4 cups fresh blueberries
2 cups water
1 cup sugar

Place blueberries in a saucepan with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Set sieve or colander lined with cheesecloth or paper towel over a bowl and pour in the blueberry mixture. Gently press out the juice with a spoon or by twisting the cheesecloth. Discard the pulp and measure the juice into saucepan. Add 1/2 cup sugar for each cup of juice and cook over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes. Chill and pour into covered jar. Store in refrigerator. Add two tablespoons to each glass of prepared iced tea or coffee. Stir well.

1/4 cup good vinegar (you can use sherry, balsamic, red, or white wine vinegar)
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more if needed
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons minced shallots (optional & I leave these out)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Briefly mix the vinegar, salt, and optional mustard with an immersion blender, food processor or blender, or with a fork or wire whisk. Slowly add the oil in a stream (drop by drop if whisking) until an emulsion forms or just whisk everything together briefly. Add the remaining oil faster, but still in a stream. Taste to adjust salt and add more oil or viengar if needed. Add the shallots and pepper. This is best made fresh, but will keep, refrigerated for a few days; bring back to room temperature before using.

To make a small amount of Basic Vinaigrette: Combine 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon mustard, 3 to 4 tablespoons oil, and 1/2 teaspoon minced shallots as above. Add pepper, then taste and add more vinegar, salt, or oil as necessary.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons chili powder (we adjusted to 1 teaspoon)
3 garlic cloves,minced
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons sugar
2 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
Pepper

Heat the oil in a 12″ skillet over medium heat until shimmering. add the onion and salt and cook until softened, about five minutes. Stir in the chili powder, garlic, cumin, and sugar. Cook until fragrant, about fifteen seconds. Stir in the tomato sauce and water. Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about five minutes. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

1 can sweetened condensed milk (or make your own sweetened condensed milk)
1 1/2 cups nonfat milk (I used prepared powdered milk)
3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

Blend all ingredients together in your blender. Pour into a mason jar or your old coffee creamer dispenser. This creamer will keep up to two weeks in your fridge.

This is great for your pizzas, for making bagel & English muffin pizzas for the kids, or as a dipping sauce. Visit this entry for more details on streamlining that homemade pizza routine.

Easy Pizza Sauce

Place all of the ingredients in the slow cooker (This is ideal when making large batches). Cook on low for six to eight hours.

This is great smeared all over everything! It has been a wonderful addition to my recipe collection!

Honey Butter

3/4       cup   honey
3/4     cup powdered sugar
3/4     cup butter or margarine, softened
1     teaspoon cinnamon

Blend all ingredients together and store in the refrigerator.

Better Than Pam Spray 

1/2       cup  corn oil or   canola oil or  vegetable oil
1/2     cup vegetable shortening, room temperature (Crisco shortening is good)
1/2     cup all-purpose flour

1. Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl.
2. Using an electric mixer beat until mixture has multiplied in volume, and resembles marshmallow cream.
3. Place in a storage container, and store on the counter, or in a cupboard.
4. In hot weather, it may be refrigerated, but remember to take it out of the fridge, as it should be room temperature for easiest spreadability.
5. Mix before using then brush pans gently with pastry brush or a clean paper towel.