Today I tried my hand at making peanut butter at home. I was inspired by reading the delightfully funny and smart first chapter of
"Make the Bread, Buy the Butter" by Jennifer Reese, which will be released in October. She spent a year figuring out which food conveniences were worth making from scratch and which were better to buy, calculating nutrition, time, and expenses. In the first chapter, which had me tearful with laughter, she mentions that homemade peanut butter costs half the store bought variety.
The grinding was a bit loud.
The finished product was quite good, if I do say so myself! I actually used about three-quarters peanuts, one-quarter almonds, adding some peanut oil and honey. I'd like to try to get the nut butter even creamier (I ground it for about five minutes) and a bit sweeter. The entire project from getting out the ingredients to putting the finished product in its jar took all of ten minutes, so I'll definitely be doing this again.
Today I tried my hand at making peanut butter at home. I was inspired by reading the delightfully funny and smart first chapter of "Make the Bread, Buy the Butter" by Jennifer Reese, which will be released in October. She spent a year figuring out which food conveniences were worth making from scratch and which were better to buy, calculating nutrition, time, and expenses. In the first chapter, which had me tearful with laughter, she mentions that homemade peanut butter costs half the store bought variety.
The grinding was a bit loud.
The finished product was quite good, if I do say so myself! I actually used about three-quarters peanuts, one-quarter almonds, adding some peanut oil and honey. I'd like to try to get the nut butter even creamier (I ground it for about five minutes) and a bit sweeter. The entire project from getting out the ingredients to putting the finished product in its jar took all of ten minutes, so I'll definitely be doing this again.
How neat! Another food I might try to make if I get a food processor someday. Although I doubt David will ever like anything but his beloved Jif!
ReplyDeleteTridentineWife: My husband read the first chapter in a magazine and he sweetly pre-ordered the book for me as a gift, so I'll receive it when it is published in October. Isn't that so thoughtful?!
ReplyDeleteFrances: A food processor can do so much, it's amazing. I just moved mine onto my countertop to live there because I have so many projects I could do in mere seconds if I didn't have to haul my heavy food processor out from the cupboards.
That book sounds right up my alley!
ReplyDeleteWe tried peanut butter a year or two ago for a preschool project, but only a very tiny amount. I buy natural (so no added oil or sweetener), organic PB in 9 lb. tubs, so I wonder how the cost difference would work out for me. I know it's an easy enough project. I love the taste of fresh ground!
Does the author mention tortillas? I make bread and rolls, but I haven't mastered tortillas. I can't get them thin enough. I was thinking about buying a press and trying again.
That sounds yummy! I buy a natural PB called Naturally More and it has flax seed and flax oil in it as well and it's really high in Omega-3's. Speaking of steering clear of processed foods and making your own for cheaper, I always make my own frosting, now. The result is tastier, unprocessed, and takes just a few minutes, not to mention the cost savings!
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