Frugal Feasting Friday

This past Saturday I had the following conversation with my EJ.

Mom: "Hey EJ, would you like a treat after you finish cleaning the hen house and coop?"

EJ: "Oh Yes! What kind of treat?"

Mom: "How about a banana split?"

EJ: "OH!! Yes, Yes, Yes!!"

This very excited response is immediately followed by a sudden pause of silence. Then ...

EJ: "Mom, what's a banana split?"

How's that for terrible parenting? My poor, deprived, little EJ has lived a long life of 8 years and doesn't even know what a banana split is!! How, oh! how can this be?

It is because poor, deprived, little EJ's mom is a MAJOR TIGHTWAD. I realistically can not bring myself to spend $3 or more on a banana split Sunday at Dairy Queen, Sonic, Baskin Robbins, Marble Slab or any other specialty ice cream shop. Especially when we lovely folks down here in S.E. Texas have all the Blue Bell ice cream those folks at the Blue Bell ice cream factory can not finish eating. Why, there simply is not a store bought ice cream better than Blue Bell. (for those of you who don't have the privilege of Blue Bell, I extend my sympathies... everyone down here knows that at Blue Bell, "they eat all they can and sell the rest" - they really do ... employees can literally eat all the ice cream they want for free directly before their shifts, on breaks or directly after their shifts).

I usually have only one flavored dessert sauce on hand at any given time hence, usually a plain old Sunday not the extravagance of a banana split. However, this past Saturday I felt industrious and made three, yes THREE flavors. The total costs of all three homemade sauces & whipped cream, the ice cream, and the bananas is a little more than $12. However, by making the sauces and whipped cream myself and purchasing the Blue Bell and bananas from the grocer, I can make around 10 banana splits. That's only a cost of about $1.30 each vs. the $3 ea., or more, from the specialty store.

So, this Frugal Feasting Friday I'm going to share recipes for homemade dessert sauces with you. Please remember these sauces are also very yummy over pancakes, waffles, French toast, brownies, etc. Best of all these sauces take less than 10 minutes from start to finish to make :-)

Homemade Hershey's Chocolate Sauce

2 c. granulated sugar

1 c. water

1/2 c. unsweetened Hershey's Cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. vanilla

pinch of salt

In a large sauce pan whisk together the sugar, water and cocoa powder. Heat, stirring constantly over medium heat. When mixture comes to a full rolling boil stir and boil for a full 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in vanilla and salt. Allow to come to room temperature before pouring into a pint size jar. Store in the refrigerator.

Homemade Butterscotch Sauce

1 c. packed brown sugar

1/2 c. milk

1/3 c. butter (do not substitute margarine)

1/4 c. corn syrup

1/8 tsp. salt

In a large sauce pan combine all ingredients. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a rolling boil. Boil and stir for a full 2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Pour into a pint jar. Store in the refrigerator. This sauce will thicken up while in the fridge. Just scoop some out into a small bowl and soften either in a hot water bath or in the microwave.

Homemade Strawberry Sauce

2 c. sugar

1 c. chopped strawberries

1/3 c. water

1/2 tsp. lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in a large sauce pan. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is melted. Remove mixture from heat and pour into a blender or food processor. Process until smooth. Return mixture to pan and bring mixture to a boil stirring frequently. Once the mixture begins to boil stir constantly and boil for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Pour into a pint sized jar, store in the refrigerator. NOTE: with the exception of bananas, you can substitute any of your favorite fruits (fresh, canned or frozen), in this recipe.