appreciating vanilla

November 22, 2013

Have you ever thought about the flavor differences in types of vanilla extract? With Thanksgiving so close (…think fresh vanilla whipped cream on those pies!…) I thought it would be perfect timing to share a Friday field trip to explore these differences.

To do so, I attended a vanilla ‘class’ at Williams-Sonoma – great preparation for holiday baking! I am sharing a little of what I learned and I am also including a simple recipe for holiday gift giving – vanilla sugar. (Wondering how I am tying vanilla sugar into my woodland holiday theme? Isn’t tasty vanilla sugar needed for sprinkling on berries? What better to add to a tray of fruits, nuts & berries? Or, to give in a pretty jar accompanied with fresh berries? Yum! )

In simple terms, vanilla extract is made by chopping vanilla beans, soaking them in a mixture of alcohol and water, and then aging the solution.

Taste testing three vanillas in milk at Williams-Sonoma. I also had the opportunity to taste vanilla in homemade vanilla ice-cream and to taste vanilla in pumpkin bread served with vanilla whipped cream.

The differences in taste occur based on where the vanilla originates. At Williams-Sonoma, I had the opportunity to taste test the three most common kinds – Tahitian, Mexican and Madagascar Bourbon – the Mexican and Madagascar Bourbon beans are more strongly scented, while Tahitian are more delicate. Mexican beans are in short supply, however, while Madagascar Bourbon beans make up about three-fourths of the total supply.

Tahitian Vanilla is grown on the island of Tahiti; this distinct member of the vanilla family is prized for its aromatic, fruity, cherry-like flavor. A favorite of French pastry chefs, Tahitian vanilla performs best when used in low or no-heat applications, as its delicate flavor can become weakened in the presence of high heat. Enjoy Tahitian pure vanilla extract in refrigerated and frozen treats, fruit pies and sauces, cream fillings, smoothies and shakes. This vanilla is ideal for a vanilla ice cream that is to be served with fresh fruits or fruit desserts.

Vanilla, one of the most popular flavors in the world, originated in Mexico. Mexican vanilla is known for its creamy, spicy flavor that has a special affinity for dishes that contain chocolate, cinnamon and other warm spices. When properly processed, Mexican vanilla is of exceptionally high quality and flavor. Enjoy Mexican pure vanilla extract in cookies and cakes, chocolate drinks, confections and frozen treas. Also try it in spicy savory dishes, such as chili, tomato sauces and barbecue sauces.

Made from beans from on the island of Madagascar, Madagascar Bourbon vanilla is the king of vanillas. It takes the name “Bourbon” not from Kentucky whiskey, but from the French Bourbon court that ruled Madagascar in the 1800’s. Madagascar Bourbon vanilla is considered to be the highest-quality pure vanilla available, described as having a creamy, sweet, smooth, mellow flavor that blends beautifully with a variety of foods. It is especially suited to rich foods such as ice cream and butter cream as well as cookies, cakes and confections.

I think this is a great guide for those of us that haven’t attended pastry school! Thank you Williams-Sonoma! I also learned that when adding vanilla extract to hot food, to first let the food cool for a few minutes. When the extract is added to hot food, the alcohol evaporates, taking with it some of the vanilla flavor!

I hope you enjoyed today’s Friday field trip exploring the differences in vanilla extract!

Have a wonderful weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

no comments

repurposing clothespins

November 5, 2013

I guess being born a Virgo and a firstborn explains how the simplest of organizing ideas can get me excited.

Using extra clothespins as an organizing tool is a perfect example…yes, I find this exciting!

Who hasn’t used a clothespin to hold a chip bag closed?

But, by adding a few stamped letters and a freebie refrigerator magnet, I gave a few clothespins some more specific daily assignments. Days of the week clothespins are a great way to help organize the week’s menu by clipping recipe cards onto the appropriate day that you will need them… an easy way to have some clothespins doing double-duty in your kitchen. Also a great way to remember a coupon you may need to use on a specific day during the week.

You can also add a little character to some old style clothespins by adding a coat of whitewash and then using a little sandpaper to give a worn appearance. I like to use these as ‘clips’ for markers on my appetizer trays…here for a dessert tray, I also added a splash of gold to go with a gold theme.

I am also incorporating some clothespins into my woodland holiday theme table decor…using a glue gun to add some pheasant feathers and some scrap velvet to some clothespins, they will stand in for more traditional napkin rings. I always have plenty of feathers on hand, but if you don’t have access to game bird feathers, you can certainly pick some up at the craft store.

Another use for wooden clothespins to tie into my woodland theme is to use them with mini brown bags to create a natural element Advent calendar…stamp the days on the clothespins and clip natural materials to bags you have filled with surprises.

A jar full of leaves from the backyard serves as a ‘jar of thanks’ …a slip of paper from each guest on Thanksgiving Day, giving a message of thanks, is folded and included in the jar to be read later in the day.

Do you have any great uses for wooden clothespins?

Thanks so much for stopping by. Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

no comments

thanksgiving treats

October 29, 2013

Using a few confections, it is easy to create some cute candy turkeys to use Thanksgiving Day at place settings or as an after dinner activity for the little ones.

When my children were very young, I put together these candy turkeys to bring to my family’s Thanksgiving feast at my sister’s home.

Even though the kids are now well beyond grammar school age, candy turkeys have become something of a tradition at our Thanksgiving celebration. (As much a tradition as my brother-in-law playing “Alice’s Restaurant” as background music!)

So, at my sister’s at Thanksgiving, not only does she supply more varieties of pies than people, but also the ingredients for making candy turkeys.

Using a few candy ingredients and some melted chocolate as the ‘glue,’ the turkeys are easy to put together. (My sister has sometimes successfully substituted prepared canned frosting.)

Don’t pass up this wonderful opportunity to embrace playing with your food!

Note: for instructions to make the acorn ornament to use as a napkin ring, click here.

Thanks so much for stopping by…

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

5 comments

quick lime dip

October 22, 2013

The flavors of lime and graham cracker taste so great together, don’t you think? Think key lime pie…yum!

My mom serves a lime dip with mini graham cracker pretzels at the holidays and it is always a big hit. I decided to create a version of my own.

The lime flavor dip was easy to recreate. I used a cream cheese base and just added some lime flavor and some sweetness…so easy!

Using an electric hand mixer, I beat a package of cream cheese and added the juice from 3 limes, a couple tablespoons of lime zest, and confectioner’s sugar to taste. Easy, right? Just add some mini graham crackers and serve. I didn’t find any pretzel shaped ones like the ones my mom served, but I did find some all natural mini grahams in the grocery store.

Since the filling of key lime pie is made with sweetened condensed milk, you can use that as your sweetener if you want to stay more true to the taste of a key lime pie.

Great to serve as a snack or as a dessert!

If this flavor combination appeals to you, be sure to try the Chobani yogurt “flip” in key lime crumble! “Flips” are my latest obsession! (Almond Coco Loco is my favorite!)

Thanks for stopping by and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

no comments

dreaming of a white halloween

October 15, 2013

Who says Halloween decorating has to be black and orange? I prefer white…think ghosts, tangles of spider webs, fangs…all white! So, why not decorate with white?

Of course decorating with treats is a requirement…and there are some great white options. Because I love white decorating, I often create white dessert tables at the holidays. White is a fun option for Halloween treats also!

For visiting adults on Halloween, champagne bubbles are the perfect sweet!

Decorating a white Halloween. Create a white on white polka dot pumpkin by creating white dots with acrylic paint, white nail polish, or white felt and glue. Champagne bubbles in treat sacks continue the dot theme.

These “yum” sacks are better suited to the young ones. Fill with white jelly beans, mini marshmallows, or white gum drops to appeal to younger tastes.

I made these ghosts from a traditional meringue recipe. Flavoring them with root beer makes them a fun and different sweet for Halloween. The color from the root beer extract also gives them a vintage color. Eyes are easy to create with a toothpick and some black paste food coloring.

If you would rather purchase your ghosts, the traditional ‘Peeps’ come in ghost form…

I hope you are inspired to create some white Halloween of your own!

Homemade caramel apples dipped in white chocolate and coated in sliced almonds still to be made ;)

Some easy-to-make votives to spread your Halloween message…wrap votives in white linen stamped with appropriate letters.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing at Craftberry Bush, A Pinch of Joy, and The Well Crafted Home.

1 comment

monthly book giveaway for october!

October 1, 2013

I am finding it hard to believe it is already October! This means it is time to give away September’s book selection and to announce the giveaway for October!

Congratulations to Katherine over at the blog Creating Through Life for winning the September book giveaway! Katherine will receive a signed copy of Cook Like a Rock Star by Anne Burrell. You are going to love this book Katherine!

Now for October’s giveaway selection! This month’s book is a unique selection that goes along with the ‘outdoorsy’ woodland vibe I have been exploring lately…remember my holiday inspiration?

This book is about foraging in your backyard! It is a really interesting selection…you will be amazed at the 65 familiar plants you didn’t know you could eat! The book is called Backyard Foraging and I am giving away a copy signed by the author, Ellen Zachos. Ms. Zachos, author of many books on gardening, leads foraging walks and teaches at the New York Botanical Garden, where she received her certification in Commercial Horticulture and Ethnobotany.

Leave a comment here or on facebook to win this month’s giveaway. Good luck!

Isn’t this a perfect selection as a tie-in to my inspiration board?

Happy October! Thank you so much for stopping by, Jackie Instagram users, read on…

For you Instagram lovers, this month’s challenge is to share any white pumpkin sightings using hashtag #pleasuregram.

7 comments

mini white pumpkins 3 ways

September 24, 2013

I am not a big Halloween person. Granted, I do like planting in pumpkins, making pumpkins, carving pumpkins, and eating pumpkins. And… I certainly like candy! But I’m really not into the whole black and orange decorating thing and I don’t find being scared out of my wits an enjoyable past time.

It was not until the white pumpkin hit the scene that I took a dedicated interest in Halloween decorating.

I thought today I would show you some ways to use mini white pumpkins this season and maybe you too would get hooked on using them in your Autumn decor!

Here are three easy ways to change up white pumpkins for autumn decorating.

A really easy way to dress up a white pumpkin is with some metallic paint. Just a little acrylic paint sponged onto a white pumpkin dresses it up for the fanciest of occasions.

Plasti Dip is another great material to use on white pumpkins. It easily and instantly adheres to the pumpkin and can be tinted in any color. I used some pink I had tinted from a previous project for these pumpkins. Even the stems are fair game! Love it!

For a Halloween party, black Plasti Dip dripped down a white pumpkin would look nice and creepy!

A really great thing about white pumpkins is that it is so easy to coordinate them with any color. When I wanted some gray toned pumpkins to use with zinc items, I just tinted some white pumpkins gray! I rubbed the surface with a little black paste food coloring to get the perfect color to use with my table setting! I sprayed the finished project with a matte finish clear coat.

What can you do with some mini pumpkins for your next get together? Have fun with it! Use hash tag #pleasuregram to share your mini white pumpkin creation on Instagram.

Thank you so much for stopping by! Remember to find pleasure in simple things, Jackie

1 comment

appetizer for a television obsession

September 17, 2013

If watching television is going to be a special occasion, preparing a special snack to accompany it is in order – so while football fans are enjoying beer and barbeque, my idea of the perfect television fare is a little different…

For quite some time my favorite show has probably been Top Chef. I love shows on Food Network and HGTV. I won’t watch scary movies or graphic violence…I still have nightmares from the shower scene in the movie Scarface. So how did I come to love a show that involves so much graphic, drug related violence? It happened during the snowstorm last winter when the record breaking snow made it impossible to drive anywhere for four days and I started watching some on demand television shows.

And, in spite of the violence, I got hooked on Breaking Bad…the brilliant writing and the phenomenal acting had me enthralled…yes, I do sometimes close my eyes for some of the more graphic moments (like the twins!)…but, I have now watched every episode… and as the final 3 episodes air, I prepare for each one ceremoniously.

My appetizer recipe…I garnished mine with walnuts. You can change up the pears with apples, caramelized onions, etc.

This was my special snack for last Sunday’s episode It is easy to prepare and really tasty. If you keep a loaf of bread in the freezer, a quick and delicious appetizer is always at the ready…for unexpected company or, in my case, a snack for a television obsession.

Hope your week is starting off great! Thank you for stopping by.

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing at The Shabby Nest.

no comments

monthly book giveaway for september!

September 1, 2013

chef anne burrell

Congratulations to Gayle M. for winning the August book giveaway – a signed copy of Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann. I know you will enjoy this New York Times bestseller! Enjoy! Taking a quick time out of the holiday weekend to announce the September giveaway…

Our September selection is a little different this month. It is a cookbook! It happens to be a wonderful cookbook written by celebrity chef Anne Burrell.

I love this cookbook, and when I got the chance to meet Anne Burrell a few months ago, I knew I wanted to get a signed copy of Cook Like A Rock Star for one of my monthly giveaways on pleasure in simple things. So, rather than the usual fiction novel, this cookbook will be the giveaway selection for September!

I enjoy watching Anne cook on television and found out she is a real sweetheart in person! And, believe me, Cook Like A Rock Star is a great addition to any cookbook collection…great recipes and wonderful photographs!

Be sure to leave some comments on the blog, facebook, twitter, or instagram to increase your chances to win! Good luck!

I hope you are enjoying your holiday weekend! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Instagram users – please read on for the September Instagram Challenge…this month a color inspiration is provided each week – use the color of the week to inspire your instagram photos!

6 comments

signature creation

August 30, 2013

I attended a very special wedding this summer when my nephew married a wonderful girl from New Jersey. At the wedding, I drank more than my fair share of the couple’s signature cocktail…D & P Pimm’s Cup.

For today’s Friday field trip, we are taking a trip to Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club in Bedminster, New Jersey (the magnificent wedding venue) where the bartender graciously shared the recipe for this addicting concoction! (All except the recipe for the club’s house made lemonade…I improvised my own on this!)

Pimm’s Cup is a gin based British liqueur, and with its subtle spice and citrus flavor, it is a perfect summer (or, anytime) drink component.

It was the first time I had tasted Pimm’s Cup, but based on the D & P Pimm’s Cup sightings in the wedding photos, I made up for it at the event! Well, I had to properly honor the couple, didn’t I ? ;)

Before I put the drink together for myself at home, I made up my own batch of strawberry basil lemonade.

To make my own, I started by making a simple syrup. I used 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar combined in a saucepan and heated, while stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolved. I put this aside to cool.

I then pureed a cup of strawberries and 2 oz. of fresh lemon juice in a blender on high until smooth, straining it into a pitcher.

To the pitcher, I added 6 oz. of fresh lemon juice, simple syrup to taste (about 1/2 cup), 3 cups cold water, and a cup of fresh basil leaves. I also added a lemon I had leftover – washed it and sliced it up. I stirred this together and refrigerated before using.

This gave me plenty of lemonade to use for making my D & P’s!

For a quicker version, you can always add some strawberry puree and basil leaves to purchased lemonade.

Make up a batch of D & P’s for your end of the summer bash! The recipe is easily adjusted for those under 21 (by eliminating the Pimm’s), so it is a wonderfully refreshing addition to any gathering!

Since I am still soooo excited about the wedding and all my new family, I am sending out official D & P Pimm’s Cup recipe cards to anyone that requests one – simply email or inbox me your address! Enjoy!