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This week I ordered vanilla beans in bulk as well as some Frontier organic garlic powder. I’ll be using the vanilla beans to make my own vanilla extract as well as vanilla sugar. The basket in the picture above shows the pecans that I got this week from our pecan tree, and a friend gave us some beautiful banana peppers from her garden. Yes, banana peppers can be red! These are so beautiful and scrumptiously sweet.
Ever since reading Heavenly Homemaker’s post on how to make vanilla extract, I’ve been looking for a deal. I wanted to get mine from Olive Nation like she did, but I just couldn’t resist getting these cheaper on Amazon. To my pleasant surprise, these are actually from Olive Nation even though the merchant is SW on Amazon. On Amazon it comes out to $47.50 + free shipping for 1 lb. of vanilla beans. On Olive Nation it would be $49.49 + shipping after 10% coupon code hhm2010. So I was excited to get the product I wanted but at a cheaper price on Amazon. I had an even better surprise when I opened up my box to find a 20% off at Olive Nation coupon code for any other bulk shopping I would like to do. I’ll be looking around to see if I can find some good deals on Olive Nation.
Now to go grab some vodka (bet you never thought I would type that) so I can make me up a gallon of vanilla extract, and hopefully never pay for watered down, processed, store-bought again!
How did you all do this week? Go ahead, show off all those awesome deals you got! Please link directly to your posts, and I ask that you do not link to giveaways or posts mainly promoting affiliate deals. Let’s encourage one another with our thrifty ventures. Thanks!
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{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
My Mom has made Vanilla with Vodka for years now!! Very good stuff!!
I use Cognac for my vanilla extract. It is recommended by Camille Glenn and I have been using it for years. It makes the BEST vanilla extract ever!!…more expensive than vodka, however.
I found a recipe for this on Allrecipes a few months ago and have a bottle ‘extracting’ in my cupboard right now. So excited for my holiday baking with this!
Can’t wait to hear about your vanilla-making. I’ve been meaning to try this. Also a good idea for Christmas gifts
What are you going to do with a GALLON of vanilla??? How long does it stay good?
I would imagine that it’d stay pretty much “forever” if vodka is involved. That tends to preserve things.
In the alcohol it stays good pretty much forever like Leah said. But I’ll probably make up some bottles as gifts for friends. However, I do a lot of baking around here, so I’ll go through it eventually
I just saw a coupon for vodka in this or last week’s newspaper!
A whole pound sounds like a lot! I bought a quarter of a lbs about five years ago and just recently ran out (after giving away several bottles of homemade extract). Good to know of nice source on amazon because then I can use my swagbucks credits.
Yes, I believe it is. Heavenly homemaker calls for 80 vanilla beans for a gallon, but Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures uses only 30, so I think I will go with Lynn and have a serious amount of beans left over
I should have only bought half a pound.
Awesome! I made vanilla last year for Christmas gifts for the family. I add a little rum to mine– gives it an even better flavor.
Thank you, Crystal! I just purchased my beans and I can’t wait to try this! I’ve been agonizing over the cost of organic vanilla, and this will be a super solution. Plus, I can give it as birthday gifts to friends and relatives over the next year!
I just ordered the vanilla beans…thank you for sharing!