Karen’s Homemade Chili Powder

Heat a heavy skillet to medium heat (I’ve used a cast iron one.)
Add the chiles, let toast -will become a little darker as they toast, about 1  1/2 minutes.
Turn over with tongs and toast second side, about one minute.
Add the cumin seeds, stir up and remove from heat.
(The hot skillet will sufficiently toast the cumin.)

Cool completely. If the chilis have gotten too dark – remove all to a plate to cool.

Break the chiles with their seeds and add to a spice grinder or clean coffee grinder.
Pulse to break up into small pieces. Add cumin, garlic* and oregano.
Pulse to make a powder. Add the smoked paprika, pulse in.

Place the Chili Powder in a clean glass container and store in a dark place.

Recipe may be doubled.

(Will use about 1/2 of recipe for my Turkey Chili Recipe.)

*Garlic: I have used minced dehydrated garlic (I like grinding my own.)
If you have garlic powder – pulse it in at the end with the smoked paprika.
HINT: Please use garlic grown in the USA. Garlic grown in China is often covered in bleach and pesticides.

The Scoville scale is a measurement of the pungency  (spicy heat) of chili peppers. Higher Numbers are spicier.
Other Chiles you can use as well:
Ancho Chiles: 3 – 5, Arbol Chiles: 8, Cascabel Chilies: 4

In my recipe: Guindilla Chile – 2 – 4.  Pasilla Negro Chile: 3 – 5 -. They are Mildly Spicy.

Below, a popular taco seasoning mix: Please avoid!

Taco Bell Taco Seasoning Mix Original
Ingredients: Wheat Flour, Salt, Garlic*, Chili Peppers*, Spice, Onions*, Maltodextrin, Paprika, Sugar, Contains less than 2% of Silicon Dioxide as an Anti caking Agent, Natural Flavor, Yeast Extract, Soybean Oil, Malic Acid.*Dried.