Hot Caramel Sauce

Another one of my mother's recipes.  My Sister and I have been trying to save some of our families classic recipes that our mom made while growing up.  This is the perfect recipe to eat over Ice Cream.  It's also fabulous for a fondue party as well.

1 Tbsp flour
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar
1 Tbsp. corn syrup
3/4 c. water
2 Tbsp butter
dash of salt

Combine ingredients, cook over low heat till sugar is dissolved and mixture has come to a rolling boil and started to thicken. Makes 1 cup.

Parmesan & Garlic Linguini

I ran across this awesome blog when I discovered the Lemon Crinkle Cookies I posted a few days ago and this recipe immediately caught my eye because of how easy it seemed and how simple it was. Last night I needed a quick fix for dinner and so I whipped up this amazing dish. It was definitely fast and easy, I sliced some chicken and cooked it up and tossed it in with the pasta. The best way to describe how good it was is to say my BIL was scraping the bottom of the pan once the dish was long gone to get "a little more". It was so easy, and yet it was so rich and amazing in flavor. I added quite a bit more garlic than is called for since we are big garlic lovers, but otherwise it is perfect the way it is. I hope you enjoy this simple but amazing meal.

Ingredients:
1/2 pound linguine pasta
2 tablespoons salted butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 clove garlic, finely minced {I used a microplane}
lots of salt & pepper, to taste
1/2 cup reserved cooking liquid from pasta
3/4 cup freshly grated parmigiano reggiano {use the real stuff!}
fresh parsley, for garnish {optional}

Directions:
Bring large pot of water up to boil. Sprinkle in a generous amount of salt and stir in pasta. Cook linguine until al dente and drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Place linguine back into hot pot and stir in butter, cream, garlic, salt, pepper and cheese until butter and cheese start to melt and create a sauce. Pour in some pasta water to get the sauce to the consistency you want. {I only used about 3 tablespoons.} Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly. Pour onto serving platter and top with fresh parsley and more grated cheese.

Sweet and Sour Sauce

This is a recipe that my Aunt Jill got when she took Chinese cooking classes after she and my grandmother went to China to pick up an Uncle of mine who was serving an LDS mission there. This has always been what sweet and Sour Sauce tastes like to me. I hope you enjoy it as well.

1 C Water
2 Tbsp Ketchup
1 tsp Sugar
1 tsp Red wine Vinegar

place ingredients into pan and bring to a boil. Add cornstarch to thicken mixture. Pour over your desired ingredients or use as dipping sauce or marinade.

Hot Fudge

This was always my mom's go to recipe for hot fudge sauce and I have learned over the years that it makes an excellent Chocolate Fondue sauce as well. We use this sauce all the time for Ice cream and Fondue, or anytime I want a nice thick chocolate sauce. It's amazing and very simple to make. I hope you enjoy it.

1 Square Semi Sweet Cocoa
1 C. Sugar
2/3 C. Evaporated Milk
1/2 C. Margarine
1 tsp. Vanilla
2 Tbsp Karo Syrup

Melt Butter and Cocoa in a pan over low heat, then add Milk, karo and Sugar. Stirring constantly boil until sugar has dissolved. Once Sugar has dissolved add vanilla and remove from heat and serve while hot.

Green Salsa

My garden is overflowing with Tomatillos, and so I have been on the hunt for new recipes, this is a great recipe for spicy green salsa. I got it from allrecipes, and it's great either on burritos or fresh with chips.

• 8 tomatillos, husked
• 3 shallots
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded
• salt to taste

In a food processor, place tomatillos, shallots, garlic, green chile peppers, cilantro, jalapeno pepper and salt. Using the pulse setting, coarsely chop. Cover and chill in the refrigerator until serving.

Garden Squash ravioli

I got this from the Taste of Home website when looking for ways to use my squash and Zucchini. I love the ragu sauce with the chunks of zucchini in it, and this was a great way to add more and to create my own. Love it! You could use the sauce over any pasta you like!

• 1 package (24 ounces) frozen miniature cheese ravioli
• 1 medium yellow summer squash, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 cans (one 15 ounces, one 8 ounces) tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon dried minced onion
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

In a large saucepan, cook ravioli according to package directions.
Meanwhile, in a 1-1/2-qt. microwave-safe dish, combine the squash, zucchini, tomato sauce and seasonings. Cover and cook on high for 4-6 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Drain ravioli; top with sauce. Yield: 6 servings.

Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce

I love alfredo sauce, I know the calories will kill you, but I love the creamy flavors of the cream and the cheese melted together. Love it! I got the recipe straight off of the Olive Garden Web site, so I Hope you enjoy!

1 1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup imported Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup imported Romano cheese, grated
6 egg yolks from fresh jumbo eggs
Salt and black pepper to taste

Procedures

1. HEAT milk and cream in a heavy bottom saucepan until it begins to simmer. Turn off heat. Slowly whip in cheese, then remove from heat.
2. PLACE egg yolks in a separate bowl and slowly whip in a portion of the hot milk and cream mixture. Slowly add egg yolk mixture back into remaining cream mixture. Place back on very low heat and continually stir until simmering. Take sauce off heat so it thickens. (This will increase temperature of egg yolks, known as tempering).
3. SEASON to taste with salt and black pepper. Serve over your favorite pasta.

Pesto

I had never tried Pesto until 2 summers ago when I grew fresh basil, and ever since then I love Pesto sauces. Here is one that I have done, and Love it!

• 1 cup walnuts or pine nuts
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 8 cups (4 ounces) lightly packed fresh basil leaves
• 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread nuts evenly on a rimmed baking sheet; toast in oven until golden and fragrant, tossing once, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely.
2. Meanwhile, bring 4 cups salted water to a boil; add basil, and submerge with a spoon. Immediately drain in a colander. Rinse with cold water until cool, then pat basil completely dry in paper towels.
3. In a food processor, combine nuts, basil, and garlic; season generously with salt and pepper. Process until nuts are finely chopped. With machine running, pour oil in a steady stream through the feed tube; process until smooth. Use immediately, or freeze. To freeze, spoon pesto into an ice-cube tray (2 tablespoons per cube); cover with plastic wrap. Freeze overnight, then transfer cubes to a resealable plastic bag; keep up to 6 months. Defrost pesto at room temperature, about 20 minutes (or at 30-second intervals in the microwave). Mash with a fork before using in recipes.

** I have also made this and added some parmesan cheese to the mix, and it tastes awesome!

Carmel Syrup

1 1/2 C. Sugar

1/2 C. Butter
1/2 C. Milk

Boil for 5 minutes watching carefully so mixture does not boil over, then take mixture off of the heat and add:

1 tsp. Vanilla

1 tsp. Baking Soda

The serve over pancakes or Pumpkin Waffles