Homemade Vanilla Extract

I have been baking and using vanilla for more years than I care to admit. I used the brand vanilla that my mother used. I never gave it a second thought. Since, I always thought my mother was the smartest woman that ever lived, I never questioned her brand of vanilla. But, last winter I actually read the ingredients on the vanilla box. I must have been really bored that day. The box boasted it was "pure" vanilla. Oh, it had alcohol and extracts of the vanilla bean. But, it also contained water, sugar, caramel coloring and a couple of things that I couldn't even pronounce. That started the wheels in my brain turning. How could something be pure if it contains so many ingredients? After a bit of research I discovered it was not hard to make vanilla. You just have to be patient because it does take at least 6 months for vanilla beans to steep in alcohol before it can extract enough of the flavor to be used in baking. If you don't give it enough time you just make flavored vodka.
Now, patience is not one of my virtues but, I decided it would be worth the wait. So, I bought a good quality vodka and lots of vanilla beans. If you purchase vanilla beans at the grocery store you will pay about $8.00 for 3 beans. So, you need to find a good source on the internet and purchase them in a very large quantity. Simply split the beans down the side and put them in the vodka. Store in a cool dark place. Shake occasionally to keep things stirred up a bit. The minimum wait time is six months. Your patience will be rewarded with the purest vanilla you have ever smelled. It is simply devine. I love the word devine. Using it  makes me feel very sophisticated.
Making you own vanilla is not hard to do. If you want more complete instructions, hop over to http://www.howtomakevanilla.blogspot.com/. Give it a try. It is well worth the wait. Simply devine!

Deep Dish Pan Pizza

Deep Dish Pan Pizza is so easy to make. All you need are a  few basic ingredients. 1 loaf of frozen bread dough - thawed, 1 jar of your favorite pizza sauce ( I used Ragu), and Shredded Mozarella cheese. You can stop right here and you have all the makings for a delicious cheese pizza. But, we prefer our pizzas with a few more toppings. I added Pepperoni slices, some chopped vegetables (onion,  tomato,  black olives, green bell pepper) and a small can of sliced mushrooms.
Take your bread loaf out of the refrigerator and allow it to thaw and rise for a few hours. Our house stays a bit on the cool side so it took about 6 hours for the bread to thaw and rise.  When the bread dough is completely thawed and has doubled in size you are ready to build your pizza. Liberally oil you cast iron skillet. I use a 12 inch skillet. Place the bread in the oiled skillet and  using your hands flatten the risen bread loaf. You will  need to continue to press the bread dough into the shape of the skillet. Don't be afraid to really press as much of the air out as you can. As it cooks it will rise again. After you have pressed the dough around the pan it is time to add your toppings. This is the fun part. You can get creative and add anything you like. For this pizza we added about 3/4 cup of pizza sauce and spread it round. Don't add your toppings all the way to the edge. Leave about 1/2 of an inch for the crust. Then, we added as small layer of  mozzarella cheese. Next came the pepperoni, onions, bell pepper, tomatoes, mushrooms, and olives. Then, we added a bit more cheese. Bake the pizza in a preheated 375 degree oven for approximately 30 minutes. Check it after 20 minutes for desired doneness. The perfect doneness for us was 30 minutes. It was the best pizza. Much better than call out and deliver pizza and it was a fraction of the cost too.