Peanut butter

Happy Saturday! I've decided that I want to start a new series around here that details recipes and techniques for making food items at home that you might normally purchase at the store. This series is similar to another, Take-out at Home, except it will feature pantry staples and treats and will be called A Homemade Kitchen. Both series highlight how simple and easy it is to create great meals and staples from home. Homemade is better for your budget, body, and taste buds.

Today I'm featuring a tutorial for making one of my all-time favorite food items - peanut butter! I eat peanut butter almost everyday, not exaggerating. I love the taste, texture, smell, and the fact that it gives me a source of protein without coming from an animal. It's cheap, too. Stay tuned next Saturday for a post on how to use homemade peanut butter in a extraordinarily delicious way!

This recipe is the easy version as it uses pre-roasted peanuts. To save money, you could purchase shelled, raw Spanish peanuts and roast them yourself by baking them in a 350 degree oven in a single layer on a sheet pan, sprinkled with salt, for 30-35 minutes. Once roasted and cooled, remove shells. Rub peanuts between your hands to remove skins, then throw them in a salad spinner to further remove skins.

Honey roasted peanuts in food processor, about to be pulverized!

Pulverization! Ignore my reflection on the shiny stainless steel.

Dreamy.

Homemade Peanut Butter
Makes about 1 cup

• 1 1/2 cups roasted peanuts (can use honey roasted, salted, or unsalted; see above for roasting at home)
• salt (amount based on what peanuts you used, taste and adjust seasonings as necessary)
• honey (amount based on what peanuts you used, taste and adjust as necessary)
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil (optional)

Place nuts in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. With lid on, pulse the peanuts until they become a smooth and shiny butter, about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. If it seems your peanuts aren't turning into a paste, slowly add the oil until incorporated and smooth. If peanuts turn into a paste easily, omit the oil. Taste, and adjust seasonings to your preference.

Store peanut butter in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month. Peanut butter may require stirring to redistribute oils.

http://www.handletheheat.com/2011/04/homemade-kitchen-peanut-butter.html