Homemade Vanilla Extract Recipe

After posting my magnet tutorial over at Lindsay's blog, I received a ton (okay...two) emails thanking me for the tutorial.  I even saw pictures of the fabulously craftastic results of craft nights everywhere.  (Okay...at two homes. Geesh! Let me stick with the hyperbole, all right?)

That got me thinking...

I'm going to go ahead and post all my tutorials.  I'm just not going to tell anyone who is getting what.  (Smart friends and family will send me their orders.)

I'm doing this for the good of all mankind, not because I can't wait to share what I'm making and my impatience is driving me bonkers.  Seriously.  Good of all mankind.

So...next on the list...

Homemade Vanilla Extract

1 c. filtered vodka
3 vanilla beans

Step 1.  Slice the vanilla beans to one inch from the top.  I used scissors to make this process even more simple.

Step 2.  Put vanilla beans in jar of vodka and put a lid on it.

Step 3.  Put jar in cool, dark place for eight weeks.  Shake once a week until...

You have vanilla extract!

Step 4.  Pour into groovy amber glass bottles and finish with a label telling your favorite cooks how much you love baked goods and that you would be more than happy to help taste test anything made with said vanilla.

How simple was that?

Please note: The lack of final product pictures is to leave some sort of surprise for the recipients.