Stawberry Sauce

I love strawberries.

My oldest cherub loves strawberry sauce.  You know the kind --- in a jar that you glump onto your ice cream.  I don't like that stuff.  It taste fake to me. 

Do you think it's fake?

Today we stopped by Braum's (the best ice cream store in the world) and bought some ice cream.  I was going with the plain ol' vanilla.  I sold them on that idea because of all the things we could do with it:

1. put it on top of the apple pie that's sitting on the counter
2. drizzle some yummy King Arthur "Gold" caramel sauce on it
3. put some crushed up Girl Scout cookies in it
4. put some Golden Graham cereal and marshmallows in it with a bit of hot fudge sauce
5.  . . .I was just getting ready to name another option  . . .

 . . . When the boy cherub, who is getting a mind of his own says, "Mom, will you buy some strawberry sauce?" 

Yuck!  I don't like that stuff . . . but I'm trying to sell him on the idea of vanilla ice cream . . .so I say, "Sweet boy" (because that's what I call him sometimes), "I won't buy sauce, but I've got strawberries at home and I'll make you some yummy homemade strawberry sauce.  How's that?" 

He was happy.

I've never made homemade strawberry sauce, but it can't be too hard.  I've made homemade blueberry sauce once before -- how different can it be?

Not really any different!

I made it.  We all love it.  We're keepin' it around! 

Yum!

Strawberry Sauce

1 pint fresh strawberries, washed, hulled, and quartered
1/2 cup of sugar (or less . . or more if you want it syrup-y)
1/2 tsp. lemon extract*
2 tsp. cornstarch* (mixed with a bit of water to make it pourable)

Place washed and quartered strawberries in a sauce pan.  Pour the sugar over the berries and place on medium heat.  Stir constantly until the sugar is melted and syrup-y.  Cook for 5 minutes.  This ensures your sugar is well dissolved.

If you like the consistency, don't add any cornstarch.

If you want it a bit thicker, mix the cornstarch with a bit of water and add to the berries while on the heat.  Stir until thickened.  If you want it really thick, add more cornstarch and water mixture.

Remove from heat and add extract.  I like the lemon because I think lemon and berries go well together.  However, you can substitute either vanilla or almond.  If you add almond, I'd start with 1/4 of a tsp. and adjust from there.  Almond can be over-powering.

Let your mixture cool 15 minutes or so.  Use either an immersion blender or a standard blender, puree to your liking.  I only do a smidgen of blending because I'm wanting a bit of texture to my sauce.

You do what makes you happy!