Monthly Archives: April 2012

Cherry Granola Breakfast Bake

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cherry granola & freezer cookies 003Cherry Granola Breakfast Bake In Honor of President Washington

 In 1880, it was legislated by Congress that February 22, President Washington’s birthday, would be the day to celebrate democracy and freedom in the USA. Today is February 22 so that brings to my mind the story about George and the cherry tree. As we all have heard, when he was a wee lad of 6 he loved to play with hatchets (can you imagine that?) and supposedly hacked and destroyed a cherry tree that was very precious to his father.  When his father asked little Georgie about that, of course honest George could not tell a lie. Some debate whether this is a true tale or not, however it still makes me thing about cherries. I guess that’s the way my mind works. Anyway, if you have a liking for granola or oatmeal kinds of breakfasts or treats, here’s a quick and easy dish with cherries that will give you lots of energy for our wonderful outdoor activities

Cherry Granola Breakfast Bake

1 Egg

¼ Cup Sugar

1 ½ Cups Milk

4 Tbs. Melted Butter

1 Cup Cherries (I used part of a can of cherry pie filling/topping.)

3 Cups Granola (I used almond & vanilla granola from a bin)

Preheat oven to 350.

Spray a 9 inch round or square baking pan or I used my 9 ½ X 7 ½ oval pyrex dish with non-stick spray and if you want to invert this dish like a cake, put a little flour on the bottom and invert when cool.

Beat together the egg, sugar, milk, and melted butter.

Stir cherries and granola in your baking dish along with the batter.

Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until set. (when a knife or toothpick comes out clean)

You can dust the top with powder sugar and add more fruit for additional color

You can serve it immediately with maple or fruit syrup.

You can heat it later in the day and serve it with ice cream.

You can also substitute the cherries for other fruits.

Have it the next morn, sliced and cold, with a good cup of coffee or tea. That’s actually my favorite way.

Margot is a self-taught enthusiastic & passionate cook. Having been an inn-keeper for 5 years at her own inn, she accumulated a lot of good recipes which she loves to share. For comments, questions, and ideas please feel free to email her:margot6@mindspring.com.

 

 

Vinaigrette Dressing (hearty & also good for artichokes,etc.)

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I have a green singing Finch named Bandit because he has a little mask on. He sings prettier than any canary and loves his greens. In his salad bowl I place lettuce, kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage all of which he loves.  He knows what’s good for him and so do I.  I often make myself a huge raw chopped vegetable salad bowl including the same foods as Bandit eats plus some more goodies like onions and anchovies—either the more pricey mild white kind or the normal stronger tasting variety.  The anchovies, onions and this really yummy vinaigrette dressing I don’t give to Bandit, however, I sure do enjoy them for myself.

Vinaigrette Dressing

(Makes about 1 ½ Cups)

In a blender put the following and blend at high for about 20 seconds:

¼ C. Red Wine Vinegar

¼ C. Balsamic Vinegar

¼ C. Lemmon Juice

1 C. Olive Oil

¼ Tsp. Pepper

1 Tsp. Dry Mustard

6 Stuffed Olives (I use my martini green olives with pimentos)

1 Tblsp. Drained Capers

2 Green Onions coarsely cut or 2 Tblsp. Chopped Regular Onion

¼ C. Either/Or Combo of Chopped Parsley and Cilantro

2 Cloves of Garlic (either put in blender with the above or chop fine and put in dressing after blended)

Pour into a jar, cover, and store in refrigerator.  To un-gel from refrigeration, place bottle in a cup of warm water.

This vinaigrette is also very good as a dipping sauce for cooked and chilled artichokes.

 Are you a frustrated, overworked or timid cook? Call Margot for help @ 721-3551

& please feel free to email her @ margot6@mindspring.com for comments or ideas

Margot is a self-taught enthusiastic & passionate cook. Having been an inn-keeper for 5 years at her own inn, she accumulated a lot of good recipes which she loves to share.

Whole Chicken Thigh Soup

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The cold virus is going around.  I know because I caught it.  In calling my doctor’s nurse, she said that it would take about 7-8 days to recuperate; that I should rest; drink a lot of fluids, and make chicken soup. That’s exactly what I did and I also looked up on-line to see why that “old fashioned chicken soup remedy” was so good for you.  This is what I found out:

For starters, chicken has been shown to inhibit the production of neutrophils, white blood cells that eat bacteria and cause inflammation and mucus production (i.e. stuffy nose, sore throat, phlegm, etc.). This is important because while neutrophils kill pathogens, their antimicrobial products damage host tissues. Chicken contains cysteine, an amino acid that is thought to help thin mucus in the lungs, making it easier to expel. It sure seemed to help me. Herewith is a recipe that I used. I like it because it has a nice combination of rice, orzo, lentils; the spices seem to meld together beautifully; and it’s a dish that you can taste even when your taste buds are at their worst.   

Whole Chicken Thigh Soup a la Margot

Actual Cooking time 1 hour

3 or 4 Whole Well Rinsed Chicken Thighs (With Skin Preferably)

3 Sprigs of Fresh Thyme or ½ Tsp. Dried Thyme

2 Sprigs of Fresh Oregano or ½ Tsp. Dried Oregano

2 Tblsp. Chopped Fresh Parsley or 1 Tblsp. Dried Parsley

3-4 Bay Leaves

½ Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes (or more if you like)

1 Tsp. Panch Phoron( a Bengali combo of cumin, fennel, mustard, nigella & fenugreek)

Sea Salt & Ground Pepper to taste

2 Tblsp. Butter (I used salt free)

1 Tblsp. Olive Oil

1 Large Onion, Sliced Thin

4 Cloves of Garlic Coarsely Chopped

2 Tblsp. Fresh Cilantro- Coarsely Chopped or 1 Tblsp.Dried Cilantro

3/4 C Rinsed Lentils

¼  C Brown Rice

¼ C Long Grain White Rice

½ C Orzo

4 C. Chicken Stock

6 C. Hot Water

  1. Heat butter and olive oil on medium high. Stir in garlic, onion, and Panch Phoron until garlic and onion are soft (about 5 minutes).
  2. Add hot chicken stock and water. Bring to a slow boil and turn heat to medium.
  3. Add chicken thighs and remainder of spices & cilantro.
  4. After 10 minutes add brown rice.
  5. After 30 minutes add lentils and white rice.
  6. After 50 minutes add orzo.
  7. Total cooking time is 60 minutes.
  8. Before serving, remove bay leaves and sprigs of oregano and thyme if you used fresh ones.

If desired, add chopped fresh spinach or kale to soup about 5 minutes before serving.

You also can add some chopped carrots about ½ way through cooking.

When serving/eating, you can squirt a bit of lemon juice on top or serve with lemon slices for guests to spritz themselves; and/or also  serve or add a bit of freshly grated parmesan as an additional topping.

 

 

Lentil & Pork Soup

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Lentil and Pork Soup   

Ingredients:

2 Tblsp. Olive Oil

½ chopped onion or up to 2 C. sliced leeks(add some greens)

2 chopped cloves garlic

S & P

1 tsp. fresh thyme (or dried)

½ tsp. ground cumin

Chopped carrot(as much as 1 1/2 C)

Chopped celery(as much as 1 1/2C)

A little tomato juice or 2 tblsp. tomato paste

1 C. dried lentils

1 thin sliced fresh pork chop—cut up in small pieces (or 1 lb. kielbasa sausage sliced in ½ and cut up)

4 to 6 C. chicken stock(6 if using 3 C  carrots & celery)

Dried parsley flakes or fresh chopped parsley

Directions:

Heat oil in heavy stock pot of medium heat.  Saute leeks/onion, garlic, S&P, thyme, and cumin until leeks/onion is soft.  Stir in carrots and celery and sauté another 5 min. Add chicken broth, tomato juice, and lentils.  Cover and simmer for 15 to 50 min.  Stir in pork and simmer another 10 min.

 

Serve w/parmesan cheese

 

 

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

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XXXchocolate strawberriesValentines always seems to be a bit of a romantic event and there’s nothing like a chocolate-dipped strawberry to satisfy the romance in a person.  Elaine Sherman wrote “Chocolate is heavenly, mellow, sensual, deep, dark, sumptuous, gratifying, potent, dense, creamy, seductive, suggestive, rich, excessive, silky, smooth, luxurious, celestial. Chocolate is downfall, happiness, pleasure, love, ecstasy, fantasy … chocolate makes us wicked, guilty, sinful, healthy, chic, happy.”  Even the scientific name for the tree from which chocolate is derived, Theobroma cacao, translated from Greek, means “food of the gods”.  Well, I couldn’t have said it better—and so I won’t.

Additionally, have you noticed that the strawberries in our markets are plentiful and beautifully sweet? You could swear that each has been injected with a bit of sugar. So, for your sheer sinfulness, here is an easy and fun recipe to make, enjoy, and share.
 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries

2 pounds strawberries with leaves (rinsed and left to dry on a paper towel)

16 ounces chocolate chips (I use the semi-sweet chips)

2 tablespoons shortening or vegetable oil (which will cause chocolate to soften more at room temp)

1 package toothpicks

Insert toothpicks into the top of the strawberries.

In a double boiler, melt the chocolate and shortening, stirring until smooth.  Dip the strawberries into the mixture and then let them cool on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or wax paper. Refrigerate until ready to serve (will take about 30 minutes to harden).

Note: if you want to get a bit fancy, melt ¼ cup of white chocolate chips and drizzle in circular patterns around the cooled dark chocolate berries.

(P.S. I love Ina Garten. For her chocolate dipped strawberries she uses ½ C. semisweet choc. chips and 3 Tbls. heavy cream melted in a double boiler, and then dips the strawberries, etc. This is a nice variation on the more traditional chocolate-dipped strawberry.)

Bon Appetit

Margot Van Horn

Scalloped Yams and Parsnips

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IMG_2786scalloped yams and parsnips with orange

Scalloped Yams and Parsnips

Serves about 10-12

No one will guess what the middle layers (parsnips) are.  This is really a delicious dish full of good nutrients and though tasting very rich, is really quite light on the belly.  This is a perfect dish to accompany your plentiful Thanksgiving fare. It’s also an overnight dish so that makes it a bit easier for the cook making the big day fixings on Thanksgiving Day.

3 ½ lbs. yams

1 ½ lbs. parsnips

1 orange

1/3 C. brown sugar divided in 2 parts

4 oz. (1 cube)  unsalted butter divided in 2 parts

2 tsp. grated nutmeg

S&P

2 C. boiling water

2 Tblsp. honey

Pam spray 9 X 12 baking dish or 10” round pyrex

Preheat oven to 400

  1. Peel yams and parsnips and slice in ¼ inch thick slices. Roughly divide the yams in 3 parts and the parsnips in 2 parts to make layering easy.
  2. Zest 1 orange and after juice it. Then take the remainder of  the orange and place in a blender with a splash of water if necessary. Blend on liquidize and use half or more for this dish.
  3. Put in a dish the orange zest; put in a dish the pulverized pulp;  put  ½ of the brown sugar and the 2 oz. (1/2 a cube) of the sweet butter in a microwave dish, micro a minute or so  and then put in the nutmeg, and S&P to taste. These ingredients will be sprinkled over your five layers.
  4. Make 3 layers of yams with 2 layers of parsnips in between sprinkling on each layer the mixture ingredients listed in #3.
  5. Mix together orange juice, some more pulverized pulp if any is left, and the 2 C. of boiling water and pour over yams and parsnips. If you wish you can add 1 heaping Tblsp. of honey to this mixture.
  6. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake in the upper third of a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.  Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake 20 minutes more.
  7.  Put in frig. overnight.
  8. The next day remove dish from frig. and heat in microwave the other ½ of the brown sugar, 2 Tblsp. honey, and the other 2 oz (1/2 a cube). of butter and pour over top of dish.
  9.  Let dish get to room temp and place in a 375 degree oven for approximately 20 minutes or when more of the liquid is absorbed and the top is brown.  To decorate even more, you can sprinkle a bit of cranberry sauce on top.

Mayflower Pumpkin Cookies & Raisin or Currant Sauce

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Pumpkin Cookies straight from the Mayflower

Makes about 5 dozen cookies

 This recipe supposedly came over with the Pilgrims on the Mayflower.  Supposedly, they lasted so well because of the rum in them.

 ½ C. unsalted butter at room temp or slightly softened in micro

1 C. brown sugar

2 eggs (not necessary to pre-beat)

1 ¼ C. pumpkin puree

2 C. flour

1 TBLSP (yes that much) baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. nutmeg

¼ tsp. salt

2/3 C. currants or raisins

1 teaspoon vanilla and ½ teaspoon brandy and ½ teaspoon rum or any combination of the three to add up to 2 teaspoons full.

  1. Cream butter and sugar with electric beater.
  2. Add eggs, pumpkin, vanilla, brandy, rum, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Beat more with beater.
  3. Sift the flour and baking powder into mixture and beat till well combined and smooth.
  4. Stir in the raisins or currants till evenly distributed.

Drop by spoonfuls on greased or parchment papered cookie sheet. (I love the parchment paper.)

Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes (I baked at 375 for 10-12 minutes in our altitude). The bottoms should be SLIGHTLY brown. Even if they feel and look soft, take them out and let them rest on the cookie sheet for about 1 or 2 minutes.  Remove them to a rack or to laid out paper towels and let them cool.  You can freeze them. They taste great at any time, how ever, I find that they are even more flavorful the next day.

These are wonderful at anytime of the year because amazingly enough, the pumpkin is not overwhelming.  However, they definitely have a spicy taste.

 

Raisin or Currant Sauce

For a lovely desert, these cookies can be served with a very good vanilla ice cream with a bit of the following sauce to be placed on top of the ice cream.  The sauce recipe comes from my barely surviving 1953 edition of my beloved Rombauer’s Joy of Cooking cookbook. Oh my gosh, that book is almost 60 years old.  I received it as a wedding present.

Raisin or Currant Sauce

About 1 2/3 Cupfuls

Boil for 15 minutes:

1 ½ C. water

1/3 C. raisins or currants

¼ C. sugar

1/8 tsp. salt

Melt:

2 Tablespoons butter

Stir into that until blended:

1 tsp. flour

Add the hot sauce slowly.  Stir and cook until it boils.

Add:

A ¼ tsp. or more of rum and a touch of ground or grated nutmeg or some grated lemon rind.

 

No-Trick Popovers

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No-Trick Popovers

Makes 4 popovers

Easy to make and yummy to eat—just right for any person’s busy day!!!

Prepare the batter the night before, keep in the frig. overnight and bake the next morning starting off in a COLD oven. WOW—that’s different!!!

 Serve in beautiful baskets lined with a pretty napkin and let the guests oooooh and aahhhh  over one of your easiest fixed recipes—to go with anything and everything. 

This is what I made this morning, day after the election.  It was so good and I had it with a bit of the crunchy peanut butter and plum jam–both of which I had made very recently.  When baking the popovers, I would strongly suggest using a Teflon muffin pan or to stick free spray your ramekins very thoroughly to get the popovers out with ease.

Ingredients:

2 eggs

1/2 tsp. salt

1 C milk

1 Tblsp. melted butter and stick free spray

1 C. flour

4 to 6 ramekins (I use ramekins 3 ½” in diameter)

Directions:

Put ingredients in electric blender, in order listed, cover, and blend on high for about 1 minute—stopping to stir down if necessary. 

Butter and/or Pam spray the 6 ramekins or use Teflon

Pour batter into prepared ramekins set wide apart on a baking sheet, filling cups 3/4 full.

Set ramekins on a baking dish and place in COLD oven on middle rack. Turn on oven to 450 degrees and when it reaches that temp. (you have to watch that part), bake 30 minutes more. 

Towards end of baking time, but NOT BEFORE because they may fall, check popovers and if they are becoming too brown, reduce temperature to 400 degrees.  Bake until popovers are well browned and crisp.  Hopefully you have a glass inset in your oven door so you can peek without opening the door.

You should serve them immediately, but I’ve noticed that they keep just fine for a bit in a 170 degree oven. 

 When you take them out, you can brush over the tops some melted butter mixed with honey and a bit of orange zest and/or just with cinnamon. They are delicious as is and are good with scrambled eggs.  They are great smeared with orange marmalade or lemon curd for breakfast or tea.  And if you would like the popover itself to be sweeter, try adding a tad bit of sugar. You can even add currants or fennel to the recipe. Currants I add to the batter when in the ramekin and the fennel I add to the batter when I am blending it. For a more savory taste, put some herbs (such as dill, etc.) when making the batter. Then serve them with a stew or meat shank recipe.   Once again, imagination is the name of the game.  Bon Appetit.

For easy access and printing of this and past recipes, visit Margot’s blog http://blog.tempinnkeeper.com  Call Margot for personal cooking help @ 721-3551.

Margot is a self-taught enthusiastic & passionate cook. Having been an inn-keeper for 5 years at her own inn, she accumulated a lot of good recipes which she loves to share.

Mascarpone-Stuffed French Toast With Orange Compote

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MASCARPONE-STUFFED FRENCH TOAST WITH ORANGE COMPOTE

Total time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Servings: 6 to 9

Note: Adapted from the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix. This recipe requires a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter.

Orange compote

3 (10.5 ounce) cans mandarin oranges packed in juice

2 3/4 cups orange juice, divided, more as needed

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1. Drain the canned mandarin oranges, reserving the juice; you should have 1 1/2 cups reserved juice (if you are short, make up the difference with additional orange juice).

2. In a large, heavy-bottom saucepan, combine the canned oranges, reserved mandarin juice, 2 1/2 cups orange juice, ginger and sugar over high heat.

3. Bring the mixture to a strong simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until the compote is reduced to sauce consistency, about 40 minutes. As the compote reduces, the color will deepen to a rich apricot shade.

4. When the compote is almost reduced, in a small bowl combine the remaining one-fourth cup orange juice with the cornstarch, whisking to thoroughly combine and form a slurry.

5. Add the slurry into the reduced compote, stirring until the compote thickens, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. This makes about 11/2 cups compote. You might not use all of the compote for the remainder of the recipe; to store, cool the compote then cover and refrigerate until needed. The compote will keep for about a week, refrigerated. Gently warm in a saucepan before serving.

FRENCH TOAST AND ASSEMBLY

About 2 loaves white sandwich bread (you will need 36 slices, enough for 18 sandwiches)

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (about 10 ounces) mascarpone cheese

6 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

Canola oil for frying

Orange compote, warmed

1. Cut the bread: Use a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter to cut through the center of each slice to form a round. Spread 1 tablespoon mascarpone over each of half of the rounds, then cover with a remaining round of bread. Repeat, forming 18 sandwiches.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cinnamon and sugar to form a batter.

3. Heat a large flat skillet over medium heat. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons canola oil to the pan (enough to form a thin film), heating until the oil is hot.

4. Dunk a sandwich quickly into the batter, coating on all sides. Place the sandwich in the skillet and fry until golden and crisp on both sides, about 1 minute per side.

5. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches until all are fried, holding the fried sandwiches in a warm place.

6. To serve, place 3 warm sandwiches on each plate, topping with a spoonful of compote. Serve immediately.

Each of 9 servings: 538 calories; 13 grams protein; 54 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams fiber; 31 grams fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 212 mg. cholesterol; 29 grams sugar; 425 mg. sodium.

 

MASCARPONE-STUFFED FRENCH TOAST WITH ORANGE COMPOTE

Total time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Servings: 6 to 9

Note: Adapted from the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix. This recipe requires a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter.

Orange compote

3 (10.5 ounce) cans mandarin oranges packed in juice

2 3/4 cups orange juice, divided, more as needed

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1. Drain the canned mandarin oranges, reserving the juice; you should have 1 1/2 cups reserved juice (if you are short, make up the difference with additional orange juice).

2. In a large, heavy-bottom saucepan, combine the canned oranges, reserved mandarin juice, 2 1/2 cups orange juice, ginger and sugar over high heat.

3. Bring the mixture to a strong simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until the compote is reduced to sauce consistency, about 40 minutes. As the compote reduces, the color will deepen to a rich apricot shade.

4. When the compote is almost reduced, in a small bowl combine the remaining one-fourth cup orange juice with the cornstarch, whisking to thoroughly combine and form a slurry.

5. Add the slurry into the reduced compote, stirring until the compote thickens, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. This makes about 11/2 cups compote. You might not use all of the compote for the remainder of the recipe; to store, cool the compote then cover and refrigerate until needed. The compote will keep for about a week, refrigerated. Gently warm in a saucepan before serving.

FRENCH TOAST AND ASSEMBLY

About 2 loaves white sandwich bread (you will need 36 slices, enough for 18 sandwiches)

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (about 10 ounces) mascarpone cheese

6 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

Canola oil for frying

Orange compote, warmed

1. Cut the bread: Use a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter to cut through the center of each slice to form a round. Spread 1 tablespoon mascarpone over each of half of the rounds, then cover with a remaining round of bread. Repeat, forming 18 sandwiches.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cinnamon and sugar to form a batter.

3. Heat a large flat skillet over medium heat. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons canola oil to the pan (enough to form a thin film), heating until the oil is hot.

4. Dunk a sandwich quickly into the batter, coating on all sides. Place the sandwich in the skillet and fry until golden and crisp on both sides, about 1 minute per side.

5. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches until all are fried, holding the fried sandwiches in a warm place.

6. To serve, place 3 warm sandwiches on each plate, topping with a spoonful of compote. Serve immediately.

Each of 9 servings: 538 calories; 13 grams protein; 54 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams fiber; 31 grams fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 212 mg. cholesterol; 29 grams sugar; 425 mg. sodium.

 

Fast, Easy & Economical “How To Make Fresh Peanut Butter”

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33 15th & PB pics 026How to Make Fresh Peanut (or other nut) Butter in One Minute

(and save $ at the same time)

 

  1. Be sure blender container is completely dry.
  2. Empty 1 C. shelled roasted peanuts (6-8 oz. can/jar or other kind of nuts including mixed nuts), into container. Cover, and blend on HIGH speed for 5 seconds. 
  3. Add 1 to 2 Tblsp. Olive Oil, Sunflower Oil, or your very favorite natural oil so that your nut butter will have the smooth consistency that you desire. Cover and blend on HIGH SPEED.
  4. LISTEN TO YOUR BLENDER TALK TO YOU! After about 10 seconds, the motor will begin to reach a high pitch.  This means it has done all the work at the moment that it will do on High Speed.  Turn motor to LOW and let the blades churn the ground nuts into peanut (whatever else) butter.  This will take about 60 seconds.  If necessary, stop the motor occasionally and stir the mixture down with a thin rubber spatula.
  5. Use the rubber spatula to remove the peanut (whatever) butter from the container.
  6. 1 Cup peanuts = ¾ C. (6 oz.) fresh peanut butter.  That amount can vary with the kind of nuts you use.
  7. Homemade nut butter is SO SUPERIOR to bought brands. This is so easy to make and so easy to serve to your guest for an extra compliment to the toasted breads that you serve along with your fresh homemade jams or farmers market fresh fruits.  As an additional plus, it’ll save you a bunch of $. 
  8. I’ve made this with pecans, sunflower seeds, mixed nuts, and of course, peanuts.  I’ve used nuts from all kinds of store sources including Trader Joes and the Dollar Store.  Just some hints I am throwing out for being a bit thrifty in hard economical times and making your guest happy in spite of it all.   
  9. By the way, very often I turn my jar of peanut(whatever) butter upside down in the frig.  That keeps the oil from sinking down to the bottom of the jar and therefore keeping the butter in a good consistency.
  10. Also, if you want something to put on top of the peanut butter, I often use sliced  fruit instead of jam.  That helps keep the calories down and it’s delicious as well.