Homemade Peanut Butter

I've tried in the past to make plain homemade peanut butter, but always ended up with a large, hard lump of grainy peanuts that wasn't exactly peanut butter.  (I have successfully made both chocolate and white chocolate pb though.... I think the chocolate helps the creaminess department).  When I was recipe surfing on the internet a few weeks ago, I came across a blog that mentioned one had to process peanuts in the food processor for a long time to get creamy peanut butter instead of grainy peanut mess.... like 10-15 minutes.  So, not long after reading that blog, I set out to try homemade peanut butter again!

Use a food processor.... I'm not sure how a blender would work here.  Also, don't let your food processor run for a long period of time without stopping it to rest, or you might burn out your motor.  I let it run about 30 seconds at a time, max.  Even with that, my processor's motor was getting pretty hot by the end  I think it took about 8-9 minutes for me to make peanut butter.  I'm actually scared to do this often because I don't want to ruin my food processor.  (I have a Kitchenaid one and love it!)  So, if you try this, just be careful. 

Your peanuts will go through several stages- sandy, grainy, a big blob that moves slowly around your food processor.... just stop frequently, scrape down the sides and bottom, and stir it around and break it up.  Eventually, it will be smooth and creamy- real peanut butter!!!  I adeded a bit of sunflower oil to help it along.  I also added some honey for sweetness, but I didn't add enough to taste it; probably only 2 teaspoons or so.  Add more if you want!

Homemade Peanut Butter
What a Dish!

1 1/2 to 2 cups roasted peanuts, lightly salted
1-2 teaspoons sunflower or canola oil
honey, to taste, optional

1.  Place peanuts in processor and process, breaking them up into grainy pieces.  Add the oil and honey, if using, and process for 8-15 minutes, stopping the maching every 30 seconds or so to give it a rest.  Stir and break up the peanuts with a long spoon during every few breaks.  Process until you have smooth and creamy peanut butter!

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