Friday Flavor: Dulce de Leche

I love ice cream and when I say love, I mean LOVE!  I could eat it all day, and for every meal.  Seriously.  Now you see why I need my big workout regimen, right!  Kate's new Friday Flavor, Dulce de Leche, is the perfect accoutrement for my homemade vanilla bean gelato (recipe found here)!!  It would also be the perfect homemade treat for your favorite Valentine's! 

~via~

So, from the mouth and mind of

one of my very best friends ever......

I am slightly obsessed with homemade gifts.  This year, I have made pickles, BBQ sauce, infused bourbon... I've done it all.  Around Christmas, the theme for my family's annual Yankee swap was the letter "A" (don't ask- every family has weird traditions, right?) So, in a major stretch, I decided to give gifts from Argentina- one of which is my attempt at homemade Dulce de Leche. After a lot of recipe and blog reading, I felt like this was something I could take on... It's pretty simple ingredients-wise and seemed like something I could do in a night. So, I got to work and had so much fun in the kitchen doing it and ended up with a really tasty sauce that that made the most awesome gift! I hope you give this one a try!

Here's what you need:

a big pot. Bigger than you think you'll need. I will explain why later.
4 c whole milk
2 c sugar
1 vanilla bean (you sub 1 teaspoon of extract, but I really like the look of the flecks of seeds you get with the actual bean)
1 teaspoon baking soda

Split the vanilla bean down the middle. Heat milk, sugar and vanilla bean over medium heat and whisk until the sugar is completely dissolved (about 20 minutes). Lower the heat and add the baking soda. Here is where the big pot comes into play. You need a lot of space in the pot because this shit is going to GROW. I mean bubble and foam like your 8th grade volcano science project. I kind of wish I didn't tell you this part and let you have the experience that I had in my kitchen. I just stood there in a daze staring at this ever-expanding mass of foam overflow onto my stove top. I ended up with a pretty big mess on my hands, but the final result was well worth it!

At this point, it's pretty simple. The foam will go down eventually. Don't try to whisk it back into the liquid, just let it do its thing and give it an occasional gentle stir, about every 5 minutes. It will bubble away for about 2 hours, slowly getting darker and thicker. Once you get to the consistency you like (remember it will thicken as it cools), kill the heat. I put mine through a strainer just to get out any clumps- not necessary, I was just going for a super pro look since it was going to be a gift. Pour into jars. Let cool a bit before putting on the lid to avoid condensation. Will last in the fridge for a few months. If you have a pressure canning system, you can preserve it, but don't use a hot water bath. The temp doesn't get high enough to kill everything, so you are better off keeping it in the fridge.

**Please note, the pictures here reflect a DOUBLED recipe.**

 I hope you try it out! It is really fun to do and the sauce is AMAZING on ice cream, drizzled over chocolate cake, nestled between two shortbread cookies...YUM!


I can't wait to make this!  Just slap a red bow on and you are set for the 14th! 

One other thing - have you guys checked ou the "Can Jam" hosted by Tigress in a Jam?  I originally read about it on Design Sponge and thought it was such a great idea to can a different seasong veg/fruit each month.  Such a fun challenge! 

Win, win, win

I don't know about you guys, but I always have seriously good intentions for making some adorable Christmas gifts.  Sometimes, though, the weeks seem to roll by and procrastination gets the better of me.  I am really trying to stay true to it this year.  I feel insanely inspired by some of the ideas I have seen online, and need to make them a priority. 

Some of the most precious gifts I have ever received are the ones that people spent some time and thought putting together.  I always feel so honored when someone cares enough to make something for me with their own two hands.  It also feels really good to make something for someone you love, too.  And often times, you can put something together on your own for much less that you would spend at the store.  It's a total win, win, win situation.  Here are some of the ones that have inspired me of late....

For the vintage lovers in your life: Modern Victorian Collar Scarf from ...love Meagan.  This woman is DIY-mazing.  She comes up with the cutest ways to replicate some of the latest trends.

For the trendies: Faux fur vest via p.s. I made this.  Another seriously DIY-mazing lady.

For the coffee lover: Knitted French Press Cozy.  I don't know about you, but I can always use one of these to keep my press nice and toasty!

For the contemplative one: A handmade journal from Curiously Craft.  This really doesn't look that hard, and you can totally personalize it with the cover!

Map coasters via Martha. Adorable and unisex!

Homemade infused vodkas.  Seriously the easiest thing in the world to make.  I have done this numerous times, and it is always a big hit!  I mean, who doesn't like a little holiday cheer, right!?!

You can keep it pretty standard (lemon, mango, cherry) or mix it up a bit (lavender, honey, mint, basil, etc!).  Just have fun with it and be creative.  They have some great instructions here.  They also include a recipe for bacon vodka (yuk!) for the meat lover in your life.  I have used regular ball jars, but recycled wine bottles work great as well!  There are also some great recipes out there for homemade Irish Creme, Kahlua, & Lemoncello - all worth a try and bound to please. 

Another extremely easy recipe......this is one of my own.  Every year, I make a couple big batches of bath salts - they are perfect for stuffing stockings with, for bringing as a little hostess gift, or really, for just having around your own house.  They are also ridiculously easy to make!  You can also head to the Goodwill, or to Ikea to pick up some adorable glass jars to store them in. 

What you will need: Epsom or sea salts & essential oil. 

Put some parchment paper on a cookie sheet.  Spread the epsom or sea salts over the parchment paper.  Use a dropper to drop the essential oils all over the salts.  Let dry overnight.  Put the salts into the decorative jars, and you are all set to go.  (my new idea for this year is to use little Vietnamese "Pho" spoons instead of the wooden scoops - super cute, right?)

Don't forget to check out the motherload of DIY goodness for some more inspiration - www.designspongeonline.com and www.marthastewart.com.  I have so much love for them both!!

Also, if you guys have some other inspirations you are using I would LOVE to hear about them.  I am always looking for new craft/diy ideas.  Thanks and  Happy Monday!  Here's to a productive week! 

My new house, please?

Yikes!!  I think I might have just witnessed my dream house.  I didn't even know that it existed until I saw Maya Marzolf's insane home today.  It has the perfect blend of playfulness, femininity and class while being completely eclectic and still not over the top.  I am smitten, inspired and jealous all at once.  Is that possible? Here are just a couple of pictures - it is definitely worth heading over to Design Sponge for the whole post!  

I would die for that chandelier.  Gorgeous!

 This bedroom is so sweet.  It has a little fireplace tucked in there, too!

 

The loft. I want to cuddle up with that kitten and take a nap!

I love the little touches - like the vintage glove molds!

This house makes me so happy!

do it yourself dreams

I love diy. I especially love creating something that doesn't look overtly diy. Do you know what I mean? I really enjoy adding a bit of character and homemade uniqueness to my house, but I don't necessarily want my house to look like a craft warehouse. I have also been known to start a project and never finish it. I swear I have the best of intentions, but after a couple of hours I sometimes lose interest. Call it handmade ADD, I guess. I need something to truly, truly inspire me to finish. There are a ton of great diy websites out there, but none that inspire me as much as designspongeonline.com. Seriously, the ideas on here are what my diy dreams are made of. Even the non-diy posts make me want to run out and buy supplies immediately, and fully commit to completing a project. Every Wednesday, they post a few new projects. Here are a couple of my favorites that I am dying to try out:

Erik's Wine bottle torch. This is an amazing recycle project - I love repurposing something you would otherwise throw away.
And, who doesn't have a couple of wine bottles lying around, right!

Kate's recycled cake stands. I am in the process of co-planning a baby shower and a wedding shower.
These are adorable and would add so much character to a little dessert bar.

all photos via Design Sponge

I have actually completed a couple of my own diy projects lately. I will admit they are completely novice, as I just used black glossy spraypaint to spruce up some old mirrors and a little side table. Still, they have added an incredible amount of elegance to my house. If you are short on time and money, spray paint is such a fun way to give some of your dusty household treasures a bit of glamour! I will get some of these pics up asap. Happy diy-ing!