Being a mother is the most challenging, exhausting, amazing experience. Now that my children are more than 3/4 of the way to adulthood, I realize I could of never made it through the stages of their lives without the mother's in my life. These women are not limited to my biological mother, they are women who I cherish for many reasons. These amazing women will always hold a special place in my heart and each and every Mother's Day I celebrate their presence in my life.

Celebrate the special mother's in your life with a handmade gift, a thoughtful card or even a scrumptious brunch. Eggs Benedict with creamy hollandaise, a homemade blueberry muffin and let's not forget the peach Bellini. A peach Bellini is a signature brunch cocktail worthy of a special occasion. I could just stick to the classic mixture of champagne and peach puree but that would be boring. I created a hybrid of the Bellini, the Ginger Peach Champagne Cocktail. A special concoction of pureed peaches, ginger extract, vanilla bean simple syrup and of course really good champagne.

Natural Ginger flavor from Beanilla is slightly sweet yet pungent, spicy with lemon undertones. Our Natural Ginger Flavor will add some zing to your cooking! This versatile flavor is sure to be a perfect go-to all year round addition in sweet and savory dishes alike. Ginger pairs well with apples, bananas, beef, chicken, seafood, as well as many marinades and sauces. Natural Ginger Flavor is easy to use; no shredding or chopping necessary. Smooth, fresh ginger flavor in one easy pour.

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers in your life and mine!

There are moments in our lives that are defined by the food that we share. It may be a special occasion, helping a relative create their signature dish, or a favorite restaurant.  As a chef, most of my life has been defined by food; cuisines that are unique to the regions that we have resided in, and the friendships we have formed. The Midwest evokes memories of barbecues and Sunday dinners with beloved friends. The Pacific Northwest brings back memories of Thai cuisine at Thanksgiving, lovingly crafted by our friend’s elderly mother. A picnic lunch of fresh raspberries and French cheese/baguette spread out on a park bench in Paris, or a favorite breakfast with a close friend in sunny San Diego are also memories that I have.

Two weeks before we were scheduled to leave Southern California, my husband surprised me by flying out two of my closest friends for a girls' weekend. It was an amazing gift that allowed me to introduce them to one of my favorite breakfast spots in San Diego. Gigantic platters of sage fried chicken breasts on a bed of garlic mashed potatoes topped with fresh spinach, griddled cheese and an absolutely to die for chipotle cream sauce. A dish that is perfectly complimented by a huge glass of pistachio iced mocha with mounds of fresh whipped cream.  Ahhhhh, food memories......

Beanilla now carries Natural Pistachio Flavor, the perfect excuse to recreate a delicious food memory. Add depth of flavor to iced mocha and a variety of desserts with the nutty, yet delicate, addition of our Natural Pistachio Flavor. Buttery and smooth, Natural Pistachio Flavor pairs well with almond, cherry, vanilla, chocolate, as well as a wide array of mouth watering ingredients. Enliven everyday recipes with just a pour.

What’s your favorite food memory?

I am not Irish, not even a little bit. I do, however, enjoy an Irish coffee along with dessert or occasionally with brunch. In this post, I'll share with you how to make your own Homemade Irish Cream Liqueur. Never buy Bailey's again!

My husband and I recently went on a trip for the first time without the kids; it is amazing how much more smoothly the airline check-in process goes without kids in tow. One of the perks of traveling alone with my husband is that he has traveled a considerable amount for work and has achieved a certain perk status with the airlines. This usually means that the airlines will upgrade him and whomever he travels with to first class. Yah, for me!! I settled into my seat and breathed a sigh of relief; no dogs, no kids, no obligations for five whole days. Bring on a drink! The stewart very politely asked what he could bring me as my husband as we were waiting to take-off. Baileys and coffee seemed the most appropriate for an early morning flight. It was delicious and of course got me thinking about the perfect post for St. Patrick’s Day!

Homemade Irish Cream is really easy to make. All of the ingredients are thrown together in a blender and the whole mixture is then chilled. No waiting for flavors to meld together or the liquor to age. The flavor is much fresher and the cost is considerably less than the commercially made products. Raise your glass in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, celebrate responsibly and send your friends home with a bottle of Homemade Irish Cream to enjoy throughout the year.

I know what you are thinking…….. Ugh, not another smoothie recipe! This smoothie recipe is not your typical smoothie. It’s special just like the person I make it for. My daughter is a vegetarian, and she has been for the majority of her life. Throughout her life it has been a struggle to prepare nutritious and protein-packed meals for her (especially when she only wanted to eat cheese. Cheese smoothies are definitely not palatable!)

Many times I have had to sneak protein into her meals. One of the easiest, and least noticeable, ways is with silken tofu! I have added silken tofu to anything and everything from the cheese sauce in homemade mac and cheese to my daughter’s personal favorite, strawberry-banana smoothies. The silken tofu adds a creaminess to the smoothie without affecting the flavor, which will allow the Madagascar vanilla bean paste and the beautiful fresh fruit to shine through.  The added protein from the tofu assures me that she will start her day off with the energy she needs to conquer the world, or at least make it through math class.

As a child, I spent a good amount of time at my grandparents’ home. One of my most vivid memories of my days spent with them was the crisp fall mornings and afternoons my grandmother spent canning. She would can dozens of quarts of home grown tomatoes, corn and grape jelly. The grape jelly was always my favorite, made from huge silver skin grapes that grew on vines along the back row of the garden. Not all of the grapes made it into the jars that lined her kitchen counter.  A few were eaten by my brothers and I, and more than a few were used as projectiles.

Although my grandparents are no longer with us, the memories of my time spent with them flood in when I pull out the canning jars. That being said, it’s winter here in the Midwest and there is no fresh fruit anywhere in sight. But there is frozen fruit that was picked and frozen at the peak of the season. Frozen fruit is perfect for soaking in liquor, especially cherries. Simply thaw frozen whole cherries, place in your favorite lidded glass container, add about a cup of bourbon, and 1 whole Bourbon vanilla bean (cut in half and sliced lengthwise), then place in the fridge and let all the flavors meld together. Once the flavors have melded together, the cherries can be spooned over ice cream, added to your favorite beverage, chopped and put in your favorite shortbread cookie recipe, or even tossed with blue cheese and crushed pecans and stuffed into a butterflied pork loin.

It’s cold here!! Not quite Iowa cold (those of you who live or have lived in Iowa know what I am talking about), but it is still cold here! This is our first winter back in the Midwest after three very sunny and warm years in Southern California, and I just simply can’t get warm!

So, I have been making a ton of hot chocolate; warm, creamy, delicious hot chocolate. I think I’m finally thawing out!

Good hot chocolate begins with an exceptional cocoa powder; I prefer to use a dark cocoa powder. The perfect complement to a dark cocoa powder is the Beanilla Ugandan vanilla bean. The Ugandan vanilla bean adds undertones of milk chocolate and a bold rich vanilla flavor.

If you are living in the frozen tundra of the Midwestern states, or even the East Coast, consider warming up with a classic, rich hot chocolate. If you live in Southern California... say hello to the beach for me!

It's cold here in Michigan, but that won’t stop me from bringing a bit of sunshine inside! Last year at this time, we were on our way from sunny southern California to live in snowy Western Michigan. Although I love living closer to family and friends, there are parts of California that I do miss, especially when the snow falls here and the temperatures hover near freezing.

Living in Southern California bring days full of sun and warmth, palm trees, the smell of the ocean and shaved ice! Shaved ice carts are abundant near the boardwalks of the ocean. You can choose from a multitude of syrups and holding the snow cone in your hand brings you back to the days of the Snoopy Sno-Cone Machine.

My strawberry limoncello snow cone is a grown up version of a childhood classic. Strawberry extract from Beanilla bring a ripe fresh picked strawberry flavor to the tart and sweet flavor of the limoncello.

When lemons come into season in the middle of winter I start to go a bit lemonade crazy. Yes, it may still be chilly outside and the car windshield may still require a scraping every morning, but I can never say no to a tall glass of sweet and sour lemonade. Enjoyed in front of a fire with a bowl of aveglemono soup, a favorite book you've read five times before, or a slice of almond cake lemonade always makes life a bit more enjoyable and lets you forget the world for a few moments.

I usually end up using the more common Eureka lemons for my lemonade as I think their intense citric punch is a good contrast against the sugar, but a sweet and orange-y Meyer lemon will be just as happy in a clinking glass filled with ice. I also always toss in the seeds and pod of a fresh vanilla bean - usually Tahitian for its creaminess - as it adds a floral, rich, decadent layer of flavor to the lemonade. Plus, who can resist the comely pinprick speckles of real vanilla dancing in their drink?

Be sure to use a peeler to peel the zest from your lemons before you juice them. Added to the simple syrup they impart a lot of color and flavor.

A few weeks ago, I posted a homemade Kahlua recipe that was perfect for gift giving! I know that you have put aside a small amount for yourself, so I have created a special drink just for you. So, sit down, wrap a few presents and pour yourself a glass of deliciousness!

Kahlua pairs perfectly with chocolate. The coffee in the homemade Kahlua enhances the complex nuances of chocolate. Crushed peppermint candy canes on the rim of your glass adds the perfect touch to this festive drink.

We recently hosted a holiday cocktail party with a few family members, co-workers and neighbors. Hosting and welcoming friends into my home is one of the greatest joys in my life. I enjoy providing delicious food, lively conversation and a beautiful atmosphere which I  have been doing for many years. Over the years, I have learned what works and what does not. With many successes and a few colossal failures, my guests seem pleased and return year after year.

The key to a successful cocktail party is a great atmosphere, interesting and varied guests, delicious but elegantly simple food and, of course, a signature cocktail or two.

Over the years, I have noticed trends come and go but a finely crafted cocktail is always in style. Whether it be rich and chocolaty or light and fruity, nothing encourages mingling more than a cocktail in hand. Providing your guests with two prepared options often alleviates the stress of deciding what to drink and gives your party a more pulled together and well thought out appearance.

For our recent cocktail party, we offered a chocolate mint martini and a cranberry lemon drop. While both were delicious, I must admit the cranberry lemon drop was my favorite.

Light, fruity and festive, the cranberry lemon drop is perfect for any holiday celebration!