Mmmm, Vanilla!

Thank you, Pinterest.... once again you have sparked my imagination and made me want to try something new.  And you maed my hubby roll his eyes, once again!  This time I have decided to make homemade vanilla extract.  The original website called for vodka.  I didnt have any and vodka is not gluten free, so I had to think.  We had some rum left over from another recipe, so I decided to use that.

What you need:
1 Jar with a tight closing lid, or a cork.  (I used a mason jar)
2-4 vanilla beans
Enough rum or liquer of your choice to cover beans.

(This is such a lazy recipe!)
Cut beans in half length wise, place in jar, cover with alcohol, put on lid. 

Seriously.  Thats it!

Now... the down side is that it takes 2 months to develop... you should store it in a dark place away from heat, and shake it at least once a week.   Also, as you use the extract, you can replace the alcohol so you have a never ending supply of it.  This would be great as Christmas gifts too... all ya gotta do is find some cheap cute little jars (think... Goodwill store!) and some ribbon and voila!  Gift!

Sorry about my picture... it looks kinda gross, but hey, its a cell phone pic.  What are ya gonna do?

This is someone elses picture and product.  The darkness is how it would be with a clear alcohol after the 2 months.  Dont forget to shake it!!

I want to make more stuff with real vanilla, cause it smelled so stinkin' good, and cause it tastes so good... so whats your favorite use for real vanilla?