Homemade Chocolate Syrup

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

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan; boil 2-5 minutes, stirring, until sauce begins to thicken. Store in refrigerator.

NOTES
From Food.com.
So easy to make, so delicious. Much better than store-bought.

Tzatziki Sauce

8 oz plain yogurt
1 cucumber, shredded
juice from 1/2 lemon
1 - 2 tsp chopped fresh dill, or 1/4 - 1/2 tsp dried
1 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients; chill before serving. Serve with falafel, pita, fresh veggies, Greek food, meats, whatever you like.

NOTES
Adapted from various online recipes.
To reduce wateriness -- strain yogurt in a paper-towel lined strainer before making, and/or squeeze water out of shredded cucumber. Sometimes I skip these and it's still pretty good.

Whiskey Butterscotch

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/3 cup corn syrup
2 Tbsp butter
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup cream
3 Tbsp whiskey
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Combine brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, salt, and water in a medium pot. Bring to a simmer and cook until sugar dissolves, 2 to 3 minutes. Add cream and continue to simmer until sauce is thick and syrupy, about 12 minutes. Stir in whiskey and vanilla extract. Simmer three minutes more. Allow sauce to cool to room temperature. Transfer to jars. Sauce will keep for up to one month in the refrigerator.

NOTES
From Serious Eats.
Seriously delicious as an ice cream topping, coffee add-in, sauced over chocolate cake.
Took me much longer than 12 minutes to get the right consistency.
We also ate this for much longer than a month and it seemed fine to us.

Tarragon Marinade for Vegetables

1/2 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp strained lemon juice
3 Tbsp cider vinegar
1/8 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
2 Tbsp minced, fresh tarragon or 1 Tbsp dried

Combine all the ingredients and beat for 2 minutes, or process in a blender for 1 minute at low speed. Pour over warm vegetables and allow to marinate for several hours before serving.
Makes 3/4 cup.

NOTES
From herbs2000.com.
Soooo good, eaten both immediately or left to sit for a few hours.
I've used this over roasted root vegetables such as potatoes, carrots and parsnips.

Napoleon Sandwiches

Napoleons:
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, partially thawed
16 asparagus spears, trimmed to 5"
6 large eggs
4 oz crumbled feta cheese

Red Pepper Sauce:
1 (14 oz) can roasted red peppers (or 2 whole)
1 1/4 c milk
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp seasoning salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees; grease a baking sheet.

Napoleons:
Open puff pastry sheet flat; slice in half across the 3 fold lines. Cut halved sheets into 3 strips along fold lines to make 6 pastry rectangles. Reserve 2; bake remaining 4 on baking sheet 15 minutes; set aside.

Meanwhile, cut peppers into 4 strips to the size of pastry rectangles and set aside. Put remaining peppers into food processor with 1/2 c milk and puree until smooth.

Melt butter over medium heat; stir in flour until well blended. Add remaining milk and bring to a boil; reduce heat and stir in pureed peppers and salt and pepper. Stir occasionally; keep warm until serving time.

Steam asparagus until tender (about 5 minutes). Beat eggs; cook in a skillet over medium heat until set (lift edges so uncooked egg runs underneath cooked portion to cook all of it). Slice eggs into 4 rectangles to layer on pastry.

Cut each pastry in half lengthwise. Layer with egg, 1 Tbsp cheese, 1 pepper, 4 asparagus spears, and top with remaining pastry.

Bake 7-10 minutes at 375 degrees or until heated through. Top with 1/4 c red pepper sauce and extra feta. Serve hot.

NOTES
This might be from Vegetarian Times.
Untried.

Cider Glaze for Ham

2 c apple cider or juice
1 c honey
1/2 c cider vinegar
1/4 c Dijon mustard
2 tsp chili powder
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp apple pie spice, divided

In a large saucepan, combine the cider or juice, honey, vinegar, mustard and chili powder. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and boil gently, uncovered, about 15 minutes, stirring frequently.

Remove half of sauce to a small bowl; stir in butter and 1/4 tsp apple pie spice. Set aside to serve with ham.

Bring remaining sauce to a boil. Reduce heat and boil gently for 5 minutes or until sauce is thickened and reduced to about 1/2 c; stir frequently. Add 1/4 tsp apple pie spice.

Brush ham with the glaze during the last 20-30 minutes of baking. Pass reserved sauce with ham.

NOTES
From my friend Jessica.
Yum!

Eggplant Sticks

1 medium eggplant
flour
1 large egg
2 Tbsp milk
1 c cracker or bread crumbs
1 tsp salt
vegetable oil

Dipping Sauce:
1 c carrot juice
1/4 tsp fresh grated ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp water

Cut eggplant into 1 1/2" x 4" sticks; dust with flour. Whisk together egg and milk. Combine crumbs and salt. Dip eggplant sticks in egg/milk mixture and then dredge in crumbs.

Heat oil in a shallow pan over medium high heat. Brown eggplant sticks.

To make dipping sauce: Combine carrot juice, ginger and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Combine cornstarch and water and whisk into juice mixture. Boil 1 minute.

NOTES
Source unknown.
Untried.

Watermelon-Kiwi Skewers with Strawberry Cream

3/4 c sliced strawberries
1/2 c vanilla yogurt
1 Tbsp cream cheese
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp powdered sugar
24 (1/2") watermelon balls
2 kiwifruit, peeled, cut into 12 pieces each

Process first five ingredients in a blender until smooth. Cover and chill.

Thread fruit onto skewers; serve with sauce.

NOTES
From Cooking Light.
Untried.

Vanilla Maple Syrup

1 1/2 c maple syrup
1 (3") vanilla bean, split lengthwise, or 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Pour syrup into a medium saucepan. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean; add seeds to syrup. Bring to a simmer over medium heat; cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat; discard bean. Serve over pancakes.

NOTES
From Cooking Light.
Untried.

Strawberry-Lemon Syrup

3 c sliced strawberries, divided
1 c sugar
3/4 c water
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp grated lemon rind

Combine 2 c strawberries, sugar, water and lemon juice in a non-aluminum medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until reduced to 1 1/2 c (about 20 minutes). Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes. Stir in remaining strawberries and lemon rind.

Serve hot or cold over pancakes or ice cream.

NOTES
From Cooking Light.
Untried.

OrangeGinger Sauce for Stir-fry

2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 c orange juice
2-3 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
1/4 c soy sauce
salt, pepper and cayenne to taste

Place cornstarch in a small bowl. Add orange juice and whisk until cornstarch dissolves. Stir in all remaining ingredients.

Stir-fry meat and vegetables; stir sauce from the bottom and add to wok or skillet about midway through cooking.

NOTES
From Kim.