Blueberry Syrup

So, my daughter may be boycotting blueberries soon. Recently, a local grocery store greatly reduced their blueberries cost from $0.99 for a 6 oz container, which was awesome anyway, down to two-6 oz containers for $1.00!!! I bought a lot of containers - more than 20 with three different visits. I froze a bunch of them in 1 and 2 cup servings, and then I made a bunch of blueberry muffins and this blueberry syrup. I had never made anything like this before, so I perused Pinterest and saved four different recipes that I used to help me decide how to make mine. The four I looked at were: Blueberry Syrup, Blueberry Syrup, Homemade Blueberry Syrup, and Homemade Blueberry Sauce. The lemon I used just add a beautiful brightness to the blueberries, and the addition of almond extract along with the vanilla just adds a little something that you can't quite put your finger on. Here's how I made it:

2 1/2 cups blueberries
1 cup sugar
2 1/4 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/2 cup water

Combine the blueberries, sugar, and lemon zest in the pot. Whisk the cornstarch with the water and lemon juice and stir into ingredients in the pot.

Heat blueberries until they come to a boil.

Simmer for 10 minutes stirring frequently until sauce thickens.

Remove from heat and incorporate the vanilla and almond extracts.

You can use this syrup on just about anything you wish - french toast, waffles, pancakes, yogurt. What might you use it on?

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies

It's that time of year again. Fall, crisp cool mornings, sweaters and hoodies, and all things pumpkin and spice. While in Walmart a few weeks ago, I saw a bag for Pumpkin Spice Morsels. What the heck is this, I thought. I don't know what I'm going to use these in, but I just knew I had to have them. Then I came across this recipe that I saved last year to try for Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies. I altered the recipe just a bit and made it my own. I much prefer cranberries over cherries, and I used the morsels I had found at Walmart. I love all of the spices in this cookies too. I got really positive feedback at work when I took these in, so I decided to share it with you!

2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter; softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup pure pumpkin puree
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 oz white chocolate chips

6 oz pumpkin spice chips
1 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.

Combine flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt in medium bowl.

 

Beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until light and fluffy.

Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract; mix well.

 

Add flour mixture; combine until all ingredients are incorporated.

 

Fold in white chocolate chips and cranberries.

Drop by rounded tablespoons onto prepared baking sheets.

Bake for 11-14 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned at the edges. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.