Southwest Rub and Marinade

I love the flavors of Southwestern food. Some people refer to it as Tex-Mex. Whatever you call it, it's good!

I love having this seasoning blend on hand for a variety of dishes. It can be used a rub for chicken, beef or pork before grilling. It can be added to a marinade for a Southwestern flair or used to season fajitas and tacos. I sprinkle it over corn or potatoes - even scrambled eggs! That's a lot of uses for one seasoning blend!

However you choose to use it, it's simple and flavorful. Who doesn't like that?

Just mix 2 TBSP each cumin, garlic powder and dried oregano with 1 TBSP each chili powder and sea salt. Store in an airtight container.

The basic recipe is 2 parts cumin, garlic powder and oregano to 1 part chili powder and sea salt. So you can make as much as you want to have on hand. Simple, huh? And if you like your Southwestern food a little spicier, add more chili powder to your taste.

To make an easy marinade using this blend, here's what you need:

1/2 cup water
1/4 cup olive oil
1-2 TBSP lime juice

1 TBSP Southwest rub blend

Pour all the ingredients into a plastic Ziploc bag. Smush it around until the seasonings and liquids are well combined.

Add the meat and make sure all the pieces are coated. Allow to marinate for a few hours or overnight. You can freeze the meat in the marinade for later, too. Just thaw in the fridge overnight.

This recipe will coat about a pound of meat well. Double the recipe and use a bigger Ziploc bag for more meat.