Vanilla Bean Liqueur

For a make-ahead gift your friends and family will love, combine vodka, sugar, and vanilla beans, and then store for a month in a cool, dark place.
Copy your favorite drink recipe onto a cute card and attach it to this luscious liqueur for a personal touch.

Yield: 2-1/2 cups

Start to finish:10 mins

Ingredients

2 cups vodka
1 cup sugar
3 vanilla beans, split in half crosswise and lengthwise
Vanilla beans (optional)

Directions

In a 1-quart screw-top jar, combine vodka, sugar, and the split vanilla beans. Cover tightly and shake until sugar dissolves.Store mixture in a cool, dark place for 1 month. Remove vanilla beans.
Transfer to decorative bottles. If desired, add fresh vanilla beans for garnish. Seal; store at room temperature. Makes 2-1/2 cups.

Nutrition facts (Vanilla Bean Liqueur); cal. (kcal) 92; carb. (g) 10; Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

(original: http://www.bhg.com/holidays/?day=84#page=22)