There are many things you can do with left over vanilla bean pods that no longer have their seeds.  Vanilla beans are expensive and you want to get the most out of every pod.  The pods themselves are full of flavor and aroma.  Here are a few of my favorite ideas: Seep in warm milk and then use to make a vanilla white hot chocolate.  Use the spent pods for extra flavor in your homemade vanilla extract.  I just keep adding to the vanilla extract jar until it can't hold anymore.   Add to maple syrup to make homemade vanilla maple syrup. Boil with simple syrup to make a vanilla simple syrup. Add to caramel sauce as it is cooling for vanilla caramel.    Make a vanilla infused jam by adding it to your favorite jam recipe. Use to make a flavored coffee or tea.   Make homemade bath salts. Grind up the pod and add to sugar to make homemade vanilla sugar.   Make vanilla powder by drying out the vanilla bean pod and grinding into a fine powder. Just remember in all of the ideas above to discard the vanilla bean pod before use.