Category: Sauces and Dressings


Aug
2022

Homemade Caramel Sauce

categories: Desserts, Sauces and Dressings
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Make a batch of delicious Homemade Caramel Sauce using only 3 ingredients! This sauce is a perfect topping for ice cream and other desserts!
Make a batch of delicious Homemade Caramel Sauce using only 3 ingredients! This sauce is a perfect topping for ice cream and other desserts!

Did you know it actually is very simple to make homemade caramel sauce at home? YEP… it sure is! The only ingredients needed to make it are butter, sugar and whipping cream (or half and half). That’s it! Best of all, you can make it in under 10 minutes! The recipe as written below, will yield about 1½ cups of sauce, and can be stored for up to a week in the refrigerator.

This creamy caramel sauce is lip-smackin’ good, too! Buttery and smooth, you may find yourself dipping a big old spoon into it, in order to get a good taste. Knowing how to make homemade caramel sauce can save you yet another trip to the grocery store to buy it, which is a plus in my book! Here’s how to make this delicious dessert sauce:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Let’s Make Some Caramel Sauce

Place 4 Tablespoons of softened butter into a large skillet (non-stick or cast iron work best!). Add 1¼ cups of granulated sugar, and then cook on Medium-High heat and stir, as the sugar begins melting. Keep an eye on the pan, because the sugar will slowly start to lightly brown. Stir it occasionally, and watch it carefully, so it doesn’t burn. In the 3rd photo below, you can see the sugar has begun to melt at the bottom of the skillet.

Butter and granulated sugar are heated in a large skillet.As it cooks, the sugar and butter begin to turn slightly brown in color.The granulated sugar begins to melt as it heats up in the skillet.

Keep cooking until the sugar turns amber in color (as shown below), stirring as it cooks. The heating time will usually be about 3-5 minutes total, so keep an eye on it! Once the sugar has completely melted, and the caramel sauce is smooth (no lumps), remove the skillet immediately from the heat.

Butter and granulated sugar begin to turn amber in color and liquefy as it cooks.Once sugar and butter are completely melted and smooth, the skillet is removed from the heat.

Time To Finish The Caramel Sauce!

When the skillet is OFF the heat, slowly pour a cup of heavy whipping cream (or half and half) into the skillet. The COLD cream will sputter and bubble as it is added to the smooth, HOT caramel mixture! Keep stirring or whisking in the cream until it has fully been incorporated into the homemade caramel sauce.

Whipping cream (or half and half) is stirred into the hot caramel sauce.

Serving Homemade Caramel Sauce

Once the cream has been incorporated fully into the sauce, the homemade caramel sauce is ready to go! We usually let it cool slightly, then spoon the WARM sauce over a favorite dessert.

Homemade caramel sauce tastes wonderful drizzled over ice cream, or on top of a slice of pound cake! We also love to drizzle it over apple pie, apple bars, or my Apple Shortbread Tart (seen in 2nd photo below). I’ve also been known (*cough, cough) to enjoy a spoonful of it all by itself… YUM!

Homemade caramel sauce is drizzled over vanilla ice cream.Apple shortbread tart and ice cream, drizzled with the homemade caramel sauce.

The homemade caramel sauce leftovers can be stored up to a week, when covered and refrigerated. It will solidify some as it is chilled. To re-use it, gently reheat the sauce and then give it a good stir before serving.

Leftover caramel sauce is stored in a covered container in a refrigerator for up to a week.

I hope you have the chance to make this simple homemade caramel sauce. It tastes great on a variety of desserts, and is simple to make, from the convenience of home. Thanks for stopping by today, and I invite you to come back soon for more delicious, family-friendly recipes.

Looking For More DESSERT SAUCE Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have several delicious dessert sauces for you to enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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Author's signature

Recipe adapted from a recipe (page 114), torn out of an old issue of Sunset Magazine (original month and year are unknown)

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Homemade Caramel Sauce
Prep Time
2 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
7 mins
 

Make a batch of delicious Homemade Caramel Sauce using only 3 ingredients! This sauce is a perfect topping for ice cream and other desserts!

Category: Dessert Sauce
Cuisine: All Cuisines
Keyword: homemade caramel sauce
Servings: 24 (1 Tablespoon per serving)
Calories Per Serving: 91 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 4 Tablespoons butter (don't use margarine)
  • 1¼ cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream or half and half
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Place butter in a large skillet. Add 1¼ cups of granulated sugar; cook on Medium-High heat and stir, as sugar begins melting. Keep an eye on the pan-sugar will slowly start to brown. Stir occasionally, and watch carefully, so it doesn't burn. Sugar will begin to liquefy.

  2. Keep cooking until sugar turns amber in color; keep stirring as it cooks. Total cooking time is usually 3-5 minutes total, Once sugar has completely melted, and sauce is smooth (no lumps), remove skillet immediately from heat.

  3. Slowly pour whipping cream (or half and half) into skillet. The COLD cream will sputter and bubble as it is added to HOT caramel mixture! Keep stirring or whisking in the cream until it is fully incorporated into caramel sauce.

  4. Let sauce cool slightly, then serve WARM sauce over a favorite dessert. Leftover sauce can be stored in a covered container in refrigerator for up to a week.

Recipe Notes

NOTE: Caloric calculation was made using heavy whipping cream.
**If you are using half and half instead, each serving (1 Tablespoon) will be approx. 70 calories. 

Nutrition Facts
Homemade Caramel Sauce
Amount Per Serving (1 Tablespoon)
Calories 91 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Trans Fat 0.1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2g
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Cholesterol 16mg5%
Sodium 18mg1%
Potassium 10mg0%
Carbohydrates 11g4%
Sugar 11g12%
Protein 0.3g1%
Vitamin A 204IU4%
Vitamin C 0.1mg0%
Calcium 7mg1%
Iron 0.02mg0%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Make a batch of delicious Homemade Caramel Sauce using only 3 ingredients! This sauce is a perfect topping for ice cream and other desserts!

 


Jan
2022

Homemade French Salad Dressing

categories: Sauces and Dressings
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Make delicious homemade French salad dressing in a few minutes, with common pantry ingredients, a saucepan and a blender! It’s great on salads!
Make delicious homemade French salad dressing in a few minutes, with common pantry ingredients, a saucepan and a blender! Great on salads!

I love to make homemade salad dressing in the comfort of my own kitchen! For some reason, they always seem to taste better… maybe that’s just wishful thinking on my part, but they sure are GOOD!

This quick and easy recipe for French salad dressing is a delicious favorite of ours, and I want to share it with you today. When made as written, you should end up with about 16 servings of salad dressing (2 Tablespoons per serving). The recipe can easily be doubled, too!

Over the years I’ve made quite a few salad dressings from scratch (at least 10 different kinds), and this recipe ranks right up there near the top! Tangy, sweet, and filled with great flavor, I think you will love this dressing on your favorite mixed green salad! Here’s how to make it:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How To Make French Salad Dressing

The first thing you will do is combine granulated sugar, oil, and white vinegar in a medium saucepan. Bring this mixture to a boil, stirring often, and let it boil for 3 minutes. When finished, the sugar will be completely dissolved. Set the pan aside.

Sugar, oil, and vinegar are boiled in saucepan to begin making the French salad dressing.

Place ketchup, salt, Worcestershire sauce and finely grated onion in a separate medium bowl. TIP: Use the small holes on a box grater to finely grate the onion, because you want to have very tiny pieces of onion to pulverize in the blender later.

Stir well, to fully mix these ingredients. Once mixed, you are ready to blend all the ingredients together to make homemade French salad dressing!

Ketchup, salt, Worcestershire sauce and grated onion are combined in a bowl.Small holes in a box grater are used to finely grate onion for the salad dressing. The base for the French salad dressing is combined in bowl.

Time To Blend!

Place the ketchup and onion mixture into a blender. Pour the sugar/oil/vinegar syrup into the blender, as well. Put the lid on the blender. Begin to blend the ingredients on LOW speed, just until combined.

Once lightly blended, increase speed to medium, and let the French salad dressing blend for 3-4 minutes. The blending will allow the ingredients to fully blend and let the oil emulsify and incorporate with the other ingredients.

When done, the salad dressing will be smooth and creamy! HOORAY! You just made your very own homemade French salad dressing! Let the salad dressing cool just a bit (still in the blender), and then transfer it into a serving bottle (I use a funnel).

 Cover and refrigerate the salad dressing until ready to use. You can store the salad dressing in any kind of container as long as it has a lid and is airtight.

The salad dressing is blended for several minutes to fully combine the ingredients.Once fully blended, the French dressing is creamy and smooth.The homemade French salad dressing is transferred to a serving jar once done.

Time to Enjoy The Homemade French Salad Dressing

When you’re ready to use it, simply pour or drizzle (with a spoon) the salad dressing onto your mixed green salad, serve and enjoy!

It has wonderful flavor, and I truly believe you will love this salad dressing! Store any leftover salad dressing (covered) in the refrigerator.

A Tablespoon of salad dressing is drizzled onto a mixed green salad on a white plate.Green salad, ready to eat, topped with French salad dressing.

I really hope you enjoy serving this delicious French salad dressing on your favorite green salads! We sure do. Thanks for stopping by today, and I hope you will come back soon for more family-friendly recipes! Have a great day.

Looking For More SALAD DRESSING Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have some wonderful homemade salad dressing recipes you’ll enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Original recipe source: unknown (recipe found written on an index card in an OLD recipe box)

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Homemade French Salad Dressing
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
0 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 

Make delicious homemade French salad dressing in a few minutes, with common pantry ingredients, a saucepan and a blender! Great on salads!

Category: Condiments, Salad Dressing
Cuisine: French
Keyword: French salad dressing
Servings: 16 (2T. per serving)
Calories Per Serving: 96 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • ½ cup white vinegar
  • ½ cup ketchup
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ medium yellow onion finely grated
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Combine granulated sugar, oil, and vinegar in a medium saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil. Let boil, stirring often, for 3 minutes; remove from heat. Set pan aside.

  2. In separate bowl, combine ketchup, salt, Worcestershire, and finely grated onion. Tip: use small holes on a box grater to finely grate onion. Stir well.

  3. Combine ketchup mixture and oil/sugar mixture in blender. Put on lid. Blend on LOW speed until combined (without splashing). Once lightly blended, increase speed to medium, and blend 3-4 minutes. When done, salad dressing will be smooth and creamy! Let cool slightly, then transfer to covered container.

  4. Refrigerate until ready to serve, then drizzle over green salad. Store leftover dressing (covered) in refrigerator. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Homemade French Salad Dressing
Amount Per Serving (1 (2 Tablespoons))
Calories 96 Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Fat 7g11%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 4g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Sodium 145mg6%
Potassium 32mg1%
Carbohydrates 9g3%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 8g9%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 39IU1%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 3mg0%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Make delicious homemade French salad dressing in a few minutes, with common pantry ingredients, a saucepan and a blender! Great on salads!

 

 


Aug
2021

Smoky Grilled Chicken Marinade

categories: Sauces and Dressings
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Make this simple, no fuss, Smoky Grilled Chicken Marinade to add extra flavor to your chicken before cooking on the BBQ. It’s good on steak, too.
Make this simple, no fuss, Smoky Grilled Chicken Marinade to add extra flavor to chicken before cooking on the BBQ. It's good on steak, too.

I am always on the lookout for new recipes to try, and nine times out of ten, we end up enjoying them! This simple marinade is full of flavor, and is a cinch to make. The recipe makes enough to marinate 4 pieces of chicken (shown in my photos) or it can also be used to marinate 2 beef steaks. This recipe can easily be doubled for larger quantities of meat.

I found this recipe years ago in one of the old cookbooks in my collection, and changed a couple things, to suit our taste. The original author said it is a “copycat” recipe from Stuart Anderson’s steakhouse. They use it primarily on steaks, but we think it is a FANTASTIC marinade for chicken! We haven’t had a Stuart Anderson’s restaurant in our city for many years, but I knew their marinade recipe HAD to be good. Guess what? It IS good!

NOTE: The meat you use will need to marinate for at least 4 hours (or overnight) for the BEST flavor, so plan ahead. I usually put the marinated meat into the refrigerator first thing in the morning, and it’s perfectly marinated by dinner time! EASY PEASY! Here’s how to make this smoky grilled chicken marinade.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Making The Smoky Grilled Chicken Marinade Is EASY!

The ingredients in this marinade are Liquid Smoke (found in most grocery stores), garlic, oil, water, salt, red pepper flakes, and fresh parsley. Measure all of the ingredients (except for the meat) into a medium sized bowl. Whisk these ingredients well, for a couple minutes, until they become fully blended.

Ingredients to make the smoky grilled chicken marinade are mixed together in a bowl.After mixing, the flavorful marinade is ready to add to raw chicken.

Marinating The Chicken Pieces

Place 4 pieces chicken (I used 4 thighs) in a container with a lid OR in a re-sealable plastic bag. Pour the marinade over the meat, and then seal the bag. Make sure some of the marinade covers all sides of the meat.

Place the sealed bag in the refrigerator and let the meat marinate for at least 4 hours OR overnight. Occasionally turn the bag over to re-distribute the marinade, for best results.

Four chicken thighs are soaking in the marinade in a re-sealable bag for several hours.

Onto The Grill They Go!

Remove the chicken from the marinade after it has marinated for at least 4 hours. You can discard any remaining marinade. Cook the chicken (or steaks, if using) on a hot BBQ grill until done.

Chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 160°F (white meat) and 165°F (dark meat). **If using the marinade for steaks, cook them to your desired doneness. Once done, transfer the cooked meat to a serving platter.

Chicken cooking on the BBQ after soaking in the smoky grilled chicken marinade for hours.

Ready To Enjoy Some Delicious Grilled Chicken!

Now you’re ready to enjoy the chicken with it’s nice flavor from the smoky grilled chicken marinade. Serve the chicken (or steak) with a couple of your favorite side dishes and enjoy a delicious, simple meal.

Grilled chicken thighs are ready to enjoy after marinating in sauce, then being grilled.Ready to eat the chicken flavored with smoky grilled chicken marinade,The grilled chicken thighs have a nice smoky flavor and are served with fruit salad and rice.

I hope you’ll try this simple recipe for smoky grilled chicken marinade. It imparts a nice, “smoky” flavor to the chicken (or steaks, if using), which we really enjoy. Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you’ll come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Have a great day!

Looking For More SAUCE Or MARINADE Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a variety of sauce recipes, both savory and sweet you might enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Recipe adapted from: the book “Top Secret Restaurant Recipes”, by Todd Wilbur, published 1997 by The Penguin Group, page 281.

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Smoky Grilled Chicken Marinade
Prep Time
5 mins
Marinating Time (inactive prep)
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 5 mins
 

Make this simple, no fuss, Smoky Grilled Chicken Marinade to add extra flavor to your chicken before cooking on the BBQ. It's good on steak, too.

Category: Grilling Sauce, Marinades
Cuisine: American
Keyword: smoky grilled chicken marinade
Servings: 1 TOTAL AMOUNT
Calories Per Serving: 80 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 4 teaspoons Liquid Smoke
  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • ½ cup water
  • 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 cloves garlic , minced
  • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon minced, fresh parsley
  • 1 pinch red pepper flakes , optional, but good
Enough for 4 pieces chicken OR 2 beef steaks
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. Measure all ingredients (except for the meat) in a medium sized bowl. Whisk well for a couple minutes, until fully blended.

    2. Place 4 pieces chicken (or 2 steaks) in a flat container with a lid OR in a re-sealable plastic bag. Pour marinade into the bag/container; seal bag/container. Make sure all sides of meat are covered with some of the marinade. Place bag/container in refrigerator. Let meat marinate at least 4 hours OR overnight. Occasionally turn bag (or meat in container) over to re-distribute the marinade, for best flavor. When ready to cook, remove meat from bag or container. Discard marinade.

    3. Cook chicken on a hot BBQ grill until done. Chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 160°F (white meat) and 165°F (dark meat). If using the marinade for steaks, cook them to your liking. Once done, transfer the cooked meat to a serving platter. Serve, and enjoy!

    Recipe Notes

    NOTES: The total amount of marinade is enough for 4 pieces of chicken OR 2 steaks, but can easily be doubled.

    Nutrition Facts
    Smoky Grilled Chicken Marinade
    Amount Per Serving (1 Total Amount Of Marinade)
    Calories 80 Calories from Fat 72
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 8g12%
    Saturated Fat 7g44%
    Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
    Monounsaturated Fat 1g
    Sodium 3542mg154%
    Potassium 32mg1%
    Carbohydrates 2g1%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 1g1%
    Protein 1g2%
    Vitamin A 32IU1%
    Vitamin C 2mg2%
    Calcium 19mg2%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Make this simple, no fuss, Smoky Grilled Chicken Marinade to add extra flavor to chicken before cooking on the BBQ. It's good on steak, too.

     


    Jul
    2021

    Apple Cider Vinaigrette

    categories: Sauces and Dressings
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    Make a simple apple cider vinaigrette in 5 minutes! Use this delicious salad dressing to top your favorite spinach or mixed green salads.
    Make a simple apple cider vinaigrette in 5 minutes! Use this delicious salad dressing to top your favorite spinach or mixed green salads.

    Do you enjoy homemade salad dressings? I sure do, and think it’s fun to make salad dressings from scratch using ingredients found in our kitchen. I’ve experimented with many salad dressings over the years, and have posted a LOT of them on this blog.

    Today I want to share a recipe for apple cider vinaigrette, which can be easily made in a few minutes. The vinaigrette tastes great on spinach salads or mixed green salads. Typically a vinaigrette combines oil and some type of vinegar. The vinegar used in this recipe is apple cider vinegar. Other fresh ingredients and spices are added to give the vinaigrette extra flavor and slight sweetness. I really think you will enjoy this salad dressing. Here’s how easy it is to make:

    What Ingredients Will I Need To Make Apple Cider Vinaigrette?

    The ingredients needed are olive oil, apple cider vinegar, fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, maple syrup and salt and pepper.  These are fairly common ingredients, and because I keep them on hand, it’s easy to whip up a batch of vinaigrette for salads.

    The ingredients are gathered to make apple cider vinaigrette.

    Mixing The Vinaigrette

    It is so easy to make apple cider vinaigrette! Place all of the ingredients in a small bowl or in a jar or container that has a tight fitting lid. If you are using a bowl for mixing, whisk the ingredients together well, until the vinaigrette has emulsified. This means the oil and vinegar and other ingredients are thoroughly combined.

    If you are mixing the vinaigrette in a jar or container, place the ingredients into the container and seal with the lid. Vigorously shake the sealed jar until the oil, vinegar and other ingredients have emulsified, and are completely combined..

    The apple cider vinaigrette is mixed, then poured into a cruet for pouring onto salad.

    Ready To Use!

    Once the apple cider vinaigrette is combined, it can be used immediately to drizzle on a favorite green salad. You can also refrigerate the vinaigrette (covered) in the refrigerator until ready to use. TIP: If using AFTER refrigerating, remove the jar from the fridge a couple minutes before using. Shake the jar (or whisk in the bowl) really well before drizzling on the salad.

    That’s it! You made apple cider vinaigrette from scratch! We especially enjoy this vinaigrette used to compliment a Spinach, Apple and Goat Cheese Salad (shown below). It’s really tasty.

    This salad dressing tastes wonderful on a spinach or mixed green salad.

    I love making homemade salad dressings, and hope you will enjoy trying this easy recipe! Thanks so much for stopping by, and I sincerely hope you will come back again soon. Take care, and have a wonderful day.

    Looking For More SALAD DRESSING Recipes?

    You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a wonderful variety of homemade, delicious salad dressings to choose from, including:

    Interested In More Recipes?

    Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
    There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

    You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

    Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Pinterest:     The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Instagram:     jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

    Author's signature

    Original recipe source: http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/my-favorite-apple-spinach-salad/

    0 from 0 votes
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    Apple Cider Vinaigrette
    Prep Time
    5 mins
    Cook Time
    0 mins
    Total Time
    5 mins
     

    Make a simple apple cider vinaigrette in 5 minutes! Use this delicious salad dressing to top your favorite spinach or mixed green salads.

    Category: Salad Dressing
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: apple cider vinaigrette
    Servings: 12 Tablespoons (approx. 3/4 cup total)
    Calories Per Serving: 60 kcal
    Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Ingredients
    • ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
    • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
    • 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
    • 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
    • 1 med. clove garlic , peeled and minced
    • 1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup (or honey)
    • 1 pinch salt and black pepper (each) , to taste
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. If Mixing Vinaigrette In A Bowl: Place all ingredients in the bowl. Whisk together well, until oil, vinegar, and other ingredients have emulsified, and are completely combined.

    2. If Mixing Vinaigrette In Jar or Container: Place all ingredients into container and cover with tight fitting lid. Vigorously shake sealed jar until the oil, vinegar and other ingredients have emulsified, and are completely combined..

    3. Store (covered) in refrigerator. If using after refrigeration, remove vinaigrette a couple minutes before serving. Vigorously shake jar (or whisk, if in bowl) to re-combine ingredients before using. Enjoy!

    Nutrition Facts
    Apple Cider Vinaigrette
    Amount Per Serving (1 Tablespoon)
    Calories 60 Calories from Fat 54
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 6g9%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
    Monounsaturated Fat 4g
    Sodium 18mg1%
    Potassium 12mg0%
    Carbohydrates 1g0%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 1g1%
    Protein 1g2%
    Vitamin A 1IU0%
    Vitamin C 1mg1%
    Calcium 3mg0%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Make a simple apple cider vinaigrette in 5 minutes! Use this delicious salad dressing to top your favorite spinach or mixed green salads.


    Jul
    2021

    Blackberry Pancake Syrup

    categories: Breakfast, Sauces and Dressings
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    Learn how to make delicious Blackberry Pancake Syrup with fresh or frozen blackberries. Easy to make, and it’s yummy on waffles and ice cream, too!Learn how to make delicious Blackberry Pancake Syrup with fresh or frozen blackberries. Easy to make- yummy on waffles and ice cream, too!

    I love pancakes. I can’t help myself… they bring back so many memories of my childhood. Usually we eat our pancakes the traditional way- with maple syrup… BUT it is so awesome to make a batch of homemade blackberry pancake syrup for an occasional treat!

    In our little corner of Oregon, blackberries grow wild just about everywhere you turn during the heat of summer! We have several vines that grown up and over our back fence (from the neighborhood park), so I can get all the free blackberries I want! I can even store them in our freezer to use later in the year. WhooHoo!

    Blackberries growing over our back fence.

    Blackberry pancake syrup is one of the treats I can make with fresh (or frozen) blackberries, and it is really tasty! Other foods I have made with my treasure trove of blackberries are muffins, blackberry jam, crisps, handpies, scones, soda, and bar cookies, etc. Today I want to show you how to make blackberry pancake syrup using only a few ingredients. Here’s how:

    NOTE: The recipe (as written) will yield about 3 cups syrup. My photos reflect a doubled recipe. I also used frozen blackberries when I photographed this blog post.

    Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

    How To Make Blackberry Pancake Syrup

    Place blackberries, granulated sugar and water in a large pot (see NOTE section of printable recipe for details regarding using frozen berries). **Not sure why these turned out looking so red under the lights, but yep… they REALLY are blackberries that had been frozen**. Stir the mixture well, and turn the heat to medium-high. Bring the berries to a FULL BOIL, then reduce the heat to Low. Let the berries and liquid simmer 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, then remove the pot from the heat.

    Mash the berries really well. You can use a potato masher, the back of a large spoon, or a fork to do this. I vote for the potato masher, if you have access to one (quicker). Once mashed, let the berry mixture cool (off the heat) for 20-25 minutes.

    Blackberries, water and sugar cooking in order to make pancake syrup.Lots of blackberries cooking in large pot to make pancake syrup.

    Strain Berries to Remove The Seeds

    This step can be a bit time-consuming, but it will be worth it in the end, because it will remove almost all the seeds from your pancake syrup. First, place a large bowl on the counter, and place a wire sieve over it. Transfer a cup or two of the berry/juice mixture to the strainer.

    Using the back of a large spoon, firmly press the “syrupy” blackberry puree into the sieve. The juice for the syrup will drip through into the bowl below. Continue pressing until almost all of the juice and puree have been filtered through the sieve. Just keep on pressing!

    Pressing cooked blackberries through sieve to remove seeds from syrup below.Back of a spoon is used to press cooked blackberries through sieve to filter out seeds.

    Be sure to take a spoon and remove all the thick blackberry puree clinging to the underside bottom of the sieve and add it to the juices in the bowl. This thick puree is what will help thicken the syrup, so it is GOLD! Discard the seeds that remain inside of the sieve, then give the sieve a quick rinse. Process the next bit of berries and juice, continuing until all have been processed in this way.

    Continue to repeat this process until all the berries and juice have been “processed” this way. The blackberry pancake syrup that is in the bowl is what you will use. Your syrup may vary in thickness consistency, depending on whether you use frozen (tends to be thinner) or fresh blackberries, but there are ways to thicken it more, if necessary. See below.

    Thickened blackberry pulp is collected from bottom of sieve to thicken syrup.Spoon with blackberry pulp to add to the pancake syrup to thicken it.

    Tips for Thickening Syrup

    TIP: Do you want the syrup thicker? Here are two options: I have heard from others that if you want the finished syrup to be thicker in consistency, you can add 1/2 cup of light corn syrup to the blackberry syrup and stir to combine (after seeds have been removed). You can also cook the syrup again for 2-3 minutes more at this point to reduce the volume (and thicken it more). Your choice, if you think it’s necessary (usually it’s not), but it’s good to have options, right?

    Time to Enjoy Homemade Blackberry Pancake Syrup!

    Pour the finished blackberry syrup into the container of your choice. I like to use a clean, empty old pancake syrup bottle for this purpose, but you can use whatever you have available (with a lid, of course). 

    Because I doubled this recipe it made enough to fill a standard sized pancake syrup bottle, plus an “almost full” quart jar. Be sure to store the blackberry pancake syrup in the refrigerator when not using. TIP: You can also store extra blackberry pancake syrup in the freezer to use at a later date. Thaw and reheat to use.

    Serve blackberry pancake syrup warm or at room temperature on your favorite stack of pancakes! Enjoy this delicious treat- it’s a nice reminder year-round of summer’s bountiful blackberry harvest! It’s also yummy on ice cream, pound cake, cheesecake or other desserts! I even used it on my Triple Berry French Toast Cups (3rd photo below). YUM!

    A bottle full of homemade blackberry pancake syrup is ready to use.A stack of pancakes topped with homemade blackberry pancake syrup and whipped cream.Blackberry pancake syrup, served with a baked French Toast cup.

    I hope you have the opportunity to make this delicious blackberry pancake syrup. It’s really quite delicious, and it’s a very versatile syrup to have in the refrigerator for a number of desserts, too. Thanks for stopping by, and I sincerely hope you will come back soon.

    Looking For Some PANCAKE Recipes?

    You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have several delicious pancake recipes you might enjoy, including:

    Interested In More Recipes?

    Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
    There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

    You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

    Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Pinterest:     The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Instagram:     jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

    Author's signature

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    Blackberry Pancake Syrup
    Prep Time
    30 mins
    Cook Time
    10 mins
    Total Time
    40 mins
     

    Learn how to make delicious Blackberry Pancake Syrup with fresh or frozen blackberries. Easy to make- yummy on waffles and ice cream, too!

    Category: Sauce
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: blackberry pancake syrup
    Servings: 12 (1/4 cup per serving)
    Calories Per Serving: 107 kcal
    Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Ingredients
    • 2½ cups water
    • 1½ cups granulated sugar
    • 2 cups blackberries (fresh or frozen)
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. Place blackberries, sugar and water in a large pot. Stir well; turn heat to medium-high. Bring berries to a FULL BOIL; reduce heat to Low. Let berries simmer 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, then remove from the heat. Mash the berries with potato masher, back of a large spoon, or fork. Once mashed, let berry mixture cool 20-25 minutes.

    2. Strain syrup from berry mixture: Place a wire sieve on top of a large bowl. Transfer 1-2 cups of berry/juice mixture into sieve. Using the back of a large spoon, firmly press blackberries and juice into sieve. The juice will drip through sieve into bowl below; seeds will remain in sieve. Continue pressing until almost all juice and puree have been filtered through sieve. Use a spoon to remove blackberry puree clinging to underside of sieve; add to juice in bowl. This puree will help thicken syrup.

    3. Discard seeds in sieve; give sieve a quick rinse. Repeat process until all berries and juice have been filtered through sieve. Pour syrup from bowl into container of your choice. Store (covered) in refrigerator. Serve blackberry pancake syrup warm (or at room temperature) on your favorite stack of pancakes! **Also good on ice cream, cheesecake, or other desserts.

    4. NOTE: You can store extra syrup in freezer to use at a later date. Thaw and reheat to use.

      If you feel your syrup is too thin (especially if you used frozen berries), you can cook the syrup for a few minutes after straining out seeds. This will reduce the volume slightly, but will help to thicken the syrup. Other people suggest adding 1/2 cup light corn syrup to thicken the finished syrup. Not really necessary, but it is another option.

    Recipe Notes

    Caloric calculation made using 1/4 cup serving size out of approximately 3 cups total syrup.

    Nutrition Facts
    Blackberry Pancake Syrup
    Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 cup))
    Calories 107 Calories from Fat 9
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 1g2%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
    Monounsaturated Fat 1g
    Sodium 3mg0%
    Potassium 39mg1%
    Carbohydrates 27g9%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 26g29%
    Protein 1g2%
    Vitamin A 51IU1%
    Vitamin C 5mg6%
    Calcium 9mg1%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Original recipe source: biscuitsandburlap.com/blackberry-syrup/

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Learn how to make delicious Blackberry Pancake Syrup with fresh or frozen blackberries. Easy to make- yummy on waffles and ice cream, too!


    May
    2021

    Homemade Honey BBQ Sauce

    categories: For The BBQ Grill, Sauces and Dressings
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    Make Homemade Honey BBQ Sauce in under 10 minutes with common ingredients! Sweet, tangy and a perfect basting sauce for chicken, beef or pork!
    Make Homemade Honey BBQ Sauce in under 10 minutes with common ingredients! Sweet, tangy and a perfect basting sauce for chicken, beef or pork!

    Today I want to share a delicious homemade barbeque sauce that I’m confident you’re gonna love! It can be made in less than 10 minutes, and is a very versatile sauce that can be used in many ways. Whether it is used on baked or grilled chicken, pork or beef, or used to make pulled pork, beef or chicken sandwiches, the flavor of this sauce will really impress you (with very little work involved).

    The recipe came from one of my old “Taste of Home” magazines, and it is a definite KEEPER. I keep all the ingredients needed for this yummy sauce in our pantry, so it is convenient and easy to make whenever we need it. It’s so easy to make, and takes less time to whip up a batch then it does to drive to the store to buy a bottle of bbq sauce. That’s a win-win in my book! Let me show you just how simple it is to make this homemade honey BBQ sauce:

    Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

    What Ingredients Will I Need To Make This BBQ Sauce?

    To make homemade honey BBQ sauce you will need several common pantry ingredients. They are tomato sauce, brown sugar, molasses, honey, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic, oregano, chili powder and pepper.

    The ingredients used to make homemade honey bbq sauce.

    Make The Homemade Honey BBQ Sauce

    Measure all the ingredients for the BBQ sauce into a medium-sized saucepan. Stir the ingredients well, until they’re fully combined. Bring the homemade honey BBQ sauce to a full boil on medium heat. Once it has boiled for a minute, remove the pan from the heat.

    That’s it! You’ve just made a batch of homemade honey BBQ sauce, and it’s ready to be used to enhance the flavor of chicken, pork or beef! You can use it right away, or if using later, store it covered in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days. When ready to use the sauce, simply bring it back to room temperature. See how EASY that was?

    Ingredients for bbq sauce are placed in a medium saucepan, then stirred together.Homemade honey BBQ sauce is brought to a boil in pan, then is ready to use.

    Time To Grill (Or Bake!)

    When ready to grill (or bake) a favorite meat dish, liberally brush the homemade honey BBQ sauce on your favorite meats. We love this BBQ sauce on grilled pork chops and grilled or baked chicken. The sauce can also be enjoyed on ribs, and pulled pork, chicken or BBQ beef sandwiches, too. 

    This sauce has a fantastic taste, and the flavors really shine. I truly think you will love this sauce as much as we do! The recipe as written, will make about 1⅓ cups of sauce, so you may or may not have some sauce left over, depending on the amount of meat you are cooking. You can store it covered in the fridge for a few days, OR you can freeze it in an airtight container for use at a later date. Simply thaw, and reheat the BBQ sauce in a small sauce pan before using.

    Pork chops on the grill, coated with the honey BBQ sauce.Pieces of chicken brushed with homemade honey BBQ sauce, cooking on the grill.

    Thank you for stopping by my blog today. I sincerely hope you have the opportunity to make this homemade honey BBQ sauce, and trust you and those you love will really enjoy it. Please come back soon for another visit and more yummy, family-friendly recipes.

    Looking For More HOMEMADE SAUCE Recipes?

    You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have some wonderful tasting recipes for SAUCES that you’ll enjoy, including:

    Interested In More Recipes?

    Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
    There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

    You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

    Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Pinterest:     The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Instagram:     jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

    Author's signature

    Original recipe source: “Taste of Home” magazine, August/September 2008 edition, page 14 , published by Reiman Media Group, Inc.

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    Homemade Honey BBQ Sauce
    Prep Time
    5 mins
    Cook Time
    3 mins
    Total Time
    8 mins
     

    Make Homemade Honey BBQ Sauce in under 10 minutes with common ingredients! Sweet, tangy and a perfect basting sauce for chicken, beef or pork!

    Category: Condiments, Sauces
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: homemade honey bbq sauce
    Servings: 11 (2 T. per serving-1 ⅓ cups total)
    Calories Per Serving: 37 kcal
    Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Ingredients
    • 8 ounces tomato sauce (1 can)
    • 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
    • 2 Tablespoons molasses
    • 2 Tablespoons honey
    • 1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
    • 1½ teaspoons prepared yellow mustard
    • 1 large garlic clove , minced
    • ¼ teaspoon chili powder
    • ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
    • ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. Measure all the ingredients into a medium-sized saucepan. Stir well, until fully combined.

    2. Bring sauce to a full boil on medium heat. Once it has boiled for 1 minute, remove pan from the heat.

    3. Brush sauce onto beef, chicken or pork (for grilling or baking). Leftovers can be stored (covered) in refrigerator up to 3-4 days, or can be frozen in an airtight container (to thaw and reheat later).

    Nutrition Facts
    Homemade Honey BBQ Sauce
    Amount Per Serving (1 (2 Tablespoons))
    Calories 37 Calories from Fat 9
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 1g2%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Sodium 127mg6%
    Potassium 137mg4%
    Carbohydrates 9g3%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 9g10%
    Protein 1g2%
    Vitamin A 105IU2%
    Vitamin C 2mg2%
    Calcium 15mg2%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Make Homemade Honey BBQ Sauce in under 10 minutes with common ingredients! Sweet, tangy and a perfect basting sauce for chicken, beef or pork!


    Mar
    2021

    Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette

    categories: Sauces and Dressings
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    It’s EASY to make Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette, with only a few simple ingredients! This is a tasty way to top a favorite mixed green salad!
    It's EASY to make Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette, with only a few simple ingredients! This is a tasty way to top a favorite mixed green salad!

    I love to make salad dressings from scratch. Over the years I’ve found some wonderful tasting recipes which I’ve added to this blog as time permits. Today I want to share with you a SUPER EASY recipe for homemade balsamic vinaigrette. I found the original recipe years ago in one of my cookbooks. It tastes wonderful, and I think you will love it! The recipe yield almost a cup of vinaigrette, so there is enough for quite a few salads.

    Using fairly common ingredients, it only takes a few minutes to mix up a batch, which is incredibly convenient. Perfect for mixed green salads, this is a “go to” easy dressing to make in a pinch, or if you’re just wanting to try a new variety of salad dressing. Save yourself a trip to the grocery store, and make this dressing in the comfort of your own home in about 5 minutes or less!

    Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

    What Ingredients Will I Need?

    The ingredients you will need to make this vinaigrette are fairly common household ingredients. They are olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, minced garlic, sugar, salt, pepper, and dried basil.

    NOTE: If you have fresh basil available you can substitute that for dried basil. If you use fresh basil you will need a bit more in quantity than dried, but I have noted that amount in the printable recipe card. 

    Common ingredients are used to make homemade balsamic vinaigrette.

    How To Make Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette

    Making this homemade balsamic vinaigrette couldn’t be any easier! Be sure to use a container with a secure-fitting lid. I like to use a pint jar when I make this. This recipe yields almost a cup of vinaigrette, so a pint jar is just the right size for the dressing. A pint jar holds approximately 8 ounces of liquid, and can be used to mix and store the salad dressing.

    Measure the ingredients for the homemade balsamic vinaigrette into the container you are using. Securely attach the lid, and holding the lid on tight, shake the jar (or container) for a minute or two to fully combine the ingredients.

    All ingredients for the vinaigrette are put in a pint jar before mixing.A pint jar is used to mix up the homemade balsamic vinaigrette.

    Drizzle the homemade balsamic vinaigrette over your favorite mixed green salad. Store any leftover vinaigrette, covered, in the refrigerator.

    As the salad dressing chills in the fridge, it may thicken slightly. The next time you want to use it, simply take it out of the fridge a few minutes before using, and give it a good shake to re-mix.

    The vinaigrette is drizzled onto a mixed green salad.

    That’s it! See how easy it was to make homemade balsamic vinaigrette from scratch? This salad dressing has great flavor, and is a quick way to make your own salad dressing right in your own kitchen!

    Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette used on mixed green salad.

    Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you have the opportunity to make this salad dressing sometime. It really is quite delicious! Take care, and come back again soon, ok?

    Looking For More Salad Dressing Recipes?

    You can find all of my salad dressing recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have quite a few I believe you will enjoy, including:

    Interested In More Recipes?

    Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
    There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

    You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

    Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Pinterest:     The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Instagram:     jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

    Author's signature

    Original recipe source: The cookbook “What’s For Dinner?”, by Maryana Vollstedt, page 55, published by Chronicle Books, 1997

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    Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette
    Prep Time
    5 mins
    Cook Time
    0 mins
    Total Time
    5 mins
     

    It's EASY to make Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette, with only a few simple ingredients! This is a tasty way to top a favorite mixed green salad!

    Category: Salad Dressing
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: homemade balsamic vinaigrette
    Servings: 15 Tablespoons
    Calories Per Serving: 89 kcal
    Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Ingredients
    • ⅔ cup extra virgin olive oil
    • 3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
    • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
    • 1 clove garlic minced
    • ¼ teaspoon dried basil or 1 Tablespoon fresh, chopped
    • ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. Measure all ingredients into the container you are using (container needs to hold at least 8 ounces). Securely attach the lid, and holding the lid on tight, shake the jar (or container) for a minute or two to fully combine the ingredients.

    2. Drizzle vinaigrette on a favorite green salad, serve and enjoy!

    3. Store unused vinaigrette in an airtight, covered container in the refrigerator. Before each use, remove from fridge a few minutes beforehand, and shake very well, to re-combine ingredients.

    Nutrition Facts
    Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette
    Amount Per Serving (1 Tablespoon)
    Calories 89 Calories from Fat 90
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 10g15%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Sodium 79mg3%
    Potassium 6mg0%
    Carbohydrates 1g0%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 1g1%
    Protein 1g2%
    Vitamin A 1IU0%
    Vitamin C 1mg1%
    Calcium 2mg0%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!It's EASY to make Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette, with only a few simple ingredients! This is a tasty way to top a favorite mixed green salad!


    Jan
    2021

    Easy Homemade Enchilada Sauce

    categories: Mexican / Southwestern, Sauces and Dressings
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    Make a batch of Easy Homemade Enchilada Sauce in 10 minutes to use to make your favorite enchiladas, with this step by step EASY tutorial.
    Make a batch of Easy Homemade Enchilada Sauce in 10 minutes to use to make your favorite enchiladas, with this step by step EASY tutorial.

    Do you like enchiladas? We sure do in our family! I typically keep a large can of store-bought enchilada sauce (for backup) in our pantry, but many times I forget to buy another one once it’s gone. If you’re like me, you don’t want to stop everything and run to the grocery store for one item (especially during Covid-19, right?). Have no fear!

    It is so very simple to make it right at home. It’s a cinch to make 4 cups (32 ounces) of easy homemade enchilada sauce in only a few minutes! A LARGE can of enchilada sauce at the store is 28 ounces, so this recipe will give you a bit more that that (and it freezes well), so it’s a win-win.

    Today I want to show you, step by step, how EASY it is to make this flavorful enchilada sauce. I found the handwritten recipe in my old recipe box, but there was no source noted to give credit where it is due! I’ve had the recipe for many years, and let me tell you, this is one great tasting red enchilada sauce! Here’s how to make it:

    Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe At The Bottom Of The Page

    What Ingredients Will I Need To Make The Sauce?

    The ingredients you will use to make this delicious enchilada sauce are olive oil, flour, cocoa, tomato paste, sugar, water, and fresh garlic. You will also use the following spices to add the perfect flavor: chili powder, salt, oregano, basil, thyme, and ground cumin.

    A collection of the ingredients used to make this enchilada sauce.

    How To Make Easy Homemade Enchilada Sauce

    Heat olive oil in a large saucepan on medium-low heat. Add flour, cocoa powder, salt, chili powder, sugar, minced fresh garlic, oregano, basil, cumin and thyme into a large saucepan. Stir these ingredients together until blended.

    The mixture will be very thick and will be dark brown in color. Perfect! Cook for 1 minute on medium-low heat, stirring often.

    Ingredients for the sauce are combined, then cooked until slightly thickened.Ingredients for easy homemade enchilada sauce are stirred before water is added.

    Whisk or stir a small (6 oz.) can of tomato paste and 3 cups of water into the mixture until fully combined. Cook the easy homemade enchilada sauce on medium heat (uncovered) for 5-6 minutes. Stir often while it cooks. The enchilada sauce will thicken slightly as it cooks.

    Once the sauce is slightly thickened, it is ready to be put to good use in a favorite enchilada recipe. That’s it! See how easy it is to make this sauce? 

    Sauce is cooked until blended and slightly thickened.Easy Homemade Enchilada Sauce is now ready to use in recipes.

    Time To USE Easy Homemade Enchilada Sauce!

    I like to use a good flavored red sauce for my Easy Cheesy Enchiladas, and this sauce is perfect for that! Simply pour a base of the sauce on the bottom of the dish, add rolled filled enchiladas, and top them with more sauce, cheese and onions before baking. YUMMO!

    A baking dish of enchiladas covered in easy homemade enchilada sauce.

    After baking, I serve enchiladas (made with my easy homemade enchilada sauce) with dollops of sour cream and some chopped fresh cilantro. They’re delicious, and this wonderful homemade sauce plays a large part of that.

    Baked enchiladas ready to serve, garnished with sour cream and cilantro.

    I hope you will consider trying this easy to make homemade enchilada sauce. It really does taste GREAT! Any leftover sauce freezes well, so even if I only make 4-5 enchiladas for my husband and myself, I know I always have sauce ready for another round in our freezer.

    Thank you so much for stopping by today. I hope you have a wonderful day, filled with love, laughter, and encouragement. Please come back for another visit soon to find more delicious recipes to make for those you love.

    Looking For More MEXICAN-INSPIRED  Recipes?

    You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have quite a few Mexican-inspired recipes, including:

    Interested In More Recipes?

    Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
    There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

    You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

    Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Pinterest:     The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Instagram:     jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

    Author's signature

    Original recipe source: unknown (old recipe found written on a recipe card from years ago)

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    EASY Homemade Enchilada Sauce
    Prep Time
    5 mins
    Cook Time
    5 mins
    Total Time
    10 mins
     

    Make a batch of Easy Homemade Enchilada Sauce in 10 minutes to use to make your favorite enchiladas, with this step by step EASY tutorial.

    Category: Sauce
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Keyword: easy homemade enchilada sauce
    Servings: 12 (1/3 cup per serving)
    Calories Per Serving: 66 kcal
    Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Ingredients
    • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
    • 3 Tablespoons all purpose flour
    • 6 cloves fresh garlic finely minced
    • 1 Tablespoon chile powder
    • 1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
    • 1 Tablespoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
    • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
    • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
    • ¼ teaspoon dried basil
    • 2 teaspoons sugar
    • 6 ounces tomato paste (canned)
    • 3 cups water
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. Heat olive oil on medium-low heat in a large saucepan. Add flour, cocoa, salt, chili powder, sugar, garlic, oregano, basil, cumin and thyme to pan. Stir until blended. Mixture will be thick and dark brown in color. Cook for 1 minute on medium-low heat, stirring often.

    2. Whisk or stir tomato paste and water into the mixture until fully combined. Cook sauce on medium heat (uncovered) for 5-6 minutes. Stir often while it cooks. The enchilada sauce will thicken slightly as it cooks.

    3. Once sauce has slightly thickened, remove from heat, and use in your favorite recipes. Sauce may be frozen, if stored in a sealed, airtight container. Thaw fully before using.

    Recipe Notes

    The recipe makes approx. 4 cups enchilada sauce. Caloric calculation is made based on using 1/3 cup per portion.

    Nutrition Facts
    EASY Homemade Enchilada Sauce
    Amount Per Serving (1 (1/3 cup portion))
    Calories 66 Calories from Fat 45
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 5g8%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Sodium 708mg31%
    Potassium 169mg5%
    Carbohydrates 6g2%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 2g2%
    Protein 1g2%
    Vitamin A 414IU8%
    Vitamin C 4mg5%
    Calcium 12mg1%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Make a batch of Easy Homemade Enchilada Sauce in 10 minutes to use to make your favorite enchiladas, with this step by step EASY tutorial.


    Oct
    2020

    Lemon Ginger Salad Dressing

    categories: Sauces and Dressings
    137 Shares
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    It’s easy to make flavor-filled Lemon Ginger Salad Dressing in a few minutes! This light dressing will compliment most mixed green salads.
    It's easy to make flavor-filled Lemon Ginger Salad Dressing in a few minutes! This light dressing will compliment most mixed green salads.

    Making homemade salad dressings at home is a simple way to most often save money, and KNOW exactly what is going into the finished product. Best of all, most homemade dressings are a cinch to make, including this Lemon Ginger Salad Dressing.

    This light salad dressing is not only easy to make, it’s packed with flavor! I first tried it on a carrot salad, but have found the dressing is just as good on a mixed green salad. It has become a permanent member of the ol’ salad dressing rotation in our home. Here’s how easy it is to make:

    Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

    What Is In Lemon Ginger Salad Dressing?

    The recipe uses easy to find, common ingredients. The ingredients are extra virgin olive oil, rice vinegar, salt, honey, ginger, garlic and the juice and zest from one lemon.

    Ingredients for the salad dressing, ready to be mixed together.

    How To Make Lemon Ginger Salad Dressing

    Making this salad dressing is simple and pretty straightforward. Measure all ingredients EXCEPT FOR THE OLIVE OIL into a medium bowl. Stir well, to combine these ingredients. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking with a fork or wire whisk the entire time you are adding the oil. Pour oil with one hand, and whisk with the other!

    Continue to whisk until the dressing has emulsified. Emulsified means that the olive oil has been incorporated so well into the other ingredients that it doesn’t separate (kind of like oil and water).

    Olive oil is slowly drizzled into salad dressing while whisking.

    And just like that, your lemon ginger salad dressing is ready! Serve it on your favorite mixed green salad right away, OR you can cover the bowl and store it in your refrigerator until ready to serve.

    Once refrigerated, the olive oil will thicken up slightly, so take it out of the fridge a few minutes before serving and whisk it, before drizzling it on a favorite green salad.

    Lemon ginger salad dressing is emulsified and waiting to drizzle on a salad.

    You don’t have to only use this salad dressing on green salads. Actually, one of my favorite ways to enjoy this dressing is drizzled onto a spiralized carrot salad. Wow… is THAT ever good!

    The lemon ginger salad dressing is drizzled on a spiralized carrot salad.

    I hope you enjoy this recipe for simple lemon ginger salad dressing. It makes a small amount (1/2 cup) of fresh dressing, but can easily be doubled. Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you visit again soon. Take care, and have a wonderful day, full of adventure and possibilities!

    Looking For More SALAD DRESSING Recipes?

    You can find all of my salad dressing recipes in the Recipe Index, located in the MENU toolbar at the top of the page. I have quite a few delicious ones, including:

    Interested In More Recipes?

    Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
    There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

    You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

    Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Pinterest:     The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Instagram:     jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

    Author's signature

    Original recipe source: http://girlinthelittleredkitchen.com/2015/06/spiralized-carrot-salad-with-lemon-ginger-dressing/

    5 from 1 vote
    PRINT
    Lemon Ginger Salad Dressing
    Prep Time
    5 mins
    Cook Time
    0 mins
    Total Time
    5 mins
     

    It's easy to make flavor-filled Lemon Ginger Salad Dressing in a few minutes! This light dressing will compliment most mixed green salads.

    Category: Salad Dressing
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: lemon ginger salad dressing
    Servings: 6 (1 Tablespoon per serving)
    Calories Per Serving: 86 kcal
    Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Ingredients
    • 1 large lemon (juice and zest)
    • 1 teaspoon honey
    • 1 inch piece of fresh ginger (peeled, finely minced)
    • 1 medium garlic clove (peeled, finely minced)
    • 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. Measure all ingredients EXCEPT FOR THE OLIVE OIL into a medium bowl. Stir to combine. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking with a fork or wire whisk the entire time you are adding the oil. Pour oil with one hand; whisk with the other! Continue to whisk until the dressing has emulsified.

    2. Serve it right away, OR cover the bowl and store it in your refrigerator until ready to serve. Once refrigerated, olive oil will thicken slightly; take it out of the fridge a few minutes before serving and give it a good whisk before drizzling it on your favorite green salad. Enjoy!

    Nutrition Facts
    Lemon Ginger Salad Dressing
    Amount Per Serving (1 Tablespoon)
    Calories 86 Calories from Fat 81
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 9g14%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Sodium 194mg8%
    Carbohydrates 2g1%
    Sugar 1g1%
    Protein 1g2%
    Vitamin C 2mg2%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!It's easy to make flavor-filled Lemon Ginger Salad Dressing in a few minutes! This light dressing will compliment most mixed green salads.


    Sep
    2020

    Pumpkin Vinaigrette

    categories: Sauces and Dressings
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    It’s easy to make pumpkin vinaigrette in 5 minutes with a few ingredients! It’s a delicious salad dressing for mixed green or rice salads.
    It's easy to make pumpkin vinaigrette in 5 minutes with a few ingredients! It's a delicious salad dressing for mixed green or rice salads.

    Last year I made an absolutely delicious wild rice salad, with pumpkin vinaigrette for the dressing. It was fantastic, so today I want to share the recipe for the salad dressing. This vinaigrette is delicious on most mixed green salads, too, which is why it is good to have the recipe in my salad dressing “toolbox”.

    You can use canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix) OR your own homemade pumpkin puree, which is what I typically use to make this vinaigrette. Obviously the canned pumpkin puree is very convenient, but since I usually have several bags of homemade puree stored in our freezer, homemade is my “go to”.

    The recipe is super easy to make in 5 minutes or less, with a few simple ingredients. Here’s how to make this delicious dressing:

    Scroll down for a printable recipe card at the bottom of this page.

    How To Make Pumpkin Vinaigrette

    Measure 1/4 cup of pumpkin puree (canned or homemade) into a small bowl. NOTE: Remember to NOT use pumpkin pie filling, or you probably won’t like this dressing!

    Homemade or canned pumpkin puree is used as the base for this vinaigrette.

    To the pumpkin puree add white wine vinegar, honey, salt, pepper, and some dried thyme. (Exact measurements are found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post).

    Spices, white wine vinegar and pumpkin puree are measured into a small bowl.

    Whisk these ingredients together until they are fully blended, and the vinaigrette is creamy. The mixture will be fairly thick.

    The ingredients for pumpkin vinaigrette are whisked together until blended.

    Slowly drizzle olive oil into the pumpkin vinaigrette mixture. Be sure to whisk continuously as you slowly drizzle the olive oil in, because slow drizzling and whisking continuously helps the vinaigrette to emulsify. That basically means you mix the ingredients so well that ingredients that normally don’t combine well (like oil and water), can “come together” in a way that disperses them into a stabilized unit.

    Most vinaigrettes are emulsified, to fully blend the various vinegars and oils. It’s a simple process, and you end up with a great dressing for your salads. Once the pumpkin vinaigrette is fully blended, then it is ready to serve on your favorite salad.

    Olive oil is whisked into the pumpkin vinaigrette before serving.

    Time To Dress A Salad With Pumpkin Vinaigrette

    The photo below shows the pumpkin vinaigrette being added to my wild rice salad. This dressing is really delicious, full of unique flavors, and is a great addition to most salads.  I think you will really enjoy it.

    Store any leftover salad dressing in a covered container in the refrigerator. After it has been refrigerated, bring it back to room temperature, because the oil will have slightly solidified. Shake or stir the vinaigrette vigorously before using again.

    The finished pumpkin vinaigrette is poured over wild rice salad and then served.

    Hope you enjoy this simple pumpkin vinaigrette. Thanks for stopping by, take care, and have a GREAT day!

    Looking For More SALAD DRESSING Recipes?

    You can find all of my salad dressing recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have several, which include:

    Interested In More Recipes?

    Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
    There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

    You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
    Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

    Author's signature

    Original recipe source: My “Southern Living 2009 Annual Recipes Cookbook”, published 1999 by Oxmoor House, Inc., page 195

    0 from 0 votes
    PRINT
    Pumpkin Vinaigrette
    Prep Time
    5 mins
    Cook Time
    0 mins
    Total Time
    5 mins
     

    It's easy to make pumpkin vinaigrette in 5 minutes with a few ingredients! It's a delicious salad dressing for mixed green or rice salads.

    Category: Salad Dressing
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: pumpkin vinaigrette
    Servings: 10 Tablespoons (approx. 2/3 cup total)
    Calories Per Serving: 73 kcal
    Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Ingredients
    • ¼ cup canned pumpkin puree (or homemade) , NOT pumpkin pie filling
    • ¼ cup white wine vinegar
    • 1 Tablespoon honey
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
    • ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. Measure pumpkin puree (canned or homemade) into a small bowl. Add white wine vinegar, honey, salt, pepper, and dried thyme. Whisk these ingredients together until fully blended and creamy.

    2. Slowly drizzle olive oil into vinaigrette. Whisk continuously as you drizzle the olive oil, because slow drizzling and whisking continuously helps the vinaigrette emulsify. Once pumpkin vinaigrette is fully blended, it is ready to serve on your favorite salad.

    3. Store leftover salad dressing in a covered container in refrigerator. After it's been refrigerated, bring it back to room temperature, because oil will have slightly solidified. Shake or stir vinaigrette vigorously before using again. Enjoy!

    Nutrition Facts
    Pumpkin Vinaigrette
    Amount Per Serving (1 Tablespoon)
    Calories 73 Calories from Fat 63
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 7g11%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Sodium 117mg5%
    Potassium 13mg0%
    Carbohydrates 2g1%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 2g2%
    Protein 1g2%
    Vitamin A 953IU19%
    Vitamin C 1mg1%
    Calcium 2mg0%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!It's easy to make pumpkin vinaigrette in 5 minutes with a few ingredients! It's a delicious salad dressing for mixed green or rice salads.