Recipe - Home-Made Vanilla Extract

2 Whole vanilla beans
1 One half cup Vodka (the cheapo stuff
works just fine)
One half cup Water
1 cup Granulated sugar

Anyone interested in a recipe for homemade vanilla
extract? It makes a fun gift for Christmas, packaged
in a small jar with ribbon around neck, included
recipe for same, a bag of brownie or cookie mix which
requires vanilla and a brownie pan. It IS
alcoholbased. Perhaps someone has another recipe for
one that does not require alcohol? Could this be one
of those "chemistry" things again? I apologize for
typing this in as I still haven't made friends with my
software but folks who know how to doctor it to adapt
to their recipe pgm. will find it a tasty and CHEAP,
CHEAP, CHEAP Holiday idea. Better start it now,
though! It takes about 7 weeks to "steep" it but you
can fudge a little on that timing, I'm sure.

VANILLA EXTRACT

In a 3 cup glass container with a tight fitting lid,
combine vanilla beans with the vodka. Cap and allow
to "steep" at room temperature for three weeks.
Remove vanilla beans and strain liquid through a
cheesecloth, if necessary. In a medium saucepan,
combine water and sugar, stirring constantly, until it
comes to a boil and sugar dissolves. Remove from heat
and cool. Stir into vodka that has been strained.
Pour mixture into a bottle; cap and allow to sit at
room temperature one month. Yield:2 cups vanilla
extract

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini