Today is another Secret Recipe Club Reveal Day! In the secret recipe club, each participating blogger is assigned a blog from another participating blogger and secretly searches their site for something to recreate. The accompanying blog post then goes live on reveal day! So while I was immersed in my assigned blog, someone else was picking through mine! I’m so excited to be part of this group, to see what on my blog peaks other’s interests and to stumble upon new blogs and new recipes.
This month I was assigned Ros’s blog The More Than Occasional Baker. Ros’s blog name doesn’t lie – her blog is entirely made up of sweets!
I was really hoping to do a savory post for this month’s SRC post because you might have noticed that my August archive has an unusual amount of dessert recipes. I guess my blog wouldn’t show up in a summer bikini body recipe search! But alas, the assignments were sent out and my hands are tied. I’m sure you are all completely bummed. 😉
I almost didn’t participate in this month’s Secret Recipe Club reveal, but after not participating last month to focus on our new family member (my son was born July 3rd) I just knew I couldn’t sit another month out! When July 28th rolled around I found myself feeling lost without a SRC post! I still scrolled through the reveal day posts though – you should too!
This month we moved from Florida to Ohio and spent a week with my husband’s family in Alabama. I knew it’d be hard to squeeze in some home cooking. Luckily I found this how-to for Vanilla Extract on Ros’s blog! I’ve been wanting to try making my own vanilla extract, and now I have the perfect excuse. Well, two really. One: I have to restock my pantry anyway, so why not?! Two: It’s on my SRC assigned blog!
Don’t think my selection of Vanilla Extract means Ros doesn’t have some awesome recipes. She does! When life settles down again (will that ever happen now that I’m a mom?!) I’ll definitely be putting my favorite soda in her Root Beer Bundt Cake, using my poppy seeds in her Orange Poppy Seed Muffins, and getting a feeling of summer when the weather turns cold with her Lemon, Lime, and Basil Cookies. She also has some very fun ideas with my favorite savory snack, popcorn – check out this Popcorn Cake!
Homemade Vanilla Extract
Ingredients:
- vodka
- vanilla beans
Steps:
- Put vodka in an airtight bottle. (I used a salad dressing mixer that I found at the local thrift store!)
- Add vanilla beans – scrape out the seeds and add to the bottle along with the pods.
- Allow vodka and vanilla beans to transform into vanilla extract over the course of 4 weeks.
*This recipe is adapted from Ros at http://themorethanoccasionalbaker.blogspot.com/2012/10/homemade-vanilla-extract.html*
To see the other bloggers who participated in the Secret Recipe Club this month click here:
Sew You Think You Can Cook 
Isn’t that cute!! Sounds like life has been totally hectic. Congratulations on the little one. =)
Thank you. 🙂
Such a great recipe and I also make my own vanilla essence too…..so easy and so fulfilling! Karen
I keep checking it everyday to see it changing – I’m pretty excited about it.
Great choice. I’ve been meaning to try making my own vanilla essence for ages. I think I might make a few bottles for Christmas presents this year.
Congratulations on your new arrival 🙂
That would be a fun gift!
Agree, this would be a fun gift for a special friend…
glad you jumped back into SRC, it must be too hard to sit out… I think it would kill me 😉
Glad you are back so soon. You’re definitely going to be my inspiration to get back to the reveal days in Feb/Mar when I’m in the same shoes. 😉
And I LOOOOOVE homemade vanilla. I’ve done vodka, rum, and bourbon so far. I have to say that rum is easily my favorite. I’m currently on my bourbon batch.
Ooh nice! Did you use White rum?
I love the idea of homemade vanilla, I just haven’t made it yet. But you are inspiring me, for sure! 🙂
Hope you are enjoying busy life with your newborn! My daughter is turning one next month – and MAN do the days fly by, especially those early sleep deprived ones. 🙂 This is a great choice this month – I’ve always wondered about doing this at home; thanks for sharing!! 🙂
Happy birthday to your little girl! I hope these next ten months take their sweet time. 🙂
Making homemade vanilla has been on my kitchen bucket list forever I really need to get that checked off my list soon. Congrats on your families newest addition!
Such a busy month for you! I love your cute little thrift store bottle.
Thanks!
I love making homemade vanilla extract! I give it as presents for Christmas often. It’s almost time to start making it for then too.
I never thought about making my own vanilla extract. Thanks for choosing this for this month’s reveal.
Homemade vanilla extract is so easy and tastes so much better than store bought stuff!! Awesome pick this month 🙂
I can’t wait until it’s ready!
I had no idea homemade extract was this easy– thanks for sharing!!
I don’t know why I waited so long to try it out! Now I am [im]patiently waiting and checking on the color changes daily.
Making my own vanilla extract is something I keep meaning to do! Finally bookmarked it to give it a try soon. Fun choice for SRC!
I don’t know why I procrastinated so long with doing it!
I have wanted to try this for so long! Great pick!
What a great pick! I need to get on this so I have some for Christmas. Happy Reveal Day!
I have always wanted to try my hand at making my own vanilla extract (especially since I go through it like crazy with all the baking I do!). Wonderful, wonderful SRC pick for the month! 🙂
Because you do bake so much, don’t wait until you run out because you have to give it time to turn into vanilla extract deliciousness. I’m anxiously checking my bottle daily.
I made vanilla for the first time this year…and have just started using it…YUMMY!!
Another reason to make this is it would make a great holiday gift! If you start it now it will be ready for Christmas! Great SRC pick.
Congrats on your new arrival. I am amazed you managed to find time to participate. I’m so pleased you chose this as it’s really satisfying making your own vanilla extract not to mention a lot cheaper. I think I’m on my 6th or 7th bottle now! I have 2 on the go constantly so I never run out! Happy belated reveal day.
Thanks! I think I’ll be ordering vanilla beans in bulk now! (I didn’t have time to do it for reveal day.) This was my first time working with them. 🙂