Homemade Vanilla Extract

There is nothing quite like the smell of vanilla. I don't mean that fake vanilla lotion or candle scent -- it's not the same as a real vanilla extract. It's like holiday cheer in a bottle. Plus, with this recipe, you're essentially mixing rum and vanilla beans, and that combination is just heavenly.
When I was making this I didn't want to be done because it smelled so darn good. I know, that's kind of silly, but once you get your hands on some fresh vanilla beans you'll have an Aha moment and finally understand what I mean by, there is nothing quite like it.

I had first seen this on many food blog and DIY blogs online, and the recipe seemed consistent, and the presentations similar: alcohol, vanilla beans, bottles, corks. To be honest, it is on the pricey side of homemade gifts, but it is something that can be used more than once so it has a long-term value for the receiver. Plus, it's not very often that you receive homemade vanilla extract, so it's a fun and unique thing to give away during the holidays.

Most recipes online call for just two beans per bottle, but I enjoy a richer vanilla flavor so I actually add 3 beans per bottle plus the caviar of one-two additional beans scooped into the bottle. This is a matter of personal preference, so you can tweak the recipe to your liking.

You can buy individual vanilla beans in most grocery stores, but they are quite pricey (anywhere from $2-6 per bean!). I recommend buying them bulk online where you will pay a fraction of the price per bean from somewhere like Beanilla. Also, there are differences in vanilla bean flavors, and I have found that Madagascar vanilla beans lend a creamier flavor than others so that is what I used. 

I use dark rum for my vanilla extract, however you can use vodka if you prefer that instead. You see, it can be tweaked and tailored to suit your needs. Hooray!

Makes 6 bottles of homemade vanilla extract
Ingredients:

• 26 ounces of dark rum (750 ml)
• 6 5-6 oz. glass bottles with corks (can be found online or a local craft store)
• 30 vanilla beans
• Small funnel

Directions:

1. Gently split a vanilla bean by slicing halfway through the bean with a sharp knife lengthwise. Use the tip of the knife to spread the bean open, then run the blade down the bean to scrape out the vanilla caviar. Use the funnel to drop the caviar into your glass bottle. Do this twice for each bottle so that there is the caviar of two beans per bottle.
2. Next, gently slice an inch lengthwise in the middle of each remaining vanilla bean to expose the caviar, but do not scrape it out. Depending on the height of your bottle, you may want to trim the beans or cut them in half to fit in the bottle. Place 3 beans in each bottle. 
3. Using the funnel, pour about 4 oz. of rum into each bottle, or until filled with enough room to cork it.
4. Cork each bottle tightly and give them a good shake. Store in a cool, dry place for 8 weeks for optimal flavor, shaking the bottle a couple times per week. The vanilla will keep indefinitely as long as you top the bottle with rum as needed. I recommend that you replace the beans a couple times per year for the freshest taste.

I gave my vanilla extract away within a week of bottling (along with instructions for how to age it properly), because I have found that most people enjoy seeing the vanilla change over time. Plus, even at the beginning when it's more like rum with a little hint of vanilla, it tastes amazing! Think vanilla rum and coke, or vanilla-rum fudge! If you prefer to keep it a surprise, though, that is always a nice gift, too (beware, you might have a hard time stopping yourself from keeping it all to yourself!).
The pictures show the bottles before adding the rum, the color of the vanilla on day one, and the color of the vanilla 3 weeks in.

 This is another recipe I'd originally tried out with my friend Chelsey, and you can see what she's up to in the kitchen these days by visiting her blog, Curio of the Culinary World

Key Lime Pie

For Easter I decided to make a key lime pie, committed to bringing it to the BF's family dinner, and instantly realized that I've never made it before. I usually like to play around with new recipes, but this time I decided to pick a recipe and stick to it to avoid a disaster.
I chose Martha Stewart's Key Lime Pie, and it is beautiful! Tomorrow we will eat it, so I'll get feedback that I can add in later. I was really happy with how easy this recipe is, and I think it will be a perfect Easter dessert!

The recipe was pretty straight forward and I didn't have a hard time finding any of the ingredients which was nice. I knew that I could use regular limes if I didn't come across any Key limes, but I got lucky and stumbled upon a bag of Key limes in a nearby grocery store. For a "first time" recipe, I am so glad I chose to follow this one!

Tips and Suggestions:
I baked the pie crust then reduced the oven temperature before prepping the filling to ensure enough time for the crust to cool. 
Get yourself organized before you start! Locate the zester, the juicer, the whisk, the wire rack! Melt your butter! Make sure you have graham cracker crumbs on hand! 
Make this well ahead of serving time! I baked my pie a full day ahead.

Ingredients

•  1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 6 tablespoons melted butter
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup key lime juice
• 1 tablespoon lime zest

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Mix the butter, crumbs, and sugar with a fork in a medium sized bowl. Press the mixture into a 9" pie plate (I use glass pie plates!) and bake for 12 minutes. Cool the crust on a wire rack -- cool it completely before filling it!
2. Decrease the heat of the oven to 325 F. Whisk the milk, yolks, lime juice, and zest in a medium bowl, then pour into the crust. Bake for 15-17 minutes (I baked it for the full 17 minutes) and then cool completely on a wire rack. 
3. Let the pie sit in the fridge for at least 8 hours before serving for optimal flavor, and serve with whipped cream! 

Sausage and Apple Stuffing

This weekend my roommate and I cooked and baked our bums off for a huge Sunday feast for just the two of us. Just joking, we cooked for 5 people, but we got all the leftovers and that's what counts. And our bums definitely didn't disappear, what with all the taste-testing we had to do.

We roasted a turkey, made broccoli and cheese casserole, green bean casserole, stuffing, gravy, brussel sprouts, pumpkin cheesecake, and spanikopita. Now, I know all of that sounds amazing, and if you're lucky someday I will let you take a peek at my spanikopita recipe, but today I'm going to talk to you about stuffing. This stuffing is delicious, it could be a meal of it's own.

This stuffing makes enough for inside the turkey and side servings, but I personally prefer it as side dish with the promise of leftovers and not soaked in turkey juices.

Ingredients:

• 1 loaf french bread
• 1-2 cups white wine
• 1-2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup cranberries
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 3/4 cup celery
• 1/3 cup parsley 
• Pork sausage
• Rosemary, Thyme, Sage (1 tablespoon of each fresh, or 1/2 tablespoon dried)
• 2 apples, diced

Directions:

1. Chop the french bread into 1 inch cubes, then toast in the oven for a 1-2 minutes on broil. 
2. Heat a skillet to medium-high heat, and add the pork and chopped onion. Brown the sausage, then add the celery and herbs. Turn the heat to medium-low, and let simmer while you prepare the rest of the stuffing.
3. In a large bowl, mix the apples, bread chunks, and cranberries. drizzle the wine and broth over the mix, stop when most of the bread has a bit of liquid but isn't soaked. Toss the sausage mixture with the bread mixture, then put into a 9x13" pan and bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Serve hot!

Enjoy!!!