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.