Product Recommendation - Navy Bean Soup - Vanilla Extract - Spoiled Pets

RECOMMENDATION

YAKTRAX

Yaktrax, have you heard of them? I swear by them when walking on ice and snow. This handy little device is made with steel coils, and easy to use polyelastomer material making it easy to slip onto any shoe or boot. I’m here to tell you, they’re great for walking with more confidence on the ice and snow.  I picked up a pair of Yaktrax, 2 years ago, and finally wore them out.  Today, I drove into town to go to our local sporting goods store, and bought myself another pair.  For under $20.00, I can walk to my truck with the traction, or anywhere, and not have fear of falling down.  Please check out Yaktrax website here for several available options. 

*****

With our left over ham pieces and bone, I made Navy Bean Soup.  This was dinner tonight. In a pot of water, I threw my left over ham bone, small ham pieces, 2 carrots chopped, 1 celery stalk chopped, ½ chopped onion, ¼ cup of chopped parsley, 1 teaspoon of thyme, 2 bay leafs, salt and pepper to taste, and 3 to 4 cans of navy beans (rinsed).  Most people would use cream as a broth, I prefer a clear broth. 

*****

Because I use a lot of vanilla extract throughout the year, I’ve decided to attempt to create my own.  The process seems pretty easy.  The items required to make vanilla extract:

       1 bottle of vodka (you can use vodka, rum, brandy or bourbon)

                                   Several fresh vanilla beans

                                   Several clean bottles with caps

Split bean down middle

Split the vanilla bean down the middle, scraping briefly, place the entire bean in a clean bottle with any particles from the bean, fill the bottle with vodka (not all the way to the top). 

Place split bean in bottle

Add vodka

Seal the lid, let the bean steep, shake briefly daily, and place the bottle in a dark, cool, cabinet.    After a 3 month period, you have fresh vanilla extract.  This extract can be used for baking, or given as a gift.

Seal lid, shake briefly, place in dark cool cabinet

***** 

After standing by the stove and oven while I cooked our Christmas dinner, both of our dogs got tired of waiting for me to give them a little treat. 

This is Bug, she got tired of waiting (she thinks you can't see her)

This is Beans, he got tired of waiting for a treat

Are your family pets as spoiled as mine?