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Rebecca McKinney

I was born a foodie. My dad is a chef, baker, and restaurant owner and my mom might as well be because she owns whatever kitchen she walks into. I grew up working in my family’s restaurant and bakery in Pawling, New York – McKinney and Doyle. I started behind the bakery counter at 12 years old after begging my parents to let me start working. At 16 I worked as a hostess. By 18 I was serving tables and training behind the bar where I then worked every other weekend throughout my college career. Even now, when I am visiting my family in New York, I help out where I’m needed. To make a long story short, the food and restaurant industry has been my life for as long as I can remember.

I wanted to create this blog for a few reasons. First and foremost, to share tips, tricks, and knowledge about the food and beverage industry in general but also to help people see a different side of the restaurant world. Every restaurant has a totally unique culture and world within it. I want to help open people’s eyes to more than how fast the service is or how easy or hard it is to secure a reservation.

So, thanks for stopping by! I welcome your ideas, input, and feedback and hope you enjoy!

Eat well & travel often,

Becky McKinney

Latest posts by Rebecca McKinney (see all)

• Why Food Makes the Best Gift for a New Mom - April 12, 2023
• 5 Ingredients to Cook With This Spring - March 15, 2023
• 10 Reasons to Dine Out on Valentine’s Day - February 2, 2023

Spices are key to all meals. Without them, everything we ate would be bland and boring.  They offer unique flavor to any recipe and can be combined in countless ways to create something new. It is true that you can find pretty much any spice blend at your local super market or specialty food store but they can be pretty pricey and you can actually make your own blends with spices you probably already have in your kitchen.

Plus, when you make your own spice blends, you can be sure they are free from any freaky additives or preservatives. Let’s get right to it. Below are my five favorite spice blend recipes. Will you give them a try?

Cajun Spice Blend
2 Tbsp cumin
2 Tbsp coriander
2 Tbsp paprika
1 ½ tsp salt
1 ½ tsp black pepper
Cayenne pepper to taste (the more you use, the hotter it’ll be)
1 Tbsp dried oregano

Curry Blend
2 Tbsp cumin powder
2 Tbsp ground coriander
2 Tbsp turmeric
1 ½ tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Italian Spice Blend
2 Tsbp dried basil
2 Tsbp dried oregano
1 Tsbp dried thyme
1 Tsbp dried rosemary
1 Tsbp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp salt

Chili Seasoning
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp regular paprika
1 tsp smoked paprika (or use 2 tsp regular paprika if you can’t find smoked)

Taco Seasoning
2 Tbsp chili powder
2 Tbsp ground cumin
1 ½ tsp onion powder
1 ½ tsp garlic powder
½ tps cayenne pepper
½ tsp black pepper (optional)
½ tsp salt
½ tsp oregano

How many of these could you make right now using what you already have?