DIY Homemade Maple Syrup

I don't know about y'all but we go through a lot of syrup in our house.  I got tired of buying it all the time and decided to make my own.  You control the strength of flavor, the add ins and type/amount of sweetener you use.  It's so easy and inexpensive p to do.   Keep it in an old syrup bottle or dispenser for convenience and nobody is the wiser.  ~wink~

DIY Homemade Maple Syrup

1/2 cup water, boiling

1 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon maple extract or imitation maple 

kosher salt, just a pinch, optional

1/8 to 1/4  teaspoon ground cinnamon, or to taste, optional

In a microwave proof large bowl or large cup, you need room for water to boil, stir sugar into heat water and heat to a boil, 2 to 3 minutes, more or less.  Checking after one minute then every 30 seconds to be certain it doesn't boil over. Carefully take out of microwave and stir.  If the sugar isn't dissolved, put back in microwave 30 seconds at the time.  Stir in maple extract and cinnamon, if you want it.  

Alternately, stir sugar into water and heat to a boil.  Cook, stirring, until sugar is dissolved.  Take off heat and add maple extract and cinnamon, if using.
NOTE
I made this again before starting my pancake using 1/2 cup water, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon maple extract, a bit of cinnamon, ginger and pinch of salt.   I kept it at a simmer while the pancakes were cooking.  It reduced a bit and was great.  Served it over Pumpkin Pancakes and my oldest said it was an explosion of yumminess in his mouth.

Thursday's Treasures Week 59

Hello Lovely Ones!  This week has been great!  I turned 50 years old!  Yay Me!  I also went over and beyond 5000 on my facebook page!  5199 right now!!!  Woo Hoo!!!!  Many, heartfelt thanks to my gorgeous foodie friends!   Love y'all!

Today, I am very happy to introduce Christie of Food Done Light!!!  She is amazing and I know you will love her, her blog and her facebook page.  Please go over and follow her on both.  :D   I'm so glad she is here... let's face it, Joan and I love our sweets!  We need Christie!!!  Christie lost 32 pounds last year!!! Such an inspiration...You Go, Girl!  On her blog you will find "some original healthy recipes, recipe re-do’s (take a recipe I love and lighten it), and some of my favorite healthy recipes from other inspiring food authors."  

Here is a look at my Dark Chocolate Oatmeal Cake I baked myself for my birthday.  It was good!  

Here are a few of last week's links.  No order of preference, just the way I posted them.  Wish I could feature them all!  

The Better Baker Baking Solutions

Hot Eats Cool Reads Black Bean Nacho Burgers

Isabelle at Home Lemon Rosemary Shortbread Cookies

Y'all know I love beautiful Joan of Chocolate, Chocolate and More!   Please follow her here on facebook and her blog. You'll be so happy you did!    Don't forget to check out the features to see if you are there.  And, Oh,  she has a giveaway going on.  You know you want to enter!  ~smile~ 

Rules, yeah, I know.

Link to your recipe directly, not your blog.

Link back to this post. We are sorry but recipes without a link back cannot be featured.

Please follow my blog, facebook, pinterest, twitter, e-mail, rss...you get it. Whatever is your favorite way to follow to stay up to date.

Please do the same with my lovely co-hostess, Joan.

Share as many recipes as you like. The party is open all week.

Please visit others...they appreciate it as much as we do.

Leave a comment. I love to know you were here.

Y'all have a beautiful week. Be good to yourselves and each other.

Previous week's parties!

Week 58 Week 57 Week 56   Week 55 Week 54 Week 53 Week 52 Week 51 Week 50 Week 49 Week 48 Week 47 Week 46Week 45 Week 44 Week 43 Week 42 Week 41 Week 40 Week 39 Week 38

Week 37 Week 36 Week 35 Week 34 Week 33 Week 32 Week 31 Week 30

Week's 1-29 can be found Here

Now......Let's Party!

 Just put your wonderful dish over there and make yourself at home.
Thank you for sharing your Treasured Recipes and Memories and everything in-between.  Ones that bring you closer to those around you while making memories along the way.  Love and hugs! 

Thank you for sharing your Treasured Recipes and Memories and everything in-between.  Ones that bring you closer to those around you while making memories along the way.  <3 and="and" hugs="hugs" nbsp="nbsp" p="p">

Chocolate Oatmeal Cake For My Birthday

Yep, it's my birthday.  My 50th Birthday.  One half of a century old.  I have boys.  A 9 1/2 year old and 5 1/2 year old twins.  Hubby of 24 years.  Beautiful friends.  Some loving family.  Dogs, cats, mini horses, big ole pigs and an old goat.  I'm a Blessed and Happy Old Girl!

Here is my birthday cake.  I didn't want an overly sweet cake.  This is dense, moist, rich and chocolaty.  You may want to use regular cocoa and semi sweet chips if you want a sweeter cake.  Love and hugs!

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Chicken Noodle Soup

It's cooler, I want soup!  Hubby, one of the twins and I just love soup!  Homemade soup that is. Soup that is made with love and not from a machine.  Although they do come in handy every now and then when hubby cooks for the boys.  It's just too easy to make soup from scratch.  A little this, some of that.  What's left in the fridge, in the pot it goes and you made a new favorite!  This one, however, is an old classic.  Super easy and ready to eat in 30 minutes.  Enjoy!

Chicken Noodle Soup

2 chicken breast halves

12 cups chicken broth,  homemade or bought

1 1/2 cups celery, sliced

2 cup carrots, sliced, I cut up baby ones

1/2 cup onion, diced

1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper, or to taste

1/2 to 1 teaspoon sea salt, to taste

1/2 teaspoon ground garlic

1 16 oz package thin egg noodles, make your own egg noodles

thyme, optional

Rinse chicken breast.  Put in large stock pot along with broth, celery, pepper, garlic, salt and onion. Bring to a boil and simmer, to low boil, 20 minutes. 

Take chicken breast out and cut into bite size pieces if done, not pink inside. Raise heat to boil broth. Add egg noodles (whole package makes a lot of noodles) , carrots and chicken pieces to pot.  Cook according to directions on egg noodle package.  

Sprinkle with thyme before serving if desired.  

Pumpkin Spice Bran Muffins

Another muffin recipe for you to enjoy.  Muffins are so easy to make and eat.  This one if full of bran, pumpkin, spice and the dark chocolate chips I added.   Eaten as a snack or breakfast is alright with me.  Enjoy!

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Caramel Apple Bran Muffins

Aw, Fall.  I love the crisp air.  Freshly picked apples and pumpkins, gathered nuts for cooking and snacking on.  Love it!  I find myself baking a lot more than usual.  Can you imagine that?  I couldn't possible bake more than last month but yeah, I have!  I love it!

My boys have eaten more muffins in the last 3 weeks than they have ever eaten before!   The Pumpkin Muffins are being made at least twice a week at our house.  I think we are getting a little burnt out on them.  There are just so many days/weeks I can eat Pumpkin Muffins.  ~smile~  I decided to make a new muffin recipe and this one is a hit!  Please note, my muffins rose in the oven then went down again.  I don't know if this is because I let them sit too long or if bran muffins don't rise well.  If you know, please leave me a comment. Let me know how yours turn out.   Heck, I'd love for you to leave me a comment anyway.  ~smile~  Now...what shall I make next?  

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Homemade Instant Oatmeal

We love oatmeal at our house yet each boy wants their's a bit different.  I've seen this on the internet for some time now and I decided to make my own instant oatmeal so they can each have their own favorite.   Brown or regular sugar, sugar substitute, cinnamon, nuts, coconut, chocolate chips...the possibilities are endless! Putting the Instant Oatmeal in jars so they can be easily accessed and used in the desired amounts, has been great.   I'm cold and ready to make some Instant Oatmeal come on and join me.

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