How to: Make Homemade Vanilla Extract

August 16, 2023 By Nadia Fuad in Baking and Cooking, Recipes, Uncategorized Tags: bakery, baking, beans, bourbon, cakes, cookies, cooking, Extract, gift basket idea, gift idea, gifts, holiday, holiday cheer, homemade, homemade gift, homemade vanilla, homemade vanilla extract, kitchen, madagascar, mama's kitchen, recipe, rum, tahitian, Vanilla, vanilla beans, vanilla extract, vodka, vodka vanilla extract, yarnutopia, yarnutopia and more Leave a comment

Do you like to bake?

When you bake as much as I do, it is very easy to go through baking ingredients on a regular basis. I purchased very good vanilla extract for a pretty penny and I am always running out! It’s too much money when I can make my own!

Let’s get started!

Homemade Vanilla Extract

2 ingredients.

6-8 Madagascar Vanilla beans per 8 oz. bottle. Find Vanilla Beans HERE. Find the bottles HERE.

Vodka (You can also use Bourbon or Rum each one having a slightly different flavor).
**the alcohol draws out the best flavor in your vanilla bean but you can make your recipe without
by substituting vegetable glycerin for the alcohol.

Directions:

For 6 to 8 beans per 8 oz. bottle.

I slice my beans down the center the long way to release fragrance and flavor of the vanilla bean paste see photos below). Place the vanilla beans into clean 8 oz. bottles. I found my bottles on Amazon HERE. You must cover the beans completely with Vodka so they are submerged-approximately 8 oz. of vodka per bottle. Keep in mind, the vodka has to be 70 proof or more. (I found 80 proof on sale 😂).

Cap bottles tightly. Shake gently to infuse flavors. Store away and let sit for at least 8 weeks.

Try to shake bottles as often as possible to insure that the flavors continue to blend-at least once a week. After 8 weeks the vanilla will be ready to use. The longer you wait the better the flavor- 4 to 6 months is actually optimal. Use in all your baking recipes that call for vanilla extract! Enjoy!

How to Make: Pretzel Bites

April 11, 2023 By Nadia Fuad in Baking and Cooking, Recipes, Uncategorized, Video Tutorial Tags: bake, baking, biscuits, bites, cheesy, cook, cooking, easy, eat, eating, fuad, Fuad and Shannon, how to, learn, make, moms home cooking, pretzel, recipe, salty, shannon, snack, step by step, teach, tutorial, video, yarnutopia 2 Comments

Welcome to our family kitchen! Today’s recipe is going to be Pretzel Bites!

We are going to show you how to make these bites using only a few ingredients.
Now let’s get started!

Recipe for Pretzel Bites:
Ingredients:
1-Canned Bisquits such as Jumbo Grands or similar
1/4 c. Baking SODA
3-4 Tblsp of Butter Coarse salt – sea or kosher
Water for boiling

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400* F Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper set aside Open your canned bisquits and be ready to get a jump scare like I did! Cut each bisquit into 4-6 equal parts- I quartered mine to make 32 bites Once cut into pieces, lightly shape into round or cubed pieces (optional)
Fill a sauce pan half full of water and bring water to a boil Slowly add baking soda to water in increments as to not overflow Once your baking SODA is added, add your dough pieces into the boiling baking soda water Turn the pieces in the boiling water and remove.

DO NOT KEEP them in the water too long or they will turn mushy. Once removed, set the dough pieces on your parchment lined cookie sheets. Place cookie sheets with your dough pieces into your preheated 400*F oven and bake for 15-20 minutes depending on your oven. Mine went for 18 minutes and they were perfect!

When done, they should have a beautiful dark brown coloring like pretzels! Melt butter Remove sheets from your oven and brush bites with melted butter while still warm Sprinkle Pretzel Bites with salt and ENJOY!

Dip them in melted cheese or enjoy on their own!

Optional: Instead of sprinkling with salt, you can roll your warm buttered bites in a cinnamon sugar mixture for a sweeter version! Dip them in some frosting! Delicious! Join us each week for more fun and easy recipes! Be sure to like, comment, and subscribe to our channel!

Happy Hooking and Cooking!
~Fuad, Shannon, & Nadia!

How to make: 4-ingredient no-knead artisan bread in cast iron Dutch oven

January 24, 2023 By Nadia Fuad in Baking and Cooking, kitchen, Recipes, Uncategorized, Video Tutorial Tags: 4, artisan, bake, bake bread, bake with me, baked, baking, basic, beginner, bread, breadmaker, breadmaking, breads, cast, cast iron, chef, cook, cooking, delicious, dutch, dutch oven, easy, economical, family, fancy, four, fuad, Fuad Azmat, homemade, how to, ingredient, ingredients, iron, let's make bread, loaf, mom, moms home cooking, nadia, old school, our family, oven, pioneer, round, simple, step by step, tutorial, video tutorial, yarnutopia, yeast Leave a comment

Here is a simple step-by-step recipe that is sure to wow your guests at any dinner party or satisfy the most insatiable craving for homemade bread you have EVER had! Trust me when I say, when you make your very own loaf, you won’t want to stop at just one! You will be a bread making aficianado before you know it! Follow my recipe below and watch my step by step video to guide you through this easy process! By this afternoon, your house will smell like rich homemade bread and your meals will be next level with this fantastic recipe!

finished loaf of artisan bread

Recipe AND Video Below:

We made a quick artisan bread loaf using only four (4) ingredients! No kneading! No mess! Easy step by step tutorial to help you achieve the greatest results proving that you don’t need to exhaust yourself to make fancy, delicious bread!!

Easy to Bake 4-ingredient, no-knead artisan bread

3 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp quick rise instant yeast

2 tsp kosher or cooking salt

1 1/2 cups warm water (Not hot! Luke warm 130*F or 55*C)

(You will need parchment paper)

Mix all ingredients in one bowl. Dough will be sticky. Let sit for 1-3 hours until dough doubles in size. (A perfect time to work on your crochet projects!) Preheat oven to 450*F (232*C) and set empty cast iron Dutch oven inside with lid on while oven preheats. Heat empty Dutch oven for 30 minutes. NOTE: This bread dough can be kept in refrigerator for up to three days and made later. The time in the fridge can even enhance flavor!

While oven/Dutch oven preheats, sprinkle a little flour on clean surface. Roll your dough onto floured surface and fold each ‘side’ into itself. I do 6-8 folds until dough forms nice round ball. Place dough on parchment paper and transfer dough ball into clean bowl. Using sifter, sprinkle a small amount of flour onto dough ball top surface. Using a lame or sharp knife cut design onto top. Let sit for duration of time it takes to preheat oven and heat up Dutch oven.

a slice down the middle, fresh from the oven!

AFTER 20-30 minutes, using oven mitts, remove HOT Dutch oven from preheated oven and carefully remove lid. Your cast iron pot is going to be EXTREMELY hot!! Use caution. Place parchment with dough ball into the hot pan and replace lid. Place back in oven and bake with LID ON for 30 minutes. AFTER 30 MINUTES, Remove the lid from your Dutch oven pot and bake bread uncovered for an additional 15 minutes or until you have a nice and toasty brown crust! Guaranteed your house will smell amazing! Carefully remove bread from pan and let cool for 10-15 minutes on cooling rack. Slice and serve! It tastes incredible with fresh butter melting on warm bread!! Mmm mmm mmm!!! Be sure to share with us how your finished loaves turn out!!!

a beautiful slice of warm, fresh made bread slathered in butter!

If you like easy to follow recipes and a variety of more fantastic videos, be sure to follow our SECOND channel Fuad Azmat/Ambient Sounds WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!!

“The more you know, the more you can create. There’s no end to imagination in the kitchen.” ~Julia Child

Happy Hooking…and Baking!
~Fuad, Shannon, & Nadia

How To Bake Zucchini Banana Bread

September 26, 2022 By Nadia Fuad in Uncategorized Tags: autumn, bake, bake bread, baking, banana, banana zucchini bread, basic, beginner, bread, breads, cook, cooking, diy, easy to follow, fall, food, foodie, how to, learn, oven, recipe, recipes, step by step, veggie bread, yarnutopia, zucchini Leave a comment

Is your garden bursting with produce? Do you love a great farmers market? Do you love finding ways to disguise fruits and vegetables in your meals? If you have answered yes to any of these questions, you have come to the right site! We have the perfect recipe for you!! Come bake with us!

Follow this easy to make recipe and you will be delighted in the end with an absolutely tasty treat!

Zucchini Banana Bread:

1 3/4 c. all purpose flour

2 eggs

1c. mashed banana

2c. grated zucchini (mine was frozen and moisture removed)

3/4 c. white sugar

3/4 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tbsp. vanilla

1/2 c. light oil

optional:

chocolate chips or walnuts (I did not use in my recipe)

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

Mix all dry ingredients together.

Add in wet ingredients and stir.

Add in mashed bananas and zucchini and fold in completely.

Grease and lightly flour your loaf pan.

I used my beautiful le crueset loaf pan that bakes everything perfectly! Fill loaf pan half way.

Put into oven and bake at 350F for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes depending on your oven and altitude. My loaf took the entire 75 minutes. Do a poke check and see if your bread is baked inside.

Remove from oven and let cool.

Loosen cool bread from loaf pan and transfer to a flat surface.

Slice and serve!

Everyone will rave about it!

Enjoy!!

Make yours today and share with us how you loaf turned out! Find us on Facebook and Instagram and be sure to tag us in your posts!

Happy Cooking & More!

Fuad, Shannon and Nadia

This post contains affiliate links, which I may be compensated for when you make a purchase. That means if you click on any link and buy from the linked websites, I will receive a small percentage of the value of your order. The amount you pay is not changed. Thank you for all your support in clicking the links in my blog!! You all are so amazing!!

Crochet Tutorial: Cupcake Amigurumi

February 1, 2019 By Nadia Fuad in Uncategorized Tags: bake, bake off, baking, basic, beginner, cake, crochet, crochet tutorial, crocheted, crocheting, cupcake, day, dessert, fashion blogger, fashionable, free crochet pattern, free pattern, handmade, holiday, how to, how to crochet, learn, love, lovely, muffin, pattern, red heart yarns, special, stitch, teach, tutorial, valentine, valentines, valentinesday, video, yarn, yarnie, yarnutopia, yummy Leave a comment

Each February, I do the “Punny Valentine” Series. This year I will do SEVEN new crochet patterns alternating with past patterns as we move toward Valentine’s Day 2019. FOURTEEN days of cheeky puns to put a smile on your face as we “share the love” this month! 💕 Let’s begin with a happy cupcake pattern! You all make my life filled with “fun-fetti sweetness” when you join me in this annual event! I am not going to “sugar-coat” this -Some only dream of cake, but YARNutopians “bake” it happen! So let’s “bake” it easy and start with “sprinkles” of fun in our day. You know we all “dessert” it because I would be “muffin” without you! Let’s start living the “sweet life” with this pattern. Below, you will see all the secret “ingredients” to make this fun amigurumi!!

Follow along with this video tutorial to learn how to make this cupcake:

My dad will continue to be the videographer, editor, and photographer for our videos when I move away.
Support YARNutopia today so we can continue to bring you clear, quality crochet tutorials even after I move into my new home!
There will be an added expense of more travel and hopefully this won’t deter our ability to provide consistent videos on a weekly basis.

**You can always contact me via Facebook if you have any problems with the pattern. I am happy to help if you have any questions along the way.
***These patterns are copyright YARNutopia © so PLEASE DO NOT COPY, SHARE, ADJUST OR RESELL MY PATTERN. I wrote and tested this pattern myself, from beginning to end. It took a lot of time and work, and I would really like to have it remain “my pattern.”
***You can sell anything you make from my patterns, please just link back to my website YARNutopia.com. Thank you!

Teacher: Nadia Fuad
Video and Editing: Fuad Azmat (My Daddy)
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Enjoy this video and subscribe to my channel on YouTube for more tutorials on how to crochet!
Leave a comment, and share with your friends!

Pattern:

Designed by Nadia Fuad
You *may* sell items made from my pattern, but please reference my website YARNutopia.com.
Please do not copy, sell, and/or post this pattern and claim it as your own.

Materials you will need:
Get the supplies individually by clicking the links below
–Red Heart Super Saver in Perfect Pink
–Red Heart Super Saver in Warm Brown
–Red Heart Super Saver in Aran
-F-3.75mm Crochet Hook
–Polyfil
–Yarn Needle
–Scissors

NOTES:
-Use a smaller hook to make these smaller
-Use a bigger hook to make these bigger

Special stitches:
Ch(s): chain(s)
YO: Yarn Over
BLO: Back Loop Only
FLO: Front Loop Only
St(s): Stitch(es)
Sl st: slip stitch
SK: Skip
SC: Single Crochet
HDC: Half Double Crochet
DC: Double Crochet

Pattern:

If you have any confusion or difficulty with reading this pattern, please watch the video tutorial to have visual instructions.

Base of cupcake:
With Pink, work in continuous rounds
Ch 2
Rnd 1: 6 SC in 2nd ch from hook. (6)
Rnd 2: 2 SC in each st around. (12)
Rnd 3: [2 SC in next st, SC in next st] 6 times. (18)
Rnd 4: [2 SC in next st, SC in next 2 sts] 6 times. (24)
Rnd 5: [2 SC in next st, SC in next 3 sts] 6 times. (30
Fasten off.

Side of cupcake base:
With Pink
Ch 7
Work in BLO
Row 1: SC in 2nd Ch and across, ch 1, turn. (6)
Rows 2-30: SC in each st across, Ch 1, turn. (6)
Once your piece fits around the base of the cupcake, you can fasten off with a long tail for sewing.

Top of Cupcake:
Work in Continuous rounds
With Warm Brown
Ch 2
Work in BLO for the first 5 rounds
Rnd 1: 6 SC in 2nd ch from hook. (6)
Rnd 2: 2 SC in each st around. (12)
Rnd 3: [2 SC in next st, SC in next st] 6 times. (18)
Rnd 4: [2 SC in next st, SC in next 2 sts] 6 times. (24)
Rnd 5: [2 SC in next st, SC in next 3 sts] 6 times. (30)
Now work in both loops:
Rnd 6-7: SC in each st around. Fasten off.

Frosting:
SC with Aran in each of the FLO that are free on the Top of Cupcake.
It should be a spiral since you worked in continuous rounds.

Assembly step:
Sew the pink side of cupcake to the base (See video tutorial for visual instructions. Sew up the side seam, and then sew on the top of the cupcake.
Add an embroidered face if you’d like!
Stuff the cupcake before closing it up completely.
Weave in all ends.

Enjoy!!