Dill Mayonnaise

I made this delicious dill mayonnaise. It was a huge hit with the whole family as it paired perfectly with the salmon burgers I made for dinner.

This is a great recipe to whip up last minute for those summer barbeques!

Ingredients
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 medium lemon, juiced
1 tbsp dried dill (or 2 tbsp fresh)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Directions
1. Mix all the ingredients together. Use immediately or refrigerate until needed.

Sources: Slightly adapted from Food Network

Homemade Honey Garlic Sauce

Honey garlic sauce is very versatile. You can use it as a marinade or sauce for chicken (oven baked wings), ribs, deep fried pork, meatballs, the possibilities are endless.

A jar of honey garlic sauce purchased from the store can set you back a pretty penny. Here's a recipe to make it from scratch with ingredients you already have in your pantry. And it takes very little effort as well: throw everything together and let it boil. It can't get easier than that!

Ingredients
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger root, minced
2-1/2 cups water
5 tbsp honey
1/4 cup soy sauce

Cornstarch Slurry
3 tbsp cornstarch
3/4 cup water

Directions
1. In a saucepan over medium high heat, mix together brown sugar, garlic, ginger, water, honey and soy sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil.

2. Whisk together cornstarch and water a small bowl, and add it to the sauce mixture. Boil until the sauce is thickened.

Source: Allrecipes

Tangy BBQ Sauce

Like many families, I used to purchase bottled BBQ sauce. I worked long hours around budget season, month ends, quarter ends, year ends and needed every shortcut I could find. Come to think of it, all those long hours are nothing compared to the hours you put in as a parent! :)

Since my little man was diagnosed with peanut and almond allergies, we decided that I will stay home with him after my one year maternity leave (yes, we are pretty lucky here in Canada!).

Since last March, I have made many things from scratch: breads, cakes and sauces to name a few. The best value for my time and yielded in cost savings was making my own BBQ sauce.

My favorite BBQ sauce costs about $2 to $3 for a small bottle. Over this past year, I found that making your own BBQ sauce required minimal work, used ingredients that we already had on hand, tasted delicious and costs a fraction of the price of a store-bought bottle. Did you know you can also freeze BBQ sauce for later?




So if you are still purchasing bottled BBQ sauce, consider making your own and freeze some for when life gets busy.

Ingredients
2 cups ketchup
1 cup water
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
6 tbsp light brown sugar
6 tbsp white sugar
1/2 tbsp ground black pepper
1/2 tbsp onion powder
1/2 tbsp ground mustard
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Directions
1. Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently for 1 hour and 15 minutes until the sauce is thickened and coats the back of a spoon.

Source: Slightly adapted from Food Network

Chipotle Aioli

If you love sweet potato fries, you have to make this chipotle aioli. The spiciness from the chipotle powder combined with the creaminess of the mayo pairs wonderfully with sweet potato fries (try this homemade recipe here). If you have any aioli leftover, this would also make an amazing spread for sandwiches or wraps too!

Ingredients
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp chipotle powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp lemon juice
Dash of sea salt

Directions
1. In a bowl, mix mayonnaise, chipotle powder, garlic powder, lemon juice and sea salt.

2. Chill the chipotle aioli in the refrigerator until needed. Serve with sweet potato fries or as a spread for a sandwich or wrap.

Spicy and creamy chipotle aioli with homemade sweet potato fries (recipe here)

Source: Frugal Allergy Mom