So I’ll admit it – I use the crappy imitation vanilla. And I know I shouldn’t. I pretend it doesn’t make a difference in baking but it DOES. Problem is – I don’t have the $$ to dump on a bottle of the real stuff. For some reason I looked up vanilla beans on eBay and low and behold there are TONS of them and going for cheap money. So I bought 100 organic beans for around $20 + shipping. One week later they arrived. I bought a bottle of Vodka and and put the two together to make a massive amount of the ‘real deal’. It takes a few weeks before you can use it, but totally worth it. It’s also a great gift idea for Christmas?
Ingredients:
2 cups Vodka
6 Vanilla Beans
2 canning jars
Cut vanilla beans in half with scissors but leave the top of the bean intact. Pop them into the jar (I folded mine in half so they would stay below the liquid) and pour 1 cup of Vodka into each jar. Let them sit in a dark cupboard for around 3 weeks. The longer it sits the stronger the extract becomes. 8 weeks you will have a nice strong vanilla extract.
The Best i Ever Had 
I have been doing this for the last year and a half and I will never again buy vanilla it is sooo expensive! I recommend that if you bake or make waffles you need to make your own vanilla it really works!! Excellent Dalyn it will help others who need to save money on their grocery budget!! Momma
ha! now i remember why i looked up vanilla beans. You were talking about your homemade vanilla! Check out eBay mum… lots of cheap awesome beans. xo *d