Happy Anniversary!

Today marks the two year anniversary of You Can Make That! I am having just as much fun sharing recipes here with you today as I did two years ago. And, hopefully there will be many more years to come. In honor of this two year mark, I thought that you might enjoy seeing the recipes have been the most popular with the You Can Make That readers.

 

These two recipes are at the top by far. Both have had about the same number of views, but the Honey Mustard Dressing and Marinade was posted in February 2012 and the Pumpkin Spice Creamer was just posted last month. I wonder which one will win out over time?

 

Honey Mustard Dressing & Marinade

 

Pumpkin Spice Creamer

 

Other Popular Recipes:

 

Homemade Amaretto Creamer

Homemade Onion Soup Mix

Cinnamon Tortilla Chips

Corn Cakes

Homemade Ranch Dressing and Dip Mix

I find it interesting that several of the most viewed recipes have been homemade convenience foods. Have you found a recipe here that has become a favorite at your house?

Pumpkin Spice Creamer

Recently I tried a Pumpkin Smoothie recipe. I really liked it, but my kids were not impressed. So, I poured the leftovers into a canning jar and put it in the refrigerator. Later that day, the idea came to me that I could use the leftover smoothie as coffee creamer. This was a great solution to keep food from going to waste and it was yummy in my coffee. Although, it was a bit tart from the yogurt in the recipe.

I reworked the recipe and came up with the one below. It is smooth and thick. And, it even tastes great on its own without being too sweet. I am pleased that the One Time Pumpkin Smoothie evolved into something that I have gladly enjoyed and will make again and again.

Pumpkin Spice Creamer

¾ cup cooked pumpkin
2 cups milk
3 Tbsp. maple syrup
½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Add all four ingredients to a blender. Process until completely combined. Serve with your favorite coffee. Store in the refrigerator, and shake before serving.

You may also like to try homemade versions of Amaretto Creamer and Peppermint Mocha Creamer.

Cinnamon Honey Butter

Have you ever been to a restaurant and tasted freshly baked rolls served with a sweetened butter spread? Delicious! Well, I created this Cinnamon Honey Butter as a restaurant copy. My son, who has a terrible sweet tooth, really likes this on warm bread. And, although we love having Cocoa Cinnamon Spread on hand for toast and leftover rolls, I prefer this because it is not as sweet.

Cinnamon Honey Butter

1 stick butter, softened
3 Tbsp. honey
¼ tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. vanilla

Wisk together all four ingredients. Spread on toast, bagels, rolls, etc. Store at room temperature.

This post has been linked to The Thrifty Home's Penny Pinching Party.

Muffuletta Sandwiches

Recently I was invited to a Mardi Gras party. So, my neighbors and I dressed according to the theme, shared a baby sitter, and went to the party. Our hostess did a fantastic job with decorations of all kinds, beads, and the food! We had gumbo, piles of shrimp, muffuletta sandwhiches, and hurricanes to drink. So very delicious. 

Since then, I have been craving the muffuletta sandwhiches. I fell in love with this olive salad sandwich while living close to New Orleans years ago. And, I have had fun experimenting with the recipe. Sadly my kids do not care for it. However, that means more for me! I'm certain that this will last several weeks in the refridgerator, so I will happliy keep it all to myself.

Muffuletta Sandwiches

For the salad:
16oz. jar pickled mixed vegetables
¼ cup sliced green olives with pimientos
¼ cup sliced black olives
2 cloves minced garlic
2 Tbsp. olive oil

Drain and chop the pickled vegetables. Combine vegetables, olives, garlic, and olive oil.

For the sandwich:
Italian Bread
Sliced deli ham
Sliced salami
Sliced provolone cheese

Slice open the bread, layer with meat and cheese, and top with the vegetable salad. Replace the bread top and secure with toothpicks.

Homemade Amaretto Creamer

Photo Credit: Coffee-Mate

Over the last month I have worked diligently to stick to my New Year’s Frugal Kitchen Goal. I have done a good job of creating a weekly meal plan which has helped me to reduce unscheduled trips to the grocery store and has kept food waste to a minimum. And, as a side benefit, my refrigerator has never looked so clean. I have also made progress on getting my grocery budget back on track and stocking up my pantry, but I still have a ways to go.

A couple of weeks ago, when I was out of Half N Half for my coffee, I decided not to make an unplanned trip to the grocery store and make some flavored creamer at home. At Christmas time I had told you about the Homemade Peppermint Mocha Creamer that I made and I liked it so much that I tried a new version, Amaretto. This was even simpler to make and I have been so pleased with it that I have made up a second batch. I love how being frugal gets my creative juices flowing!

Amaretto Creamer

14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

1 ¾ cup milk

2 tsp. almond extract

Pour sweetened condensed milk into a quart sized mason jar. Add milk and almond extract. Cover jar, and shake to combine. Store in the refrigerator and shake before serving with coffee.

Homemade Peppermint Mocha Creamer

Photo Credit: Coffee-Mate

I hung out with some friends last weekend and they offered me some Peppermint Mocha Creamer for my coffee. I loved it! When I got home, I got to thinking about it and wondered if I could make it homemade.  The recipe below is what I came up with.

Because I usually just use half and half in my coffee, this seems so decadent to me. And what a great treat for Christmas. I served a cup of coffee to my neighbor yesterday and she really liked it too. Now I’m thinking that I would like to try to make other flavors!

Peppermint Mocha Creamer

1 ¾ cup milk

1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

½ tsp. peppermint extract

Measure milk into a quart sized Mason jar. Microwave the milk on high for 90 seconds. Add cocoa powder, cover jar and shake to dissolve. Add the sweetened condensed milk and peppermint extract. Cover and shake to combine. Store in the refrigerator and shake before serving with coffee.

Cocoa Cinnamon Spread

This is a decadent indulgence that perks up boring old breakfast toast. My little one even went through a phase a couple of years ago when she just HAD to have this spread for lunch every day. Last week we ate this on some leftover Quick Yeast Rolls and when the rolls were gone, we spread the last of it on crackers.

This would make a nice gift in a jar. Either the dry ingredients could be packed in a jar with instructions to mix up the spread, or the completed recipe could be packed into a jar and given along with some fresh bread. Once prepared, this will keep on your counter for about 5 days, but if you think that it will hang around longer than that at your house, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Cocoa Cinnamon Spread

1 cup powdered sugar

1 ½ tsp. cocoa powder

1 ½ tsp. cinnamon

1 stick butter, softened

Measure all ingredients into a bowl and thoroughly blend, using a fork until smooth. Spread on toast, bagels, or pancakes.

BBQ Sauce

I made pulled pork for dinner last night. But, I had a colossal oversight. No BBQ sauce. So, I dusted off this long forgotten recipe and stirred it up for our sandwiches. This used to be the only BBQ sauce we ever ate, so I’m not sure why I stopped making it. (Maybe it is because I have three unruly children who sometimes make me crazy at dinner time!) 

It is a good feeling to have been able to solve the no BBQ sauce dilemma with a homemade solution. It saved me a trip to the store and a dollar or two. And, the best part is that I used up the last of the molasses. And, with our upcoming cross country move, this is a good thing.

BBQ Sauce

½ cup ketchup

2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 Tbsp. white vinegar

2 Tbsp. molasses

In a small bowl, stir together all four ingredients. Use immediately, or store in the refrigerator for up to 2-4 weeks.

Frugal Tip: This BBQ Sauce recipe is a simple and inexpensive alternative to store bought sauce.

This post has been linked to Frugal Tuesday Tip and Tasty Tuesday.