Spicy Fat Free Salad Dressing Recipe

• 1 clove garlic (finely chipped)
• 1 Thai pepper (finely chopped)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• dash of black pepper
• juice of 1 lemon

Smash salt into chopped garlic and pepper with a fork.  Squeeze lemon and mix in with the salt garlic and pepper.  Sprinkle black pepper over the salad and drizzle dressing over the salad.  This recipe makes enough dressing for one dinner plate size salad.

Double Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup milk
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup homemade chocolate syrup  
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips (chopped)

Whisk together all ingredients except chocolate chips and pour into the ice cream maker.  Run ice cream maker for approximately 20 minutes.  Add chocolate chips after 15 minutes.  Freeze ice cream up to 3 hours before serving.

Variation: Add peppermint extract instead of vanilla to make mint double chocolate ice cream.

Ceylon Cinnamon Extract Recipe

After looking all over for Ceylon cinnamon extract and not finding it on line or in any store, I decided to make my own extract. 

Ingredients:

• 8-10 small Ceylon cinnamon sticks (can be found at Whole Foods)
• Vodka

Clean and sterilize a half pint mason jar.  Add the cinnamon sticks and then fill the remainder of the jar almost full with vodka.  Put a lid on the jar and shake.  Note: Lid can be used and does not have to seal.  Store jar in a dark place to conserve flavor.  Shake jar every couple of days.  Cinnamon will be ready in four months. Strain extract and place in a clean jar.  For a stronger cinnamon flavor, the cinnamon sticks can be left in the vodka.

Cinnamon Basics
Flavor Extracts

Homemade Chocolate Syrup

• 2 cup water
• 2 cup sugar
• 1 cup Hersey's chocolate powder (or another natural powdered chocolate)
• 2 tsp natural vanilla extract
• 1 tsp natural cinnamon extract

Mix water, sugar, and chocolate in a pan until the chocolate is moist.  Stir slowly over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil.  Stir constantly for approximate 3 minutes and then remove from heat.  Once the syrup cools stir in flavor extracts.

Use syrup for chocolate milk or an ice cream topping.  Keeps in the refrigerate for up to two weeks.

Note: Cinnamon extract is not strong enough to make the chocolate taste like cinnamon but it flavors it enough that the syrup does not taste like Hersey's chocolate.