Homemade Vanilla Extract!

The holidays will be here before you know it.  If you receive my monthly newsletter then you're aware that the next few months I plan to share recipes for homemade "gifts from the kitchen," that you can give as a hostess, shower or holiday gift. 

Most of us enjoy giving gifts to family, friends and co-workers during the holiday season, but with the economy in the toilet it makes it a bit harder on the pocketbook!  However, creating homemade treats is not only affordable but it tastes better.  Plus, you can afford to give to everyone on your holiday list and then some, and still have money leftover to throw a party!  

Last week I shared how to make homemade Limoncello.  Today I'm going to share how to make Homemade Vanilla Extract.

If you're a baker then you know how often you use Vanilla Extract.  Pure Vanilla Extract which is what I'll be sharing with you, can be $10-$15 for a 4 ounce bottle.  To make your own it's a fraction of the cost.  Plus, I even had labels made for mine - I'll share that with you in a minute.

Homemade vanilla extract is so easy and fun to make. It's not as strong as the store bought varieties but will have a fuller and fresher flavor. The best part though, is knowing you made it yourself. 

It doesn't matter what alcohol you choose for making extract - it's more a question of which alcohol you prefer. The flavor of Vodka doesn't interfere with the taste of the vanilla and is what you'll typically purchase in the stores.  However, Rum or Brandy can also be used and are nice if drizzled over freshly baked cakes or added to stewed winter fruits.

When I decided to make homemade vanilla I opted to order amber colored glass bottles from Specialty Bottle Company, although you can purchase Vintage Bottles which can be fun, or clear bottles.  Since you're making these yourself, whatever bottles or vessel you choose is up to you.

For the Vanilla Beans I purchased in bulk, which saves you quite a bit.  I ordered 50 Madagascar Vanilla Beans from Beanilla for a mere $38.99. I love the aroma of the Madagascar Vanilla Beans and prefer those for making homemade extract and to use when baking.  If you're partial to another type, Beanilla offers a variety to choose from.

Madagascar Vanilla Beans are superior, with flavor and aromatic qualities that make these beans the most popular and sought after vanilla variety. The flavor is rich, dark and creamy with an overwhelming sweet, buttery aroma. These are well suited for many baking recipes, drinks and desserts. To learn more about the various vanilla beans; the best types, how to store them, how to use them, how they're graded and what makes them different, view here.

Of course, to make your gift complete there's nothing like a fancy label to adhere to your bottle.  If you're talented you can easily make your own.  However, if you're like me and don't have the time or don't have the technical skills, you'll love going to My Own Labels.  They literally have labels for everything.  

Be sure to check out each of these sites. I'm sure you'll have fun browsing and may even find something you like, whether for Homemade Vanilla Extract or some other gift your creating.

Below is the recipe for Homemade Vanilla Extract - I hope you have fun with it!.............. 

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Supplies Needed:

Labels (optional)

Vodka

Vanilla Beans (I used Madagascar)

Bottles with a tight fitting lid

Scissors or paring knife

funnel

Directions:

Split vanilla beans lengthwise (using a scissors or paring knife), down the center to expose the seeds,

 keeping the ends of the beans intact. The seeds inside the vanilla bean are called the "caviar."

Place one full split bean, folded in half, in a 4 ounce bottle. I use one bean per 4 ounce bottle and feel it's enough.  If you like you can add 2 beans for a fuller flavor.

Note: Five beans per 16 ounces of alcohol is the ratio that the FDA requires for commercial production of a single-fold vanilla extract.  This ratio is the most important aspect of making homemade vanilla.

Using a funnel, fill with high-quality vodka, rum or brandy, covering the top of the beans.

Seal bottles and let steep for 6 to 8 weeks in a cool, dark place such as a pantry. Shake the bottle 1-3 times a week, until  ready to use. The extract will last practically forever.

Eventually, the beans will lose their strength, but they should maintain their flavor for many months.  Add more alcohol as needed to keep the bottle replenished - you will never run out of extract.  At some point you might want to add a couple of split fresh vanilla beans to the bottle.

ENJOY!!!

Moist & Buttery Lemon Cake!

Last week I posted the recipe for Limoncello from Mamma Agata's cookbook, "Simple and Genuine."  Since I had lemons on hand I couldn't resist making her Lemon Cake that she has made over the years for many famous stars such as Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall.  Apparently Bogey loved her lemon cake, just as I'm sure you will when you make it.

I think you'll agree this cake is moist, buttery and delicious!

Below is Mamma Agata's Lemon Cake recipe from "Simple and Genuine."  For more luscious recipes you can order her book here. 

Be sure to read this recipe through before beginning.  Mise en place all ingredients as well.

Dolce al limone di Mamma Agata
(Mamma Agata’s Lemon Cake)

300 gr or 1 1/4 cups sugar

250 gr or 2 sticks butter (1/2 lb), PLUS an additional 1.5 Tablespoons butter, to grease the pan

4 eggs

Grated zest of 2 large lemons (4 lemons, if small) - use organic whenever you can 

A pinch Sea salt

300 gr or 2 cups “00” Flour
16 gr or 2 tablespoons of Pan degli Angeli Italian baking powder
 (I used regular American baking powder)
125 ml or 1/2 cup whole milk

50 gr or 1/4 cup hazelnuts (finely chopped and toasted) (I omitted)

Lemonade Mixture:
300 ml or 1 1/4 cups water
Juice of 3 lemons

8 Tablespoons sugar

Instructions:

1 ) Pre-heat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius or 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Whip the butter in a mixing bowl on high speed for at least two minutes.

2 ) Add the sugar and continue to whip until a soft cream forms. Mix the baking powder into the flour and set aside.

3 ) Add the following ingredients to the mixing bowl, one at a time, and blend after each:
 

• Eggs, one at a time,
•  
salt, 
• grated lemon zest
.

4 ) Alternate adding and blending the following ingredients into the mixing bowl: 

• 
Flour and baking powder mixture and milk. In other words, add one quarter of the flour and blend; then, add one quarter of the milk and blend. Repeat this process until all of the flour and milk are blended into the batter.

5 ) Mix the ingredients on medium speed for about five minutes until the texture of the batter has a light and airy consistency (similar to a mousse). NOTE: Do not beat the batter for longer than five minutes after adding the baking powder.

6 ) Coat the surface of the fluted pan with butter before dusting it with flour. Shake off any excess flour before adding your cake batter to the pan. NOTE: This step creates a non-stick surface so that the cake will easily release from the pan and retain its shape.

7 ) Pour the batter into your greased and floured pan.

8 ) Bake the cake in the pre-heated oven for forty minutes.

9 ) While the cake is baking in the oven, prepare the lemonade mixture as follows.

10 ) Squeeze the lemons into a pitcher (or other container from which you can easily pour the lemonade mixture later). Add the sugar to the lemon juice.
 Mix until the sugar is fully dissolved in the lemon juice. Add the water.

11 ) Once the lemon cake is finished baking, let it sit for two hours outside the oven to bring it to room temperature.

12 ) Before we start this process, we want to ensure that the cake does NOT stick to the pan. In getting it to room temperature, the butter has solidified and that means there is a risk that the cake will stick to the pan. Here is the process just to ensure it does NOT stick to the pan before we proceed.

13 ) Place a plate on top of the pan. Tip the pan over and carefully shake the cake out of the pan. Immediately, place the cake pan back onto the cake. Carefully turn the pan back over. Remove the plate to expose the cake. This will seem like we have done nothing, but what we have done is to ensure that the cake will not stick later when we are ready to plate it.

4 ) NOTE: If the cake does seem like it wants to stick, you will need to place the cake back in the oven for a few minutes, just to warm the butter, and it will release from the pan easily.

15 ) Now it is time to add the lemonade mixture to the cake – that is what makes it so moist.

16 ) Over thirty minutes: Slowly pour a little bit of the lemonade mixture all over the cake in the pan every ten minutes (i.e. three times in total). This will allow the cake to absorb the lemonade mixture very slowly. You should NOT have used all of the lemonade mixture at this point.

7 ) After thirty minutes, tip the lemon cake onto a serving plate and add the remaining lemonade to the top of the cake, distributing it evenly all over the cake. NOTE: If you feel that the cake is still too dry, you may make a little more of the lemonade.

18 ) Garnish the cake with finely chopped hazelnuts and enjoy!

This recipe looks more complicated than it is.  Just be sure to read through the entire recipe 1-2x before starting.  If you love lemons you'll adore this cake.

Enjoy!

Giveaway & How to Make Limoncello!

In June of 2007 we took an extended vacation to Italy. We started in the northern part of Italy - Milan, and made our way to the southern tip of the Amalfi Coast - Sorrento. Exhausted by the end of the month, the Amalfi Coast was the perfect setting for relaxation.

The turquoise waters were breathtaking and crystal clear.  We traveled by boat or ferry to many of the nearby islands for a taste of what each had to offer.  Universal, was the famous Limoncello (Lemon Liqueur), displayed in every shop on the coast in tall skinny neck bottles, with bright yellow liqueur filled to the brim.  Lemons grow in abundance on the Amalfi Coast and Limoncello is just one of the many things they use them for.

A famous culinary school in Ravello on the Amalfi Coast is Mamma Agata's Cooking School.  Although I was unaware of her school at the time, I was fortunate enough to discover it online years later.  I hope to make my way back someday soon to take one of her classes, and even arrange a culinary tour where others will join me.

Mamma Agata's cooking course is held in a state-of-the-art outdoor kitchen on a terrace in Ravello. The town of Ravello is located high above the Amalfi Coast, with views that stretch to Capri and beyond.

It is a town famous for its music and culture as well as gastronomic events.

Mamma Agata has a vast experience in traditional southern Italian cuisine.

Her life experience includes cooking for both Italian Heads of State and American celebrities that frequented Ravello in the 1950's and 60's, such as Humphrey Bogart, Elizabeth Taylor, and Jacqueline Kennedy and many others. She has been a private chef for international journalists, writers and politicians such as Susanna Agnelli.

Papa Salvatore married Mamma Agata in 1964.  They met at Villa Civita when Mamma was 14 years old, where Salvatore worked as a driver and a part-time gardener, and Agata worked as a personal cook. He later left Villa Civita to start a career as a waiter in a hotel restaurant.  After much hard work and long hours he became the Maitre d'hotel and continued in the business for more than 40 years.  It was with Salvatore's expertise gained through the hospitality industry that gave their family the essential knowledge, vital to opening the cooking school - which they call their Hidden Treasure.

Now Salvatore spends Monday through Saturday from 7:30am - 8:00pm working in the gardens with short breaks for lunch in the heat of the day, then still finding time to take care of their farm animials.  It is through his hard work, nurturing, passion, and devotion that their Hidden Treasure produces the most genuine organic vegetables, fruits and herbs, allowing Mamma Agata to create incredible dishes for her family, friends and guests.  Papa Salvatore is the families REAL TREASURE!

Chiara Lima, Mamma Agata's daughter, also lives in Ravello on the Amalfi Coast, where she teaches classes along with her mother, sharing her experiences with others.

Chiara is married to Gennaro who is the Sommelier of the family - with whom they share two lovely children - Mario and Paola.

Upon discovering Mamma Agata's cooking school I browsed their website and found they've published a beautiful cookbook that I'm thrilled to say I use in my kitchen to create luscious masterpieces, while reading their wonderful family stories at bedtime.  I feel like I know each member of their family, yet I've never met them.

I have communicated with Chiara numerous times and look forward to the day I finally meet her.  She is so warm and kind I feel like I've known her forever.  Everyone should be like Chiara!

Besides their cooking school and beautiful cookbook they also make their own olive oil, and pasta, among other items in their shop. I planning to make their Farmer's Spaghetti next, then drizzling the Extra-Virgin Olive Oil over the top - a dish I'm certain my family will adore.

With so many incredible Italian family recipes in this book, I'm finding myself like Julie Powell (Julie & Julia) following each and every recipe, page by page.  Recipes like Eggplant Parmesan with homemade tomato sauce, eggplant rolls (I love eggplant), stuffed zucchini flowers, Gnocchi - various versions,

numerous pasta dishes each one more tempting than the last, risotto, pork, veal, Mamma's famous Lemon Chicken, mouth watering meatballs in tomato sauce, vegetable dishes, her famous Lemon Cake and so much more.

Plus, their special Limoncello that I'm going to share with you today.

Even more, are the beautiful photos on every page, with stories to go with them.  I have to say, each time I see the photos of Chiara and Gennaro's children displayed throughout the pages of this book, I smile.  They are positively beautiful and look so sweet.

I can't say enough about Mamma Agata "Simple and Genuine" cookbook.  I love every page, photo and story that is shared.  It's truely a book to cherish!

I'm excited to tell you that Chiara was kind enough to let me offer one as a GIVEAWAY today!

However, if you don't win, you can always purchase a signed copy of Mamma Agata "Simple and Genuine" directly from Mamma Agata in Ravello, Italy.  Plus, if you'd like to see Chiara and Gennaro cooking, you can view their videos here.

Here's what you need to do to enter the GIVEAWAY:    Plus read more for the Limoncello recipe!

• "Like" Mamma Agata on Facebook
• "Like" At Home with Vicki Bensinger" on Facebook & Pinterest
• Tell me what your favorite Italian dish is - (MANDATORY)

By commenting each time that you did one of the above, it will increase your chances of winning.

The winner will be selected at Random on Sunday, September 16th.  Be sure to leave a link to your email address so I can reach you, in the event you are the winner.

I won't keep you in suspense any longer.

I decided to share Mamma Agata's recipe for Limoncello today, since the holidays are just a little more than 3 months away.  I love gifting homemade treats for the holidays, they mean so much more than store bought.  Plus, it's an affordable way to give to so many, and with great results.  I know you'll love this for yourself and to share.

Homemade Limoncello


You will need a large glass jar

Ingredients:

• zest of 6 or 7 large organic lemons
• 1 litre or quart of pure grain alcohol or vodka
• 5 cups (1250 ml) water
• 3 cups (700 gr) sugar

Instructions:
Peel the zest from the lemons with a vegetable peeler and place them into a large glass jar.

Try to avoid the bitter white pith of the lemon skin, under the yellow zest.

Add the alcohol to the jar with the lemon zest.

Cover the glass jar with plastic wrap and store it in a cool place for 7 days.

On the sixth day: 

• Boil the water and add the sugar to the boiling water (creating simple syrup).
• Stir the sugar until it is fully dissolved in the water. 
• Set the sugar syrup aside to let it cool over night.

On the seventh day:

Strain the lemons peels from the alcohol and discard the peels.

Pour the sugar syrup into the glass jar with the alcohol and stir well.

Serve chilled, from the refrigerator or freezer.


NOTE: This Limoncello will keep for one to two years. Store the Limoncello in bottles with a cap or cork in your bar or cellar. When you want to drink it, chill the Limoncello in the refrigerator or freezer before serving. 



ENJOY FOR YOURSELF OR TO GIVE AS A GIFT!

Congratulations!  The winner of the giveaway is:

 Savoring Time in the Kitchen.  

The winner was selected at Random and although it  shows 41 comments I posted 3 replies so there were actually only 38 comments.

Thank you for all your comments.  Mamma Agata's book "Simple and Genuine" is a beautiful book that I recommend to purchase for yourself or a gift.

Happy Cooking!

Healthy & Delicious Green Smoothie!

I've had a crazy week of cooking classes but I'm finally having a minute to sit down and add a new post.

I'm not sure how many of you eat raw food on a regular basis or what your eating habits are.  However, I love to eat Raw Foods but still like my fish, beef and chicken as well, keeping a good balance.

When I eat raw food, food that grows from the ground, "living food," not food that's been cooked above 120F degrees, I feel energetic and ready to tackle the world. It's truly incredible how it makes you feel and quite frankly, it's very easy to prepare.  Best of all it doesn't heat up the kitchen!

Last night I taught a Raw Food class and had a great time, my students did as well, and all were totally blown away at how delicious everything tasted.  They were shocked!  They didn't know Raw Food could taste so good.

With a list of recipes the one that surprised them most was the Green Smoothie.  Each of my students, of all ages, agreed it was fantastic and were happy to drink any additional leftovers.  

Of course, I served this to my family, and both my husband and daughter refused to try it because it was green.  My son tried it though, and loved it, as do I. 

You may think it sounds disgusting but trust me, this is worth trying.  It's delicious and so healthy.  Have a swig of this every morning, afternoon or for a snack and you'll be happy you did.

Here's the recipe, please let me know what you think of it.

Green Smoothie

makes 3 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

1 cup green grapes

1/2 cup pineapple chunks

2 cups fresh spinach, packed

1/2 ripe banana, peeled

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup ice cubes

Directions:

Place all ingredients into the blender in the order listed and secure lid.

Turn machine on and slowly increase speed to high.

Blend for 1 minute or until desired consistency is reached.  Serve immediately.

ENJOY!!!

Chicken With Preserved Lemon, Soft Black Olives, And Nigella Seeds

This past Wednesday we made our drive back home to Missouri.  I drove 14 hours and my daughter 2 hours with one dog in the back seat.  My husband took our other dog in his car.  To say the least I was exhausted all day on Thursday and part of Friday.  It's hard for me to understand why sitting all day long would make me so tired, but it did.  At any rate, we're home and settled in again, like we never left.

Prior to leaving Colorado, I posted a recipe for Preserved Lemons from Paula Wolfert's cookbook, "The Food of Morocco."  Although I've never been to Morocco, from what I've seen and read I'd love to visit someday.  After ordering Paula's book I became addicted to reading it. There's a wealth of  information about Morocco, the food, their culture, special Moroccan secrets for preparing dishes, plus wonderful photos of it all.  Paula Wolfert's recipes are so well written, revealing even the smallest tidbit of information was so useful, linking one page or item to another page giving greater detail, so your finished dish reaches perfection. Superb!

After posting the recipe last week for Preserved Lemons I realized I made an error saying that the lemons only took 7 days to prepare.  You prepare them in one day, placing them in a tight fitting jar, however, you should wait up to 30 days before eating them for superior flavor.  I'm sure by now if you've had the chance to review the recipe, you noticed the error.  I've since made the necessary corrections on last weeks post.

If you've attempted to make the preserved lemons I hope after the 30 days you'll try this recipe.  My husband who isn't fond of experimenting with new dishes tried this and finished everything on his plate then went back for more.  Both my kids and I enjoyed it too.  Everything was gone.

One word of advice though - be sure to rinse the preserved lemons well to remove any remaining salt, otherwise they'll be too strong.

I would also recommend to mise en place all ingredients in the recipe before starting to cook for ease of preparation.

Read the ingredient list and directions entirely at least 2 times, plus the asterisks (*) before embarking on this recipe.  It's really quite simple.

Here's the recipe......   

Chicken with Preserved Lemons, Soft Black Olives and Nigella Seeds

Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

One 3-pound chicken, quartered, backbone and wings removed

1 small garlic clove

*2 teaspoons nigella seeds, toasted and divided

2 teaspoons coarse salt

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, divided

1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced

**2 tablespoons saffron water

1 teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

8 ounces Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

2 small tomatoes, peeled, halved, seeded, and diced

2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro, divided

Juice of 1 lemon, or to taste

12 Kalamata or Gaeta olives, pitted, soaked in water to remove excess salt and vinegar, and drained

1 preserved lemon, pulp removed, rind rinsed and quartered

DIRECTIONS:

1. Rinse the chicken quarters and pat dry; trim away any excess fat. Slide your fingers under the skin to loosen it from the flesh.

2. Using a mortar and pestle, crush the garlic, half the nigella seeds and the salt to a paste. Mix in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Rub this mixture under and over the skin of the chicken.

3. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a 12-inch heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and fry, turning occasionally, until they are golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Push the chicken to one side of the skillet and carefully tilt the skillet to the other side, and use a spoon to remove almost all the fat.

4. Spread out the chicken pieces, flesh side down, add the onion, cover, and steam for 5 minutes.  Add 1 scant cup hot water, the saffron water, ginger, and pepper and bring to a boil   Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 20 minutes.  Remove the chicken breasts to a side dish.  Cover to keep moist.  

5. Add the potatoes, tomatoes, the remaining nigella seeds, and half the cilantro to the sauce in the pan.  Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes and chicken legs are fully cooked.

6. Return the chicken breasts to the skillet and reheat.  Correct the seasoning with the lemon juice, and baste the chicken with the sauce.  Decorate the dish with the olives, the preserved lemon wedges, and the remaining cilantro.

NOTE:

* Nigella Seeds - I had a difficult time finding Nigella Seeds, however they are also found under the name Charnushka (Nigella Sativa) at Penzey's.

** How to make Saffron Water - Dry 1/2 teaspoon crumbled strands of saffron in a warm (not hot) skillet.  Crush again, then soak in 1 cup hot water and store in a small jar in the refrigerator.  This will keep for up to a week.  For longer storage pour the saffron water into a plastic ice cube tray and freeze into cubes.  Once frozen, shake out the cubes and store in a freezer bag.  Each cube will be equivalent to 2 tablespoons saffron water or a good pinch of dried saffron threads.

Although there are several steps to making this dish it all comes together quickly.  I hope you try this tasty and unique Moroccan dish.

Enjoy!

How to Make "Preserved Lemons" for Moroccan Cuisine

Moroccan cuisine is the culinary star of North Africa. At the crossroads of many civilizations, the cuisine of
Morocco is a mélange of Arab, Berber, Moorish, French, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean African, Iberian, and Jewish influences. 

Moroccan cooking is enhanced with such fruits as, dried and fresh -- apricots, dates, figs, and raisins. Lemons preserved in a salt-lemon juice mixture are unique to many Moroccan dishes. Nuts are prominent; pine nuts, almonds, and pistachios.  Moroccan Sweets are rich and dense confections of cinnamon, almond, and fruit perfumes that are rolled in filo dough, soaked in honey, and stirred into puddings.  

Spices are used extensively in Moroccan food. Common spices include karfa (cinnamon), kamoun (cumin), kharkoum (turmeric), skingbir (ginger), libzar (pepper) , tahmira (paprika), anis seed, sesame seed, kasbour (coriander), maadnous (parsley), zaafrane beldi (saffron) and mint. Spices are the defining point to any authentic Moroccan meal and are also known to be used for their medicinal value. It's the special blend of spices that makes Moroccan cuisine taste so good. One special blend is the Ras El Hanout.

The ten spices considered the most important to Moroccan cuisine are:
Cayenne (felfla), cinnamon (karfa), turmeric (quekoum), ginger (skinjbir), black pepper (elbezar), aniseed (nafaa), sesame seeds (jinjelan), cumin (kamoon), paprika (felfla hlouwa), and saffron (zafrane).

A trip to a Souk will find you the essentials needed for your kitchen and home.

A Souk is a market, which may be held in a designated commercial quarter, or in an open-air location. Souks are an important part of life in the Middle East and their merchants carry a wide assortment of products from rugs to vegetables, just the place to find ingredients for your Moroccan recipes.

Moroccan dishes are fragrant and full of flavor.  Many include preserved lemons which can be purchased, but difficult to find in the U.S. However, making them is easy.

Preserved Lemons can take up to 30 days to prepare and can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 year.  A quick preserving method can be used but they will only last 2 days.

I'm going to share how to make Preserved Lemons using the 30 day method from Paula Wolferts cookbook, "The Food of Morocco."  Then, next Monday I will share with you a wonderful recipe using these Preserved Lemons, so when yours are ready you'll have a luscious recipe to use them in.

Here's the recipe:

Quartered Lemons, Juice, Salt and Jar with Tight Fitting Lid

Quartered Lemons placed in Jar with Salt and Juice Sealed Tightly

       

Taken Directly from The Food of Morocco

Don't forget to try this simple recipe for Preserved Lemons and meet me back here next week, for another recipe to use them in.  Until then......

HAPPY COOKING!