Bean's Vanilla Night

Bean loves Horizon Vanilla Milk boxes so imagine her delight when she found out we could make vanilla milk at home using the Mexican Single-Strength Vanilla Extract she picked out at Penzey's earlier this month.

Bean's Vanilla Milk

2 Cups milk
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract (not imitation)
sprinkle of ground cinnamon (optional)

Warm the milk over low heat in a saucepan. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Stir in vanilla. Pour into pretty cups and top with a smidgen of cinnamon if you like.

To up the fancy factor, we served the milk warm in the same tiny green teacups I used to drink from at my Grammy Arta's house when I was Bean's age.

Why yes, that is a pink monkey nightgown on Roo.

Since warm vanilla milk is best sipped alongside a tasty treat, we made heart-shaped shortbread cookies dipped in dark chocolate.  We used this simple Shortbread Cookie recipe from JoyofBaking.com and Bean was thrilled that we got to put her vanilla to work again. The cookies were crumbly, buttery, and delicious.

Looly and Roo measuring flour

Their perfectly measured 260 grams

Bean and her own vanilla

Ready for the oven

Why not dip a few pretzels too?

yum!

Still to come, Looly's Vietnamese Extra Fancy Cinnamon.