Proving that the best things happen with a vanilla bean and while you dance...

So today I did something I've never done in my whole entire life.

I cooked with a real vanilla bean. Shocking, I know. I can't believe it's taken me this long to do so, either. I've eaten dishes in which people have used one, but there's something about trying it yourself and it turning out delish...

and well

A REAL vanilla bean. Life will never be the same.

Seriously. Nor my pockets or waistline (or lack thereof...)

It will have you yelling "TASTE THE GOODNESS OF THE LORD!" once you have savored the marvels of this wonderful bean.

So Praise God for the fabulous creation of the vanilla bean.

And here's what I made:

Homemade Salted Carmel Sauce
Courtesy of Confections of A Foodie Bride

Ingredients

• 1 vanilla pod
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 5 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces (at Christmas, I use the fancy European-style butter)
• 2 tsp sea salt or fleur de sel
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup water

Instructions

1. Use a knife and slit the vanilla pod in half along the length of the bean, stopping about 1/2 inch from the end (this way, the pod stays in tact for easy retrieval and disposal). Scrape each side of the pod with the knife and place the beans and pod in a small sauce pan.
2. Add cream, butter, and salt to the sauce pan and warm until boiling.
3. Turn off heat and set aside.
4. Boil sugar, corn syrup, and water in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
5. Boil, without stirring but gently swirling pan, until mixture is a golden caramel.
6. Pluck vanilla pod from the cream mixture and carefully add the cream mixture to the caramel (mixture will bubble up) and simmer, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes.
7. Pour into heat-safe glass measuring cup or dish (that can accommodate approx 3 cups). Let sit until cool.
8. Pour into small glass jars and store in the fridge

Secondly,

For those of you who don't know. I have a bit of an obsession with musicals. In fact, I've been known to break out into random song in dance to prove that they really do happen.

But nevertheless do I digress, but I do love them.

Especially those involving singing, dancing, handsome men being men, lovely ladies being ladies and pretty dresses that twirl like a dream while you're dancing.

Case in point: White Christmas.

I love this movie. I honestly cannot remember the first time I saw it because I've been watching it since before I can even remember. In fact, when I was little I would dream about being older and going out to dances wearing the dresses from this movie...yeah somethings never change and I need to get on that...

But again I digress...

But I do love this number. I love this number so much that (God willing) whoever the man I end up marrying, might just have to strut this number with me at our wedding...because the best things happen while you dance, right? (Darn movie makes sappy ;0) ). Enjoy!