Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Did you know that processed spaghetti sauce is a no-no when you have gestational diabetes?!!!?  Yeah, neither did I, and I love spaghetti sauce!  So, I went back to the good old homemade version that I got from my college roommate, Julianne.  When you make your own, you can control the sugars, and it's very yummy!  Thanks for the great recipe Jules!

What You Need:

1 1/2 - 2 lbs. Hamburger - cooked and drained

1 med. onion - chopped

2 (16 oz) cans tomato sauce

1 (6 oz) can tomato paste

2 bay leaves

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

3 Tb. Italian seasoning

2 (16 oz) cans diced tomatoes

Here's what you do:

Add together and simmer for at least 1 hour.  Serve!  Yummy and easy!
(You can heat this in your crock pot as well - just a few hours on low!)

Quick and Easy Syrup Base

Yesterday I was in a pinch.  I needed syrup, but, since we're moving next week, I did not want to go purchase an entire new bottle.  In desperation I turned to the Internet to figure out how to make my own.  I found this recipe, posted by Runkin, on ehow.  It's quick, easy, (hence the title), and a good start to any syrup you might wish.

What You'll Need:

2 c. brown sugar

1 c. water

2 Tb. butter

What To Do:

1.  Combine the brown sugar and water in saucepan on low heat.

2.  Stir the sugar and water until the sugar dissolves completely.  Add the butter and mix it in until it melts.

3.  Continue heating the syrup mixture until it begins to simmer.  Stir it frequently to prevent burning.

4.  Simmer the syrup for 5 minutes.

5.  Remove the saucepan from the stove and let cool.  As the syrup cools it will continue to thicken.  If it's not thick enough you can stir in more brown sugar and return it to the heat for a few minutes.

6.  Add any flavoring you wish (maple, berries, etc....)

7.  Store remaining syrup in refrigerator. 

Creamy Guacamole

Like most of my recipes, this is a conglomeration of many other recipes I've come across. It's important to use mayonnaise, and not Miracle Whip (although I LOVE Miracle Whip), to get the right taste.

Ingredients:
4 ripe avocados
1/4 c. mayonnaise
3/4 c. fresh salsa
1 1/2 Tb. lemon juice
1 tsp. salt

Instructions:
1. Remove pit and rind from avocados. Mash the remaining parts.
2. Add all other ingredients. Mix well.
3. Chill and serve.

Fresh Salsa

Anyone who knows me well knows that I'm addicted to salsa. I can't get enough of it. The one problem - it's expensive to buy, or time consuming to make yourself. So, I figured out a way to make the "do-it-yourself" method a little more enjoyable: put the baby down for her nap, put on a little Murder, She Wrote, move the table in front of the tv, and chop away!

Before you know it, you will have enjoyed a show, your child will be waking up from their nap, and you'll have some fresh yummy salsa to enjoy!

Ingredients:
6 lbs. roma tomatoes
2 bunches green onions
1 bunch cilantro
1 small yellow onion
1 large (or 2 small) jalapeno pepper
2 limes
Dash of garlic salt
Dash of Tapitillo Hot Sauce

Instructions:
1. Dice tomatoes, green onions, cilantro, yellow onion, and jalapeno pepper. Mix together.
2. Squeeze the juice from the limes into the mix.
3. Sprinkle the garlic and Tapitillo into the mixture, until you reach the desired taste.
4. Chill