Creative Guest Chef: Pure Vanilla and Good Old Fashioned Chocolate Cookies by The Girl at Three Boys and a Girl

Hi there! My name is Cindy and I am The Girl of Three Boys and a Girl. I am a wife and mother to two boys. By day, I am an accountant and by night, I am anything and everything else with a little more in between. I have a love/hate relationship with blogging. I love that I am documenting my family’s lives for remembrance sake, but sometimes when I get really behind (like right now), it feels more like a chore. But I am so excited to write this post for Tyra! It’s been in the works for months. She and I went to high school together back in the day. Through blogging, we’ve reconnected and she’s asked me to write about a little thing I like to call Liquid Gold.

It all started three years ago when my parents went on a cruise to Mexico and brought me and my sisters each a bottle of the purest, thickest, most delightful vanilla known to man. At least in my opinion. We hoarded it and used it sparingly, but eventually, we all ran out. My sister and I did research on the Internet, trying to track down the makers of this vanilla, but to no avail. Granted, there are hundreds of brands of Mexican vanilla. But this was one we knew and loved. But, finally, we gave up.

Until last fall, when my parents announced a trip to inland Mexico, with a stop at the town where the vanilla is actually manufactured! After some research, we learned that the company now has a website, email, an online ordering system, and a warehouse in California from where it all ships. Imagine our delight. We didn’t even wait until the trip to Mexico since we also learned that the plant in Ixtapa was not set up for retail sales. We just ordered some online. And the name of this delightful product?

Vanilla Reyna.

Compare these three products.

If you could smell through your computer screen, I would first have you smell the imitation vanilla. It smells like chemicals. Alcohol and chemicals. Then, smell the “pure” vanilla extract. It has a hint of flavoring but still has a strong alcohol/chemical scent. Now, open your senses to the Vanilla Reyna. It is pure. It is decadent. It smells so good you’ll want to have a little sip. It is simply amazing. And there is no way to understand the difference until you’ve smelled and tasted it. It completely changes your recipes. You thought that dessert was good before? Wait until you make it with Vanilla Reyna! You’ll never go back, I can guarantee.

One of my favorite things to make with my vanilla is Chocolate Chip Cookies. I got this recipe from my mom’s 1969 Betty Crocker cookbook. Therefore, it is unhealthy. But it makes a pretty darn good cookie.

First, my Bosch. I know some people swear by their Kitchenaids, but I’m a Bosch woman through and through.

Then my pile of ingredients. Yes, there is shortening in these cookies. Trust me, they’re good. Delicious, even.

I also can’t make these cookies without this handy little tool I got from Pampered Chef years and years ago. You can measure liquids (which I never do) or solids with it. I suppose you could measure flour or sugar or whatever, but I only use it for shortening and peanut butter.

You pull down the insert to your measurement, fill it with your solid, and then just squish it out. Plop! No mess. No scraping with a spatula. It’s pretty slick.

Make sure you add the right amount of vanilla. And if your teaspoon overflows just a little bit? It’s okay. Maybe add an extra little dash just in case.

Mix it all up.

Then start adding your dry ingredients.

And then, add the secret ingredient. Well, besides the vanilla. I substitute half of the chocolate chips with Skor bits. I used to be able to buy them from my local grocery store, but now I have to order them in bulk online. I prefer them over Heath bits because Heath is a nutty caramel while Skor is a buttery caramel. I prefer the buttery.

Scoop them onto your cookie sheet. (This scoop is another cookie-making must-have!)

Throw them in the oven.

And voila!

They are best eaten warm. With a cold glass of milk.

Good Old Fashioned Chocolate Cookies

Combine:

2/3 cup butter

2/3 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

3 eggs

Add:

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

3 cups flour

Stir in:

1/2 bag chocolate cookies

1 cup Skor bits

Nuts, if desired

Place in 1” balls on cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

If you want to try some Vanilla Reyna of your own, the contact information is as follows:

Website: www.orlandomx.com (the US version is www.veracruzvanilla.com)

Contact: Tracy Goodrich

Email: tgoodrich@veracruzvanilla.com or vainillareynaenpv@msn.com

If you live in the Southern California area, there a few locations where you can actually buy Vanilla Reyna off the shelf. Otherwise, you can order online through the US website or by contacting Tracy at the email above. You can buy pints of vanilla all the way up to gallons. After you taste it, you really might want a gallon. I have found that it stores well in a cool, dry place. They do accept PayPal, in case you’re leery of using your credit card. There are three different brands of vanilla that they sell, but all three are the same. (In looking at the US website, it appears they are now marketing it in the US under one name, Vera Cruz vanilla.)

Bon Appetit!!

 

 

I just had to throw in my two cents' worth here and tell you all just how much I have fallen in love with this stuff...Cindy sent me my first bottle for Christmas after seeing a picture of imitation vanilla in one if my ingredient line-ups.  From the very first time I used it, I was hooked.  This stuff is simply incredible.  (And too affordable to mess with the imitation stuff!).  Cindy is a busy working mother, and she and I have been trying to get our schedules together ever since December to get this post to you guys!  Sometime in between then and now, I noticed I was down to an alarmingly low quantity of Vanilla Reyna in my bottle.  I tried to steal my Mom's (Cindy's Mom had given a bottle to my Mom for Christmas, as well!) but she wouldn't let me out the door with it.  I emailed Cindy in a panic, and she sent me a bottle from her personal stockpile.  (Thanks, Cindy!) I can't tell you all how excited I am to have this information so I can order my own personal stockpile!  Cindy won’t have to support my Vanilla Reyna habit any more. 

(Don’t worry, Cindy, I have other habits…lots and lots of other habits! See you soon!)