#MEwx Warm and muggy again with 3 ice cream toppings to make at home

Be sure to read the Tropical Storm Watch posted below this one.

Good morning Augusta

This morning we have partly sunny with highs in the mid 80s. South winds around 10 mph, becoming west this afternoon.

Tonight we'll have mostly clear conditions with lows in the mid 60s. West winds around 10 mph in the evening, becoming light and variable.

The readings from my weather instruments are:

Our outdoor temperature is 76.3°F, the humidity is 97% and the dew point is 75.4s°F.

The wind direction is North Northwest between 0.0 MPH and 0.2 MPH.

The Relative pressure is 29.77, the Absolute pressure is 29.57 and steady with a weather graphic indicating sun/clouds.

Visibility is 10.0 miles / 16.1 kilometers with sunny skies.

The UV rating is  2 out of 16, The moon is 99.9% illuminated, the moon phase is Waning Gibbous, Sunrise is 5:29 am↑ 65° Northeast, Sunset is 8:00 pm↑ 295° Northwest, Moonrise is 8:28 pm↑ 118° Southeast, Moonset is 5:04 am↑ 239° Southwest  and we'll have 14 hours 31 minutes of daylight today.  

We received 0.07 inches of rain here  over the past 24 hours.

Since it's still a hot and steamy summer you may want to cut costs by making your own ice cream toppings. Here are 3 for you to whip up in the kitchen. Unless you have your own ice cream maker (as I do) you'll still have to go out and get the ice cream.

HOT FUDGE SAUCE

½ cup heavy cream

3 tblsp. butter, cut into small pieces

1 sq. unsweetened chocolate

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup dark brown sugar

Pinch of salt

½ cup strained unsweetened cocoa powder

Place cream, butter, and unsweetened chocolate in a heavy 1-quart saucepan over moderate heat.  Stir until butter and chocolate are melted and the cream just comes to a low boil.  Add both sugars and stir for a few minutes until the sugars are dissolved.  (Test: taste it until you don't feel any granules on your tongue.)

Reduce the heat.  Add the salt and cocoa and stir briskly with a small wire whisk until smooth.  Remove from the heat.

This should be thick, but if it's too thick, stir in a very little bit of hot water.

Serve immediately, refrigerate to store, reheat a few seconds at a time in the microwave.

 

BLUEBERRY SAUCE (Very useful for pie filling)

Serves:  8

 

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tbsp. Water

2 tbsp. Arrowroot powder

½ tsp. vanilla extract

2 12-oz. bags frozen unsweetened blueberries

1/3 cup granulated sugar

• In a small bowl, combine 1 tbsp. lemon juice, and 1 tbsp. water.  Add 2 tbsp. arrowroot powder and stir until well blended.
• Stir in ½ tsp. vanilla.  If the mixture is too thick, add a few drops of water.
• In a large pan, combine the 2 packages of frozen blueberries and 1/3 cup sugar.   Add the arrowroot mixture, stirring to coat the blueberries.
• This mixture will then be cooked over medium heat until thickened, stirring constantly to prevent sticking.

Exchanges:  1 fruit, ½ other carbohydrates

Calories:  84; fat:  1 g; carbohydrates:  21 g; fiber:  2 g; cholesterol:  0 mg; sodium:  1 mg

 

*HOME-MADE CHOCOLATE SYRUP (beats Hershey's any day!)

1 cup strained unsweetened cocoa powder

2 cups cold water (or cold black coffee)

2 cups granulated sugar

¼ tsp. salt

1 ½ tsp. vanilla

 

In a heavy 2-quart saucepan off the heat, stir with a wire whisk the cocoa and water (or coffee) until smooth.  Place over moderate heat, change to a rubber spatula, and stir, scraping the bottom constantly until the mixture comes to a low boil.  Add the sugar and salt and stir until dissolved.  Bring to a low boil again and let simmer slowly for 3 minutes.  Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.  Stir in the vanilla.

Store in airtight jars in the refrigerator.