DIY Infused Vinegars

Forget about going to a specialty store and shelling out big money for a fancy infused vinegar.  It is so easy to do right at home.  All you need is, the obvious, vinegar and a few other ingredients that you have right in your kitchen.  You can use these vinegars for everything from cleaning and laundry boosters to flavor additions to your salad or even marinades!  There are so many combinations of what you can add into your vinegar, it's really just a matter of preference.  Here are some of my favorites!

(photo source)

*For all these vinegars allow to sit for at least 2 weeks.  To speed up the infusion process place over low heat and allow to steep for the flavors to infuse.  Once cool, place in a sterile jar.

All Purpose Citrus Vinegar

Good for a laundry booster, all purpose cleaner and window cleaner

• Large jar of white vinegar
• Citrus peels (lemons, oranges, grapefruit)

I keep 2 jars under the kitchen sink, one that's "brewing" and one that's ready to use!

Herb Infused Vinegar

This is good for eliminating odors, glass cleaner and is delicious to use on salad or drizzled over steak.
This one would even be great added to olive oil to dip bread :)

• 2 cups vinegar
• 1 cup mixed herbs (I use basil and chives but use your favorite)

Jalapeno & Garlic Vinegar

Excellent in homemade salsa, drizzled over tacos or for an added kick to your salad.

• 2 cups apple cider vinegar
• 2 jalapenos sliced
• 2 cloves garlic split and peeled

Strawberry Vinegar

Use a splash of this vinegar over a fruit salad for an added zip. 

• 1 pint strawberries, diced small
• 2 cups white wine vinegar
• 2 tbl sugar

Summer Corn Chowder

One of my favorite comfort foods all year long is corn chowder. It's also a family favorite for BBQs and I have a fresh summer version for you!

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You'll Need:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 cups canned vegetable stock
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 Idaho potatoes, peeled and diced
• 6 ears corn
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions:

Heat the butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and thyme and cook until the vegetables are good and soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Dust the vegetables with flour and stir to coat everything well. Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Add the cream and the potatoes, bring to a boil and boil hard for about 7 minutes, until the potatoes break down (this will help to thicken the soup and give it a good texture).

Cut the corn kernels off the cob and add to the soup. Season with salt and pepper and simmer until the corn is soft, about 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the parsley and give it another little drink of olive oil. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.

 This can be kept warm in a crock pot plugged outside for BBQs!

Enjoy your cookouts this Memorial Day fans!

~Sizza

Lego Cake

We try to share clever birthday cake ideas here on our blog (like our cool campfire cake). When I saw this on a Betty Crocker box, I knew I had to make it for my nephew - who loves to make towers with me out of bright, plastic building blocks.

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You'll need:

• 1 box  yellow cake mix
• Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
• 2 containers of Creamy vanilla frosting
• red, yellow and blue gel food colors
• Tray or cardboard (15x12 inches), covered with wrapping paper and plastic food wrap or foil
• 12 large marshmallows, cut in half crosswise

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Grease or spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan.
2. Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan. Cool in pan 10 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Refrigerate or freeze cake about 1 hour or until firm.
3. Meanwhile, in small bowl for each color, tint 1 cup frosting red, 1 cup frosting yellow and 2/3 cup frosting blue with food colors. Leave remaining frosting white.
4. Using serrated knife, cut rounded dome from top of cake to make flat surface; place cake cut side down. Cut cake crosswise into thirds. Cut one of the thirds in half crosswise to make 2 squares. Place cake pieces on tray. 
5.  To seal in crumbs, frost top and sides of 1 square cake with thin layer of blue frosting and 1 square cake with thin layer of white frosting. Frost 1 rectangular cake with thin layer of yellow frosting and 1 rectangular cake with thin layer of red frosting. Refrigerate or freeze 30 to 60 minutes to set frosting.
6. Add final coat of frosting to each cake. Frost 4 marshmallow halves with blue frosting; place in square design on blue cake. Frost 4 marshmallow halves with white frosting; place in square design on white cake. Frost 8 marshmallow halves with yellow frosting; place on yellow cake. Frost 8 marshmallow halves with red frosting; place on red cake. Store loosely covered.

Hope you have fun making this cake!  They are a huge hit!

Sizza