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It’s the holiday season and we find ourselves making many recipes that call for sweetened, condensed milk. If you find yourself out , don’t panic or rush out to the store… it’s no problem. Make your own!  It’s easier than one might think.

Mix 6 cups of whole milk with 4 1/2 cups of sugar, 1 stick of butter and 1 vanilla bean (or 1 tablespoon of vanilla). Cook over medium heat, reducing liquid for 1 hour. Stir occasionally and cool. It makes about 4 and 1/2 cups. You can cover and store this in the refrigerator for several weeks. You can also cut this recipe in half if you need it to use right away.