Filling the cupboards with extracts and spices.

It all started with vanilla.

I enjoy baking and giving my goodies to friends and family but the extreme cost of extracts and spices was discouraging me. I also have been known to can my extra banana breads, pumpkin breads and whatever to keep from wasting. Being single means smaller portions needed. Well I finally did it. I bought the vanilla beans and vodka. I now have two quarts of vanilla extract brewing, some vanilla sugar blending and some vanilla pudding mix in the pantry. I will be sharing some of the extract and using some for gifts. 

We had been making taco spice and other mixes since our discovery of Pinterest and saved money with our every day cooking so why not keep going and make more mixtures and extracts. The result is two cupboard filled with everything from canning spices to exotic extracts. The canned store bought tomatoes are because I now live in an apartment and growing my own is not allowed and canning them in my small kitchen would be too much. Some day I will have that privilege back. I miss it. If you have it cherish it.

I have a quart of local honey, lavender blossoms and extract, lemon and orange extracts and I also added some burger seasoning this weekend. I hurried this morning to make the lavender extract so that I could put the empty vodka bottle out with the recycling. There were two bottles that went out this morning. I wonder what the refuse collector is thinking. Oh well that's how it goes. Later this week I will be making lemon orange sugar with some leftover dried rinds. I think this holiday season's baking and gift giving is going to be so fun. I'm also looking forward to enjoying healthier eating and more flavorful eating. I already am missing fresh Basil.

I hope everyone has a wonderful week.

Rosemary lemon chicken

I am rediscovering herbs. I thought I'd never have them in my garden so I stuck to flowers. Growing vegetables at my age and being single seemed like a little much, but my daughter has a friend that has a garden. This past weekend we traded canning jars, that I won't be using because they are quart size and I don't need that much any more, for fresh herbs and future green tomatoes. I have this favorite green tomatoe relish recipe that I am trading this summer for real maple syrup next spring. I have enough maple syrup from my last trade to make it through until next spring. That is of course if those delicious waffles don't tempt me. I sure hope this rosemary, garlic and lemon chicken comes through for me tonight at dinner. Changing eating habits is hard but worth it and I'd forgotten how easy good cooking was.

Hot from the oven and I have been enjoying the aroma for more than three hours. First all the aroma from the preparation which only took a few minutes to the baking time of 45 minutes.

Okay dinner is served and it was out of this world. I guess I'm going to have to find more time to cook great meals. I made enough to have two more meals and I bet these leftovers are going to be the best ever. Have a wonderful evening everyone.