Vanilla Extract

Okay - I thought some may find this useful... For someone like me who uses a LOT of real vanilla extract, it's much cheaper to make it yourself!

How to make your own Vanilla Extract!

You'll need:

1 bottle of 80+ proof grain alcohol, Vodka or Rum (I use Vodka b/c it's colorless and tasteless and lets the vanilla shine through)

About 20 or so Vanilla Beans

I get the 1.75 liter bottle of Absolute - mind as well make as much as you can while you're at it! Take about 1/2 the beans and split them in half, scraping the seeds from the shell. SAVE IT ALL! Open the Bottle, drop in all the vanilla beans including the split and scraped ones and seeds - this helps develop the vanilla flavor. Close the cap, place in a cool dark place for 2 months. Shake the bottle every few days. Once it's ready(You'll see the vodka start looking brown), fill a small bottle for your kitchen. (You're old extract bottle is perfect, but you can also get awesome bottles at Pier 1 or a craft store) For personal use, re-fill the smaller bottle with use, the extract in the vodka bottle will continue to develop it's flavor with time. *My bottle is 3 years old - It's the best I've ever had!!* If you prefer not to have the vanilla seads in the extract, you can strain them, but I think it makes it better to have them in!

For gift-giving, drop a whole vanilla bean into a decorative bottle and fill with the extract. Add a custom label, ribbon to the top and Voila! Instant gift! (Great for Christmas!)

**I got my vanilla beans at my healthfood store - I pay $1 per bean which is a super GREAT price!!**