Vanila Extract and Vanilla Sugar

I have never bought any type of hard liquor before a couple of weeks ago when I made my first batch of vanilla extract.  I felt the need to explain myself to the cashier as to why I was purchasing vodka, (like she would even care!) She caught me off guard when she asked me why I would make it when you can buy it.  My brain operates differently.  I ask myself why I would buy something if I could make it.  I didn't tell the cashier this.  I answered her question with what I felt she could more easily relate to, that being it costs much less to make your own.  She kind of looked at me like I had three heads, but I don't care.  I am excited to share this with you.

What you need:

1 cup Vodka
3 vanilla beans
jar with tight fitting lid to put it in
time (3 weeks-6 months)

Begin by slicing the vanilla bean down the middle starting one inch from the top and stopping one inch from the bottom.  Place the beans in a jar and pour the vodka over the top.  Shake it up a little. Place in a dark place.  I put my jar in a sock to make it dark.  About once a week I gently shake it up a little. 

It has been 3 weeks since I first prepared mine.  You can see the color change.  When I take the lid off I feel it needs more time.  The smell of liquor is still too strong.  The longer you wait the better.  The neat thing about this is after you have used it up all you do is pour more vodka in.  The same vanilla bean can be used for up to a year!

Some other ideas are to place 10 vanilla beans in a liter of vodka and follow the same steps.  This would be a great idea  if you wanted to make it for gifts.  I would strain it through a coffee filter and pour into 4 oz jars and put one vanilla bean back in each container.

Also it would be good to let you know that Costco sells whole vanilla beans in their baking aisle for much less than you can get it at the regular grocery store.  I have had people tell me they purchased their vanilla beans on e-bay for even cheaper than Costco.

So I had some left over vanilla beans and somewhere I read that you can make vanilla sugar by just putting a vanilla bean in the container you store your sugar in.  My friends always made fun of me because I only had my sugar in a huge container.  It would be a bit cumbersome when all you needed was a little sugar in your coffee.  Now I have this much more manageable container.  And once again the vanilla bean can be reused after the sugar is gone.  Just refill the container with sugar.  When it stops smelling like vanilla, replace the bean.