Balsamic Vinegar

We LOVE  balsamic vinegar here in our home.  It can be savory or sweet, drizzled on salads or over a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  Because making a quick salad dressing is so simple and easy--only 3 ingredients!--I like to keep some on hand.  There are different ways to change it up or add to it, but the following recipe is what I keep ready to go in the fridge.

Balsamic Vinegar Dressing

Ingredients
Dijon mustard
Balsamic vinegar
Olive oil
Directions
Mix all 3 ingredients together (an easy way to do this is place all 3 in a small jar, tighten the lid, and shake.)  Play with the ratios to get the flavor you like best.  This is something that I've never measured, but I'm guessing it's about 1 teaspoon mustard, 2-3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, and 2-3 tablespoons olive oil.
To fancify this dressing, you can finely dice some onion or shallots to add in along with different herbs.

Reduced Balsamic Vinegar

Pour some balsamic vinegar in a small pot. Stir and bring to a simmer over medium heat.  As it simmers, it will thicken and sweeten (if not sweet enough, add a small amount of sugar).  Cool and store in refrigerator.  Drizzle over ice cream and/or berries.