Home-brewed Vanilla

Last month the Gourmet Rubber Stamps design team participated in a recipe challenge, and I missed out on all the fun, so I thought I'd make a little recipe card using this vintage vanilla label.  The papers from the bicycle card I made for our MoxieFab feature were still close-at-hand, and I loved that combo so much I decided to use it again.  :)

This recipe is one that I've had for so long that I don't remember where it came from.  I have made it several times...the flavor is less intensely vanilla than the store-bought version, which sometimes is exactly what you need!  Even if you rarely use it, it is just so pretty to look at!  ;)

Home-brewed Vanilla
2 cups of Vodka
5 vanilla beans, cut into one-inch pieces

Combine the ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid.
(I used a pretty jewel-stoppered bottle).
Cover and let stand six to eight weeks.
The mixture will begin to turn amber within a day or two.

When half of the extract has been used, add more Vodka to cover the beans.  The flavor of the beans is gone when the mixture no longer darkens.