DIY Vanilla Extract // Learn Stuff

I made it a goal this year to learn about or how to do 5 new things. The first thing I learned is how to DIY vanilla extract!

Why on earth would I want to do that?

1) Artificial vanilla extract tastes awful. Just say no. I promise you'll be able to tell the difference and prefer it!
2) Real vanilla extract is expensive! Especially if you buy organic!! I can only get about 2oz for about $10. (OY!)
3) Its' so flippin' easy & SO much cheaper to make it yourself!!

Seriously:

1) buy ingredients
2) find jar
3) cut open beans
4) put beans in jar, cover with vodka.
5) let sit in a cool, dark cupboard for a month or two.

DONE. 

Specific Process:

Ingredients:

3-5 vanilla beans (can buy in spice section at grocery store, best at natural food stores, they were much cheaper there than at Target, or Amazon is a great source!)
8 oz of vodka (rum, brandy, or bourbon would work as well)
clean jar
dark place to store while aging

1) Cut open your vanilla beans length wise. Make sure they will fit in your jar. If they are too tall, you can cut them in half. (the alcohol just needs to fully cover the beans).
2) Put the beans in the jar, making sure they can all be covered by alcohol. Pour in the alcohol, and seal the lid.
3) Give the jar a few shakes.
4) Store in a cool, dark, space for 1-2 months. (the longer, the stronger)

When you use this extract, as is, after it has sat in your cupboard, it will have a vanilla bean fleck to it. If you don't like that, you can strain it through a coffee filter before using it.

Similarly, you can leave the beans in, to let the flavor strengthen, or you can remove them. You can also leave them in and refill the alcohol a little as you go. You'll be able to tell when the beans are all used up! Sources I have read recommend using beans later for vanilla flavored sugars. :)

5) Use and enjoy. As far as I can tell... as long as this is well sealed and stored in a cool and dry place, it should last until it's gone. I haven't read anything in my research to suggest otherwise.

6) Now make a bigger batch.... and never ever buy extract again. :)

Substitutions:

Vodka will leave your extract with the most neutral flavor, but you can substitute rum, brandy, or bourbon if you'd rather. It will just change the flavor of your extract a little.

You're welcome!

For a cost comparison: I could get 2 oz of organic vanilla extract for about $10. I DIY'd this vanilla extract, which is 8 oz for just about the same price (we used 5 beans). That's a great savings, and obviously, the larger batch you make... the cheaper it is!

Lastly, this is like one of the greatest DIY gifts ever for anyone who likes to cook or bake. Why not make a huge batch of extract... and then funnel it into small jars to give as Christmas or Mother's Day gifts?!?! It's so easy... but so appreciated!

Have you guys tried this before?! Is anyone going to? Maybe I'm just a baking nerd... but I was SO JAZZED to try this! :)

Have any of you learned about or how to do something new this year?! I'd love to hear about it!

XO,

Alexandra

Top 12 Recipes of 2012 {out of 100!} + 3 Runner's Up!

When I set the goal to try 100 new recipes in 2012, I'm not sure exactly what I was thinking... or if I thought I would make it. But somehow, I did. And I really enjoyed {most of} the process. I found a lot of recipes that I can have ready to go when I make my menus! I got to try a lot of fun new things and to be honest not too terribly many of them turned out to be bad! :)

So in December, I thought it would be fun to go through and pick my favorites and then share them with you! There were so many to choose from! I loved many of them and a lot were good enough to repeat even though they did not make this list.. In order to narrow enough I did not include recipes that I had tasted before even if I had never MADE them myself. If I had.. Spritz Cookies for sure would have made the list! :)  

Here we go! {in no particular order}

1) Garlic Basil Shrimp

Garlic-y, basil-y, fresh and delicious! Fairly healthy and filled to the brim with ingredients I love!

2) Chicken Bruschetta Pasta

Super fresh! Really healthy but flavorful! I was surprised by how great this recipe was! I say, wait and make it when you've got yummy fresh tomatoes! :)

3) Old Fashioned Banana Cream Pie

 This was what I tried for national pie day 2012! It ended up being really great and work the {minimal} extra effort to make it from scratch!

4) Granola #2

 I love granola, and I really wanted to find a recipe I liked! I got lucky on my 2nd try! This stuff is heavenly! Its like a cookie in your cereal bowl! It made the house smell heavenly! Make this right now.. and make it monthly!

5) Parmesan Red Pepper Crusted Tilapia

 This meal was so flavorful! I loved the spice of the peppers and the freshness of real Parmesan. This was easy and really cheap for a fish dish! I highly recommend this recipe!

6) Jambalaya

Oh my goodness I love cajun food! I've even started putting cajun seasoning in our scrambled eggs! This recipe was easy and super delicious. It is way more exciting than any of the usual styles of food we choose from. This meal makes me want to head south to New Orleans the first chance I get! :)

7) Beirocks

This meal is straight comfort food! It was surprisingly easy and extremely tasty! Don't be intimidated! It is worth it and really not that hard! 

8) Chicken Apricot Paninis

Pioneer Woman is a genius. I know I say this a lot.. but for very good reason. This recipe was so fantastic. The flavors were things that I never would have picked to go together and it got me really excited about trying crazier recipes and mixing in my own ideas to recipes I found. Taking a chance in the kitchen can be very rewarding!

9) Sausage Skillet Hash

I love how simple this recipe is, but it has this crazy combination of flavors. It has the tang from the Dijon, the sweetness of the brown sugar and it is very hearty! I made this again this week because it is just that easy! Note: don't be alarmed by the initial amount of spinach! It looks like a ton when it goes in.. but it cooks down and isn't overwhelming at all!

10) Mocha Cheesecake

Oh my Lord.. this recipe turned me into a cheesecake lover! It was insanely rich! Seriously guys, small slices and lots of sharing! But it was heavenly. You won't believe that you could make something that tastes so good!

11) {insert fruit here} crisp - My favorite in raspberry

This has become my go-to dessert. It's warm, bubbly, fruity and not too sweet. It is great with ice cream and just about everyone loves it!

12) french toast! (the best in the world!) 

I cannot actually explain how much I love this french toast. So I won't try.

Runners Up:

Pumpkin Waffles

Perfect for fall, easy as can be, unusual flavor... such a great meal.

Cheesy Potato Soup

I figured that this recipe would be pretty bland since I hadn't really tried many soup recipes.. but it wasn't! The sharp cheddar was just the ticket! Perfect for a super chilly day!

Ham and Cheese Biscuit Pockets

These are so easy and tasty! They are great for busy nights when you just want to whip up something really easy but satisfying. I recommend you work this into your monthly menus! This one is really kid friendly!

 What were your favorite recipes of 2012? Send them my way! Which of mine did you like the best?

All for now,

Alexandra 

Blueberry Bliss Smoothie {Recipe #100!}

With this post I vow to never forget to take a picture of a recipe again! Whew! This super easy recipe has taken me forever to make again. ... but now that I have, this blueberry bliss is all yours.

Blueberry Bliss Smoothie

Borrowed, Adapted and Enjoyed from the Little Black Book of Smoothies

Makes 1 tall smoothie or 2 juice glass sized ones {pictured}.

Ingredients

1 cup chilled white grape juice {no sugar added} 

1/2 cup low fat blueberry yogurt {Greek would be even better + a bit of honey!}

1/2 frozen banana*

1 cup frozen blueberries

1) Add liquid first, then yogurt, then frozen solids. Blend on high until smooth.

Enjoy!

You can change around the fruit, juice and yogurt to your tastes! This is the basic smoothie formula, so change it up! We sometimes add spinach leaves or ground flax seed to add extra fiber and vitamins! and NO you can't taste it! :) PROMISE! As it is, this recipe is super healthy for you, especially if you swap for the Greek yogurt!

*note* freeze your banana in chunks and peeled. It is super tricky to peel a frozen banana!

Also, if you love smoothies, invest in a good blender! We broke our first one.. but we got to buy this one to replace it! :)

What is your favorite smoothie recipe?

All for now,

Alexandra

Movie Night Bark {Recipe #95}

I love Redbook Magazine. 

I know it's not really geared toward people my age, but I love it.

In December's Redbook Magazine they had recipes for various barks. You know like peppermint bark or something. I decided to try one called Movie Night Bark. 

It is a really fun idea that you just make a chocolate based bark and then drop your typical movie night snacks into it and let it harden. Their recipe contained a lot of things that kyle likes so I thought, why not?

Bonus? This has got to be one of the easiest recipes I tried in 2012!

Movie Night Bark

Borrowed, Adapted and Enjoyed from Redbook Magazine, December 2012

Note you can very easily sub any type of chocolate for the milk chocolate and sub out the toppings as well based on your tastes!

Ingredients:

12 oz milk chocolate chopped {chips work too}

1/2 cup mini pretzel pieces

1/2 cup chocolate covered raisins {we used chocolate covered cherries}

1/2 cup cracker jacks, poppycock or caramel corn

1/2 cup salted peanuts

1) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or non-stick foil.

 2) Melt chocolate in microwave. Heat for 1 minute, stir and then heat for an additional 30 seconds. Stir until smooth. Pour into lined baking sheet and smooth out as best as you can. Barks should have a thin layer of chocolate, so don't worry if it seems thinner than what you are expecting.

3) Sprinkle your chosen ingredients over the chocolate as evenly as possible.

4) Let the bark chill in the fridge for about an hour.

5) Remove from fridge and break into pieces. 

Share and Enjoy!

This bark can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 month! {if you can make it last that long!}

What are your favorite movie night snacks?

All for now,

Alexandra

Hodge Podge Recipes {Recipes 85-93}

Well, it's almost the end of 2012. 

I have almost finished my 100 recipes for the year.

Here are some snapshots and reviews of a few more recipes I have tried.

Fruit Salad with Melon Balls

I made this fruit salad with Kyle for this previous Easter. It was really simple and fresh and allowed us to test out the skill of balling melons. I loved the mint in the salad, together with the honey it gave it a really nice flavor. I found the recipe here.

Chicken Tacos with Tropical Pico De Gayo

This recipe was really simple and I actually added things to make it more exciting. It called for plain cooked chicken pieces but I seasoned mine with cumin and cayenne. The pico is a mix of fresh mango, pineapple, red onion and cilantro. Mix and refrigerate to let flavors meld. I think this would be even better as a bowl type meal. Or just to serve the pico by itself with chips.

Shrimp Tacos

I read a blog post that talked about shrimp tacos but contained no recipe, I decided that sounded amazing so we made up our own as well. I really think {like the chicken above} that you don't need a taco shell at all for this meal. This is a really great example of how Mexican food can be very healthful and flavorful!

Ingredients

Thawed, fully cooked shrimp {deveined and tailed}

cumin to taste

a handful of finely chopped cilantro

garlic powder to taste

cayenne pepper to taste {about 1/8 tsp. is good if you don't prefer spicy things}

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels

avocado pieces {optional}

1) Heat the shrimp in a skillet with the spices to taste. Do not over cook. If you buy cooked shrimp you should only need 4 minutes maximum to warm them through. Once warmed and seasoned set aside and keep warm.

2) In the same skillet add corn kernals with a bit of butter or oil to char them a bit. Once they are charred, remove them and add to the other chopped veggies and cilantro. Mix into a pico type salsa.

3) Top your tortilla or put shrimp in a bowl and serve with chopped salsa and avocado on top.

Feel free to add any other spices you may want or other toppings like salsa, guacamole, sour cream etc.

Enjoy! 

Crock Pot Shredded Pork Tacos

I sadly do not have a picture of this recipe but it was pretty darn tasty! You essentially cook a pork roast in the crock pot with canned diced green chiles and salsa. It becomes incredibly moist and flavorful. Then you add whatever toppings you like. This recipe was incredibly juicy and delicious!

Olive Oil Crust for Garlic Ranch Chicken Pizza

I was searching for a great pizza crust and I tried this one made with olive oil that I really liked. It was very bread-y and thick though which did not suit the topping recipe that we tried. But I think I will try it again in future recipes.

Mini Pain Au Chocolat

Kyle loves Pain Au Chocolat. He gets it nearly every time we have breakfast at Panera and tries it whenever we go to bakeries. He even had some in Quebec City on our Honeymoon! I wanted to try to make it and I came across and easy version of the recipe as a Christmas Morning surprise. Sadly, we were in a rush and tried eating them when they were too melt-y {HOT!}, but they turned out pretty ok. I am sure they aren't as good as the "real" thing, and they aren't really to my taste, but Kyle thought they were pretty good. 

Makes 14 mini pastries

Ingredients:

Frozen Puff Pastries {1 sheet}

2/3 cup of chocolate chips or chopped baking chocolate

1) Thaw pastry overnight following box instructions.

2) Cut the sheet of puff pastry in half lengthwise. Then cut each half into small triangles {about 6 per half}.

3) After the triangles are cut fill them with the chocolate of your preference starting at the wide end and then roll the pastries up. Place them seam side down on a baking sheet.

4) Bake at 350-375 degrees F. depending on your oven's temperature tendencies for about 15 minutes. Allow to cool before eating.

Enjoy!

Penne A la Betsy

This recipe came via Pioneer Woman, so of course it's fantastic! My good friend Teri and I made it together on one of our movie nights and ADORED it! You can find the recipe here. I will say, our wine did not evaporate very well... so we had to make a roux {1 T. melted butter + 1 T. flour mixed and whisked into the sauce} to thicken, but that's no big deal and it was totally worth it. This pasta is creamy, a bit tomato-y and it has shrimp! What's not to love! :) I will admit though, this recipe does not reheat very well. So invite friends over or halve the recipe to suit your needs.

Taco Salad with Cilantro Sour Cream and Homemade Tortilla Chips

This is a recipe that I had sort of made before, but I really improvised a lot. I am only counting it this time because of the cilantro sour cream. Basically you just brown hamburger and season it. You add black beans and corn, put it on a bed of lettuce and top with cherry tomatoes and the sour cream. To make the sour cream you just add some lime juice and chopped cilantro to the sour cream. Kyle and I weren't crazy about it, but it definitely adds more flavor to your salad. To make the chips, cut a tortilla into triangles and bake on a cookie sheet after sprinkling them with oil and salt. Bake until golden brown. Note: we used whole wheat tortillas.. so they look browner. 

Greek Pasta Salad

Again I do not have a picture of this. It is a whole wheat penne salad with sun dried tomatoes, greek olives, feta, red onion and spinach in it. You cook the spinach and onions in olive oil to wilt them and make them softer for the salad. You make a olive oil and cider vinegar vinaigrette and toss all the ingredients. We ate ours cold. It was pretty good, nothing too terribly special, but I liked the unique flavors in a pasta salad.

I hope these recipes and notes help you to think of new and fun culinary adventures to embark on. 

My last 7 recipes will be coming soon! And I can promise that at least 3 of them are FANTASTIC! :) 

All for now,

Alexandra

Breakfast Quesadillas {Recipe #75}

This recipe was both easy and tasty. 

I modified it a bit, so I am just going to write my own recipe.

Breakfast Quesadillas

Serves 6

Ingredients

2 T. Olive Oil

1 Red Bell Pepper, diced

1/2 a can of black beans, drained and rinsed

garlic salt, cajun seasoning to taste

8 eggs {or any combo of eggs/egg whites}

A splash of half and half, milk or water depending on preference

1 big handful of fresh cilantro, chopped

2 Cups of shredded cheddar cheese

6 whole wheat tortillas

1) Saute diced pepper in olive oil until tender. Then add beans and cook for a few more minutes. 

2) Meanwhile, whisk eggs with a splash or two of your chosen liquid and spices to taste. Add the egg mixture to the skillet and scramble. 

3) Heat another skillet over medium heat. Place a tortilla in the pan and put a bit of cheese {as much as you'd like} on the tortilla. Top one side with part of the egg mixture and then with the cilantro. Close and flip over until tortilla is browned. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. 

4) Serve with salsa, sour cream or guacamole.

Enjoy!

What is your favorite Mexican flavored breakfast dish?

All for now, 

Alexandra

You win some, you lose some {recipes 50-57}

Sometimes... a recipe is just not very good. 

so here are 8.

51: Chicken Lomein

  

This one was just ok. Honestly, it didn't need the chicken.

52: Homemade pizza crust... it was kind of lumpy. :(

53: Pork Chops with Summer Veggie Medley

this was a crock pot meal and it was not impressive. It was just ok. 

54: Crock pot Breakfast Casserole

- Seemed like a great idea at the time. But ended up being way too done. :( 

55: Cajun Pasta

Sadly, just ok. And made a TON so we were eating it for way too long.

56: Beef Stroganoff

 Again, not very good. 

57: Bread Machine Pumpkin Bread

We were craving pumpkin bread as fall is getting here and we tried some in the bread machine.. and it was way too bready. Not very good. Way too dense.

58: Tropical Popsickles

These were not very flavorful, which is really too bad. I guess we will have to try again next summer!

But there are more successful and super delicious recipes coming! :)

All for now,

Alexandra

Recipe Duds {#s 36, 37 & 38}

Since I am posting these recipes after I have made them, I go out of order sometimes. 

For that reason, and for saving time I am lumping 3 recipes that were not very good into the same entry.

Here we go! 

Cream Cheese Chicken {crock pot}

It was ok. But it served A LOT. So we were eating this for a while, and it got old very very fast.

Apple Bran Muffins

I don't have a picture of this one, but it was not very exciting. I wanted to use up some apples, but they ended up being wasted anyhow. I think it would have been better with more apples, and all of the bran ground up. I didn't like the chewy full pieces of bran.

Apple Puffed Pancake

I think this one would have been good but something went wrong in the baking process. It reminded me of monkey bread a little bit. I think I would want to try making it again. It just turned out pretty eggy in the middle which wasn't what we wanted. The outside was really good, so I think that if it was all that way it would be really really good. I will let you know if I try it again :)

We drizzled it with Honey, because we were out of maple syrup and dusted it with cinnamon sugar. This made it pretty darn tasty minus the eggy middle. Again, I am excited to try this one again! :)

Any tips for puffed pancake recipes out there?

All for now,

Alexandra

Look what my Kitchenaid Can Do!

I <3 my kitchenaid!

Look what it can do!

It shreds cooked chicken breasts! 

Steps!

1) Bring large pot of water to a rapid boil.

2) Add chicken breasts and boil for 25-30 minutes.

3) Remove from water and place in Kitchenaid mixing bowl. {while still hot}

4) Attach the non-hook, non-whisk paddle. And turn on!

5) Your chicken should be shredded!

I am SO impressed!

Thank you pinterest!!

Anyone know of any other crazy things a kitchenaid can do?

All for now,

Alexandra 

Recipe #22: Granola

Really Really good granola!

I had been searching! I think this is one of the best granolas I've ever had! 

Anytime Granola

  

{borrowed, adapted and enjoyed from: The Farm Chicks in the Kitchen by: Teri Edwards and Serena Thompson.} 

*note* we cut this recipe in half.

Ingredients:

6 cups old fashioned rolled oats

2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut {found at health food stores or during the holidays}

2 cups pecan halves or pieces {optional}

1/3 cup canola oil {or something healthier, ex. coconut oil}

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter {or another crunchy nut butter you like}

1/2 cup honey

2 tsp ground cinnamon 

1 tsp. vanilla extract

I added:

 {to make healthier but not change the taste} 

1 T. flax seed meal

1 T. toasted wheat germ

Hear me out! :)

This little bit of both of these ingredients does NOT effect the taste of the granola. Both are really fine substances and mix in un-noticed. Why use it you ask? Flaxseed meal is a wonderful source of fiber and Omega 3 fats and toasted wheat germ provides vitamin E and folic acid. These two ingredients help fill you up faster! And keep you full longer. You won't compromise taste or texture, but you will gain important nutrients without even noticing! Both of these ingredients run about $7-10 and are kept in the fridge. They last a long time so they are certainly worth the purchase! You can find these ingredients at your local health food store or natural section at the supermarket. 

Ok back to the recipe!

1) Heat oven to 325 degrees F. 

2) Combine oats, coconut, pecans, flaxseed meal and toasted wheat germ in large bowl. Combine oil, brown sugar, peanut butter, honey, cinnamon, and vanilla in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat and stir until smooth. {THIS CREATES THE MOST HEAVENLY SMELL!!}.

3) Pour peanut butter mixture over oat mixture stirring until well combined.

4) Line a shallow baking dish {jelly roll pan} with foil. Spread the oat mixture out on the pan evenly. Bake until lightly browned {or depending on your taste} about 50 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes with a large spoon or spatula. 

5) Cool in the pan on a wire rack stirring once more {otherwise you get a granola bar the size of you pan!!}.

You can store this in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks!

Enjoy!

What are in your favorite granolas? 

What do you like to add flaxseed meal and toasted wheat germ to?

All for now,

Alexandra

Recipes #20 Fish and Chips and #21 Crock Pot Corn Chowder

We decided to make fish and chips.

Afterall, I really like seafood and we both like fish and chips.

And, this recipe was baked so its much healthier.

However, it was kinda bland and not my favorite.

So I won't post the recipe.

The "chips" were really good though.

"chips"

Ingredients:

Potatoes

Sea Salt

Freshly Ground Pepper

Olive Oil

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2) Clean and cut potatoes into wedges.

3) Put olive oil, sea salt and freshly ground pepper into a bowl. Toss potato wedges in oil mixture until potatoes are coated.

4) Bake on a baking sheet for 45 minutes.

Crock Pot Corn Chowder

The Corn Chowder was just ok.. And it made WAY too much for us. Eating it multiple times was not a preference.

But something great came of it!

Kyle said "I definitely approve of the way you cook bacon!"

Which was super sweet and made me laugh!

But it also made me feel great because while bacon is not hard to cook, I've never made it myself. :)

So that was fun!

I calculated that with my goal of 100 for the year I need to make 8.3 recipes per month.

January: 16 recipes

February {so far}: 5 recipes

Total {so far]: 21 recipes!

I'm ahead of schedule! :)

Any specific types of recipes you would like me to try?

All for now,

 Alexandra