Mexican inspired on the table.

And guess what, even without the tortillas, they loved it!! Like, asked-for-seconds, loved it! And we’ve been making it again, and again, and again ever since. Hello, Read more