George Washington Carver invented hundreds of uses for peanuts, including, some believe, peanut butter! On February 23, 2016, the senior residents at Spring Hills Morristown Assisted Living made their own peanut butter as they learned all about Carver, and other famous black inventors, to celebrate Black History Month. The other inventors that were discussed included Leonard C. Bailey who invented the folding bed, Sarah Boone who invented the ironing board, John Albert Burr who invented the rotary blade lawn mower and many more.
Here’s a recipe from the kitchn:
Makes about 1 1/2 cups
Ingredients:
-2 cups (16 ounces) raw, shelled peanuts (See Recipe Notes)
-1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
-1-2 tablespoons peanut oil or other oil (optional, for creamier peanut butter)
-1-2 tablespoons honey or other sweetener (optional, for sweeter peanut butter)
-Optional Add-Ins: 1-2 tablespoons cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon or other spice, handful of chocolate chips, a few spoonfuls of nutella
Equipment
-Baking sheet
-Food processor or blender
-Spatula
-Container with lid
Directions:
Roast the peanuts (optional): Heat the oven to 350°F and toast the peanuts on a baking sheet until lightly golden and glossy with oil, about 10 minutes. You can skip this step if you prefer raw nut butter or if you’re using pre-toasted nuts; roasting gives the peanut butter a deeper flavor and also helps make the oils looser and easier to blend into a smooth butter.
Pulse the peanuts until ground: Transfer the peanuts to a food processor or blender. If you toasted your nuts, do this while the nuts are still warm. Pulse a few times just until chopped. → For chunky peanut butter, remove 1/2 cup of chopped nuts and set aside.
Process for 1 minute: Run the food processor or blender continuously for 1 minute. Stop and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. At this point, the peanut butter will look gritty and dry, almost like couscous.
Process for 1 minute: Run the food processor or blender continuously for another minute, then stop and scrape down the sides. At this point, the butter will start clumping together. It’s not quite peanut butter, but it’s getting there!
Process for 1 minute: Run the food processor or blender continuously for another minute, then stop and scrape down the sides. At this point, the butter will be glossy and soft, like very thick peanut butter.
Add the salt, oil, sweetener, and any other extras: Sprinkle the salt, oil, sweetener, and any other extras over the top of the peanut butter.
Process for 1 to 2 additional minutes: Continue processing the butter until it becomes completely smooth. Homemade peanut butter will still be a little more gritty than Skippy peanut butter, but should be spreadable at this point. Taste and add more salt or other add-ins to taste. If you reserved some nuts for chunky peanut butter add them now and pulse a few times to incorporate.
Transfer the peanut butter to storage container: Scrape the peanut butter into a storage container, cover, and refrigerate. The peanut butter can be used immediately and will keep for several weeks in the fridge.
About Spring Hills Morristown Assisted Living:
The Spring Hills Morristown Assisted Living Community provides assisted living with the finest amenities and is located at 17 Spring Place, Morristown, NJ 07960. For more information, call 862-345-6238.
About Spring Hills Senior Communities:
All Spring Hills Senior Communities offer a distinctive and innovative approach to luxury senior living and Home Care Services. Signature Touches is the company’s approach to offering services that are designed to meet the needs and preferences of residents and clients. Alex Markowits, President/CEO, talks about the importance of each resident and he said, “We strive to create an experience for each resident that demonstrates how much we respect their individuality. Personal choice is our top priority.” Recreational programs are interesting and diverse, led by professionals in each of the company’s eight communities located in NJ, VA, OH and FL or in their own home. For more information about their commitment to senior living, including information on Spring Hills Home Care Services, visit www.springhills.com.