Secret Santa Blog Hop Day Two

Back again for Day Two of the huge blog hop/vanilla extract fun time. And yeah that hot guy is back again.  We get to share him for these three days. And I’ll repeat the ways you can really rack up entries for a chance at that Kindle Fire, once we get to the next step of the Vanilla Extract. I’m going to share the quick way to make extract. If you want to really get into it, you can follow Instructables directions which also include a lot of in depth information along with the intense directions.

Mine’s a bit easier. Now, extract isn’t usable right away, but once Christmas baking is over with no one does much for a month or so anyway, and it will be ready for Valentine’s day. Some people keep it around to flavor drinks also, if you’re so minded.  You got your glass bottles, right?

Vanilla beans can be found for a ridiculous price in health food and gourmet stores.  Or you can buy them in bulk on line.  These came from Saffron Imports and are much more reasonably priced. Bit of trivia, the vanilla is a pretty vine, related to orchids, and does best in a jungle atmosphere.  Not so great in New Mexico!

Directions call for a very sharp knife.  For me that means an Xacto knife, especially since we have them in excess since Tom used them to cut mats.  Carefully slice lengthwise.  Don’t go all the way through since you want to expose the middle but don’t want to split the bean.  Cut horizontally in two to three places on the bean.  I’m using three beans for each small container since I want to make a nice dark extract…plus I have a LOT of vanilla.  I’m folding the beans into the glass bottles, so there will be room for the lid to close tight once the vodka is added.  You can also use cognac or pretty much any sort of alcohol for an extract. If you use water, you make an infusion, or a really strong tea.

Now, for the Secret Santa part of the blog.  Remember, there are THREE WAYS to get more entries for the drawing. One for following my blog. One for leaving a comment and another for answering my question.

For that special chance, here is tonight’s QUESTION: In My Killer My Love what relationship was Gabriel to Mykhael?

You’ll want to link back to Blog Hop Central to gather up lots of chances for those prizes, and that’s here: http://www.tabithablake.blogspot.com From Tabitha’s blog you can hop out to the other participants, for even more chances. There are over forty great writers involved in this hop…I’m finding a lot of new books to read!

I’m going to be drawing a name from those who enter through this blog for a gift card of your choice, whether Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Black Opal Books.  See you tomorrow for the finishing touches on the vanilla extract.