Empty Fridge... (Vanilla Coffee Creamer)

Hubs, kiddo and I spent the past two weeks at the seashore about an hour away, commuting back and forth to work when we had to.  It was a lot of fun, but eventually it was time to come home.  We all trooped home, unloaded the cars, and fell into bed.  The next morning, the kiddo and I went downstairs for breakfast, and I opened the fridge to find...nothing.  No milk.  No cream.  Nothing to put in my coffee.  (Well, besides breast milk and Similac and I'm really not ready to go there.)

What I did have, serendipitously, was exactly what I needed to make homemade french vanilla creamer.  So I did.  So should you.  It's 100 times better than the stuff in the bottle - no artificial flavors, no corn syrup, nothing with long scientific sounding names.  Just creamy vanilla goodness to start your day off right.

French Vanilla Creamer 

(a girl, a dog & an oven original)

1 can evaporated milk

1 can sweetened and condensed milk

1 vanilla bean

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Note:  I used fat free sweetened and condensed milk, you can use whatever kind you want.  Also, if you don't have vanilla beans, omit that step and up the extract to 1-1/2 teaspoons.

Pour the evaporated milk into a medium sized bowl.  Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and mix them into the milk.  Throw the pod in for good measure and give it a stir.  Add the extract.  Microwave on medium high for 60-90 seconds, until the milk is warmed.  Remove the pod and add the sweetened and condensed milk.  Whisk until smooth.  Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.