Maple Syrup

My mom always made her own syrup using sugar, water and maple flavoring. Her theory (and she's probably right) was that syrup made this way just tastes better and it's much easier to have the ingredients on hand than remember to buy syrup at the store. 

You can make it and store whatever you don't use in a jar in your refrigerator for a really long time. 

The recipe: 

1 cup water

2 cups white sugar

1 teaspoon maple flavoring

 

Mix all the ingredients in a sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Once the sugar dissolves, boil the syrup for another two or three minutes to help it thicken. It won't get really thick like store bought syrup, which is made with Karo syrup. Pour your syrup over pancakes, waffles or whatever you like. Put the leftovers in a container in the fridge for later use. Sugar crystals may form on the bottom of your refrigerated container, but heating the syrup for 45 seconds in the microwave will take care of most of them and if that doesn't work - don't worry, they won't hurt a thing.