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Time for a Vanilla Shake

February 21, 2011 by Laura 37 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

Are you in the middle of making a batch of homemade vanilla extract? If so…might I remind you to get your jar down out of the dark cupboard where it is hiding and give it a shake? 

I always seem to forget to shake my vanilla during the months it is extracting. My husband reminded me this week that it is time for a “Vanilla Shake”. I thought maybe he was going to take me out for ice cream…but nope. It was really just time to get down our jars of “vanilla in the making” and boogy down. 

And so we did.

So, how about it? Wanna join us for a Vanilla Shake?! :)

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Filed Under: In the Kitchen Tagged With: healthy, homemade vanilla extract, shake, vanilla

Comments

  1. [email protected] says

    February 21, 2011 at 8:57 am

    Okay – wow. I’m jealous of that HUGE jar. We did a batch last year and gave away most of it for Christmas presents. I need to buy more vodka as we still have a ton of beans left, I just haven’t done it, yet, but seeing that huge jar’s worth…wow.

    Reply
  2. Gina says

    February 21, 2011 at 9:40 am

    Thanks for this one! Imhad no idea I needed to shake it! It’s about half-way done and I can’t wait until April. I keep running out of store bought stuff!

    Reply
  3. susan says

    February 21, 2011 at 9:58 am

    i need to stop at the liquor store and order some beans so i can make my own. i want to so badly!!!

    Reply
  4. Cheryl says

    February 21, 2011 at 10:01 am

    Will you be selling it again? I’m interested!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      February 21, 2011 at 10:02 am

      Yes, we have several jars going now so that we will be able to offer it for sale in a few months for those not interested in making their own!

      Reply
      • Cheryl says

        February 21, 2011 at 10:03 am

        Yay!

        Reply
      • Samantha says

        February 21, 2011 at 12:42 pm

        Ohh I am looking forward to that! I am not quite old enough to buy my
        own vodka (20) so I would love to purchase some! I go through enough
        I am sure I can convince my husband to buy me some! I just got him to
        order from Azure with me!!! =]

        Reply
  5. Danielle B says

    February 21, 2011 at 12:43 pm

    I really thought this was going to be a recipe for a vanilla milkshake, or something related (like chocolate) lol.

    Reply
    • teresa says

      February 21, 2011 at 1:02 pm

      Me too! i was getting excited..i could use it about now!

      Reply
      • Laura says

        February 21, 2011 at 1:50 pm

        I KNOW. That was almost mean of me, wasn’t it. Now we’re all hungry for vanilla (or chocolate) shakes). :)

        Reply
        • Danielle B says

          February 21, 2011 at 3:36 pm

          Oh well… I guess we’ll all have to have milkshakes for dinner, or erm dessert.

          Reply
  6. Christy says

    February 21, 2011 at 1:48 pm

    Totally off topic, but really like the yellow sweater!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      February 21, 2011 at 1:50 pm

      Thank you!! It’s my favorite sweater (found on clearance after Christmas this year!). It makes me feel like the sun is shining…right in the middle of winter when it ISN’T shining! :)

      Reply
  7. Tiffani says

    February 21, 2011 at 3:51 pm

    Laura, I’ve just spent the past 2 days reading everything I can on your website. I heard about you from another “coupon lady” and am so thankful to have found you. We have so much in common from both having 4 boys to homeschooling to Pepsi-drinkers (unfortunately you are a recovered addict, I am not yet:)
    Been doing the healthy eating thing for years. Just recently (past couple of months) I have been introduced to the coupon thing, which why your site caught my eye. I’m loving the great deals, but I’m not loving the sacrifice of the quality of food.
    After reading through most of your site I was wondering if you’d ever put together a basic staples list. Is that what the grocery list link is? I haven’t checked that out yet.
    I just cut my grocery budget down from $600 to $500, but now I’m wondering how in the world you do it. I think I need to find a co-op in this area.
    Anyway, thanks soooooo much for your openness on this site. Love it!!! I’m sitting here eating my 3 Cheese Garlic Chicken as I type, in awe at how great the noodles cooked up in milk! Thanks!!!!!!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      February 21, 2011 at 7:34 pm

      I don’t have a basic staples list…I should do that sometime. That would probably be very helpful for my readers, huh?

      Reply
  8. Kim says

    February 21, 2011 at 4:30 pm

    Mine is in the pantry, so I shake it fairly frequently when I see it. However, mine is DARK brown. Maybe I used different vanilla beans? I’m confused about some people like Wardeh says it only takes a month, and you say 3-6 months. Do you reuse the beans to make more and keep it going like Wardeh does??

    Reply
    • Laura says

      February 21, 2011 at 5:43 pm

      The picture made mine look light, but mine really is quite dark too. Not sure why there is a difference in some people saying that you need a shorter or longer extracting time. I’ve been confused about that too. I think the longer you leave your beans in the vodka (as I recommend) the stronger your vanilla. You’ll get a double strength vanilla this way, whereas if you leave your beans for only a month or so, you’ll need to use more of it to get enough flavor.

      Reply
      • Lisa says

        February 22, 2011 at 10:11 am

        I have made mine for about 10 years now and do it a bit different
        for my every day use. I learned from a friend to use a tupperware
        container w/ a pour spout. I put 2 pods and a touch of vanilla and
        topped it off with dark rum. The touch of vanilla is to just get
        it started. I’ve only done that once. As my jar gets low I add more
        rum and just leave the vanilla beans in it. I have replaced them
        one time a couple years ago but they don’t seem to “go” bad. I have
        never made a huge batch to give as gifts but have given the supplies
        for friends to start their own bottle.

        Reply
  9. liz says

    February 21, 2011 at 5:17 pm

    Is there a way to make vanilla without using alcohol? My husband has been sober for two years. I would hate to monkey that up.

    Reply
    • Danielle B says

      February 21, 2011 at 6:07 pm

      No idea on how to make it AF. But I wanted to say a congrats to your hubby!

      Reply
    • Laura says

      February 21, 2011 at 7:38 pm

      I don’t know how to make it without alcohol, but I do know that Olive Nation (the place I mention in my “How to make vanilla” post) offers an alcohol free vanilla. They offer my readers a discount on any products if you use the code HHM2011. Click through to the “How to make vanilla” post to learn more info on that!

      AND…absolutely…a big congrats goes to your hubby! And to you for your great support to him!

      Reply
    • Melissa says

      February 22, 2011 at 8:48 am

      I would think you could maybe try to make vanilla extract without alcohol using vegetable glycerin.
      I would just try a small amount like half a cup glycerin and half a cup water with the vanilla beans. YYou can make herbal extracts for kids with glycerin so I don’t see why you couldn’t make vanilla this way.

      Reply
      • [email protected] says

        February 22, 2011 at 8:53 am

        Will try it…thanks everyone! God Bless!

        Reply
  10. Shannon says

    February 21, 2011 at 5:25 pm

    And here I thought you were tempting me after just listening to your podcast on losing weight…

    Reply
  11. liz says

    February 21, 2011 at 6:26 pm

    Why thank you danielle, I will pass it on!

    Reply
  12. Cori Walkden says

    February 21, 2011 at 6:27 pm

    I laughed when I saw this because I shook mine this weekend. I have it on my calendar to remind me monthly! Can’t wait to use it and give it away =)

    Reply
  13. connie says

    February 21, 2011 at 7:37 pm

    hi laura…….thanks to you, i DO have some vanilla in the making! i’m almost out of my very expensive organic store bought, so i can’t wait to use my own in the next month or so. thank you SO MUCH for showing us all how to make our own. and it’s so easy. i’m forever grateful to you!!

    Reply
  14. Jenny Watson says

    February 21, 2011 at 8:27 pm

    One of my favorite blog posts ever.
    I love how practical and thoughtful you are.

    Reply
  15. Beth the mama bee says

    February 21, 2011 at 9:06 pm

    My brother just moved to the US from Mexico and keeps us all stocked with huge bottles of Mexican vanilla. I can’t wait to run out so I can make my own.

    Reply
  16. Meggan says

    February 22, 2011 at 7:51 am

    I actually just left all the beans in and pour off what I need from my big vodka jar:) I was thinking when it got low, I’d just add more vodka and keep using the same beans–do I need to throw them out and start fresh??

    Reply
    • Laura says

      February 22, 2011 at 9:29 am

      YOu can reuse them, they just won’t be as potent, so you’ll need more vanilla beans per batch the second time around.

      Reply
  17. [email protected] says

    February 22, 2011 at 9:18 am

    Just ordered me some vanilla beans. Headed to the ABC store to get some vodka. One question–How long will the vanilla last once you transfer it to smaller bottles? I would like to give these away as Christmas presents, but just wondering if it’s to early to start making the vanilla now. Love your blog!!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      February 22, 2011 at 9:30 am

      Vanilla will last for years!!! They’ll be great as Christmas presents, and you’re definitely not starting too early. You’ll be ahead of the game at Christmas time…way to go!

      Reply
  18. Sunny C. says

    February 23, 2011 at 1:23 am

    Hello All. Does anyone know of an inexpensive resource for Vanilla Beans? Where I live they are rather pricey and I have looked online, and I have not seen any better prices there, either!
    I hope that someone can help me with this, as I have always wished to make some homemade Vanilla!!
    Thank-You;
    Sunny C. :-)

    Reply
    • Laura says

      February 23, 2011 at 7:07 am

      Here’s a post I wrote about the cost of vanilla beans: https://www.heavenlyhomemakers.com/are-vanilla-beans-expensive. That post also includes links and suggestions for where I recommend buying quality vanilla beans at a very reasonable price (they even gave Heavenly Homemakers readers a discount!!). Hope this helps! Vanilla beans do seem expensive, but purchasing them and making my own vanilla cuts my cost of vanilla extract in half!

      Reply
  19. Beth says

    February 24, 2011 at 1:05 am

    I have a vanilla question. How long is too long for vanilla to be in your cupboard?

    Reply
    • Laura says

      March 13, 2011 at 7:47 pm

      Vanilla will last for years and years!

      Reply

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