Home made products

I'm on a quest to stop buying products with ingredients I can't pronounce. To be fair I don't buy much processed food. I've identified salad dressings, chocolate syrup & meat rubs. Dressings are so easy to make just keep a few ingredients in your pantry. I am posting two salad dressing recipes, a home made chocolate syrup and Grandma's meat rub, try them, I think your find pleasure in knowing your eating food that you know each ingredient. COOK ON..........

Home made Chocolate Syrup

From: Amy Dacyczyn’s The Complete Tightwad Gazette.

THis is yummy as chocolate milk or on ice cream

½ cup cocoa powder (I used Droste Cocoa, for baking and drinking)

1 cup water

2 cups sugar

⅛ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon vanilla

Mix the cocoa powder and the water in a saucepan. Heat and stir to dissolve the cocoa. Add the sugar, and stir to dissolve. Boil for 3 minutes over medium heat. Be careful not to let it get too hot and boil over! Add the salt and the vanilla. Let cool. Pour into a clean glass jar, and store in the refrigerator. Keeps for several months, but trust me it will be gone before then. Yields two cups.

The result is very rich, so I only use a teaspoon for a glass of chocolate milk.

I poured the chocolate into a flip-top glass bottle and added a label. These would make nice little gifts.

Greek Salad Dressing

Ingredients 10 servings

1/2 cup olive oil

1-1/4 teaspoons garlic powder

1-1/4 teaspoons dried oregano

1-1/4 teaspoons dried basil

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

juice of 1/2 a lemon

1 tsp sugar

Directions

In a container, mix together the olive oil, garlic powder, oregano, basil, pepper, salt, onion powder, and Dijon-style mustard. Pour in the vinegar, and mix vigorously until well blended. ( I used my immersion blender, worked beautifully to emulsify the liquid) Store tightly covered at room temperature.

Low Fat Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

Ingredients

1/2 cup buttermilk


1/2 cup light mayonnaise


2 tablespoons dried parsley leaves


2 tablespoons dried basil

2 tablespoons dried tarragon

1 tablespoon cider or rice vinegar


1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt


1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all ingredients and mix dressing in a small bowl with a whisk or fork. Or combine ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake to blend. If not using right away, cover and refrigerate up to 3 days.


from Good Housekeeping

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION (per serving*) Calories 30 Total Fat 2g Saturated Fat -- Cholesterol 4mg Sodium 150mg Total Carbohydrate 2g *Nutritional information is based on a 2-tablespoon serving.

Grandma's Spice Rub

For all meats, poultry or fish

Mix equal portions of the following spices: I usually do a 1/4 cup of each for a 2 cup jar.

Garlic Powder

Onion Powder

Paprika

Sweet Basil

Sea Salt

Pepper

Oregano

Rubbed Sage

Savory Leaves

Dried Parsley