Vanilla Extract Update – Day 10

Our homemade vanilla extract – Day 10 Update

vanilla extract from the best food blog 5starcookies - update day 10
vanilla extract from the best food blog 5starcookies – update day 10

If you want to make vanilla extract you need only 2 ingredients:

-Vodka

-Vanilla beans

For the instructions please click the link below:

Homemade Vanilla Extract – Show me HOW?

Happy Sunday!

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5starcookies

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Vanilla Extract Day 3 – Update

The journey of life with the homemade vanilla extract

Day 3 – Sassy Vanilla Extract

Vanilla extract day 3 from 5starcookies food blog
vanilla extract day 3 from 5starcookies food blog

Normal view – Do we know what is it anymore?

vanilla extract from 5starcookies food blog day 3
Vanilla extract from 5starcookies food blog day 3

If you want to check how to make homemade vanilla extract please click on the link below

How to make vanilla extract from 2 ingredients?

Love and hugs

from the best food blog

www.5starcookies.com and Cookie Quinn

Vanilla Extract – Do you know how to make it?

Are you interested in some kind of sick and depressing game that I called “Do you remember how much the bottle of vanilla extract cost in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015?

2011 – $6.89

2012 – $6.89

2013 – $6.99

2014 – $7.99

2015 – May – $9.99

– July – $11.99

– Sep – $12.99

Right now if you go to the Costco the cost of 473 ml of pure Vanilla Extract is close to $30.00

If this game above is not going to bring you to the homemade solution I don’t know what it will!

So, let’s save some money and make the “HOMEMADE VANILLA EXTRACT” !

You will love it.

So, 3 – 2 – 1 VANILLA EXTRACT STARTS RIGHT NOW!

HOW?

First you need to find stores that sell alcohol. Don’t get excited. This shopping is only for the homemade vanilla extract.

You need to buy only two ingredients:

-Vodka and vanilla beans.

Vanilla Extract Homemade from the best food blog 5starcookies
Vanilla Extract Homemade from the best food blog 5starcookies food blog

I bought the vodka from Poland that is 1.14l (about 4 and 1/2 cups).

For this size I use 5 packages of vanilla beans which is 35gr or 15 beans.

Vanilla Extract Homemade from the best food blog 5starcookies Buy it at the Walmart
Vanilla Extract Homemade from the best food blog 5starcookies Buy it at the Walmart

Ingredients:

Vodka 1.14 L (about 4 and 1/2 cups)

Vanilla Beans (35 gr or 15 beans)

Directions:

Use a knife to split the bean in half (cut lengthwise down each vanilla bean, splitting them in half, leaving an 1/2 inch at the end connected.

Vanilla Extract Homemade from the best food blog 5starcookies - how to make it
Vanilla Extract Homemade from the best food blog 5starcookies – how to make it

Put vanilla beans in a bottle. Add 4 and 1/2 cups of vodka.

Close bottle and store in a cool, dry place for at least 2 months. (up to 6)

Vanilla Extract Homemade from the best food blog 5starcookies - put vanilla beans into the bottle
Vanilla Extract Homemade from the best food blog 5starcookies – put vanilla beans into the bottle

Shake the bottle vigorously every day for at least the first week.

By the second or third day the extract should be a bit darker.

Week 2, 3, 4 and 5 – Shake the bottle a few times a week. If you are stressed out shake the bottle every day.

And don’t panic. Just imagine all your problems are turning into vanilla extract. You can handle it and shake it any

day, any time you want to.

Week 6 – You have a very raw vanilla extract. You can use it in your recipe.

As you use the vanilla, simple add in more vodka to replace what you have used.

Last for years.

Since it is the first day of this lovely homemade vanilla extract I added just a touch of green…

….in background …Enjoy it!

Vanilla Extract Homemade from the best food blog 5starcookies - put vanilla beans into the bottle in front of green wall
Vanilla Extract Homemade from the best food blog 5starcookies – put vanilla beans into the bottle in front of green wall

Vanilla Extract - Do you know how to make it?

Vanilla Extract - Do you know how to make it?

Ingredients

  • Vodka 1.14 L (about 4 and 1/2 cups)
  • Vanilla Beans (35 gr or 15 beans)

Instructions

  1. Use a knife to split the bean in half (cut lengthwise down each vanilla bean, splitting them in half, leaving an 1/2 inch at the end connected.
  2. Put vanilla beans in a bottle.
  3. Add 4 and 1/2 cups of vodka.
  4. Close bottle and store in a cool, dry place for at least 2 months. (up to 6)
  5. Shake the bottle vigorously every day for at least the first week.
  6. By the second or third day the extract should be a bit darker.
  7. Week 2, 3, 4 and 5 - Shake the bottle a few times a week. If you are stressed out shake the bottle every day.
  8. And don't panic. Just imagine all your problems are turning into vanilla extract. You can handle it and shake it any
  9. day, any time you want to.
  10. Week 6 - You have a very raw vanilla extract. You can use it in your recipe.
  11. As you use the vanilla, simple add in more vodka to replace what you have used.
  12. Last for years.

I wish I can share this smell with you…it is amazing!

Vanilla Extract Homemade from the best food blog 5starcookies - just a touch of heaven. Love your vanilla
Vanilla Extract Homemade from the best food blog 5starcookies – just a touch of heaven. Love your vanilla

For the next few months we will follow the progress of homemade vanilla extract.

What else do I need to report to you?

Maybe you are interesting into the following  – THE COST!

In Canada the bottle of Vodka (1.14 L was on sale for about $30.00 + taxes)

The vanilla beans are expensive. I found at the Walmart – 7gr for $4.27! (you get 3 beans). I bought 5.

So, 5 x 4.27 = $21.35

So, the total cost is $30.00 + $21.35 = $51.35 + taxes

So, how much money do you actually save?

  1.  ~ $10
  2.  ~ $20
  3.  ~ 25

The answer is coming soon….

If you like making the homemade vanilla extract you will love making Nutella Pots de Creme – I am in love with this recipe

Nutella Pots de Creme of the best food blog 5starcookies
Nutella Pots de Creme of the best food blog 5starcookies

Another choice – Golden Oscar Lava Cake – Escape your reality into this cake

Yellow Golden Oscar Cake 5starcookies
Yellow Golden Oscar Cake 5starcookies

So, dear my readers enjoy your Friday.

See you soon!

Love and hugs from your favorite food blog 5starcookies and your Cookie Quinn.

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Happy Chinese New Year – YEAR OF THE ROOSTER

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!

The Year of the Rooster begins on January 28, 2017.

Celebrations will begin on January 27, New Year’s Eve, and typically last around two weeks, making this the longest holiday in the Chinese calendar.

Happy Chinese New Year – Lady in Red

5starcookies-Lady in Red
5starcookies Lady in Red

Famous Roosters:

Michael Caine

Goldie Hawn

Donald Trum

Jennifer Aniston

Cate Blanchett

Matthew McConaughey

Justin Timberlake

Britney Spears

Ariana Grande

Happy Chinese New Year - Year of Rooster
Happy Chinese New Year – Year of Rooster

Love and hugs

from your favorite food blog

5 STAR COOKIES!

Home Sweet Home of 5 Star Cookies

COOKIE QUINN…

HAPPY THANKSGIVING CANADA

Happy Thanksgiving Canada
Happy Thanksgiving Canada

Thanksgiving Day in Canada has been a holiday on the second Monday of October since 1957. It is a national public holiday in Canada.

The very first Thanksgiving celebration in North America took place in Canada when Martin Frobisher, an explorer from England, arrived in Newfoundland in 1578. He wanted to give thanks for his safe arrival to the New World.

The origins of Canadian Thanksgiving are more closely connected to the traditions of Europe than of the United States.

Thanksgiving would be “a day of general thanksgiving to almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed.”

A common image seen at this time of year is a cornucopia, or horn, filled with seasonal fruit and vegetables. The cornucopia, which means “Horn of Plenty” in Latin, was a symbol of bounty and plenty in ancient Greece. Turkeys, pumpkins, ears of corn and large displays of food are also used to symbolize Thanksgiving Day.

happy thanksgiving canada
HAPPY THANKSGIVING CANADA

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HAPPY THANKSGIVING CANADA!

Cream Puffs, French Open, Djokovic and Murray

The best French Dessert – Cream Puffs!

Tomorrow is the day. The men’s final. French Open!

The day when Djokovic is going to WIN!

To translate that into baking language let me show you the result of the baking tennis match between Cream Puff Djokovic against Cream Puff Murray.

They both used the same recipe which you can find using the link for  Cream Puffs 

The result: See below

  1. Djokovic Cream Puff
cream puffs good decission
Djokovic – He Won

2. Murray Cream Puff

cream puffs bad decission
cream puffs – Murray

As you can see, Djokovic clearly won. Their baking trophy ceremony picture is taken by an amazing photographer Cookie.

cream puffs good and bad together
cream puffs good and bad together

After the ceremony, Novak fans enjoys eating Cream Puffs

cream puffs
cream puffs French recipe

Or Oreo In Paris

Love and hugs from your favorite blog,

5 STAR COOKIES

GOOD LUCK NOVAK! TOMORROW IS YOUR DAY!

My dear readers if you are fan of Murray…well too bad …Djokovic is the WINNER!

Love you all….

 

If you need to butter someone up-HOMEMADE BUTTER

homemade butter from the best food blog 5starcookies
homemade butter from the best food blog 5starcookies

Hi,

Do you need to butter someone up? Like your husband, your boss…

or do you want to make magic in your kitchen that will help you lose 20 lbs . (You will learn more about it in my next post).

Yes,  I am talking about making homemade butter. Do you even remember what kind of butter it is?

Pure, unadulterated, rich and creamy and fatty, and above all, your own creation.

If you want your butter to be “the best one” you need and you must pay attention to the quality of the milk.

So, my tip number one: Buy the high quality milk (the best one you can find and afford).

I like to say I want milk from happy cows-cows that have been happily munching grass. It will produce richer, sweeter tasting milk and cream—which translates into better butter.

For this recipe you need only one ingredient:

Whipping Cream (2 cups). It has to be room-temperature cream.

2 cups cream
2 cups cream

Put 2 cups of cream into mixer and  whip it on high speed for about 10 min.

 

5 star cookies whip cream
whip cream

It will initially whip up into whipped cream but keep going.

The whipped cream will get thicker and thicker, like whipped butter. Keep whipping. You will see sudden change

when the milk fat and solids separate out dramatically, leaving thin liquid behind.

What you see is the butter fat separating from the buttermilk.

Be sure to use your kitchen towel to cover up any open areas to avoid splashing.

Very important: Please drain away all of that buttermilk and use it for your favorite recipe.

5 star cookies - homemade butter milk
5 star cookies – homemade butter milk

To finish the butter, pour 2 cups of your ice water over the butter, into the mixer, and rinse the remaining buttermilk out of the butter by running mixer on medium speed.

Once again, drain the excess water at the bottom of the mixing bowl

Repeat the cold water rinse (3 or 4 times), until water is clear after mixing. Drain any remaining water into sink.

The more thoroughly you rinse, the longer your butter will last.

Using your spatula, loosen the butter from the whisk and press butter fat onto the side of the mixing bowl to remove any excess water.

Then pack it into an airtight container or into some plastic wrap. It can store it in the fridge for up to 2-4 weeks.

5 star cookies - butter in jar
5 star cookies –
butter in jar

Sending you love and hugs,

Your Cookie

from

https://www.5starcookies.com

homemade butter from the best food blog 5starcookies
homemade butter from the best food blog 5starcookies

 

Onion Skins – Natural Color to Your Easter Eggs

Dyeing and decorating eggs is an Easter tradition. The fun part is, there are so many ways to do it.

For this post I will select easy and natural way – ONION SKINS.

Yes, we are dyeing Easter eggs naturally with onion skins.My grandmother and my mother made the most beautiful Easter eggs using this method.

Now you can do it too. Just follow instructions below and you will hear comments like: ” Beautiful! Those are the prettiest Easter eggs I’ve ever seen!”

And smile. (because our life is the biggest joke …just watch TV).

Now, let’s do it!

Easter Eggs
5 Star Cookies – Easter Eggs

To make this process success we will need the following:

-skin of organic yellow onions

-pantyhose (buy in $ Store)

-pot of boiling water

-vinegar

The eggs will come dark reddish-brown and you will impress your friends, family and your kids.

It is simple, easy and NATURAL!

Onion Skins - Natural Color to Your Easter Eggs

Onion Skins - Natural Color to Your Easter Eggs

Ingredients

  • Skin of Organic Onions (between 6 to 10 lbs)
  • Pantyhose (Dollar Store)
  • Pot of Boiling Water
  • 1 TBSP Vinegar
  • 20 Eggs

Instructions

  1. Cut about 5 inch sections of the pantyhose (enough to wrap around an egg and make a knot)
  2. Gently wrap the pantyhose over the egg and pull tight to keep it in place and allow dye to soak through. Tie a secure knot in the back.
  3. Fill the pot with water (it must cover the eggs, and place the burner on medium.) and 1 Tbsp vinegar.
  4. Add eggs and when water starts to boil,boil for about 25-30 minutes.
  5. Take eggs out of the pot.
  6. Turn cool water on over them and gently remove the pantyhose.
  7. Rub them with the bacon or with olive oil.
  8. YOU ARE DONE! ENJOY!

If you want to see what you did to poor skin onions…

Onion Skin - What is left of me
Onion Skin

Or if you want to see dark life of onion skins….look below

Dark Life of Onion Skins
Dark Life of Onion Skins

I know the picture above is not pretty…but see your final product below.  I love my eggs…specially with the glossy finish

Eggs and Bacon
Eggs and Bacon

I did say, you will hear: “Beautiful! Those are the prettiest Easter eggs I’ve ever seen!”

Eggs in Cage
Eggs in Cage

HAPPY EASTER!

Love and hugs

from your favorite blog

5 star cookies

and your

Cookie

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