tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post2097261962650793419..comments2024-03-29T07:03:28.783-04:00Comments on ben and birdy: Holiday StuffBenBirdy1http://www.blogger.com/profile/13328557199418095755noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-72602790535405682512011-12-10T14:00:17.801-05:002011-12-10T14:00:17.801-05:00Just finished making our batch! My bottles of vani...Just finished making our batch! My bottles of vanilla are 8 oz though! HUGE. Not sure why I got 8oz instead of 4 oz...so we made them, but of course we had to use 1 c of vodka instead of 1/2. Will they suck?? I put 10 pieces of vanilla in them so 2 1/2 beans...please say they won't suck :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-35937789620350723292011-12-07T14:40:10.371-05:002011-12-07T14:40:10.371-05:00You weren't too late to be helpful - I was alr...You weren't too late to be helpful - I was already procrastinating and still am. I think I might start on vanilla gifts for next year now because I guess I am also sort of a slow cooker or pressure cooker person. This vanilla will either be super late or way early, depending on how you look at it! And thanks for the tip - I have a bad habit of maximizing instead of satisficing and therefore get all kinds of anxious when there are so many different options available. What if I get the wrong kind and am sad forever thereafter? Forgetting that hello, they are vanilla beans and I will be happy to have real, whole, delicious vanilla beans because they smell so good and they make things delicious and do I really think I have the kind of palate that can distinguish between beans grown in Tahiti or in Madagascar? I do not. ANYway, thank you! Off to buy some beans...Cherylhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00778019717146490967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-6228298505894324532011-12-03T17:48:57.426-05:002011-12-03T17:48:57.426-05:00I made the vanilla extract a couple of years back,...I made the vanilla extract a couple of years back, the first time you posted the recipe...funnily enough my Mother-in-law asked for more this summer (she said there is no comparison to store bought vanilla) so I made up a Christmas batch months ago - its darkening up nicely in a closet waiting to be decorated festively for gift giving! My mother in law said she puts the vanilla on cottage cheese, or something like that...some diet trick she knows for a sweet treat in the evening!Lorettahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00122371206726056210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-25112123963139975522011-11-30T16:57:47.471-05:002011-11-30T16:57:47.471-05:00Cheryl, I hope I'm not too late to be helpful!...Cheryl, I hope I'm not too late to be helpful! I bought some cheaper beans, and I can't remember how I came to that particular decision. Oh, wait! Yes I can. Because I like to not spend very much. : ) I don't think they were the very cheapest, but I wanted to make 12 bottles of vanilla, and needed lots of beans. Extras keep well, if they're wrapped airtight. What else. Yes, you can scrape the vanilla bean seeds out with the tip of a knife after the vanilla is used up, and you can add these to cakes or puddings. But I tend to leave the old beans in the bottle and add new beans and top it up with booze--kind of indefinitely. Let me know if I can be more helpful than that!BenBirdy1https://www.blogger.com/profile/13328557199418095755noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-3829945254263705722011-11-29T00:30:01.796-05:002011-11-29T00:30:01.796-05:00Your wonderful cranberry upside down cake, brussel...Your wonderful cranberry upside down cake, brussell sprouts, and crudite dip were among the hits of Thanksgiving. Go fish sauce!<br />Thank you for your encouragement and inspiration--Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-71538622064467723882011-11-28T13:04:54.358-05:002011-11-28T13:04:54.358-05:00I'm looking at vanilla beans on ebay and feeli...I'm looking at vanilla beans on ebay and feeling overwhelmed! So many options for quantity, country of origin, purported quality... and a pretty wide range of prices. Do you just get the cheapest ones you can find? Do you use all the beans you get for extract? After they've been used for extract, do you ever use the beans themselves in recipes? Do you ever have leftover beans and can you store them? Sorry for the barrage - would be grateful for any extra info!Cherylhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00778019717146490967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-48696512433451382442011-11-28T00:57:27.546-05:002011-11-28T00:57:27.546-05:00just read through your game posts again and enjoye...just read through your game posts again and enjoyed them just as much as last year! your description of aquire especially makes me crack up.<br /><br />hope you had a great thanksgiving!ladidahnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-48255751043103577352011-11-28T00:57:16.055-05:002011-11-28T00:57:16.055-05:00just read through your game posts again and enjoye...just read through your game posts again and enjoyed them just as much as last year! your description of aquire especially makes me crack up.<br /><br />hope you had a great thanksgiving!ladidahnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-52194292081684254152011-11-24T10:30:08.983-05:002011-11-24T10:30:08.983-05:00That cranberry sauce you posted in 2009 is now the...That cranberry sauce you posted in 2009 is now the "expected" and much-anticipated Thanksgiving side dish with my family. While it's still warm I'll put some in a little bowl and eat it with a spoon. It's that good. Thank you!Alysanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-42435267149059397882011-11-21T16:46:00.039-05:002011-11-21T16:46:00.039-05:00your crudites are now my crudites - must haves for...your crudites are now my crudites - must haves for all of our family gatherings.<br /><br />we gave vanilla to all the kiddos teachers last year. i purchased bottles and beans on ebay in july and brewed it for months - it was a huge hit.<br /><br />we've also done the worsted wool wreath xmas ornaments. they are so lovely and such a "little house on the prarie" homey kind of gift.<br /><br />this year, i water processed your pickled beet recipe and canned some spicy green beans into half pint containers - i can hardly wait to pass them out!<br /><br />i am thankful to you for making me look like such a freaking rock star!!! moty, here i come!dale in denvernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-34304924570374970572011-11-21T14:56:52.396-05:002011-11-21T14:56:52.396-05:00Interesting post, I am so glad that I have visited...Interesting post, I am so glad that I have visited your site. Such a wonderful time reading this.Nicole Gamblehttp://grillscatalog.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-58513859978589507772011-11-20T21:49:32.606-05:002011-11-20T21:49:32.606-05:00I bought the 3.3 oz. Hermetic Milk Bottle from The...I bought the 3.3 oz. Hermetic Milk Bottle from The Container Store and I'm absolutely in love with them!! I just can't wait to make the vanilla extract for gifts!Sherihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00641802452711088948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-3126315554978186712011-11-20T16:21:54.103-05:002011-11-20T16:21:54.103-05:00Oh, pecan pie! Oh, for the love of pecan pie! My v...Oh, pecan pie! Oh, for the love of pecan pie! My very very first taste of pecan pie was at a meeting of English majors my first year of college, and said pecan pie was made by my Shakespeare professor, a beautiful, brilliant, modest woman with whom I fell instantly in love. Only partially because of the pie, I promise.daydreamymamahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14193551638019005963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-32233470996410321362011-11-19T20:24:37.874-05:002011-11-19T20:24:37.874-05:00that IS the worlds best veg. dip! Now I HAVE to ma...that IS the worlds best veg. dip! Now I HAVE to make it for T-day or I'm in big trouble!Erin K.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-8854599329402770152011-11-19T14:06:58.369-05:002011-11-19T14:06:58.369-05:00I tend to suck at homemade gifts, but I'm very...I tend to suck at homemade gifts, but I'm very tempted to try on the limoncello. What kind of jar would you put it in, for gifting? How much -- 8 oz? 16 oz? I found a lot of 12 8 oz flasks on ebay and that sounded like a cool idea...thoughts?<br />KimKimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10389359211029469524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-71815765883677766642011-11-19T11:56:22.619-05:002011-11-19T11:56:22.619-05:00THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for the book and t...THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for the book and toy recommendations! And I love that you are planning to post more.Debhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16952157686895937655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-65884892121358324832011-11-19T11:44:48.255-05:002011-11-19T11:44:48.255-05:00Thank you teafortwo!!!Thank you teafortwo!!!Jennyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13090474442029154072noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-28326186313363622622011-11-19T11:12:36.970-05:002011-11-19T11:12:36.970-05:00OMG - Looking back at your gorgeous Crudite post (...OMG - Looking back at your gorgeous Crudite post (as in I want to gorge on those veggies and dip!) I was transported back to grade school by the apple core necklace. I HAD THE SAME ONE! (Sorry to shout, but wow, how cool is that?) Thanks always for the great recipes and your gifted commentary on kids, motherhood, and life. I am thankful for you!tracey mnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-18397006248948804952011-11-19T07:10:56.889-05:002011-11-19T07:10:56.889-05:00Aunt Jerry's Georgia Pecan Pie
1/4 cup butter
...Aunt Jerry's Georgia Pecan Pie<br />1/4 cup butter<br />1/2 cup sugar<br />1 cup dark corn syrup (Karo)<br />1/4 tsp. salt<br />3 eggs<br />1 cup Georgia pecan halves<br />1 9 inch unbaked pie shell<br /><br />Cream butter <br />Add sugar gradually, cream until fluffy<br />Add syrup and salt<br />Add eggs, one at a time, beating each in thoroughly<br />Stir in pecans<br />Pour into pie shell<br />Bake at 350 for 50 minutes or until knife comes out clean. <br />Let pie cool for at least three hours.Teafortwohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07983497572578153064noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-30428824556457543142011-11-18T19:45:27.343-05:002011-11-18T19:45:27.343-05:00Catherine, thank you so, so much for this timely p...Catherine, thank you so, so much for this timely post. You have solved my "what-to-give-everyone-that-already-has-everything" problem! Homemade vanilla it is! I can't wait to make them. Thank you againMelissa Chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01298564670845779721noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-76196310516985788732011-11-18T17:54:08.952-05:002011-11-18T17:54:08.952-05:00oh good question--sorry. i just did it in wide str...oh good question--sorry. i just did it in wide strips with a potato peeler!BenBirdy1https://www.blogger.com/profile/13328557199418095755noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-56591514987157278002011-11-18T17:49:05.341-05:002011-11-18T17:49:05.341-05:00@J: You can zest using a fine grater. I have a Mic...@J: You can zest using a fine grater. I have a Microplane. There are smaller zesters out there that have a few circles at the top, but it would take longer to do an orange.Teafortwohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07983497572578153064noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-90083384976363272102011-11-18T16:44:43.849-05:002011-11-18T16:44:43.849-05:00What exactly is the peeled zest of a large clean o...What exactly is the peeled zest of a large clean orange? is it just a large orange that you zest the whole thing of? Do I need a special zest peeler?Jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14447744939898965973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-63039583108124961562011-11-18T16:23:43.615-05:002011-11-18T16:23:43.615-05:00@Jenny: I can send you my late godmother's pec...@Jenny: I can send you my late godmother's pecan pie recipe. She had pecan trees in her yard in Winterville, GA. It's a good one.Teafortwohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07983497572578153064noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-55375972801676487082011-11-18T16:22:25.070-05:002011-11-18T16:22:25.070-05:00Happy Thanksgiving. I am thankful for all your fun...Happy Thanksgiving. I am thankful for all your fun suggestions and recipes. I've got four bottles of vanilla going for teacher gifts; I bottled them in late August, so they're nice and dark now. Our Costco will, on occasion, have bulk vanilla pods, so get them when the getting's good.Teafortwohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07983497572578153064noreply@blogger.com