Makes a great gift.

You’ll need: 2 cups vodka (you can use rum, too), six vanilla beans cut into 1-inch pieces and a jar with a tight lid. Combine vodka and vanilla beans in jar. Cover the jar, and let stand for at least six weeks in a cool dark place. Shake mixture several times a week. After half the vanilla extract is used, add more vodka to cover the beans. The flavor in the beans is gone when the vodka no longer turns a dark amber color. You can find vanilla beans cheap on eBay.