The Making of Vanilla

The Vanilla beans came on Saturday!

I've blogged about getting the cheapest vodka
for the making of vanilla extract.

Mr. Husband and I still do the same
wonderful time of him washing dishes
while I read out loud from a book
that we both wish to hear.
We are in the third part of the first
Fr. Arseny book and the stories
continue to amaze, challenge and strengthen us.
Mr. Husband washed some of the bottles
for future vanilla gift endeavors.
Cute bottles, eh? :)
*
Bottle plus cute label I got for it
costs about 1.10 total per bottle, FYI.

Katherine's Vanilla Extract instructions on my phone,
I was ready to go!

When first looking at the package,
I had no idea how many vanilla beans could be in it.

And when I took them out,
it still did not look like much to me,
having never seen vanilla beans before.

It must be noted that Cleo was very interested;
the smell allured her.

Once I started separating them,
I realized that I have well over 60 beans!
Happily, I can make a lot more extract in the future,
God-willing! 

I cut the first 15 beans carefully.
They smelled rather like very fresh raisins
and reminded me of them as well in texture. 

I poured off about 3.5 oz of vodka from the two bottles
into this small one.

Before adding the beans, this is about how
much was taken out.

Then I had the fun of putting the 15 beans in the first bottle!
Rather like antennae :) ... 

And so each bottle has 15 beans, all
sliced down the middle.

It was really fun;
felt like I was doing a small science experiment!

Then I cut two beans in half both vertically and
horizontally.

In the bottle they went.
I had to add a slight bit more vodka from both
bottles to ensure that the liquid covered the
height of the beans.

 

Mr. Husband and I had the same idea
of covering the bottles in paper to ensure that when we did open our pantry,
light would not bother the bottles as they steep.
So I will see in 6 or so weeks time,
God willing,
how the extract is doing!
*
Meanwhile, I am wondering about doing the same
with some bourbon, provided I can find an inexpensive bottle of it! :)
God willing I will keep you posted! 

"You should blog this"

So last week I made bread.

Some plans changed on us and
a lot of the bread went to things other than what
was planned.
One was to church yesterday.
I had the surprise of one of my fellow parishioners saying
this bread is so good, like Jordanville bread.
I commented, as I was sitting by her table,
that I had brought it and that it was one I baked
and that it was so easy.
I was pleased and surprised,
as the bread was simple and some of it even tore as
I got it off the pizza stone.
Anyway, here is the recipe and method for it
for anyone who wishes to know or be reminded.

Mr. Husband and I's portion of the
vegan brownie cookies are gone.
Mr. Husband loves them.
Folks, I have found a winner.

I love our weekend meals.
Cozy and lovely.

A salad, a few carrots, some bread, PB for me,
bananas.  Typical fare at our house.

We love our bread toasted.

I also made a curry last Thursday which
we then enjoyed all weekend,
with some alterations for fasting Friday.
By Saturday Mr. Husband told me about this curry
that "you should blog this."

It had half of cup of cream.

I made papadums in the microwave.

So the curry was a scrimp curry.

With lots of rice on the side.

It was very simple.

From this cookbook.
Combine spices (the mustard I used was grey poupon, grainy).
Heat oil (I used more than 3 tbs corn oil,
pretty much covered the
bottom of my cast iron fry pan), I did not have mustard seeds.
I fried the garlic and ginger,
added spice paste (spices with 2 tbs water), fried quickly
(about 15 seconds),
added the lone tomato I had...
I think I put this all on low; I did not have spinach;
I added the scrimp after Mr. Husband got home, added the cream at the end;
I know it was more than a half cup liquid at the end;
I am wondering if the scrimp had water in them
which made more.
Mr. Husband loved it.
Mr. Husband used to live with Indian roommates and
has a taste for Indian food.
So when he told me that I should blog the recipe/about
this curry, I knew that I had made a successful curry.
Now the question is if I can make it again!

So much going on.
Our prayer list keeps growing as the days
go on...
*
I am hoping to go to a monastery this weekend.
Then lots of family visits and such things will be happening.
I think it fair to say that both Mr. Husband and I
are still a bit anxious about falling ill again,
esp. as I was ill from Feb-August with mono.
Asking your prayers as we all go into a busy season...
*
(reblogged today as the pictures failed to load properly yesterday)

Dutch Apple Cake

When I was baking the
Apple Cake and pulling out
my recipe for card for it,
I also found my Aunt H.'s recipe for
Dutch Apple Cake,
which she gave me at my family bridal shower
back two summers ago.
It called for only 1 cup of apples chopped so
I took a really big apple,
peeled and chopped it and found it at two cups.



Well, with two cups of apple
this means that I can make two apple cake loaves!
So I did!

Here's the recipe:

Dutch Apple Cake

1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup chopped Apples
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon. baking powder
1/2 teaspoon. salt
1 1/2 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup nutmeats (I left this out)

Topping:

1 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

{I doubled everything to make two loaves}

Instructions:

Cream shortening and sugar; add eggs and beat.
Add chopped apples, flour, baking power and salt.
Stir in milk, vanilla and nuts (nuts optional).
(Plus 1 teaspoon orange extract, optional).
Pour batter into greased loaf pan.
Top with sugar and cinnamon mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees F or until bread tests done.
Enjoy!

~Aunt H. 

I had to bake it at 350 for about 20 minutes longer
than the recipe called for...
so doing a test to be sure the bread is done
(I use a toothpick to see if it is still wet with batter
or pulls out dry)
is a really good idea for this recipe.

 

It was fun and easy to make!
Mr. Husband and I are planning on enjoying this
for dessert after dinner with tea!

Encouragement

 

If you need some encouragement when
realizing that our efforts in the spiritual life
is really so meager,
read this.

Well, the savings will be even greater...

I did my weekly grocery shopping.

Can you believe I was almost out of 

cinnamon?! 

So what did I see but 

4 oz of Vanilla extract for 11.00.

(11 is really what 10.99 means).

Prices around here are quite high.

Making my own vanilla just got even more 

of a savings than what I was 

originally thinking!

Two 750 cheap bottles of vodka for vanilla beans 

have been bought.

My Amazon order of vanilla beans is ordered &

still waiting to be shipped.

I told people at the check out that I was 

getting the cheapest vodka they had in the store,

i.e. the ones on the bottom shelf and the cheapest of those,

to make vanilla;

15 beans per bottle I told them.

My calculations on the savings via Google Chrome

(did you know you can just type math in and it will give you the result?)

shows me that for the vodka and vanilla beans

I will save, at the price at my local store, way over half price.

I hope to gift some of this,

which adds to the cost 

(buying bottles, labels) but even if vanilla in the store

cost only 5.00 / 4 oz I should do better than 

breaking even in terms of gifts.

At the prices around here,

I am still saving over 50% even gifting them!

Yay!

Thanks Rebekah and Katherine for the inspiration! 

Bread and our days

 

So bread.
I still end up baking about three loaves at once.
I bake it longer than the recipe calls for
as I can't get the bread in the oven without
pulling the rack out and
then pushing them on to the
already hot pizza stone.
This past time two of the breads stuck and ripped
at the bottom.
I am wondering if I am not flouring the pizza peel
enough which leads to them not wanting to
move quickly from peel to stone.
Suggestions are welcome...
*
So now that it is November it seems that all is very busy here.
Yesterday, I made it to a neighbouring town
to do some shopping.
Christmas shopping, odds and ends shopping.
I went to a mall.
You know malls are not what I remember when I was young.
The loud music, the TVs in the food court,
the blatant TV girl talking loudly via speakers while I am eating
saying what is in style and how to wear one's makeup.
Now I love beauty and that includes clothes
but I don't understand the need to be always
'in style' for what is 'this season'.
It just seems such a lie.
Wear this lipstick this way and you day is made,
your life complete and wow, don't you look better than
the way you formerly wore your lipstick?
Why do we listen or believe this stuff?
*
For me it is more wear what is beautiful, modest and becoming.
Each has their own way;
for me it is long flowy skirts, a nice tailored jacket or
one of my sweaters.
Most are not new and if I had to redo my wardrobe I
would look for what I already have.
*
I remember when I was a teen I would go with siblings
to get a cinnamon roll at the mall.
Big ones that we would split.
It was wonderful, that time with my Mom.
I felt like I was projected into a surreal futuristic world,
there in the mall with
a guy's voice talking about the latest movie and you look up
and there are two screens,
one with the guy telling you about the movie and the other
clips from the movie itself.
I felt like I was walking in the future, as if I was
suddenly flipped through a trap door and found myself in a
very strange place.
*
Mr. Husband laughed at me when he heard
that I had gotten fast food Chinese
at the mall;
it was about 4:30 and of course everything was taking
much longer than I had hoped for and all I knew
was that I needed food and fast.
I got, in Mr. Husband's words,
the low end of Asian Fast food and he knew
exactly what place I went to without knowing the mall at all.
Of course there are food chains here in NJ I've never heard of
so little did I know.
All I know is that rice, shrimp and veggies on a Wednesday is
OK by me! :)
*
One my way back home while waiting for public transit
there was a man preaching a sermon of some sorts
from the Bible.
A bit bizarre, and it always seems that these sort of preachers
are removed from people's lives and are marginalized themselves.
*
Well, there a still a few things I need
and the only place I know to get them is that same
strange mall with all it's noise,
pictures flashing and everything screaming
this is the latest greatest and if you don't have it now
you won't be in the know.
Of course they ignore that next season they will
say the same thing, different product.
It's not that I do not like new but that I do not like
how our society can not live in silence,
without images and sounds blaring.
That they cannot be OK with what is becoming or modest
but instead tend towards what is flashy or
unbecomingly suggestive.
*
It's like being in a room with a large loud TV and no icons.
It's like being in a room that is so full of stuff
but yet deplete of everything or of that which is essential.
*
It is no wonder to me at least why I have slowly
ceased to listen to much outside of classical or Orthodox music.
Or why lighting a lampada or two makes the whole day go better.
God can do wonders in our lives with very little on our part.
Sometimes I forget this.
*
Meanwhile, most of my shopping is done right here at home.
It makes me see, irony acknowledged,
why buying things online is so attractive;
which is quite new, really,
if one thinks about it.
Months back Mr. Husband and I signed up for
Amazon Prime when we realized that what we were ordering
the shipping would be near the cost of Amazon Prime for one year.
It is so convenient.
*
I remember when Amazon was new in year 1999-2000 and
giving email addresses, credit cards and passwords
were new and uncertain.
It was one of my undergrad friends, C., who helped me get an
account that year at his computer so I could order a book.
Well, now I order anything from books, folding tables,
GF flours to vanilla beans.
*
The latest thing I am gearing up to do is to make my own
vanilla extract.
I first heard of it from Rebekah's post and then again
by Katherine's.
 I got thinking more seriously about it when I realized that
not only was I running low on vanilla but the
vanilla I have was made with water, alcohol and corn syrup.
Now Crisco I can admit to using,
like in the cookies that are so like a brownie
that eating one is more than enough,
well at least until the next meal, ahem... ;)
And I think I paid good money for that vanilla extract!
So I am hoping to make my own since it will be better, save money
and, everyone says, be nice gifts to give out.
*
Speaking of those brownie cookies,
I am hoping to bake them again later with cherries in them.
Yum.
*
So it is nearing the Christmas Lent;
starts on Thanksgiving for us on the old calendar.
I am already thinking about things I need to get
baking wise ~
what do you do for baking?
I'm seeing recipes using apple sauce and
vegan margarine.
What margarine do you use?
*
It is a cloudy day here
but yesterday was so beautiful; the sun was out;
leaves were yellow; kids were playing.
Speaking of kids playing it took me sometime
to remember what we called them when I was a kid:
why, at least in Canada, are things we used to call
Jungle Gyms now called
Play Structures.
Seriously I see this as a sign of a very
confused society, drunk and stumbling with
a political correctness that well
does not work for me and seems at best confusing to
those younger than I.
*
I would be apt to say that I have been born in the wrong century
but I don't really believe this, if I am honest.
It was hard back then in ways I don't know that I could of dealt
well with... not to mention that I would not of
been able to do much if I had the same need for glasses
to greatly improve my eyesight  as I do at present.
*
Do I miss what we see as a more civilized past,
yes; though in listening to the book on Wilberforce
I see that things were poor then too;
I admit that I wish we had a
society of manners to lead our culture
back to where it should be.
*
Well, we start with bread and we end
with society.
They do go together.
*
We need Christ who offers Himself in
Bread and Wine
to us sinners,
surely needing better manners,
myself included.

Vegan Chocolate Brownie Cookies

I needed cookies to bring to a friend's place
on as fasting day!
I had wanted to make these cookies last year,
for St. Nicholas Day
but ran out of time/energy/health
if I remember right.
I was excited to finally make these cookies!

So little of baking powder, baking soda and salt;
lots of cocoa though!
*
Here is the recipe:

It's from the Orthodox cookbook
from Ipswich MA called
Food for Paradise
that I was given as a wedding gift last year.
*
I did not have vegan margarine so I used
vegetable shortening, much to the dismay
I'm sure of some foodie types.
So I used 1/2 cup of Crisco with 1 TBSP water
and added when all was mixed as per the recipe,
I added two 1/8th cups of water.

 

I was also making bread that day
and did not want to waste the little dough that was left
so I put it on the cookie sheet.
Sure makes a visible contrast, hey!?
It was good too, btw, that little bread muffin.
The cookie I had was still warm from the oven
with a glass of milk,
since it was not a fast day when I made it.
*
Very good,
so good that somehow the hymn
"Great Is Thy Faithfulness"
came welling inside of me;
which I think was not I hope a sacrilegious thing,
since we are talking about a cookie here,
not something of a great depth.
I rather hope it is more a song of praise because I
am well enough now to bake them.
*
Though it is also true that we must
do all for Jesus Christ,
including the baking of cookies.

Mother of God Joy of All Who Sorrow

I was heartened to realize that today
is one of the days of the beloved icon
to the Mother of God
Joy of All Who Sorrow



"This name is given to one of the wonderworking icons of the Most-holy Theotokos. On this day the icon is celebrated for the miraculous healing in Moscow, of Euphemia, the sister of Patriarch Joachim, in the year 1688. Euphemia had a serious wound in the side and as the doctors failed in their treatments, she prayed with tears to the Most-holy Theotokos. Then, she heard a voice: ``Euphemia, go to the Church of the Transfiguration of my Son; there you will find the icon, `Joy of All Who Sorrow.' Have the priest pray for you before this icon and you will be healed.'' Euphemia did so, and was immediately made well."
~Prolog of Ohrid, October 24

 

"Icon's Design:

The design of this icon depicts the Theotokos, a most beautiful blossom of heaven, standing among the flowers of paradise. Her Son is visible above her in the clouds, the King of heaven and earth. Along both sides of the icon, framing the Mother of God, are suppliants (us), asking for her intercession. She stands with her arms spread open and her head tilted as if listening. The tenderness and kindness of a loving mother are evident in her face. She stands in paradise and yet among us."
*
Akathist here.
*
HYMN OF PRAISE
to the Icon of the Most-holy Theotokos, ``Joy of All Who Sorrow''

O Most-holy Mother of God, ``Joy of All Who Sorrow,''
Grant thy mercy to us sinners.
Thy Son now sits on the throne of the Eternal Kingdom,
And all our troubles thou seest; thou knowest them as they occur.
Thou hast always prayed to Christ God for the faithful,
And hast relieved much pain and misery of the sorrowful.
O Holy Virgin, never cease, to the end of time,
To pray for the salvation of our race.
God hast made thee even more glorious than the Seraphim:
O hasten to us, O Joy of all who sorrow!

~Prolog of Ohrid, October 24

A Lovely Apple Cake {that adults and kids alike love!}

I had some wonderful
Apple Cake last weekend.

So this weekend I made
apple cake for a dinner that Mr. Husband and I went
to on Sunday night.

I used Winesap apples.

And Mat. Emily's family recipe for apple cake.

I used a tube pan to bake the cake,
greasing the pan well first,
layering the cake in the middle with half of the
cinnamon and sugar topping.

Lots of topping and lots of apples!
Note that the batter will be thick and that this is as
it should be! :)

It was a super cute cake and baked up well!

 

It was quite a success ~
the three kids at the dinner we were at
clambered around the table for it!
It was lovely to share
this apple cake with friends
over a nice hot cup of tea!

From the Weekend

I did make the hamburger
hash that I was thinking of last Thursday.

It was quite simple,
a recipe from some of my undergrad friends,
M & B who were roommates before
one and then the other found husbands and married.

It has a wonderful savory taste to it
without overwhelming the simplicity of the meal.
Here's the recipe as I had written down on a purple 3 x 5 card
that is one that has lived in my recipe box all these years:
*
Poor Man's Hamburger Hash
Hamburger and Potatoes chopped ~ to portion
Approx 1/4 cup chopped onion or 1/4 onion 
1 garlic clove, minced
Quarter Size portion of Cumin
1-2 pinches of chili flakes
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup water
saute onion and garlic with hamburger until brown,
add potatoes and spices.  
Add water & let cook, covered for approx. 15 minutes or
until potatoes are soft.
Serve with tortillas, cornbread, etc. 
*
I did a full small onion and did cumin to taste
(probably added a little more than what was called for above,
but not so much that it overpowered the recipe).
I used red pepper flakes as I did not have chili flakes,
which I think are different....
*
It was lovely, warm and the left overs fried up wonderfully
on Saturday.
I enjoyed it with some sour cream,
Mr. Husband liked it with ketchup.
*
I used about 1/2 pound of organic hamburger beef.
Mr. Husband and I both find that eating meat, esp. beef,
in more sparing quantities it not only perfectly satisfying,
but with the maxim that there can be more when there is less
to be quite true.

We were enjoying an open window and
Cleo always loves this...

I was rather clueless in terms of oil when sold in
the large square metal jugs.
I soon learned Mr. Husband's trick of when
the oil will no longer come out,
cut the corner with a can opener
and drain the rest of the oil.
It's at least 1/4 cup more ~ see above picture.
It can easily fill a lampada or more, which means
it's at least a days worth of oil in this way.

Perhaps I was the only one that did not realize
that the lid in metal cans of oil
is meant to be raised up so that it is easy to pour?

I find it hard to do with my fingers
so I use a knife and life it holding
the two sides with the cap in between.

So much easier.

 

I baked a lot on Saturday!
I hope to tell you about these recipes over the next week!
Both involved batter and apples! :)
*
Well, this week is beginning on a Sunny note.
Brighter earlier as of the time change.
*
Mr. Husband wonderfully washed up dishes Saturday morning
after a quick breakfast while I read more of the
first Fr. Arseny book out loud.
The stories have been staying with me through out the weekend
and I hope will stay with me for years to come;
so much truth and beauty in them;
I long to have such truth seep deep, to be part of my bones.

Cowl update...

 

I have two life lines in my cowl
so that if I make a huge mistake I don't have to lose
everything.
*
My knitting teacher had to fix my knitting on it last week...
I had purled when I was not supposed to and such things...
I finally feel like I am getting it....
*
Mat. Emily, when I was telling her of my cowl difficulties,
suggested stitch markers,
and they have made all the difference!
*
I am making this for my Mom and
am excited that I got through all 24 rows of the pattern...
Much more to go but I am hopeful!
*
The slippers are also going well!

St. John of Rila and St. John of Kronstadt

St. John of Rila 

has long been a special saint to me

as he is beloved of my Ottawa parish.

Here is a short version of his life

and here is a little longer version, which is very lovely.

Both are really not that long to read! 

*

St. John of Kronstadt was named for St. John of Rila.

Here is a small autobiography he wrote.

St. John also wrote a much beloved book,

My Life in Christ

which I read part of at my dear sister-friend's house

some years ago and that Mr. Husband has...

that is on my 'to be read' pile.

*

Both are wonderful intercessors for us!

Blessed St. John(s)'s Day! 

Little by Little

Another thing gotten at the
rummage sale
for my part of Mr. Husband and I's office:
 a letter stand and
wooden two drawer box... 

Now my little office supplies and
letters are easily filed and neat!

 

Little by little,
we are making our place into a
calm, orderly and beautiful home.