South Beach BBQ Sauce

This is a tangy little sauce great to spice up any meat while on the South Beach diet because it can be used in all phases.

Ingredients:

1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce (low sugar)
2 Tbsp white vinegar
2 tsp chopped fresh parsley (1/2 tsp dried)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp ground mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp Splenda (opt)

Method:
Combine tomato sauce, vinegar, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a resealable plastic container. For a sweeter sauce, add Splenda. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Creamy Dill Sauce

I used this "healthier" version of dill sauce to make my Fish and Sour Cream Bake and it was really good. It fits into Phase 1 in the South Beach Diet and can add some nice flavor to all sorts of fish and seafood.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup reduced fat mayonnaise
1/4 cup nonfat yogurt
2 scallions, finely chopped
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh dill or parsley (I used dried dill - about 1 tsp.)
freshly ground pepper

Combine ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together.

Caramel Apples with Homemade Caramel Sauce

It's fall and a traditional treat for this time of year is the old fashion caramel apples. Since the nice little bags of caramels are not so readily available in the UK, I found a recipe for homemade caramel sauce on the website http://www.divinedinnerparty.com. These tasty treats are very sticky, so watch out if you have any loose fillings. I do have to say that I haven't had a caramel apple that tasted so good in a really long time. This will be a new fall tradition for me to make my own and experiment with different toppings.

Ingredients:

1 cup real butter
2 cups dark brown sugar, packed
1 cups light corn syrup
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
2 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
8-10 medium-sized apples, sticks inserted in tops

Method:

Over medium-high heat, stir together the butter, sugar, corn syrup, and condensed milk in a heavy sauce pan.

Bring to a boil and reduce heat slightly. Cook about 30-40 minutes (don't stir often, as you'll risk crystallization), until the caramel darkens and thickens.

It should reach the "firm ball" stage of candy-making. This means that, upon dropping the caramel into cold water, a firm ball forms.

This ball shouldn't flatten when you remove it from the water, but should still easily change shape when you touch it. With a candy thermometer the temp should read 245-250 degrees F.

Remove finished caramel from the heat. Stir in vanilla extract.

Dip apples into hot caramel. In order to get as thick a caramel coating as possible, dip each apple at an angle and rotate within the caramel.

Pull apple out vertically and allow excess caramel to drip off.

Then turn the apple right-side-up a moment and let the caramel settle for a few seconds. This prevents large bare spots at the top of the apple.

Place apples on greased wax paper or foil.

While caramel is still warm and soft, decorate as desired. (Unless dipping apples in chocolate, in which case the caramel needs to be allowed to set.)

Let cool to set.

***Gift-giving note: Give these tasty treats away as gifts by wrapping them in cellophane bags and securing the bag closed with a pretty ribbon.

Salmon with Garlic Mayo Sauce

I found this in a late summer issue of a Taste of Home magazine and I adapted it from a grilling dish to one I could bake in the oven. I absolutely love this sauce and the rosemary adds a nice touch to the salmon.

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp plus 1 tsp olive oil, divided

1/2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed

4 salmon fillets (6 oz each)

Sauce:

8 garlic cloves, peeled

1 Tbsp lemon juice

3/4 cup mayonnaise

2 Tbsp plain yogurt

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

Method:

Lightly coat shallow baking pan with cooking spray. Combine 3 Tbsp oil and rosemary; brush over salmon. Place salmon skin side down on grill or in baking pan. Bake at 350 F for 15-20 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork (time will depend on the thickness of the salmon fillets).

Meanwhile in a small microwave safe bowl, combine garlic and remaining oil. Microwave uncovered for 20-30 seconds or until softened.

Place garlic with oil in a blender along with the remaining ingredients. Cover and blend. Serve the sauce with cooked salmon.

Zesty BBQ Sauce

I remember back to my childhood when my mom used to make homemade BBQ sauce loaded with ketchup, Worchestershire sauce, onions and some other secret ingredients. Craving a good BBQ sauce to use myself I turned to my trusty Betty Crocker Cookbook. It is great...better than anything you can buy in a jar or bottle! Plus, you can make as much or little as you want when you make it from scratch so no half full bottles of the other stuff just sitting around in your fridge.

Yields: 1 cup of sauce

Ingredients:

1/2 cup ketchup

3 Tbsp white vinegar

2 Tbsp chopped onion

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp packed brown sugar

1/4 tsp ground mustard

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

Method:

Heat all ingredients to boiling in 1-quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

****Other recipes that use this sauce:

• BBQ Chicken Stromboli
• Grilled BBQ Chicken
• BBQ Chicken Sandwiches (crockpot)
• Chicken Wings

Tangy Spaghetti Sauce

This recipe has been passed down throughout my husband's side of the family and it's the one thing that I can bank on that he'll always ask to have for supper each week. You can also double this batch and freeze half of it. Then when you want to make it again all you have to do is thaw out the sauce, add some fried up hamburger (beef mince) and pasta.

Serves 4-5

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp chopped onion

2 Tbsp packed brown sugar

2 Tbsp white vinegar

2 cups ketchup

2 tsp thyme

1-2 tsp chili powder (depends on how spicy you want it)

1 tsp garlic powder

2 Tbsp Worchestershire sauce

1 tsp celery seed

3/4 - 1 cup beef broth

1 lb (500g) ground beef/beef mince

Method:

In 2 quart sauce pan, add onion, vinegar and brown sugar. Cook until onions are soft and sugar is dissolved. Next add ketchup, thyme, chili powder, garlic powder, Worchestershire, and celery seed. Heat to a bubble and then turn down heat to low. Add in beef broth until you get a nice consistency (not to watery). Next fry up ground beef, drain off grease and add to sauce and cook for another 5 minutes or so. Pour over spaghetti noodles.

***Instead of just frying up the ground beef, shape it into little meatballs for spaghetti and meatballs.