Making vanilla

Tonight I finally made vanilla!  I've been wanting to for months!  Here are my ingredients:

Looks pretty easy, huh?!  A big bottle of vodka - cheap brand is just fine, and some vanilla beans!  I bought my beans at Olive Nation.  I waited for a sale...it was 10% off beans and free shipping.  I paid $7.00 for 7 beans.  I will post if another sale happens.

Cut your beans lengthwise...

and add them to the vodka! 

I have heard that it needs to be in a dark container.  I don't have one, so I wrapped the bottle in two pieces of dark construction paper, put the date on it, and put it on a high shelf up in a dark cupboard. 

They say it takes about 3 months and ...voila!!! Vanilla!!  A little less time for weaker strength, a little longer for stronger strength.

For anyone who wonders why I'm making vanilla, it is because of the additive caramel color.  I'm trying to stay away from that on my ingredient list.  There are two types of caramel color.  One is carcinogenic and one is not (depending on the way it is made).  The problem is, you can never tell which is which from any ingredient list :(  So out with caramel color in the casa de Caggeso.