Homemade Taco Seasoning

Since our family has been making transitions to eat better*, I've been trying to make a lot more of our own pantry staples. An easy transition has been to make our own taco seasoning. I've tried a few recipes and didn't really care for them... the recipes that had chili powder as the main ingredient just didn't seem to taste all that great. Then I found one that used mostly cumin... and I tweaked it to fit our tastes... and we loved it. It's the only one we make now! 

[terrible phone picture, but oh well!]

2 tablespoons cumin
1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon black or white pepper
1/4 teaspoon chili powder

(sometimes I add a little bit more of the "spicy" ingredients depending on how hot we want it, and sometimes I add red pepper flakes. It all depends on our mood... or my pregnancy nausea!)

I always double it, though. Throw all the ingredients in a bowl and mix it up. You can put it in an old spice container or whatever you have. I've been asked several times "how much do you use?" and honestly, it depends! I usually make 1 lb of ground beef when we have tacos (so Jake can have leftovers for lunch the next day), and when the meat is done browning (with diced onions) and has been drained if needed, I add a bunch of this seasoning and some salt and a little water... and I taste it. If it needs more, I add more. Simple as that. :) 

What other home made pantry staples should I give a try? Any suggestions? 

*we generally eat pretty "healthy," but I've been trying to reduce the amount of processed foods (even though we don't eat very much), things with MSG/GMOs, etc.