Every queen should have her crown and every cook her own “kitchen secrets”. You know what I’m talkin’ about.

Kitchen secrets like:

The mystery ingredient Aunt Bertha used in her pot roast that’s been passed on for three generations.
The trick Nana Esposito employed to make the perfect lasagna.
Or how about Grandma Cervanka’s Chzeck recipe for kolaches?

I’m not sure what it is but there’s something to be said for favored family traditions in the kitchen. If your family has one or two…wonderful! You’ve already got something fun to pass on. But the really great news is that it’s never too late to find and create your own. Consider today’s featured photo.

Our family was introduced to Mexican Vanilla about 10 years ago. My sister-in-laws sweet Mom, Avis, would make to-die-for Chocolate Chip cookies. The kids and I couldn’t figure out what was so unique and tasty about them. All we really knew was that it would be a fight to the death over who would get the last one.

Finally, Avis succumbed. (Perhaps it was the sight of blood.) She confessed that her secret ingredient was Mexican Vanilla. You can bet your sweet bottom that the precious ingredient found its way into my kitchen! (Click Here for a link to purchase Mexican Vanilla.)