Copycat Starbucks Vanilla Syrup

2 cups water
2 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla extract

1.Combine the water and sugar in a saucepan.
2.Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for about 3 minutes. Stir.
3.Remove from heat and add the vanilla extract, and stir.
4.Allow the syrup to cool, then refrigerate the syrup in a tightly closed jar for up to a month.

Feel free to experiment! Try replacing some or all of the granulated sugar with brown sugar or raw sugar for a bit of a caramel flavor, or replace the vanilla extract with another extract like hazelnut, almond, mint, Irish creme, orange, rum or raspberry.

courtesy www.copycatrecipeguide.com

Strawberry Wine Cranberry Sauce

Image courtesy google


2 1/2 C dried cranberries
1 C frozen strawberries (no need to thaw)
3/4 C red wine (I suggest a dry wine such as shiraz, merlot or cabernet)
1/2 C sugar
water

1. Boil some water and pour over cranberries. Let sit for 10-15 minutes. This will help rehydrate the cranberries and remove the oils added during processing.
2. Drain water from berries and add to medium saucepan along with the strawberries, wine and sugar.
3. Pour water in until just covering ingredients by a little less than 1 cm. (about 1/4 inch)
4. Bring to boil for 2-3 minutes, then drop to simmer. Stir constantly.
5. Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until desired consistancy. It will thicken a bit when it cools. (use fork to break up larger strawberry chunks)
6. Remove from heat a allow to cool 15 minutes minimum before serving. Can refridgerate to speed up process.

Works well as a side dish, ice cream topping, spread on toast, or served over a block of cream cheese with crackers. Be creative. Enjoy.

courtesy ovenless chef

Tzatziki Dip/Sauce

image courtesy souvlakiforthesoul.com

250 Grams of plain yogurt... greek if you can get it
3 small cucumbers finely grated
2-3 finely minced garlic cloves
A good handful of dill finely chopped
Another good handful of fresh mint roughly chopped
A “splash” of extra virgin olive oil
juice of half a lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Peel and deseed the cucumbers. Finely grate them using your normal kitchen grater. Once this has been done squeeze the excess water out of them. We don’t want them too wet. Place the grated cucumber into the yogurt along with everything else. Once everything is combined I recommend you place the tzatziki into the fridge and let it rest a little while. We want the flavours of the garlic to permeate. It’s a good idea to make this the night before. That way all the flavours get to develop really well. My recent batch stayed with me for 4 days. It’s so addictive and the flavour just gets better and better.

Recipe courtesy Ashleigh Johnson via souvlakiforthesoul.com

Apricot Jam

image courtesy homesicktexan

Ingredients:
1 pound of sliced apricots, pits removed (4 cups)
3 1/2 cups of sugar
4 tablespoons of lemon juice (about one lemon) plus zest

Method:
Place the apricots, sugar, lemon juice and zest in a pot, and add a couple of tablespoons of water.

Place a plate into the freezer.

Turn the heat to medium low, and stirring every five minutes or so, let the fruit cook. It will first get juicy with the fruit intact, and then the fruit will start to disintegrate. As it cooks, there will be foam on top, but just keep stirring, don’t worry about skimming it.

After about an hour, the jam will be about two or three shades darker and will be smooth and thick, with a few lumps here and there. When it coats the back of a spoon, take out the plate from the freezer and place a dollop of the jam on the plate. If it runs, cook it for five more minutes and then test it again. But if becomes solid, then the jam is done.

Place in a sterilized half-pint jar(s).

When it comes to room temperature, put on the lid and then place in the refrigerator. After a few hours it will be more solid and ready for eating.

Makes about one pint.

Note: If you want to jazz up the flavor, you can add chipotle chiles in adobo, cloves, a cinnamon stick or a vanilla bean while it cooks.

The key, that I’ve learned, is to not over cook it. But if you do, and the next day you find that you have a jar of rock-hard candy instead of jam, all is not lost! You can place the jar into a pot of water and let it come to a boil. The jam will heat up and become liquid, and then you can slowly add more water to it until it’s more runny. Try the freezer test again and then repack it. (This is how I eventually saved my sour-cherry jam).

Courtesy the homesicktexan

Italian Dressing Mix

1 tablespoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon white sugar
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
2 tablespoons salt

Directions
1. In a small bowl, mix together the garlic salt, onion powder, sugar, oregano, pepper, thyme, basil, parsley, celery salt and regular salt. Store in a tightly sealed container.
2. To prepare dressing, whisk together 1/4 cup white vinegar, 2/3 cup canola oil, 2 tablespoons water and 2 tablespoons of the dry mix.

Courtesy allrecipes

Ranch Dressing or Dip

1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream for dip or ½ C buttermilk for dressing **
1/2 teaspoon dried chives
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions
1. In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, chives, parsley, dill, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.
** You can make your own buttermilk by adding 1 T white vinegar or lemon juice per cup of milk.

Courtesy allrecipe

Grandma's Dressing (Catalina Style)

1 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 onion, chopped

Directions
1. Prepare dressing in a large jar with a tight fitting lid. Add the oil, vinegar, sugar, ketchup, salt, Worcestershire sauce and onion. Shake until the sugar is dissolved. Refrigerate and shake well before using.

Courtesy allrecipes

Honey Mustard Dressing

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions
1. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, honey, and lemon juice. Store covered in the refrigerator.

courtesy allrecipes

Oriental Vinaigrette

3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon sesame oil

Directions
1. In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, vinegar, mayonnaise, mustard and sesame oil. Pour atop salad and serve.

Courtesy allrecipes

Raspberry Vinaigrette

1/2 C vegetable oil/ canola oil
1/2 C applecider or redwine vinegar
1/2 C raspberry preserves (Homeplus)
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp black pepper

Whisk all ingredients together or blend in blender and set in fridge for about 0 minutes before use to allow flavors to meld.

Easy Homemade Ricotta/Cottage cheese!!!!

2 cups whole milk
1/4 teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice (I used apple cider vinegar)

1. Line colander with 2 layers of paper towels and set over large bowl.
2. Combine milk, salt, and vinegar or lemon juice in microwave-safe glass 1-quart liquid measure. (I used a small glass casserole dish.)
3. Microwave on high heat until lightly bubbling around edges, 2 to 4 minutes (milk should register about 165°F on an instant-read thermometer).
4. Remove from microwave, and stir gently for 5 seconds. Milk should separate into solid white curds and translucent liquid whey. If not, microwave for 30 seconds longer. Repeat until fully separated. (You will likely get small curd with the Korean milk, so it will look soupy, but just look for the separation)
5. Using wire skimmer, transfer curds to prepared colander, cover exposed top with plastic wrap, and allow to drain until desired texture is reached. Store in covered container in refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Check out this link for further comments and details on the process, but it really was one of the easiest things I have ever made! :)

The recipe above makes about 1/2 C of cheese, so depending on how much end product you need, feel free to double, triple or even quadruple the ingredients! Happy cheese making and devouring!

courtesy seriouseats.com

Plum Sauce

6-8 Large plums, diced
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 cup water
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Directions
Core and dice plums. In a large heavy saucepan combine all ingredients and bring to a boil, covered, over high heat. As soon as ingredients begin to boil, lower heat to a simmer. Simmer plums, covered, for 20 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let plums stand, covered, for 10 minutes before serving.

Great on Ice cream, pancakes, and oatmeal! Enjoy! ( This sauce freezes well, so place portioned amounts into idividual labeled ziplocks for future use.)

(Courtesy Lindsey Lett)

Honey Garlic Vinaigrette

1 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons honey
2 cloves garlic, minced

Directions
1.In a container, combine oil, vinegar, honey, and garlic. Cover, and shake until blended. Set aside for 45 minutes, to allow flavors to combine. Shake again before serving.

A light and refreshing dressing that you can make in a flash! :)
(courtesy allrecipes.com)

Hamburger Gravy

(Image courtesy Ashleigh Johnson)

1-1/4 pounds lean ground beef
1/3 onion, finely chopped
3-1/3 cups milk
1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon butter or margarine
3/4 teaspoon ground sage
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1.Crumble the ground beef into a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir until evenly browned. Drain most of the grease, leaving just enough to coat the pan. Add the onions, and cook for a few more minutes.
2.Pour 4 cups of the milk into the pan, and stir to scrape up any bits of food that could burn on the bottom of the pan. Mix in the bouillon, butter, sage, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
3.Mix the flour into the last cup of milk until smooth. Slowly pour into the skillet, stirring constantly. Simmer for a few minutes to thicken. If the gravy is too thick, thin with a little bit of milk. If it is too thin, simmer longer, or add more flour. Taste and adjust seasonings before serving.
serves 4
(courtesy allrecipes.com)
feel free to experiment with seasonings to meet your taste buds!

Chocolate Gravy

3/4 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of flour
1/4 cup of cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups of milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon of butter

Method:
Mix together in a pot the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, salt and cinnamon (can sift if it’s too lumpy). Add the milk and while stirring cook on medium heat until it thickens. Stir in the vanilla and butter and serve immediately with biscuits.

Chocolate Syrup

Makes 1 Pint or about 16 servings.

1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup cocoa powder
1 dash salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


1.Combine the water, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt together in a saucepan over low heat; whisk constantly until the mixture thickens and begins to simmer. Remove from heat and stir the vanilla into the sauce. Serve warm or cover and refrigerate until serving.

Measurements for only 4 servings...

1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons white sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 dash salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
(courtesy allrecipes.com)

Versatile Tomato Sauce

Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
6 tomatoes, chopped
3 onions, minced
1 large carrot, minced... or finely shredded is even better
4 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1.In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; add tomatoes, onions, carrots, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste.
2.Mix ingredients well; cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
This sauce is versitile in that you can use it for pastas, pizzas or in other recipes. Simple add herbs and veggies of your choice to vary the sauce for your needs.
Pizza: add 1/4 tsp each of basil, oregano and parsley.
Spaghetti: add 1/4 tsp each of basil, oregano, parsley and 2 whole bay leaves. Then add 1/2 stick of butter for richness! (Butter is the secret to good spaghetti sauce!)
(courtesy Lindsey Lett)

* try finely shredding the carrots for a better end result. The carrots just act as a natural sweetener, but it is odd to have chunks of carrots in your sauce.

Homemade peanut butter

Ingredients:
2 cups of roasted, salted peanuts
1 1/2 tablespoons of peanut oil

Method:
Place the ingredients in your food processor, and blend until it turns creamy—about a minute or so. (First it will turn into powder but keep blending, it will get there soon!) You can use a blender too! :)

Variations:
Chunky: If you want chunky peanut butter, set aside a quarter cup of peanuts, and stir them into the peanut butter after it’s blended in the processor.
Sweeter: Add 1/2 tablespoon of honey to ingredients.
Spicy: Add 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper to ingredients.
Chocolate: Add an extra 1 1/2 tablespoons of peanut oil, 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla, 1/4 cup cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons of honey or agave nectar and 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon. You’ll have to blend it a bit longer than regular peanut butter.

(courtesy homesicktexan)

Fudge Sundae Sauce

12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

2 oz. unsweetened chocolate

1 c. heavy whipping cream

¼ c. cold coffee

Dash salt

1 tsp. vanilla



In saucepan, combine chocolate, cream, coffee, and salt. Heat on low, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Cover and refrigerate; reheat to serve over ice cream.
(courtesy Rebecca Navokovich)

Italian Salad Dressing

Ingredients
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon grated parmesan cheese
Directions
1Combine all ingredients in a bottle.
2Shake to blend.
3Allow flavors to blend about an hour or so, Will even be more flavorful the following day. Be sure to refrigerate any leftovers.
4Makes about 1 cup.
(courtesy recipezaar.com)