MAYONNAISE

This was super easy using a food processor, or I'm sure a blender or mixer would work.

MAYO Recipe
1 T Dijon mustard (optional)
1 T rice wine vinegar or lemon juice
1 egg
1/2 C Canola Oil
1/2 C Olive Oil (I did all olive oil)
salt and pepper to taste

Using your blender, processor or hand mixer, mix well the first 3 ingredients with 1 Tbls of oil.  VERY SLOWLY (I used the oil reservoir on my food processor)  add the rest of the oil till well blended.  Add seasonings to taste and refrigerate.  It should last about a week or so, they say. I've had mine longer than that and it's still fine.

That's it!  It's so much healthier to make it yourself, as you can pronounce all the ingredients!

PURE VANILLA EXTRACT

Here is a great recipe site for Homemade Vanilla...there are pictures and everything:) She says you can use it as early as 3 weeks, but I would suggest the longer you wait the better.  One vanilla site said it reaches peak flavor at 2 years!!

http://www.diynatural.com/homemade-vanilla-extract/

One website said 10-14 beans per 750ml vodka.  So it's up to you.  The more the merrier:)

For vanilla beans, visit
 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CPZSC8?ie=UTF8&tag=thethrmam-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000CPZSC8 .

CHOCOLATE SYRUP

This is soooo yummy and with only a few ingredients, it's much better for you than store bought!  And tastes WAY better!

Recipe for homemade chocolate syrup (with optional recipe at the end)

All you’ll need to make your own are these five basic ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar (I use organic cane sugar)
• 1/2 cup cocoa (packed)
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 tsp vanilla (my homemade recipe)
• 1/8 tsp salt (I use sea salt)
• Add 1/4t baking soda while cooling

Don’t be afraid to adjust these amounts to your liking!
1. Pour water into a saucepan and stir in cocoa (until dissolved) over medium heat.  Add sugar and continue stirring.  BE VERY CAREFUL to continually stir and watch the mixture as it heats because it can easily boil over if you turn away even for a few seconds (it happened to Betsy once!)
2. Once mixture is boiling reduce heat to medium-low, continue stirring, and set timer for 4 minutes (the longer you cook the thicker it gets.)
3. Once your timer goes off remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract and salt and let cool.
4. Add 1/4 tsp baking soda while it's cooling (This prevents sugars from crystallizing if the syrup is going to be stored in the fridge for more than a few weeks. It will foam a bit at first, but returns to normal during refrigeration.) 

As the chocolate syrup cools it will thicken more, so if it is already thick enough then bottle it, seal it, and stick it in the fridge.  You can store the syrup in a mason jar, an old store bought chocolate syrup container, or any other creative container you can think of.

This recipe will yield approximately 10 ounces of syrup depending on how long you reduce the mixture over the heat.

Recipe using Maple Syrup

• 1 cup PURE maple syrup
• 1 1/2 cup water
• 1 3/4 c cocoa
• 2 T vanilla

Warm syrup and water in a saucepan over medium heat till simmering.  Whisk in cocoa for about 1-2 minutes.  Remove from heat and add vanilla.  Stir well and pour into a jar and refrigerate!

CARAMEL DIP

My mom taught me this when I was growing up.  It's super easy, though you have to be home for 4 hours to do it!  But all it requires is a big pot of boiling water and a can of Sweetened Condensed Milk!  I recommend trying if for only 3 hours.  I think it's consistency is better.

http://www.thecookinginn.com/tcirecipes/canmilkb.html