Easy Homemade DIY Flavored Coffee Creamer

I love flavored coffee creamer, but lately I have been on a kick to save money. And I don't like all the unpronounceable things in the flavored coffee creamers you can buy. I went on the Internet and looked up recipes for flavored coffee creamer, but all the ones I could find required that I buy something ELSE.

I wanted a recipe that used items I already have in my cupboards.

I decided to make use of the years of cooking in my history to come up with something that would work for me, with the ingredients I have on hand.

Here's what I came up with.

Homemade Flavored Coffee Creamer

1/2 cup cold water
1 1/3 cups nonfat dry milk powder
3/4 cup sugar
1 pat of butter/margarine/coconut oil   (about the size you would put on a piece of toast) This is for that creamy mouthfeel store bought creamers have.

Use any of the following (or any extract that you fancy)
1 t vanilla extract
1 t almond extract
1 t maple extract

In a saucepan, mix the top 4 ingredients and cook until it steams. (If you cook it too long, it will get really thick. It still tastes good, but has to be spooned into the coffee, instead of poured.) Then add the flavoring of choice. It helps to use an immersion blender to really mix up those powdered milk solids so they will be smooth. Pour into a jar and keep refrigerated for your morning coffee.

I also added a pinch of nutmeg one time. I like that little more complex flavor, as well.

It's a really cheap recipe, so try it out. Mix it up to your tastes.

Amazing Recipe for Salsa From Alabama Cooperative Extension System

I posted about comparing home-canned salsa recipes here and here. 

Surprisingly, I discovered that my favorite flavor of salsa was not the most beautiful. Several blog readers asked for a recipe. Here it is. (And thank you for reading my blog.)

Just to recap my opinions about this recipe, I found that of the three I made it had the best flavor. It is very loose and juicy, perhaps even runny. It is not thick. 

I followed the recipe as written, except that I doubled it after I made it the first time. This is the doubled recipe. 

Tomato Salsa (using slicing tomatoes) 

This recipe is from printed recipes I received from our local Alabama Cooperative Extension System when I requested them.

8 cups peeled, cored, chopped tomatoes

4 cups seeded, chopped green peppers

1 cup chopped jalapeno peppers (with seeds makes it hotter, without makes it milder)

1 1/2 cups chopped onions

8 to 9 cloves garlic, finely chopped

4 cups vinegar

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 tablesppons oregano leaves

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro

3 teaspoons salt

Combine all ingredients in a large non-reactive saucepan and bring mixture to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Ladle hot into hot pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Adjust lids and process in boiling water canner for 20 minutes. 

Yield: 8 pints. 

Enjoy. Try not to eat it all the first week. :)