Homemade Vanilla Extract

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I'm playing along with Hopsy's DIY Holiday Gift Link Up today!  A few months ago, I pinned an idea I found on Pinterest {duh} to save as a Christmas gift idea:  homemade vanilla extract.  I just thought it was such a lovely idea.  Definitely something I would use and love to receive, and it's easy to pair it with a range of items to make it either an affordable hostess gift {maybe with a set of monogrammed spatulas} or a way to spoil the baker in your life {pair it with some Williams-Sonoma gold touch pans and/or a KitchenAid stand mixer!} 

So a few weeks ago, my mom and I got to work.  I don't have many pictures of the process, because I made these before I even knew about the link up.  For step by step pictures {that are MUCH better than anything I would've taken anyways!}, visit Bethany Actually's post.

Basically, you need 2-3 vanilla beans and a 1/2 cup of vodka for each bottle.  All you have to do is put the vanilla beans in the bottle, pour the vodka in, and screw the lid on.  Et voila! In a month, you have delicious homemade vanilla extract!

I saw on an episode of Barefoot Contessa that after the vanilla has steeped for well over the one month period, Ina will take one of the beans and squeeze out all the paste inside to use for ice cream or vanilla butter.  Ummm...YUM!

Here's a picture of what ours look like after one week:

It's been three weeks now.  I'm not posting a picture of after three weeks because I don't think it looks different enough to tell.

Now I've just got to come up with some cute labels for them.  Any of you gals who are way more creative than me want to come up with some?  Hint, hint.

I'm so excited to be giving these as gifts, but I will definitely be keeping one for myself!

Happy Baking!