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It isn't often that I follow Taco Bell's culinary lead, but I couldn't help thinking the chain might be onto something when I heard about its popular Doritos Locos Tacos. They feature orange Doritos dust in the shell, and have been so popular, they've pulled Taco Bell out of a sales slump. It got me wondering about how home cooks could use the strangely addictive spice blend to give their own food a boost.

Richa Hingle-Garg, who blogs at Hobby and More, has cracked the Doritos spice mix code (or come pretty close, anyway). Her recipe, which happens to be gluten-free, incorporates onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, paprika, salt and nutritional yeast (an inactive yeast that's yellow in color and has a nutty, cheesy flavor).


Once you've whisked up a batch, you'll probably want to sprinkle it over homemade pita or tortilla chips (this recipe for baked tortilla chips is super-easy). But why stop there? Channel Taco Bell and, um, think outside the bun. Start with these: Dorito-fy mini pretzels and peanuts for a salty, crunchy snack mix. Spike ground meat, in lieu of your usual taco seasoning. Stir it into guacamole. Or do something very un-Taco Bell and turn it into a garnish for vegetables: sauteed broccoli (we already know it's a natural for cheese) or corn on the cob.

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