Nielsen-Massey Vanillas Spice Up the Holidays

With the holidays right around the corner, baking & cooking is at the forefront of our minds.  Christmas cookies, holiday meal planning and gift wrapping, oh my!  One of the key staple ingredients for baking is vanilla.  In the past I have purchased whatever vanilla is on sale – whether it be the top brand name or the grocery store brand name.  Nielsen-Massey adds a whole new dimension to vanilla.

Nielsen-Massey, aka. the vanilla specialists, have been making vanilla products since 1907!  That is over 100 years!  More about Nielsen-Massey:

About Nielsen-Massey Vanillas
Throughout its more than 100 year history, Nielsen-Massey Vanillas has earned its reputation as a manufacturer of the finest extracts in the world. The full line of Nielsen-Massey’s Pure Vanilla products include: Vanilla Beans and Extracts from Madagascar, Tahiti and Mexico; sugar and alcohol-free Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Powder; Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste; Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Sugar and Certified Organic Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract and Beans.
Nielsen-Massey Vanillas also has a line of Pure Flavors: Pure Chocolate Extract, Pure Almond Extract, Pure Orange Extract, Pure Lemon Extract, Pure Coffee Extract, Pure Peppermint Extract, Orange Blossom Water and Rose Water. All Nielsen-Massey products are Allergen-Free and certified Kosher and Gluten-Free. The company is headquartered in Waukegan, Illinois, with production facilities in Waukegan and Leeuwarden, The Netherlands.

Of course my favorite thing about these products is that they are all gluten-free!  I love when I have an entire product line to choose from!  I do want to share that the vanilla is made from 100% corn alcohol & maltodextrin from corn starch, so if you are sensitive to corn, this product is not for you.  The complete product line:

• Pure coffee extract
• Pure chocolate extract
• Pure almond extract
• Pure lemon extract
• Pure orange extract
• Pure peppermint extract
• Orange blossom water
• Rose water
• Madagascar bourbon pure vanilla sugar
• Pure vanilla extract blend
• Madagascar bourbon pure vanilla
• Organic vanilla extract
• Tahitian pure vanilla
• Mexican pure vanilla
• Madagascar pure bourbon vanilla powder
• Madagascar pure bourbon vanilla pasta
• Whole vanilla bean

Nielsen-Massey products can be purchased through select retail & online stores.  For more information on where to purchase these products, click here.    There is a fantastic holiday recipe section on the Nielsen-Massey website.  One of the recipes that I look forward to making to go along with our Christmas Eve ham is these Creamy Vanilla Sweet Potatoes.

(source)

Creamy Vanilla Sweet Potatoes

4 medium sweet potatoes
~canola oil
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened
¼ cup real maple syrup
1 tablespoon Nielsen-Massey Tahitian Pure Vanilla Extract
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
5 strips bacon, crisp-cooked and crumbled

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Wash the sweet potatoes and lightly coast the skins with canola oil. Pierce each potato several times with a fork. Place the potatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour or until fork tender.
Cut the hot potatoes into halves. Scoop the potato pulp into a mixing bowl, discarding the skins. Beat at medium speed for 1 minute using an electric mixer. Add the cream cheese, butter, syrup, vanilla extract, salt and pepper. Whip until creamy.
Spoon the whipped potatoes into six ramekins coated with nonstick cooking spray and top with the bacon. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheat 375-degree oven for 5 to 8 minutes or until heated through. Alternatively, they may be reheated in a microwave for 2 to 3 minutes.
Serves 6

Have you tried any of Nielsen-Massey’s products?  Which one(s)?