Buttermilk Syrup (Magleby's)

I came across this recipe about a month ago. It's supposed to be a copycat Magleby's syrup (a restaurant in Provo, UT), but I've never eaten at Magleby's, so I wouldn't know. All I know, is that it's really good and really simple. I don't really like maple syrup (but my boys do) and when I ran out a couple weeks ago, this came in handy. Most of my boys LOVED it and didn't even miss their beloved maple syrup. Plus, it's extra tasty on these whole wheat pancakes.

Keep reading after the recipe for another variation to make this more of a caramel sauce...

1/2 c. real butter
1 1/2 c. white sugar
1 t. light corn syrup (optional... I've done it with and without and have yet to see the difference)
3/4 c. buttermilk (substitute 3/4 cup milk and 3/4 TBSP. lemon juice or vinegar, or half milk and half plain yogurt)
1 t. baking soda
2 t. vanilla

1. Add butter, sugar, corn syrup, and buttermilk to a large saucepan. (You'll think you can use a small saucepan, since there aren't many ingredients, but you're wrong! Once it cooks, it WILL cook over. Trust me on this.) Bring mixture to a boil, and boil for about 1 minute.

2. After it's boiled for a minute, remove from heat, and add baking soda and vanilla and stir well. Once you add the baking soda, it'll get white and foamy and bubble up huge. My boys love it.

3. Serve it hot and refrigerate any unused portion. You can eat the foamy stuff on top... it tastes just as good, but it's not as aesthetically pleasing. But eventually, the foam disappears.

OK, now for another variation. On another favorite food blog, Our Best Bites, they have this recipe, but there were a couple changes they made to turn this into a caramel sauce. Yum, right?

So, using the original recipe, add:

2 Tbsp. corn syrup

Then, during the cooking process, you'll add everything to the pot, including the baking soda and vanilla. Bring it all to a boil, and boil for 8-9 minutes, stirring constantly, until you have a delicious, caramel consistency. Great for ice cream!