Seasoning mixes — whether in foil packets or small shaker jars — seem to be proliferating on supermarket shelves,
Maybe it's because a lot of people don't want to buy a whole jar of a spice or herb if they only need a teaspoon at a time. Or maybe they worry if they're left to their own judgment, they'll get carried away with too much cayenne pepper or sage or garlic and ruin the dish. Or maybe they just like the convenience of having someone else mix the herbs and spices for them.
Hence, you get McCormick's Grill Mates and One Step blends, Emeril's Essence and locally, Deer Valley's Oomph! and Camp Chef seasonings.
With the rip of a packet or the shake of a bottle, you can get flavors such as lemon pepper, curry, barbecue, taco, Italian, Cajun and more.
As a food editor, I'm often sent samples of new spice mixes as they come on the market. I've found from experience that although they're convenient, they often contain a lot of salt. Besides making your food salty enough to choke a horse, this is a big problem for those who are watching their sodium intake. (In that case, you might want to check out the Mrs. Dash line of seasonings, one of the few that doesn't contain salt or MSG.)
Typically the way to figure out the salt content when buying seasoning products is to read the ingredients list on the label. If salt is the first ingredient, the mix contains more salt than anything else. But I've found some manufacturers get around this by listing "spices" first, since all the spices together are greater than the amount of salt. So watch for this ploy, too.
Why are these products so salty? Well, I guess because salt is cheap, and it can mask off-flavors. But a little goes a long way.
If you're using one of these mixes, I'd omit any salt usually called for in that recipe and taste-test before serving. If it still tastes too salty, you might need to supplement the seasoning mix with regular spices and herbs, or more meat or vegetables. This advice also follows for commercial sauce mixes and marinades.
The makers of Hidden Valley Ranch salad dressings have been touting the idea that their seasoning packets — usually mixed with buttermilk and poured on a salad — can also perk up casseroles, veggies, soups and so on. At the Utah State Fair, I helped judge the company's "Family Friendly Food Contest," where entries were required to use a packet of Hidden Valley Original Ranch Dressing & Seasoning Mix in an appetizer, stew, stir-fry, casserole, vegetable, pasta or any other prepared dish. We judged the recipes on their family appeal, taste appeal, ease of preparation and appearance.
It was interesting to see what people came up with — for instance, zucchini boats stuffed with a ground beef mixture and zucchini soup (yup, it's zucchini season!).
A Roasted Garlic Potato Salad by Jeanine Mower Anderson of Bountiful took first place. She won $175. Since her recipe is being sent on to the national contest for a shot at the $1,000 prize, we aren't able to publish it at this time. So, we're sharing the $100 second-place winner, Heavenly Deviled Eggs, made by Danielle Darke of West Jordan. Since the salad-dressing mix contains plenty of salt as it is, notice that Darke's recipe doesn't call for more. If you're worried about salt content, start with only half a packet of the Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning and add more to taste.
HEAVENLY DEVILED EGGS
2 dozen hard-boiled eggs, cooled
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon mustard
1 package Hidden Valley Dressing and Seasoning Mix
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Shell eggs and rinse. Cut in half and remove yolk. Mash yolk. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Pipe or scoop into egg whites. Garnish with a pinch of paprika, if desired. — Danielle Darke, West Jordan
E-mail: vphillips@desnews.com