Ridiculously easy Butterscotch Sauce

Running through the menu for Christmas, making grocery lists and gift lists for friends. We make many of our gifts to friends and family -- one year we made Blackberry Preserves and Quick Pickles (that's a whole story in itself), one year we learned how to force tulips, another year we made bath salts and lip gloss (Courtney was 10) and another year we made candied lemon and grapefruit peel. And when the Bush's were in the White House, I gave out the recipe for Laura Bush's Texas Governor's Mansion cookies along with a bag of nuts... Read into that as you will. I think that was the same year I gave out the recipe for Tipper Gore's Ginger Snaps along with a jar of molasses.

One of my favorites is a small gift of a key ingredient with a recipe that would make it easy to get something on the table. Here's a fun (and easy one for you to try)

Ridiculously Easy Butterscotch Sauce
Yields about 3/4 cup

1/2 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, to taste

Melt butter in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the sugar, cream and salt and whisk until well blended. Bring to a very gentle boil and cook for about five minutes, whisking occasionally.

Remove from heat and whisk in one teaspoon of the vanilla extract, stirring to combine, dip clean spoon into sauce and carefully taste (it's hot, so be careful not to burn your tongue) to see if you want to add additional pinches or salt or splashes of vanilla. Tweak it to your taste, whisking well after each addition.

Serve room temperature or warmed over vanilla ice cream, roasted pears or pound cake. The sauce will thicken as it cools. It can be refrigerated in an airtight container and reheated in a microwave or small saucepan. Keeps at least two weeks in an airtight container in the fridge.