Pumpkin Roll Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

We wanted to celebrate our 100th post with a special treat. A roll cake looks deceptively easy, but we learned the hard way it takes some practice and more patience to create. However, all the hard work does pay off as it's delicious and a fun, non-traditional dessert. The baking process also lends itself to some great stories. We ad libbed this recipe from All Recipes, which provided a great base. 

Before embarking on this journey, it would behoove you to read this 'how-to' from Cooking Light. We'll also outline the process below-but just in case you wanted a second opinion. 

Some key equipment you'll need to guarantee success:

• 15x10x1 baking sheet. We tried to cheat with a regular cookie sheet, and it's too big. It makes the cake too thin and susceptible to tearing during the rolling process.
• Wax paper: can't roll the cake without it.
• Smooth (read: no textures) kitchen towel. Anything with raised patterns just gives the cake more surface to latch onto, increasing the chance of tearing.
• Mesh strainer: this will help evenly spread the powdered sugar. 

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 1h 15 mins (including cooling)

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2/3 cup canned pumpkin
• Juice from half a lemon (around 1-1.5 teaspoons)
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for pan/paper
• 2.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar, plus extra to dust linen towel
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (great time to use your homemade extract)

Preheat oven to 375. In a medium sized bowl, beat eggs on high until foamy, about 5 minutes. Gradually introduce the sugar until it's thick. Mix in pumpkin and lemon juice. 

Combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt and fold into the pumpkin mixture.

Grease your baking pan and line it with wax paper. Grease and flour the paper to ensure the cake does not stick. Spread the batter evenly on the pan. Bake for about 12-15 minutes, until the cake is springy to the touch. While the cake is baking prepare the linen towel: dust liberally with confectioners sugar 

Immediately flip the cake out of the pan and onto the linen towel. Peel off the wax paper backing and roll the cake, short end first. Cool for about 30 minutes. 

While the cake is cooling, make the frosting. Mix softened cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, butter and vanilla until well combined. 

When the cake is slightly cool to the touch, carefully unroll it and spread the icing over the cake, up to about 1 inch of the edges. Roll it back up, sans towel. If your cake does tear, don't fret and use the icing like glue to keep it all together. Cover it with cling wrap and chill until ready to serve. (Trust us, it does taste better chilled).

Easy Warm Tofu Salad

With the holidays upon us, perhaps like us, you need a palate cleanser. This tofu salad has Asian flavors, mainly from the soy sauce and sesame seeds. Alone, it makes a light lunch, or a light dinner side salad. The flavors are mild, so if you're looking for something a bit bolder, toss the salad with our Thai Vinaigrette dressing. 

To keep the tofu from becoming too crumbly and losing its shape in the salad, be sure to pat it as dry as you can and properly brown it before mixing.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10-12 minutes

Ingredients: 

• 3 tablespoons peanut oil
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 1 14-ounce package firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 bag mixed salad greens of your choice
• 2 medium carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise and sliced (we went with the pre-sliced carrots...because why not)
• 1 large cucumber, chopped

In a small bowl, combine peanut oil, rice vinegar, honey and sesame seeds. Set aside. (If using other dressing, skip this). 

Heat up one additional tablespoon of peanut oil and 2 tablespoons of dressing in a large pan. Pan fry the tofu over medium-high heat, turning every 3-4 minutes, until browned. Remove from heat and combine with salad greens, carrots and cucumbers. Toss with remaining dressing

Tomato Tart with Fontina

A light savory tart is just the antidote to the winter blues. This gem comes from Southern Living, which is a twist on a lighter French classic. We put our own small kitchen twist on the the tart and made it a bit smaller and manageable. 

This can be a side dish, or you can pair it with a hearty salad for a light entree. It's a great potluck choice as well. 

Prep time: 40-45 minutes
Cook time: 30-35 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie crust
• 1 garlic bulb
• 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 cups shredded fontina cheese
• 2 medium sliced tomatoes, sliced
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 450. Press refrigerated pie crust on bottom and up sides of a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Be sure not to stretch the crust too much, as it will shrink down during baking. Bake the crust for 7-8 minutes or until pie crust is lightly browned; set aside.
2. Cut off the pointed end of garlic bulb and place it on a piece of aluminum foil. Brush the bulb with the olive oil and fold the foil to seal it. Place the garlic on a cookie sheet and bake at 425 for 30 minutes. Cool then squeeze the pulp through the cut end and brush the pulp on the bottom and sides of the pie crust. 

Sprinkle 1 cup fontina cheese over the garlic crust. 

Slice tomatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on paper towel and blot; let stand 10 minutes. Arrange tomato slices in concentric circles over shredded cheese. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese.

1. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until tart is lightly browned.

Pasta Salad with Shredded Chicken

Pasta salad is no longer relegated to plastic tubs to be carted off to picnics. This version is a riff of a pesto pasta salad and uses spinach and almonds, instead of basil and pine nuts. It's light and tangy without being too cloying. 

Preparation time is minimal, with the bulk of time spent chilling the mixture. This dish is versatile  and can be a satisfying side dish or light main dish. As a main dish, expect 6-8 servings, and as a side dish, about 10-12 servings.

Prep time: 10-15 minutes
Chill time: at least 4 hours

Ingredients:

• 2-3 lbs chicken breast, shredded
• 1 package rotini pasta, or other short pasta like ziti or penne 
• 4 cups of  baby spinach
• 3-4 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese, shredded
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon water
• dash of salt
• 1 tablespoon sriracha
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise 
• 1.5 cups sliced almonds
• option to toast for extra texture

Brown the chicken in a pan. Once cooked, shred and set aside. Cook pasta according to directions and cool under cold water when finished.

In a food processor, combine spinach, cheese, olive oil, salt, sriracha and water. Pulse until well combined. Mix mayonnaise and spinach mixture  with pasta. Chill for at least 4 hours. Serve over a bed of spinach and a sprinkling of sliced almonds. 

Baked Chicken Noodles

Another great adaptation from Cooking Light. This chicken and pasta recipe combines two unlikely companions, Asian and Italian staples. Using linguine instead of chow mein noodles, and a soy sauce based sauce instead of a marinara dish yields a surprising new family favorite. While on paper the taste combination may not instantly sound appetizing, they somehow work together to create a light and non-greasy tasting noodle dish. 

Of course we've added a bit of sriracha, but even with just the red peppers, the dish has a subtle heat that doesn't overwhelm the other flavors. 

As always, we used the Cooking Light recipe as a guide and edited it to our tastes (and, admittedly, what was currently in the pantry). The recipe below yields a 9x13 dish and can easily yield 8 servings. Bonus: it heats up well and make for great leftovers or packed lunches. 

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 17-20 minutes, depending on how brown you like your bread crumbs

Ingredients:

• 1 16oz package of linguine 
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• 1 medium sized red bell pepper, diced
• 8 oz mushroom caps (shiitake or portobello work nicely)
• 1.5-2 lbs chicken breast, cubed
• 3 small to medium garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 less-sodium cup chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
• 1 to 1.5 teaspoons sriracha (optional)
• 2-3 heads of bok choy, leaves thinly sliced
• .5 to 1 bunch of green onion
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 3/4 cup bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Cook the pasta according to your taste and preheat the oven to 400.

Heat peanut oil in a large pan or wok and add the bell peppers and mushroom. Saute for 2-3 minutes then add the chicken and garlic. Add the soy sauce and coat the mixture, stirring frequently.

In a separate bowl, combine cornstarch and chicken broth, whisking until cornstarch is dissolved completely. Add the mixture to the pan and cook until the liquid is slightly thick. Be sure to stir, stir, stir. 

Remove the pan from heat and add the vinegar, red pepper, and if using, sriracha paste. Then drain the pasta and add it to the mixture, followed by the bok choy, onions and 2 teaspoons of the sesame seeds. Toss to combine.

Grease your 9x13 dish (glass works best) and spoon the pasta mixture evenly into the dish.

Combine the melted butter and breadcrumbs, then sprinkle evenly on top of the pasta.

Bake for about 20 minutes, until the bread crumbs are slightly browned. 

Crumble Apple Pie

Paula Deen knows her desserts. And just in time for Thanksgiving, we took a liking to her crunch top apple pie and made it a bit easier for those uninitiated with baking, or just those without a lot of time. 

A note on equipment needs: you'll need a pie pan, ceramic, glass, or even foil, as well as an apple peeler and corer. While you can definitely make this pie without the peeler and corer, a knife would do, the specialized equipment makes it an easier and faster task. 

Prep time: 30-35 minutes

Bake time: 45 minutes 

Ingredients:

• 2 pie crusts at room temperature

Filling:

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 medium sized Granny Smith Apples, cubed and peeled
• 16 ounces applesauce, option to go with the cinnamon flavored sauce
• Juice of half a lemon, about 1 tablespoon
• 2 tablespoons cold butter, chopped into small pieces

Crumble topping:

• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature

Preheat oven at 425. Combine sugar, flour and cinnamon is a large bowl. Coat the apples with the lemon juice and combine with the sugar mixture. Add apple sauce and spoon the mixture in the pie crust and dot the top with the 2 tablespoons of butter. 

Unroll the second pie crust onto a floured surface. Cut it into 1/2 inch ribbons and create a lattice top. Sprinkle the crumble topping over the top evenly. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 and bake for 45 minutes or until the crust and topping are slightly browned. 

Cool for 30 minutes then serve. 

White Fish with Tomato and Pepper Sauce

Fresh produce always makes a good meal great. We stumbled upon some fantastic grape tomatoes and tweaked this Cooking Light chicken recipe to use tilapia we had in the freezer.

The mixture of tomatoes, red and yellow peppers would pair well with other white fishes and, of course, chicken. The sauce does not overwhelm the fish or poultry and it's a quick sauce, making it perfect for a mid-week meal.

This amount of tomatoes and peppers makes enough sauce for about 6-8 fish fillets. 

Prep time: 15-20 minutes

Cook time: 10-12 minutes

Ingredients:

• Olive oil
• 1 medium sized onion, diced
• 1 yellow pepper, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 package of grape tomatoes, halved (about 2.5-3 cups)
• salt, pepper to taste

Optional: 

• black or green olives

Heat the oil in a medium sized pan. cook the onions until brown on the edges. Add the red and yellow peppers. If including olives, add them after the peppers. Cook until tender then add the tomatoes and cook until the skin is slightly wrinkled. Transfer mixture to another container and keep warm.

You have the option of cooking the fish in the broiler, or pan frying it in the same pan as the mixture.

• Broiler: line a pan with foil. Broil the fish for 2-3 minutes on both sides, taking care not to over cook.
• Pan fry: Using the same pan as the tomato mixture, pan fry the fish until browned, about 3-4 minutes on each side. 

Once the fish is cooked, top with the tomato mixture. Pair with a simple salad or grain, such as quinoa. 

Arroz con Pollo

Fresh spices have taken over our lives. We've moved on from our vanilla beans and onto saffron. While expensive, you use a very small amount to achieve a very satisfying flavor. Adding saffron to rice gives it a subtle flavor and a wonderful yellow color. 

Chicken and rice is an easily customizable dish, with a savory flavor made up of a number of vegetables. We put our spin on the classic Joy of Cooking recipe and did without the Dutch oven, ham and green olives. 

Very important tip: make sure the chicken is very brown and almost crispy before combining it with the rice mixture. This prevents overcooking the rice from cooking too long and sticking to the bottom of the pot. Making sure the chicken is well cooked also avoids a mushy dish, where all the textures melt into each other. 

This meal takes some time to prepare, but the reward is almost a whole week's worth of dinner for at least two people. 

Prep time: 30-40 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3.5-4.5 pounds of chicken parts. The more variety the better
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 cups uncooked long grain white rice 3 cups chicken broth
• 3-4 strands of saffron, roughly 1/4 teaspoon 
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 red pepper, diced
• salt, pepper to taste

Optional:

• 1/4 cup chopped green olives
• pimentos
• 1/2 cup of diced ham
• pinch of oregano
• 1 green pepper, diced

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a pan and brown the chicken well on both sides. Once browned, take the pan off heat and set aside. 

Heat 2 tablespoons of pan drippings in a large pasta pot. Add the onions, garlic, red and green pepper. Cook until onions are tender but not yet brown, then add the rice. Stir and cook for another minute, until the grains are coated with fat, then add the chicken broth and saffron. Bring the mixture to a boil, taking care to scrape the bottom of the pot in case rice begins to stick. 

Place the chicken in the pot and cover. Allow the mixture to simmer on low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add the unthawed frozen peas. 

Cover again and cook until the rice is tender, about 10-12 more minutes. 

Vanilla Rice Pudding

Rice pudding recipes are pretty easy to find online (thanks Google!). However, we wanted to post this as we used our fresh vanilla beans. 

While we've always read about the difference in taste with fresh vanilla, we didn't fully believe it until we actually had some.

Here's a standard recipe for vanilla rice pudding-with the added bonus of using fresh beans. Note: the thought crossed our mind to reduce the fat intake ever-so-slightly with skim milk. We learned the hard way that it tastes watery and not great with skim. Go with the whole milk and pretend it's skim.

Cook time: 45 minutes

• 1.5 cups water
• 3/4 cup basmati or short grain rice
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 cups whole milk 
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3/4 vanilla bean scrapings

Bring the water, rice, and salt to simmer in a large pot, uncovered. Once simmering, reduce heat to low and cover. Stir occasionally and simmer until the rice absorbs the water.

Add in the milk, whipping cream, and sugar, then scrape in the vanilla. Uncover and set to medium heat.

Cook until it thickens (about 35-45 minutes) and enjoy. We enjoy a cold rice pudding, but this can be served warm as well.

Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

Back to our homemade shenanigans. Honey mustard vinaigrette was something we were craving. This recipe is savory and not as tangy as others we've tasted. It is a good complement to more spiced salad toppings or seasoned meat or poultry. We used Dijon, but also recommend a whole grain mustard for a more robust mustard flavor. 

Prep time: 2 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1.5 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon or whole grain mustard
• 1 tablespoon honey
• dash of Kosher salt
• dash of black pepper

Using your favorite whisk or salad dressing contraption, whisk together ingredient. Serve cold or at room temperature. 

The Week's Favorite Meal: Barbecue Pork and Cheese Biscuits

We wanted to share one of the easiest menus that last a number of meals-it's pretty well balanced to boot. It's easy to reheat and initial preparation takes about 45 minutes. 

Menu:

• Barbecue Pork, with homemade barbecue sauce (prep time: 20 minutes)
• Baby spinach salad with thai vinaigrette (prep time: 5 minutes)
• Cheese biscuits (prep time: 25 minutes)

To prepare the barbecue pork, use thinly cut, boneless pork chops:

• Set the broiler
• Brush one side of the pork loin with the barbecue sauce and broil for 6 minutes
• Flip and brush the other side and broil for another 6 minutes

Experiment Update: Vanilla Extract

We wish there was a way to hold a taste test with you all! For the past few weeks, we've baked cookies (White Chocolate and Almond cookies to be exact) and banana bread with the newly made extract. The difference in flavor between our homemade version and store bought was quite shocking.

Both products had a more noticeable and crisper vanilla taste, which in turn enhanced the other ingredients; almost as if you could taste the individual morsels in the baked good. However, because the taste was stronger, half the amount should yield a less prominent taste.

For fun, below are all the pictures of the six week experiment and one we took today.

Week 1

Week 2

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

August 20, 2012

Barbecue Sauce With Six Ingredients

We're on a homemade kick and we blame the salad dressing. With Labor Day approaching, we wanted to try our hand at barbecue sauce. The base of all sauces is roughly the same: ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce. We wanted something a bit sweet and spicy and ended up with a six ingredient sauce:

• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar 
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1.5 tablespoons sriracha (natch)
• 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes

Mix it all together and slather on your favorite meats!

Experiment: Vanilla Extract Week 6

The vanilla has reached the minimum time stated to be ready! Color-wise it looks much like what you'd find in supermarkets. Next step in this process: cookies. Stay tuned!

Experiment: Vanilla Extract Week 5

The vanilla settled into a dark brown color, with more debris resting at the bottom of the mason jar. We have one more week to go until it is ready for use. Any ideas what we should bake first?

Asian Coleslaw

We're not big fans of normal coleslaw over there-a bit too much mayo. This coleslaw iteration gives the cabbage a bit more bite and savory flavor from an unexpected source: Ramen noodles. Yes, those Ramen noodles. One batch of this coleslaw could feed a bbq of 8-10 people and is a great complement to any bbq or friend chicken.


Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook's note: this does not keep its crunch and texture for more than one day. Eat it while it's good!


Ingredients:

• 16 oz coleslaw package
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 sugar
• 2 packages chicken seasoning from Ramen noodles
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds (you can also toast these or have them raw)
• 1 cup sunflower seeds
• 2 packages of crushed Ramen noodles

In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, sugar and chicken seasoning. Toss this dressing with the coleslaw package. Right before you're ready to serve, mix in the almonds, sunflower seeds and crushed Ramen noodles. 

Experiment: Vanilla Extract Week 4

Week 4 is looking good for our vanilla extract. The liquid is becoming darker, but there seems to be a bit more debris floating around. We will consider straining it before using it!

Pasta with Bacon, Artichokes and Shrimp

We haven't made pasta in forever and wanted to try our hand with shrimp. Granted, we used frozen shrimp, but baby steps! 


We used this recipe from All Recipes as a basis, but of course added our own flair (read: lots of spice and bacon!). 


The bacon taste is not too overpowering and and gives each bite a satisfying bacon flavor and same goes for the crushed red pepper flakes. These are very potent, so you can adjust to taste.


This is a very easy recipe, but watch the cook time on the shrimp to make sure it doesn't turn rubbery. 


The dish looks monochromatic, but trust us, there are many, many tastes at play here!


Prep time: 25 minutes (includes thawing of shrimp)
Cook time: 15 minutes


Ingredients: 

• 1 package fettuccine 
• 1 tablespoon bacon grease, plus the grease from the fresh bacon
• 2-3 strips of thick cut bacon, cut into strips 
• 1 (16 ounce) package frozen fully cooked salad shrimp, thawed
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 (14 ounce) can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan & Romano cheese

While the pasta is boiling, cook the bacon  and garlic until the bacon is crispy. Add the artichokes, shrimp, red pepper flakes and salt. Toss the pasta with the shrimp mixture. Top with the cheese mixture. 

Black Bean Taco Salad & Lime Vinaigrette

A new favorite from Cooking Light! We take out the chicken to make this a vegetarian dish. The black beans gives the salad a protein punch, yet with a spicy and tangy side, courtesy of the vinaigrette. 


By taking out the chicken, this becomes a very thrifty meal. Canned black beans are less than $2.00 and the fresh produce doesn't add up to much. If you have the spices for the vinaigrette, this is also one of the easiest meals to prepare. For leftovers, just be sure to store the bean mixtures separately if you would like to heat them up.


With these ingredients, this meal can last two people about 4 dinners.


Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes


Ingredients:

• Vinaigrette:
• 1/4 cup chopped seeded, ripe Roma tomatoes (about 4)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• 1 teaspoon grated lime rind
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 
  
• Salad:
• • You favorite salad greens (spinach works well, a nice spring mix, or even hearts of romaine) 
  • 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
  • 1 cup finely diced onion
  • 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained 
  • (optional: tortilla strips salad toppers,  1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese )
  • 
    
  • To make the vinaigrette, throw everything in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Store in a convenient bottle and chill for at least an hour before serving.
  • For the salad, saute the beans, onion and green pepper in a pan until the onions are slightly translucent. Cool and top with vinaigrette and cheese and tortilla strips if using. 
  • 
    
• 
  

What to do with bacon grease?

Aside from make amazing eggs and other breakfast foods in bacon grease, what else can we do? Right now we're trying to add it to some pasta, so stayed tuned!

Experiment: Homemade Vanilla Extract: week 2

Our experiment enters its second week. The soon-to-be vanilla extract changed color drastically. We gave it a good shake and put it back in the cupboard. We'll check on it next week and keep you updated!

White Chocolate and Almond Cookies

Sometimes the best recipes are right under your nose. A simple and delicious recipe for white chocolate chip cookies sits on the back of the Toll House package. We added some almonds for an extra bit of crunch.


Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 8 minutes per cookie sheet


Ingredients:

• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup white chocolate morsels
• 1 cup almond slivers

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.
In a medium sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat in the egg, then slowly add the flour mixture. Add in the chocolate morsels and almond slivers. Drop by rounded tablespoons on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 8 minutes.

Experiment: Homemade Vanilla Extract

We came across some great vanilla beans and were at a loss at how to use them. Fortuitously, we ran out of vanilla extract at the same time! Making vanilla extract is apparently the simplest, yet flexible recipe. The alcohol base can change from vodka to rum, but we stuck with vodka.


The same rule for cooking wine, applies to this vodka. Only use vodka that you would actually consider drinking!


You'll need a jar with a tight fitting lid and a cool dark place to store it. Once finished this will last for at least a year.


We'll be documenting the process with weekly updates. Stay tuned!


Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 2 months


Ingredients:

• 3 vanilla beans
• 1 cup vodka  

Sterilize the jar by submerging it in boiling water for 10 minutes. Make sure the jar is cool when ready to place the beans in.
Slice the beans in half, making sure to leave 1 inch of the stem intact. 

Place the beans in the jar and pour the vodka over it. Close the jar and store it somewhere cool and dark. Shake the container well once a week. The extract will be ready in two months and you'll notice the mixture change color throughout the process.

Vanilla extract, day 1

Reheat, enjoy!

Some recipes fair better as leftovers than others. We wanted to gather up our favorites from this blog, as well as from around the web. Happy leftovers!

• Chicken Pot Pie, The Remix
• Crustless Broccoli and Cheese Quiche
• Stroganoff, The Remix
• Tofu Vegetable Hot Pot (Cooking Light)
• Quick Vegetarian Chili (Cooking Light)