| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| wellington womble |
Peanut butterHas anyone ever made this (Sarah??!) I've found a recipe that basically says blend peanuts until desired consistency, add a bit of peanut oil if it needs it.I'm not finding peanut oil just for that, but I thought I might add just some unsalted butter or olive oil, and see how it goes. If it doesn't work I could feed it to the birds, alhtough it's hard to see what could go wrong! Any tips or nuggets of wisdom, anyone? |
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| cab |
I've never needed to add extra oil. Just blend the peanuts, maybe add a little bit of salt if that's what you like. I'd guess that any oil, ideally something with as little flavour as possible, ought to work.
You must have seen the peanut butter machines you get in some shops? They basically just gring up the peanuts into a jar for you. |
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| tahir |
Peanut (groundnut) oil is good for stir frying and deep frying, I wouldn't use unsalted butter cos i think it''ll go rancid, and olive oil's probably too strong, sunflower's probably a good alternative. | ||
| wellington womble |
Oh - so everyone makes it (except me!) Never seen a peanut butter maker, though (might have thought of it sooner if I had!)
I don't eat peanut butter much, but fancied some for granary toast (can't have sweet things on granary bread, but prefer it for sarnies, so need to find a way of eating it next day!) I also didn't know that peanut was the same as groundnut! Doh. Maybe I'll buy some then. I was planning to keep it in the fridge anyway! I just didn't want to have to go to some specialist supplier or other, and then have most of the rest of the bottle lying around for ever (although I'm tempted to try peanut soap!) |
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| twoscoops |
Doesn't bough peanut butter have a lot of sugar in it? You might need to add some. | ||
| wellington womble |
Does it? Probably, they add sugar to everything else. That's a good reason not to, though. I'll report back when I make it. Cab will know (Does he buy anything?!)
I'll be growing peanuts next - Don't tell me, you've all been doing that for years as well?! 
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| sean |
The peanut butter we buy doesn't have any added sugar. Can't remember the brand but it comes in big plastic tubs from hippy shops. | ||
| Behemoth |
Whole earth peanut butter is good sugar free stuff. I love the stuff but forgo it on the grounds of increasing girth. Might try my own if it's that easy.
President Jimmy Carter was a peanut farmer. Back to my corner now....... |
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| tahir |
SuperBob has |
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| Fullup |
Oh Yum peanut butter is my favourite comfort food. 
Try this link for recipes http://www.peanutbutterlovers.com/index.html |
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| Sarah D |
I've made it before. You can use unsalted or salted peanuts; just put them in a food processor and gring them up - they may need a tiny bit of oil to get your preferred consistency. I used ordinary organic sunflower oil. No sugar needed. Keeps well in a screw top jar, but you could keep it in the fridge if you're unsure.
Peanuts are easy to grow - I've done it from nuts in a shell in the shop, crack the shell and plant into a pot of compost. Didn't get any nuts, but it made a nice looking plant. I might try them if I get some spare greenhouse space this year. We like something different. Whole Earth is the best one to buy, their organic one is the one I buy usually. |
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| tahir |
Just a small point, they need to be roasted nuts | ||
| Sarah D |
Yes, sorry, missed that out. You could roast your own, though to make it cheaper and more DIY
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| joanne |
Oooh I love peanut butter especially eaten spread on celery sticks but it has to be crunchy whereas my OH only likes smooth  so we end up buying twice as much
I like the Whole Earth one too - although I do find it can sometimes be a bit too strong - have made my own in the past as well - something else to go on my list of things to start/restart along. My kids however won't touch it unless its in a satay sauce - they just don't understand the joy of peanut butter on toast Joanne |
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| sean |
If you do roast your own you need to keep a close eye on them. The line between done and burnt is a very fine one for nuts. | ||
| Bugs |
Checked at the library at lunch as this is something I want to do too...Mary Berry says 6oz peanuts, plus 1 to 1 and a half tbsp sunflower oil, and add salt if you like. I don't think you'll need sugar...peanuts are often quite sweet as they are. She says dry roasted give the most authentic flavour though  I think I'll go for some plain old salted nuts (which are roasted already, yes?).
And yes...we've grown, and harvested, and eaten, peanuts. Only about 10 individual nuts. Treacodactyl did it though (which makes a change, normally it's me burying weird seeds in pots). |
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| Mrs Fiddlesticks |
can you make other nut butters - she says looking at the hazlenuts left over from Christmas!! | ||
| Sarah D |
Yes you can, in exactly the same way. I use quite a lot of hazelnut butter in biscuits - just find a recipe for peanut butter biscuits, and substitute the haelnut butter for the peanut butter. They are the most delicious biscuits you'll ever eat. I bought a doen jars, and still have 2 left at the moment, so won;t be making any for a while. Almond butter is another good one. | ||
| Bugs |
Well, they sell almond, cashew and hazlenut in the shops - can't see why not....didn't check though! | ||
| cab |
We buy lots of stuff, including (sometimes) peanut butter! The last peanut butter we bought was from a wholefood shop in the middle of Cambridge, one of the ones where you push the button and hold the carton underneath. I ate half of it with a spoon 
No, you don't need to sweeten it. I suppose you could, but isn't that what the jam in the peanut butter and jam sandwich is meant to be for? |
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| Sarah D |
To make your mother raise her eyebrows and roll her eyes................
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| Deedee |
I make my own peanut butter now my first batch was a trifle embarrassing though  I bought one of those grinder/blender stick thingies so thought I'd christen it instead of getting out the food processor..Hubbie insisted on helping(its all his fault really..) I told him to pulse but he motored on saying it wasn't smooth enough.Distinct smell of burning followed and my two hour old stick thingy was totally fried!! Even more naughty I took it back to Argos saying I had been whipping cream sshhh 
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| tahir |
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| wellington womble |
Do you need to take the reddish skins off? The nuts have arrived with still on! | ||
| tahir |
You can make it with the skin on but it'll be nicer without. | ||
| wellington womble |
How do you get them off? I'm not doing it individually! | ||
| Bugs |
Obviously, you toss them in a sieve while standing in a drafty barn door.
Tchach, some people 
No, honestly, I think it's something along those lines. I've bought a large bag of salted nuts I'm going to have a go with, but I'll only do a small quantity cos I think it'll be too salty, |
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| tahir |
Give them a little rub to loosen the skins first |
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| Bugs |
But you still need the barn door, right?
Is that really all you do? I suppose it gets rid of most of the skins, a few bits won't make much difference to the taste. WW are your nuts roasted or are you going to roast them yourself? |
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| tahir |
Of course |
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| wellington womble |
The shed door will have to do! I'll rub them in a t towel, and give then a shake and hope the skin falls to the bottom! No idea about the nuts (runs downstairs to read packet.....) still no idea. It says natural shelled peanuts, so I guess not. Might buy some roasted ones, not sure I have the required attention span for roasting nuts! |
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| culpepper |
if you do them with the skins on then you just get little dark bits in the PB .
We used to do our own but nobody likes PB that much so we dont bother now. |
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| nettie |
Now has anyone tried PB in a sarnie with chocolate spread? Now that IS good!!! 
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| cab |
Peanut butter and chocolate spread is a great sandwich. But it isn't a patch on peanut butter and marmite. | ||
| sean |
A vote for PB and bacon here. | ||
| tahir |
I like mine straight, wife likes her toast buttered first
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| Graham Hyde |
Peanut Butter, HomemadeHi, I make my own from homegrown peanuts. After boiling, I shell the nuts then shallow fry in a small amount of home made coconut oil till light brown. When cooled, the nuts are blended till oil is produced from the nuts. Add homemade brown sugar and salt to taste. This is made quite runny as it is kept in the fridge.More taste can be added by varying the coconut oil, virgin or well browned are two alternatives. |
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| Jam Lady |
How can children go off to school without PB&J? For the non-American readership, that's peanut butter and jelly (preferably grape jelly) sandwiches. Except that these days many schools have banned peanut butter because of allergic children.
Another sandwich I really like is peanut butter with some shredded carrot and a sprinkle of raisins. On good bread, of course. And as well as celery, peanut butter and apple is quite nice - cut the apple in wedges and use it to scoop up a small gob of peanut butter. Anyone want the recipe for Peanut Butter Blossom cookies? Perhaps I should stop here - tiptoes out, quietly closing the door behind myself . . . . |
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| OtleyLad |
I like mine straight, wife likes her toast buttered first |
I'm a butter-first person too. Same goes for scones, jam and cream; without the butter its just not the same.
Jam on second slice
Sandwich together with a banana in between
YUMMY