Vanilla Extract ... For Judy :)

What I do, anyway ...

I purchase a couple of real vanilla beans from the health food store. It costs me about a dollar or two.

I put the beans in a pint-sized canning jar.

--I was gifted several of the old-fashioned ones that have glass lids with a wire band, and I use one of these --

Then, I fill the jar with vodka (the cheapest bottle I could find :), and I let it steep until I need it. The longer it sits, the more "vanill-y" it gets.

When I've used about half the liquid, I replenish the vodka.

When I've used half more of the liquid, I'll swap out the old vanilla beans for new ones.

Again, I don't know if it's better than the stuff we could get in the stores, but it smells good ;).