This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our privacy policy.
I love the holiday season. Many recent evenings have been spent browsing Pinterest for holiday decorating and gift giving ideas. I’m such a sucker for homemade gifts that get all prettied up in festive packaging. Fancy ribbon, colorful tags, and cute jars – yeah, I’m pretty much smitten with it all.
Last year I made Homemade Vanilla Extract to share with family and friends. The extract was quite a hit, so I thought that I’d keep with the vanilla theme and whip up a batch of Vanilla Sea Salt.
If you have never used vanilla sea salt, you’ll want to rectify that immediately. It’s subtle flavor is absolutely perfect for a variety of sweet treats such as Sweet and Salty Brownies, Fleur de Sel Caramels, Bars and Chocolate Tarts. And you can even use it on savory items such as pan seared scallops and fresh lobster. Imagine vanilla flecked salt rimming your favorite margarita! So many possibilities with a little jar of salt!
Join Katie and I this week in sharing your favorite recipes that feature vanilla for a chance to win an incredible gift basket from Beanilla. Beanilla has been my go-to source for all things vanilla related for over 3 years. I am confident in saying their products are the absolute best that I have tried. Their entire line of beans, extracts, pastes, and powders will turn you into a vanilla addict!
Join in on the fun and link up your recipe for a chance to win a gift basket from Beanilla! You’ll also definitely want to check out Katie’s idea for a Homemade Vanilla Sugar Scrub.
Packaging Info
– The jars seen in the photos are Weck Mini Mold Jars.
If you have a Silhouette Machine and are interested in the shapes and fonts I used, here is the info:
– Snowflake Doily by Loni Stevens cut on light blue card stock with a 2.4 inch width
– Plain circle cut on white card stock with a 1.49 inch width
– Vanilla font is called Liorah BT, Sea Salt font is called Pharmacy
Vanilla Sea Salt
Ingredients:
1 cup sea salt
4 vanilla beans, split lengthwise and scraped, seeds reserved
Directions:
1. In a large bowl, combine sea salt and vanilla seeds. Use the tips of your fingers to rub the vanilla seeds into the sea salt until they are thoroughly combined.
2. Spoon salt into individual jars, cover tightly, label, and store in a cool, dry place.
Notes:
- Depending on how you package your vanilla salt, this recipe will yield 2-4 gift jars.
- I used Mexican Vanilla Beans to make my Vanilla Salt, but any type of high quality vanilla beans will do.
- Don't throw those empty vanilla beans away, make homemade vanilla sugar.
Adapted from CHOW
All images and text ©Follow Jamie on Instagram. We love to see what you're baking from MBA! Be sure to tag @jamiemba and use the hashtag #mbarecipes!
How To Participate
For a chance to win an Beanilla Gift Basket Gift Card {updated 12/5/11} valued at $150. Beanilla wanted to callow the winner to pick their own items, so the prize is now a $150 Gift Card! Woo-Hoo!
- Write and post a recipe on your blog featuring VANILLA OR VANILLA BEANS.
- Include “Come join the fun at the My Baking Addiction and GoodLife Eats Holiday Recipe Swap sponsored by Beanilla.” in your blog post.
- No blog? Just leave your recipe in the comments section.
- Add your link to the widget on either GoodLife Eats or My Baking Addiction (we have the same widget code, so only add it on one site).
- Submit your post before December. 12, 11:59 PM.
- Anyone can participate in the link up, but the prizes will ship to US addresses only.
- More detailed info are available here.
Link Up Your Recipes:
Love any of the recipes featured in today’s Holiday Recipe Exchange? If so, be sure to to use the Ziplist Web Recipe Clipper to add your holiday favorites to your online recipe box.
‘);
// ]]>
This Week’s Prize:
Beanilla Vanilla Gift Card valued at $150
Prizes provided by Beanilla.
Recipe Theme Schedule:
I got here from the anime Toradora!
I got here from Toradora!
This is an awesome idea! I don’t have a blog, but I do have my absolute FAVORITE recipe for Vanilla Buttercream frosting.
Vanilla Buttercream
1 cup (2 sticks butter, salted or unsalted)
1-2 cups powered sugar (may need more depending on the consistency you are looking for)
1 tsp vanilla extract
In a stand mixer (or hand mixer) fitted with a whisk attachment, blend the butter until smooth & creamy about a minute or so. Add the powdered sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, making sure to whisk out any lumps. Add the vanilla and whisk for a few more seconds. If need be, you can add some heavy cream to thin out the frosting. For a DELICIOUS variation, I’ll sometimes throw in a brick of Philly cream cheese. (Vanilla cream cheese frosting is amazing!)
This frosting (with the cream cheese), is amazing on pumpkin or apple cider cupcakes & as a finishing touch, a little vanilla sea salt would MAKE them absolutely delicious. Can’t wait to try it! Thanks again for an adorable/tasty gift idea!
Great idea – I have a homemade gift exchange this weekend and I can do this without even going to the store!
Vanilla Cream Pie! :)
1/2 c gran. sugar, plus 2 tbs
1/4 c cornstarch
1/8 tsp table salt
5 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 c milk, whole or 2 percent
1/2 c evaporated milk
1/2 vanilla bean (about 3-inches long, split lengthwise)
2 tbs unsalted butter
1 tsp brandy
1 c heavy cream
2 tbs confectioners’ sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Graham Cracker Pie Shell
Directions-
1. Whisk sugar, cornstarch, and salt in medium saucepan. Add yolks, then immediately but gradually whisk in milk and evaporated milk. Drop in vanilla bean. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently at first, then constantly as mixture starts to thicken and begins to simmer, 8 to 10 minutes. Once mixture simmers, continue to cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute longer. Remove pan from heat; whisk in butter and brandy. Remove vanilla bean, scrape out seeds, and whisk them back into filling.
2. Pour filling into shallow pan (another pie pan works well). Put plastic wrap directly over filling surface to prevent skin from forming; cool until warm, about 30 minutes. Pour warm filling into pie shell and, once again, place sheet of plastic wrap directly over filling surface. Refrigerate pie until completely chilled, at least 3 hours.
3. Whip cream to soft peaks. Add confectioner’s sugar and vanilla; continue to whip to barely stiff peaks. Spread over filling and refrigerate until ready to serve.
I make a very simple vanilla bean glaze fairly often. 1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter, 1 cup plus a tablespoon or two extra confectioners’ sugar, 1 tablespoon milk, 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped.
That’s a fabulous prize!
Wow I would absolutely go to town with that gift card! I’ve been dying to try out the vanilla sugar scrub and vanilla spiced sugar for homemade gifts this year!
*Please see note at end of post.
Balsamic vinegar is a nice counterbalance to the sweetness of fruit. So, don’t be put-off by the thought before you try it!
Sherlene’s Vanilla Bean Balsamic Vinegar
You can use dark or white Balsamic vinegar (the white blends better with the color of most fruit, I like the contrast and richer flavor of the dark on fruit).
Carefully pop out the plastic strainer in the bottle of Balsamic vinegar (keep it clean), drop a vanilla bean, which has been pierced in several areas, into bottle and replace strainer, then re-cap bottle tightly.
*Let stand at room temperature for a week or two.
Serve a few dashes on stone free fresh or canned peaches served in individual pretty little bowls. Or try this, heat frozen peaches that have been topped with sugar to taste and heated in the microwave, let cool or chill, then add a dash of vanilla vinegar. (I place frozen peaches in a microwavable bowl, no water, a good scoop of sugar and cover it with a plate. Zap a minute or two depending on amount preparing until the sugar has melted completely and formed a simple syrup.) I think balsamic vinegars are best on very sweet or sweetened fruits.
After a month or so the pickled vanilla bean can be used as a garnish on top of the fruit by scrapping out the inside of the bean or sliced into small strips.
*I guess it would be proper to tell you to get a jar, wash it and lid in dishwasher or boil. Pour in heated vinegar (which does speed up the fusion process), drop in vanilla bean, seal well and place in refrigerator for a couple weeks. So be forewarned. However, aside from actually making pickles, my granny just stuck things into the vinegar, closed it up and let it sit on the counter, period. It never hurt any of us and she lived to be over 80 yrs. old.
Just read about vanilla salt on Eat the Love the other day. Definitely have to try it!