Christmas in July – Homemade Vanilla Extract
With just under 5 months until Christmas, it might be time to start thinking about gifts for your friends and family. That’s what I was doing about a year ago. I am definitely a big planner and had decided early in 2009 to make as many Christmas gifts as I could. Some of these gifts required quite a bit of time and some were easy to throw together. This week I’ll be sharing the gifts that I gave our family and friends last year.
The first gift came about due to a sale on Amazon. There was a great deal on 1/2 lb of vanilla beans. I started with two bottles of vodka and the vanilla beans. Once the beans were split (but not scraped) and placed in the vodka, the bottles just had to sit in a cool dark place. Every couple of weeks Hubby would pull the vodka out of the closet and shake the crap out of it. A couple months later the vanilla extract was ready to go!
I ordered some bottles online and made some labels for the bottles to finish off the look. I also placed two vanilla beans into each bottle.
I love that the vanilla extract tastes so good, has the specks of fresh vanilla beans, and will essentially never run out. If the vanilla starts running low, you can just top it off with some more vodka. As you use vanilla beans, just throw the pods in the bottle to replenish the vanilla flavor.
One Year Ago: Goat Cheese Potato Salad and Salmon with Yellow Pepper and Cilantro Pesto
Two Years Ago: Champagne Cupcakes
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
These look super, and like something I might could do! I was thinking of making some gyros lately, if I do this will have to go along with it.
My DH is in Saudi and brags all the time about the homemade pita bread he gets around the corner, now I can make my own. Thanks for the instructions.
Mmm, these look great. I’ve made the homemade pita recipe in Vefa’s Kitchen a few times. Instead of baking them in the oven, you pan-fry them. So addictive!
I’ve made pita bread before but always a failure. They are so hard like stone! I’m inspired again to make this over the weekend, follow your recipe and see what happens. Wish me luck 🙂
I made these this morning and YUM! they are so good. Mine have performance issues though and only one puffed up for me..lol I think I know what the problem is now. I was rolling them out way to much. They are so good though. Thanks for the recipe!
I have not tried these yet but I have made a lot of homemade bread over the years. These look delicious and I’m going to get my daughter to make these with me. There really is nothing better than a sandwich on good pita bread!
Diane
These looks super. I love how you got them to be so plain colored. We have them like this back home in Cairo sometimes but ours are a little darker because of using mostly whole wheat flour. I made pita bread recently as well and have to admit it was one of the more fun things I’ve done recently. 🙂
Home made pita….. How dangerous is that?!?!?! I dont think i would be able to stop making them. I am middle eastern and my husband is Greek so this would probably be the best and most used recipe for us…. Lovely and seems very easy.
Made these today – super easy and delish!!!! Went great with Hummus!
These are my absolute favorite! I make them many times during the year, but they have become a New Year’s Day tradition. I make hummus out of black eyed peas and serve with your pitas. Thanks for the recipe!
I love pita breads buy have never thought of making them, but this recipe is looking great, I must give it a try