So Sweet Simple Syrup

When the closest grocery store is 30 minutes away, it's a big deal when you don't have something you need for a meal. It's even worse when you already have the meal made & you don't have the last ingredient! I've become quite a substitutor (is that a word? Quick- everyone start using it so I don't feel bad for putting it here on my blog!) when it comes to cooking...mostly because I tend to fix what I crave not necessarily what I've prepared for.

The other day my husband wasn't feeling well so he asked me to fix pancakes for supper since he felt he could eat them better than other foods. I quickly said yes because I always have the ingredients on hand. (Here's the recipe my family loves!) Everything was going great until I was setting the table. We put out the butter, powdered sugar, even the peanut butter & then it hit me! I was out of syrup! Which wouldn't be an issue except my husband doesn't like powdered sugar or pb on his pancakes. Only syrup! Eek!

Rather than try to run to the store, I looked in my freezer & found some blackberries I'd frozen a few months ago. Perfect! I whipped up a simple syrup in a matter of minutes & supper was saved! Plus I managed to clear out some high fructose corn syrup from our meal.

Syrups really are simple! Here's the formula to use: 4 parts fruit, 1 part water, 1 part sugar. You can even leave out the fruit & add in some flavorings (I just discovered Maple Extract which makes a fantastic syrup!). Just add the fruit, water, & sugar (I like to use 2 cups water, 1 cup brown sugar, & 1 cup regular sugar) to a saucepan & bring to a slow boil until the sugar is completely dissolved. After mashing a little, strain out the fruit or just toss it all into a blender/mini-chopper & forget about straining it! Serve warm or cold. Store in refrigerator for several days. 

The best part is that if you strain it, you can use it in so many things! I like to add the syrup to my tea or coffee or even pour it over plain yogurt or on top of ice cream! Because it doesn't have all the preservatives, I make it in smaller batches so as not to have to throw it away & waste it. What are some other ways you might use a simple syrup?