Vanilla Bean Extract

I have been talking about doing this for MONTHS with a friend of mine that has. I finally did it and so now just have to wait the 3-6 months for it to develop into the taste I want. I did one smaller jar of extract so I can have one quicker than the quart jars. I used a recipe from 'The Prairie Homestead' but they have a TON of recipes out there and they are all about the same. I know a lot of people that get their vanilla beans from www.mountainroseherbs.com but I am a part of an organic buying club so I was able to order a bulk amount cheaply and without the shipping cost. Mountain Rose is a great place to order from though and most people out there that I've seen use them for their herbs and such. 

You really can't get easier than a quart jar, 7-9 vanilla beans cut lengthwise,to expose the inner seeds, then cut into about 3" sections and placed into the jar with Vodka of your choice! I used 4 beans for the smaller jar.

 I have a friend who has to be gluten free due to a family member having celiac disease so she found a gluten free vodka and used that. So those that are gluten free, know it can be done!! 

All done and in the jars that I don't use for my kefir since my ringed lids don't fit on them (I use the rings to hold my netting of kefir). I always pick through these jars wishing I had a good use for them and VOILA! Here you go! The smaller jar I seem to have a lot of and that was the first one I grabbed. 

I will post pics in about 3 months to show the finished project. All and all the whole process took about 5 minutes. Not bad!!