DIY: Vanilla Extract

Growing up I remember my mom always telling me about one of my one aunt's friends who made her own vanilla. As a kid I remember thinking this lady must be pretty talented and obviously super sophisticated. Now that I've grown and have learned (am learning) my way around the kitchen I decided to try out this DIY project for myself. After some research, this wasn't such an intimidating task at all! All I needed was some booze (check), vanilla beans (check, thanks Costco), and little jars (basically we're speaking my love language here people!) The type of liquor didn't really seem to matter flavor-wise. Vodka was a pretty traditional choice, but rum and bourbon were also recommended. Being a Bacardi and Diet kind of gal, I obviously chose my go-to white rum. I found 4 oz glass bottles off Amazon for pretty cheap and my Costco started selling whole vanilla beans this fall which was what pushed me over the edge to try this experiment. I even put a semi-cute label on my jars (totally should have reached out to my BFF's graphic artist husband for a cuter label...next time, since there will definitely be a next time!)

Vanilla Extract
Makes 6 4-oz bottles

12 Vanilla beans, whole
3 cups white rum (vodka, bourbon, etc.)
6 4-oz glass bottles with lids

1. Prep the bottles by washing and letting them air dry.
2. Slice the vanilla beans in half and then split open length-wise to expose the caviar.
3. Place four vanilla bean halves into the jars.
4. Pour ~1/2 cup of rum on top of the vanilla beans until the bottle is almost full.
5. Place the lid on the bottles, give them a shake, then put them in a cool, dark place.
6. Every few days for the first week give them a gentle shake and put them back.
7. Patience...lots of patience...
8. You'll want the mixture to steep for at least a month, but it only gets better with age! (Mine have been going since January so they have really beautiful color to them.)

Now, some folks will make all the vanilla extract in a larger jar and then strain out the vanilla beans so that the vanilla has a "cleaner" look to it. I chose not to do that because I love the little flecks of the caviar, also in case the recipients of the jars would like to continue adding liquor to their bottles to make additional vanilla (once you've used a bit, you can totally add more liquor to the existing vanilla extract...those vanilla beans still have lots of good flavor left in them!)

Vanilla Eggnog Bundt Cake

My hubby LOVES egg nog. I find it pretty repulsive, but since I'm a nice wife, I grabbed a carton at the grocery store this weekend. Being in a hurry and not the egg nog expert he is, I didn't realize I'd grabbed a carton with a "use by date" that was far too soon and out of character for "usual" egg nog. My bad. Oh well, it gave me a chance to try out a recipe that called for egg nog that I've had saved for a year or so.

Vanilla Eggnog Bundt Cake

Adapted from Smells Like Home

15 oz (3 cups) all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

2 sticks butter, unsalted and softened

14 oz (2 cups) granulated sugar

3 large eggs

1 cup eggnog 

1 Tbsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and spices; set aside.
3. In a liquid measuring cup, measure out 1 cup of egg nog and add in 1 Tbsp of vanilla; set aside.
4. In a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar.
5. Add in eggs one at a time until combined.
6. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and with mixer running, pour in 1/2 of the liquid.
7. Scrap down the sides, and repeat.
8. Scrape down the sides once more and add the remaining 1/3 of the batter and stir until just combined.
9. Pour/spread into a well greased bundt pan (seriously, grease well, mine did not come out so pretty during this first attempt, delicious, but not pretty!)
10. Bake at 350 for 45-55 minutes or until done.
11. Cool for about 10 minutes in the pan before turning out on a cooling rack to finish cooling off the cake.

Kissy Cookies

In my family these gems are known as Kissy Cookies, but to many people these are also known as Peanut Blossoms. No Christmas cookie platter is to be without these classics. I made these twice during the week of Christmas and New Year's because they are so delicious and always a crowd pleaser!

Kissy Cookies

Adapted from Hershey's

Makes 2 dozen

4 Tbsp shortening

6 Tbsp peanut butter (Jif is my baking PB of choice)

2 Tbsp granulated white sugar (plus some for rolling)

3 Tbsp light brown sugar

1 egg white

1 Tbsp honey

1 Tbsp milk

1/2 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

24 Hershey's Kisses (unwrapped)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 and prepare two baking sheets.
2. Beat together the shortening and peanut butter in a stand mixer until combined.
3. Add in the sugars and beat until fluffy.
4. Add in the egg, honey, milk, and vanilla until well incorporated.
5. In a separate bowl mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
6. Slowly add the flour mixture and combine.
7. Form the dough into 1-inch balls and roll them around in granulated sugar before placing on the baking sheets.
8. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes.
9. Immediately press one unwrapped Hershey's Kiss into eat cookie and allow to cool for a minute or two on the baking sheet before moving to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

5 Generations of Pumpkin Pie

This is an epic blog post people. EPIC. Are you ready????

Who doesn't need a killer Pumpkin Pie recipe in their back pocket? Well, I just happened to be sent the recipe for my Great Great Grandmother's Pumpkin Pie by my mother just before Thanksgiving this year. I knew I had to try it...when I emailed my Aunt to double-check a few things (always a good idea when receiving a recipe that's been passed around...and one that does not involve certain crucial measurements, like you know, how much pumpkin to use...Love you Mom!) I got back so much more than I was expecting (although I should have known since my aunt is the keeper of all the family heritage items, that I would get more than I asked for -- in a good way!)

Check it out!

This is a picture of my Great Great Grandparents, Anna (Nettie) and Edward and the second is a group shot of four generations of my maternal grandmother's side (coincidentally the very same grandmother that taught me to bake a pie in the first place! My first pie was a cherry pie that I baked for my parent's anniversary...I cut out hearts in the crust because I'm forever a romantic. Yup. That happened.)

How cool to have all this to go along with the recipe!

I've only made slight adaptations to the recipe that has been in my family for generations (five for me which is six generations for my daughter someday if she ever decides to bake this pie!) and tested it out on two of the three best pumpkin pie critics I know (Subject Three will someday taste the deliciousness I'm sure!)

My Test Testers!!

My Great Great Grandma Nettie's Pumpkin Pie

Makes 1 pie

15 oz canned pumpkin puree

3/4 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups evaporated milk

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp nutmeg

3 eggs, separated

1 pie crust

1. Prepare a pie pan with a crust (prepared, home-made, whatever you prefer, but I suggest using a deep dish pie pan, not one of those little short ones, got nothing against shorties (obviously, look at me...) but trust me on this one!)
2. Mix together the first eight ingredients (pumpkin through nutmeg) plus the egg yolks.
3. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form and using a whisk, gently combine into the pumpkin mixture (I threw mine in my KitchenAid and let do the work for me while I pulled together the other ingredients).
4. Poor into prepared pie shell (it'll look pretty fluffy!)
5. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes then lower the temperature to 350 and bake for another 40-50-60 minutes (yes I realize this is a wide-range, but after mid-bake phone calls I learned that pumpkin pie done-ness is more of an art than a science, so you'll have to just watch it and learn your pie pan and your oven!)

Merry Christmas!!

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

If there is one thing My People love it's a Jell-O salad...there is rarely a family gathering that does not involve some sort of Jell-O concoction and even the non-Jell-O lovers in the crowd seem to enjoy this particular recipe. Strawberry Pretzel Salad is a favorite of my husband and cousins for sure (they usually get their own pan)!

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Makes one 13 x 9 inch pan

2 cups crushed pretzels*

3/4 cup melted margarine

3 Tbsp sugar

6 oz box Strawberry Jell-O

20 oz frozen strawberries

2 cups water

8 oz cream cheese

4.5 oz Cool Whip

1 cup sugar

Pretzel Crust Layer

• Preheat oven to 400.
• Mix together melted butter, pretzels, and 3 Tbsp of sugar and pour into 13 x 9 inch pan.
• Bake for 8 minutes (be careful not to over-bake).
• Allow to cool.

Strawberry Layer (Part 1)

• While pretzels are cooling, bring water to a boil in a medium sauce pan, then dissolve in the Jell-O.
• Continue stirring and mix in frozen strawberries.
• Set in the fridge while you prepare the cream cheese layer. (You don't want this to fully set-up, but you want it to not be a liquid when it goes on top of the cream cheese layer.)

Cream Cheese Layer

• Using a stand or hand mixer, combine Cool Whip, cream cheese, and 1 cup of sugar.
• Spread in an even layer over cooled pretzel crust.
• Place in the fridge for a few minutes to cool.

Strawberry Layer (Part 2)

• Stir the Jell-O and strawberry mixture and then spread on top of the cream cheese layer.
• Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

This is best made the day before you want to serve.

* I use Synder's of Hanover Thins...anything but the small rods works well

Ham and Hashbrown Casserole

Both Hubby and my dad decided that this need not be relegated to being "a breakfast food" but they said they would eat it any time of day...probably due to their joint love for ham and potatoes in virtually any form imaginable. Oddly enough, this was not the first time I've made this casserole, but it was the first time I've been able to taste the results (it was a work breakfast pot-luck favorite at Hubby's office so they were the ones who had done the taste testing). I will have to say, second only to the Ham Biscuit, this is my favorite use of leftover holiday ham, for sure!

Ham and Hashbrown Casserole

32 oz bag frozen hashbrown potatoes

8 oz cooked ham, cubed

2 cans condensed cream of potato soup

16 oz sour cream

8 oz shredded cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Mix the ingredients together and pour into a 13 x 9 inch pan.
3. Bake for 1 hour.

Yes, it is that ridiculously simple.

Sometimes I add parmesan cheese to the top before baking...you know, if I'm feeling wild/crazy/cheesy.

Grandma Jeanne's Molasses Sugar Cookies

As one of my cousins put it, "the cookies taste like my childhood" so it was a no-brainer that these bad boys needed to be baked for Christmas! Soft and delicious...these are pretty much a guaranteed hit and sometimes an unexpected blast from the past for people when you show up to parties or cookie-exchanges with these in tow.

Grandma Jeanne's Molasses Sugar

(in her own recipe format no less!)

Melt: ¾ cup shortening - let cool

Add: 1 cup sugar
¼ cup molasses (beat well)
1 egg

Mix together:

2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 cups sifted flour
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. cloves ground
½ tsp. ginger

Add to shortening - mix well and chill for several hours.

Roll in 1" balls and roll in sugar.

Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes

Makes 3 dozen

Christmas Menu

As I mentioned in my last post, I am making Christmas Eve Dinner and Christmas Brunch this year for my family. I'm pretty excited about this and have been thinking about the menu for quite some time now...here's what I've got going on so far (links to recipes will be added as I upload them later in the week):

Christmas Eve Dinner

Spiral Ham

Pioneer Woman's Cornbread Dressing

Roasted Broccoli

Canned Farmstand Corn (Mom's canning, not mine)

Roasted Potatoes and Mushrooms

Strawberry Pretzel Salad (also Mom's contribution!)

Crescent Rolls

Christmas Brunch

Monkey Bread

Ham and Hashbrown Casserole

Fruit Salad

Christmas Treats

Peach Pie

Grandma Jeanne's Molasses Cookies