I opened my last bottle of vanilla, so it was time to make another batch. I picked up a bottle of Smirnoff Vodka and ordered Native Vanilla Grade A Bourbon vanilla beans. So for $28.00 I have two large jars of vanilla in the back of the baking cabinet marinating until I need them. These also make wonderful gifts so if you want to gift them at Christmas it's time to get them made now.
I like to use wood or bamboo lazy Susan's in my kitchen cabinets to keep like with like and have everything neat and tidy and easy to access. I picked up another one to organize some of our sauces in the top cabinet. This one is bamboo and I found it at Target.
The freezer still has a very large bag of jalapeno peppers from the summer, so I decided to make a batch of Peruvian green sauce. See my recipe here. Culinary Adventures with Lori: Search results for peruvian green sauce We enjoyed it on chili, lamb meatballs and a few other dishes. It really gives a kick that I love.
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While out shopping for groceries I came across this taco sauce. I usually make my own taco sauce but wanted to give this one a try since the ingredient list is pretty clean. I made soft shell beef tacos and gave it a try. For a jarred sauce, it is actually very good. So I will keep one on hand to use when I don't have time to make my own. I love finding good quality cheats to help out in the kitchen.
Last but certainly not least, I tried a new recipe for chocolate cake with Chantilly cream that Sherry posted. sherrys pickings: Forever Chocolate Cake
Wow, this is a delicious cake. The big guy is not a fan of chocolate cake but loved this one. I followed the recipe completely and I used a cup of fresh coffee instead of the instant coffee powder because I didn't have any. The coffee gives the chocolate an amazing flavor and the cake is so moist. I think it must have been named Forever Chocolate Cake because when you try it you will want to eat it forever. It's really that good.
Thank you again Sherry sherrys pickings for hosting In My Kitchen. I really enjoy seeing what others are doing in their kitchens all across the world.
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The homemade vanilla sounds like a great idea. I agree that chocolate cake made with coffee is so yummy! I think my recipe came from the Barefoot Contessa.
ReplyDeleteI've been making the vanilla for years and everyone I've given it to as a gift has loved it. This is a good cake. I couldn't believe the big guy was eating it and raving about it because he does not typically like chocolate cake at all.
DeleteNow that the cabinets are repaired, repainted and have brand new pulls, I might be brave enough to take pictures of mine even though I still have the tired laminate counters.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your new kitchen. I love mine and the layout but I do want new cabinets and countertops I just don't want to go through the renovation.
DeleteA few years ago a colleague brought fresh vanilla back from her trip to Tahiti. I didn't really know what to do with it so stuck in my sugar jar - which was fine until one day my son yelled that "something black had just crawled out of the sugar"!
ReplyDeleteYikes! My fresh vanilla comes vacuum sealed and I would hopefully notice if something was in it.
DeleteOh the only thing that was in the sugar jar was the vanilla - it's just that my kids had never seen it before!
DeleteWell that is good to know! lol
DeleteThanks for joining in, I had a giggle at the comment above something black in the sugar jar. Was it the vanilla bean or a bug that was imported from Tahiti? It's a wonderful idea to make your own vanilla for Christmas gifts. Great suggestion.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure but she said it was 'crawling' so I'm glad mine comes vacuum sealed. Most people do love to get a jar as a gift.
DeleteYou know what is funny. Almost every recipe from Sweden that my grandmother gave me has leftover or cold coffee in it. Like they wasted nothing...
ReplyDeleteI remember my grandmother using coffee in baking too. I only needed 1 cup for the cake and the big guy drank the rest so no waste. lol
DeleteI have read about making your own vanilla but I've never tried it.
ReplyDeleteThat cake looks delicious.
It's super easy to make and tastes so good. It comes out much less expensive too. The cake was AMAZING!!
DeleteCostco had a large jar of the Mateo's and I bought it a couple of weeks ago. It is still unopened but it was nice to hear your review.
ReplyDeleteOh my, that cake looks delicious. I had bookmarked Sherry's recipe to make after Lent.
The taco sauce is the first one I've tried but I see they have a lot of others. I do like the taco sauce. You HAVE to make this cake...it is delicious and so moist.
DeleteCoffee in chocolate - Mmmm - it so enhances the flavor. Great going on the vanilla!
ReplyDeleteI love how you call your hubs big guy - everyone that knew my husband called him that!!!! He was 6'4" and over 300 lbs. Yep, big guy was appropriate.
Have a great day!
So funny they share that nickname! My husband is 6'2 and 225 and I'm 5'4 130 so that's how people started referring him to me and it stuck many years ago. Have a great week Cheryl!
DeleteHi Lori~ I love the Mateo's salsa as well. I've only been able to find it at Costco, but it's sure worth the effort to buy it. I'll have to look for the taco sauce. Thanks for the reminder to get my vanilla made! I always think to do it in November...too late! The cake looks amazing, I'm headed right now to check out Sherry's recipes! Happy Monday - and Tuesday. Barb
ReplyDeleteHi Barb-The taco sauce is really good. I love the ingredient list. Yes, time to make the vanilla. I usually do it in January (before I forget) and was reminded in February when I opened my last bottle. lol Sherry has a lot of great recipes but this cake...OMG. Have a great week!
DeleteThat cake! Thank you so much for sharing! I am saving it right now.
ReplyDeleteBillie Jo-You or your daughter need this cake in your lives. It is such a good one!
Deletethanks Lori for joining in with IMK, and thanks for using my logo and for mentioning the choc cake recipe! I have a vanilla extract 'mother' that is about 8 years old - I just keep adding more vodka and more beans! it's like that chinese stock where you just keep adding bones etc so it gets to be as old as the cook :=) So I basically always have some 'old' vanilla available. So satisfying to DIY. cheers Sherry
ReplyDeleteThank you for hosting IMK and for sharing the cake recipe. I can't say enough about it. When the big guy will eat chocolate cake, it is a really good one. I love how you make your vanilla. I may give that a try. Have a great week!!
DeleteAhh I've seen people marinating vanilla beans like that, and always thought what a great idea it is! I really love the lazy susans too, my cupboards are a total chaos and I usually have to pull out half the cupboard just to find what I'm looking for !
ReplyDeleteI've made vanilla this way for years. Yes, lazy susans help me keep my sanity.
DeleteI want that cake. Yum. Regine
ReplyDeletewww.rsrue.blogspot.com
It is SO good Regine!
DeleteYou've convinced me Lori that I must make that chocolate cake as well. Love how you decorated it. I have a few bottles of vanilla pods in vodka too. I need to buy some more vodka to top them up. I also keep vanilla pods in my caster sugar, must give it a slight vanilla flavour for baking. Lovely post, and great to meet another blogger.
ReplyDeleteHi Pauline, thank you for stopping by. You will not be disappointed in that cake recipe at all, it is delicious. I have a small jar where I keep vanilla in my sugar for certain things also. Have a great day!
DeleteFirst of all the cake looks fabulous! I have to admit that I buy imitation vanilla because the real stuff is so expensive! However, I use so little because I hardly ever bake. I am not familiar with Matteo's salsa - I need to look for it.
ReplyDeleteThank you Judee! It is a delicious cake. I bake a lot so it is cheaper and tastier to make it myself. I just found the Matteo sauces and I'm impressed with the taco sauce. I haven't tried the salsa but will.
DeleteYes the older you get the faster time seems to fly by! Those lazy susans are a great idea! That chocolate cake looks so yummy! I'm going to have to try it!
ReplyDeleteIt does fly by doesn't it? I love lazy susans so you can get more in the space and be able to turn it to reach everything. I have them in a lot of my cabinets. That cake is the bomb!! I highly recommend.
DeleteI never bake, have just never enjoyed it. I like to cook though. I can imagine the flavors of coffee and chocolate together would be a good one. Since I don't bake, I never have Vanilla on hand, but had no idea how you would go about making it...but anything with something about bourbon has to be good in my book.
ReplyDeleteI like cooking more than baking but the big guy has a sweet tooth so I do it for him. Yes, how can you dislike bourbon? lol
ReplyDeletedo you know the word zenosyne? The emotional sense time accelerates as we age.
ReplyDeleteI am not familiar but will be looking into it. Thank you.
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