Vodka Infusion

So I'm home alone for dinner and instead of cooking up yet another batch of spaghetti and tossing it with some jarred sauce, I opted for something different: like starting with all that ignored stuff in the freezer and basement food storage. I went into the basement to dig up a can of tuna and believe it or not, we didn't have any. But I did find a can of Amy's Vegetarian chili that happens to be Gluten Free (I'm allergic to Wheat).

I put it on the stove, then remember that the reason this can was in the basement was because the chili was really on the bland side, really. I went to my neighbor's house and asked them for one jalapeno from their garden. They gave me 4. I know my DH2b would love them, but he already has the 6 that the neighbors gave us over the last few weeks. SO I cut up one and put half of it into the chili. I also added a salmon burger (God only knows who thought that up) that has been in the freezer for some time.

Next, I cut a hole in the top of a garden tomato, one of 11 in the house, and ladled the chili into it. So that was my dinner. It wasn't great, but I ate. It wasn't great, but I used up some of the mass of food that we have in the house. It wasn't great, but at least it wasn't potato chips and mini Baby Ruths.

Anyway, on with the meat of the post.
While eating, I wondered what I could do with the remaining 3 and a half jalapenos.
Infuse them with vodka of course! I googled and found http://www.infusionsofgrandeur.net/ The Mad Scienticians. They helped me figure out that I wanted to cut the jalapenos in half and shove them into the jar of vodka.

Doing this made me think about my trials making Fruity Cordials. It was never as easy as one slice, you're done! Oh well, I'll wait a few days and try out the vodka. Then, after I go out and buy more vodka, I'll try infusing it with sticks of vanilla and maybe coffee beans. I always complain that when I decide to try a fancy martini at a bar or restaurant, I have to suffer with the non flavored kind because of the grain used to make the lower shelf vodkas that are in those drinks.

You see, since I am intolerant to Gluten (found in wheat, rye, barley, and oats) I can not eat or drink anything made with or near wheat. Vodka is not normally my top choice for drinky-drinks, but when I do want it, I always have to upcharge to Chopin or some of the other spendy ones that are made from potatoes or grapes. The DH2b and I ate at the Cheesecake Factory the other night and I seriously had a martini that (while splendid!) was nearly $12!

I very much look forward to infusing things into vodka, and maybe some other liquids as well. I suppose I can do this in the winter, unlike when I make cordials. The fruit does not react as well when it's cold.

Please join me as I try new liquid creations... it will be mixed in with my paper creations, but you know me... crafty, no matter what the topic!