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Writer | Home Cook | Food & Culture Historian 🫶🏻 Pull up a chair—recipes, stories, and grace from my kitchen to yours.

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What’s in the box? | Vanilla Extract Edition

A little patience and a lot of flavor. Inspired by @thepioneerwoman, I’m making homemade vanilla extract and it’s the easiest pantry project you’ll ever love. Just two ingredients, a few months of wait time and you’ll never go back to the store-bought stuff.

Homemade Vanilla Extract

What You Will Need:
• 6 whole vanilla beans
• 1 cup Vodka

What You Will Need To Do:

1. Split the vanilla beans lengthwise, place them in a clean jar, cover with vodka, and give it a shake.
2. Seal tightly and store in a cool, dark place for at least 6–12 weeks, giving it a gentle shake every so often.

The result? Pure vanilla magic.

Gracefully yours,
Jeanie Jo

Source: The Pioneer Woman – How to Make Vanilla Extract

#LTKHome

What’s in the Box? | Taco Seasoning Edition

Let’s skip the packet and shake up something homemade.

This little blend right here? It’s bold, smoky, just a touch sweet. Everything I want in a taco night without the mystery ingredients. It makes ground beef sing, but it’s just as good on roasted veggies, chicken thighs, or even stirred into black beans.

Here’s what’s in the box today:
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

That’s it. No fillers. No preservatives. Just flavor.
Double it. Triple it. Share it with a friend. Taco Tuesday is about to get a whole lot better, save this post!

Gracefully yours,
Jeanie Jo

🍑🍅 Sweet peaches, burst tomatoes, glossy rigatoni… forgiveness never tasted so good. Curious how pasta can teach us about grace?

Read Celebrate Everyday Day 53 + recipe on the blog today.

#LTKFindsUnder100 #LTKHome #LTKFindsUnder50

What’s in the Box? | Taco Seasoning Edition

Let’s skip the packet and shake up something homemade.

This little blend right here? It’s bold, smoky, just a touch sweet. Everything I want in a taco night without the mystery ingredients. It makes ground beef sing, but it’s just as good on roasted veggies, chicken thighs, or even stirred into black beans.

Here’s what’s in the box today:
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

That’s it. No fillers. No preservatives. Just flavor.
Double it. Triple it. Share it with a friend. Taco Tuesday is about to get a whole lot better, save this post!

Gracefully yours,
Jeanie Jo

What’s in the box? | Vanilla Extract Edition

A little patience and a lot of flavor. Inspired by @thepioneerwoman, I’m making homemade vanilla extract and it’s the easiest pantry project you’ll ever love. Just two ingredients, a few months of wait time and you’ll never go back to the store-bought stuff.

Homemade Vanilla Extract

What You Will Need:
• 6 whole vanilla beans
• 1 cup Vodka

What You Will Need To Do:

1. Split the vanilla beans lengthwise, place them in a clean jar, cover with vodka, and give it a shake.
2. Seal tightly and store in a cool, dark place for at least 6–12 weeks, giving it a gentle shake every so often.

The result? Pure vanilla magic.

Gracefully yours,
Jeanie Jo

Source: The Pioneer Woman – How to Make Vanilla Extract

#LTKHome

I couldn’t help but wonder if dessert is really just an excuse to layer joy. A spoon sinking through whipped cream, chocolate cake, and coffee-kissed pudding feels like a love affair in glass form.

Inspired by Julie & Julia, I’m cooking my way through Magnolia Table Volumes 1, 2, and 3. I’m calling it The Jeanie Jo & Joanna Project. Recipe 53 of 457 is Mocha Trifle Cups—and here’s how it turned out.

The flavors were rich without being heavy, the kind of bite that makes you close your eyes for just a second longer. The pudding held its silky texture, the cake soaked up just enough espresso, and the cream crowned it all like a final flourish. Individual cups made them feel fancy, but the truth? We devoured them like kids at a birthday party.

Gracefully yours,
🫶🏻 Jeanie Jo

#LTKFindsUnder50 #LTKHome

I couldn’t help but wonder if pizza is the real love language. Forget roses and handwritten notes. Sometimes romance is barbecue sauce brushed over warm dough, pulled chicken tangled with melted sharp cheddar cheese, and the golden edges of crust baked just right.

Inspired by Julie & Julia, I’m cooking my way through Magnolia Table Volumes 1, 2, and 3. I’m calling it The Jeanie Jo & Joanna Project. Recipe 52 of 457 is BBQ Chicken Pizza—and here’s how it turned out.

The smoky sweetness of the sauce met the gooey cheese like a first kiss you actually want to remember. The crust was crisp enough to hold its own yet soft enough to fold, New York-style. It’s backyard barbecue meets Friday night pizza party, and we didn’t leave a single slice behind.

Gracefully yours,
🫶🏻 Jeanie Jo

#LTKFindsUnder50 #LTKHome #LTKFindsUnder100

I couldn’t help but wonder… is tradition really about what’s written on the recipe card or the way we improvise when we get to the stove?

Cacio e Pepe, the simplest of pastas, became my experiment after some research. I toasted the pepper first, treated pasta water like liquid gold, and cooled it to 150° before whisking in the cheese. Off the heat, the Parmesan and Pecorino melted into a glossy sauce instead of clumping. Tiny tweaks, big difference.

Turns out, sometimes the tradition isn’t just the exact ingredients, it’s the ritual of stirring, waiting, and then trusting yourself enough to make it yours.

The Jeanie Jo and Joanna Project.
Recipe 51 of 457.
406 recipes to go.
📅 July 4, 2025 – December 31, 2026

Gracefully yours,
🫶🏻 Jeanie Jo

#LTKFindsUnder100 #LTKHome #LTKFindsUnder50

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