I'm Just Nuts About You

As promised, here is a recipe for Homemade Peanut Butter....

For those of you who do not know, store-bought Peanut Butter can contain preservatives. Although most stores are now providing 'natural' Peanut Butter, they can be expensive, and others are required to be kept in the refrigerator.

This alternative is cheaper and healthier. It does need to be kept in the refrigerator; however, it will keep for up to 2 months.

There has been much research and comments going around that Almond Butter is even healthier for you than Peanut Butter. I do believe this may be the case, so next on the blog will be a recipe for Almond Butter and the health benefits, compared with Peanut Butter.

One last side note...Homemade Peanut Butter will taste a tad more like Peanuts if you start with shelled Peanuts and roast them in the oven for 5-10 minutes before starting. I have enclosed a recipe for roasting peanuts as well :)

Enjoy! (complete recipe at bottom of post)

Homemade Peanut Butter

• 1 Cup plain peanuts
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (optional, I did not find it necessary for the Peanuts I used)
• 1/2 teaspoon honey (may need more depending on the sweetness you desire)
• 1 teaspoon peanut oil (may need extra depending on the consistency you desire)

Begin by placing the peanuts and honey in the bowl of your food processor.

Process for 1 minute.

Scrape the sides of the bowl, place the lid back on, and continue processing for another 1 to 2 minutes until mixture is smooth. If your peanut butter is very thick and is not thinning down, add a little bit more oil (I recommend only 1/4 teaspoonful at a time, and do the same with honey if your peanut butter is too salty) It should look something like this...

Put your peanut butter in an airtight container and enjoy! This recipe may be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 months

Homemade Peanut Butter

• 1 Cup shelled and skinned AB's roasted peanuts, recipe follows
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (optional, I did not find it necessary for the Peanuts I used)
• 1/2 teaspoon honey (may need more depending on the sweetness you desire)
• 1 teaspoon peanut oil (may need extra depending on the consistency you desire)

Begin by placing the peanuts and honey in the bowl of your food processor. Process for 1 minute. Scrape the sides of the bowl, place the lid back on, and continue processing for another 1 to 2 minutes until mixture is smooth. If your peanut butter is very thick and is not thinning down, add a little bit more oil (I recommend only 1/4 teaspoonful at a time, and do the same with honey if your peanut butter is too salty). Put your peanut butter in an airtight container and enjoy! This recipe may be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

Roasted Peanuts:

• 2 pounds in-shell raw peanuts*
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 1 to 2 tablespoons kosher salt

*Cooks note: If eating peanuts roasted right out of the shell, use Virginia or Valencia peanuts. If utilizing roasted peanuts to make peanut butter, use Spanish peanuts as they have a higher oil content.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Rinse the peanuts under cool water to remove excess dirt. Pat dry and place in a large bowl and toss with the peanut oil and salt until well coated.

Place on 2 half sheet pans, making sure to spread them out into a single layer. Roast in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through cooking. Once you remove the peanuts from the oven, let them cool slightly before eating. They will continue to "cook" and become crunchy as they cool.

If using peanuts to make peanut butter, remove shells and discard. Remove the skin by rubbing the peanuts together in your hands held over a salad spinner, allowing the peanuts and skins to fall into the bowl. Once the skin has been loosened from all of the peanuts close the salad spinner and spin until all of the skin has been separated from the peanuts.

Yield: Approximately 2 pounds roasted peanuts in shell

A Gift from Heaven

Saturday was my Dad's birthday. Angel food cake is his FAVORITE cake, and he loves it even more when topped with strawberries.

A few days before one of my friends told me he had make one from scratch. I was intrigued since I had never done that before, and thus proceeded to plan.

The recipe I used can be found at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/angel-food-cake-recipe/index.html

It is quite fool proof... if you know how to whip up batter and separate eggs!

For this recipe you will need:
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup cake flour, sifted
12 egg whites (the closer to room temperature the better)
1/3 cup warm water
1 teaspoon orange extract, or extract of your choice
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Then begin by

1. Spinning sugar about 2 minutes until it is superfine (it will become "powdered sugar").

2. Sift half of the sugar (7/8 cup) with the salt and the cake flour, setting the remaining sugar aside.

Then:
3. In a large bowl, use a balloon whisk to thoroughly combine egg whites, water, orange extract, and cream of tartar.

4. After 2 minutes, switch to a hand mixer. Slowly sift the reserved sugar, beating continuously at medium speed.

5. Once you have achieved medium peaks, sift enough of the flour mixture in to dust the top of the foam.

6. Using a spatula fold in gently. Continue until all of the flour mixture is incorporated.

7. Carefully spoon mixture into an ungreased tube pan. Bake for 35 minutes before checking for doneness with a wooden skewer. (When inserted halfway between the inner and outer wall, the skewer should come out dry).

Cool upside down on cooling rack for at least an hour before removing from pan.

COMPLETE RECIPE:

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cake flour, sifted
• 12 egg whites (the closer to room temperature the better)
• 1/3 cup warm water
• 1 teaspoon orange extract, or extract of your choice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a food processor spin sugar about 2 minutes until it is superfine. Sift half of the sugar with the salt the cake flour, setting the remaining sugar aside.

In a large bowl, use a balloon whisk to thoroughly combine egg whites, water, orange extract, and cream of tartar. After 2 minutes, switch to a hand mixer. Slowly sift the reserved sugar, beating continuously at medium speed. Once you have achieved medium peaks, sift enough of the flour mixture in to dust the top of the foam. Using a spatula fold in gently. Continue until all of the flour mixture is incorporated.

Carefully spoon mixture into an ungreased tube pan. Bake for 35 minutes before checking for doneness with a wooden skewer. (When inserted halfway between the inner and outer wall, the skewer should come out dry).

Cool upside down on cooling rack for at least an hour before removing from pan.

When Life Gives You Lemons...

My precious sister found an amazing Lemon Ice recipe, and spoiled me last night by making me some :)

isn't she the cutest?!?

I don't know how she makes it, but its fabulous! The BEST lemon ice I have ever experienced!

and to think, she's only 10 years old! Thank you JCB!

Dairy-Free = The Way to Be!

Two years ago I found out I had a dairy allergy. I thought there was no way I would be able to live without dairy, so I have been tolerating the side effects, up until last week. I gave up dairy and so far it has been pretty easy. I wasn't sure how I was going to be able to not bake, seeing how most things require butter, and I wasn't sure what a good substitute was for it. My family just happened to have one of the recommended dairy-free butters in the fridge, so I thought I'd give it a try with one of my FAVORITE recipes....B-A-N-A-N-A BREAD!

The secret for this dairy-free recipe is simply a non-butter margarine, its completely free of dairy :) This is the brand I used.

And this is how you make Famous BananaBallweg Bread, sorry but I can't disclose the recipe, its a family secret ;-)