I know this is not a new concept to some people, but to others I know it will be - you can make your own peanut butter! Imagine that - whole peanuts, a food processor, a dash of salt, 15 minutes tops - and you're done! I have read several blog posts recently that talk about making your own nut butters. I always thought it would be way too much trouble. I have no idea why I thought that - its not! Here's how it works.
You can buy bags of whole peanuts still in the shell, but I chose the faster route and bought shelled, roasted, unsalted peanuts in the bulk food section at the natural food store.
Put two cups in the food processor and start processing! It will look crumbly at first...
then the crumbs will look wetter...
keep processing...
and then it will start to look like peanut butter. You can add a pinch of salt at this point.
After this stage, my peanut butter clumped into one big ball (it looked like dough) and started flinging around the food processor. I thought it might be done and was just going to be really thick. But I let it keep going and then it started to smooth out and REALLY look like peanut butter.
From the two cups of raw peanuts, I got one heaping cup of peanut butter.
I paid $2.39 per pound for the raw peanuts at the health food store. Regular, non-organic "natural" peanut butter at the grocery store is $1.39/pound. So I was very disappointed to find out that it is not cheaper to make your own, at least with the peanuts that I bought. I think you would save money if you bought a bulk bag of peanuts still in the shell and not from a health food store (they tend to be more expensive). It doesn't matter though, I am going to keep making my own because it is makes me feel like such a darn cool homemaker. Plus it does not have any added oil or sugar.
And this is what we do with peanut butter in our house...
(Kongs for the dogs when they have to stay behind when we go for a run.)
(Chocolate cake with peanut butter icing - for the humans, not the dogs.)
So give it a shot at least once to say that you did it. It really is easy and quick - dump them in and hit the start button! Your kids and partner will be so impressed! I'm so addicted that my little babe and I have been eating it straight out of the jar with a spoon. (You did notice her legs were looking pretty thick in her ankle warmers, right?)
