Vanilla Extract

You know those tiny lil 6 dollar bottles of baking vanilla at the grocery store? Rip off! Front a little more and order some vanilla beans from online or from your local wholesaler co-op. Then do as follows:

Take a small bottle of vodka. Cut a slit in 2 dried vanilla beans, lengthwise. (or more beans for larger bottle). Let the beans soak in the vodka for about two weeks, occasionally shake the bottle a little. The longer it sits, the more flavorful!

Bake with it, add it to cola for some vodka-vanilla coke. Pour it into pretty bottles and give it away as gifts!