Goober Pea Butter? Really?

Goundnut. Earth nut. Monkey nut. Pygmy nut. Pig nut. And one with which I'm sure we're all familiar...GOOBER PEAS!

The peanut!  But wait, it isn't a nut at all, but a member of the pea family, making it a vegetable.  Who'da thought?

Regardless of all of that, (and my apologies for those allergic as you're probably getting the itch just looking at these pictures), the peanut is very versatile and tasty addition to our pantry.  In fact, as part of the weekly food storage plan put together by our ward's e-prep folks, this week buy a bottle or two of peanut butter to add to your larder.  Be sure it's "smooth" and not "crunchy" as crunchy will go rancid much (much) faster. 

However... if you live in the great state of Georgia, where we produce nearly 1/2 of all the peanuts used in the US (in 2012 that adds up to hefty 6.1 billion pounds) you may even get the notion to make your own peanut butter.  It is soooo much more delicious than the store-bought kind that is full of sugar, bad oils, and sometimes whipped up like frosting.  After years of eating the "natural" stuff myself, the bottled name-brands can taste a little like plastic to me.

As Joy Watkins, of Joy the Baker, says, "This recipe is so easy that I almost feel bad typing it out for you.  In essence, if you throw shelled peanuts into a food processor, with or without a pinch of salt, whirl it up for several minutes, you’ll have the magic of peanut butter in your kitchen."

Find great recipes (just as easy as Joy says) at Joy the Baker (she also has some variations that can make it more kid palatable as you switch them over) and PickYourOwn.org, where you can also find area farms where you can indeed pick your own fruits and vegetables.

Here's a sample of how simple it really is:  About a pound of shelled peanuts, a bit of salt, and a bit of vegetable oil if needed (olive oil changes the taste).   Blend.Blend.Blend.  Store in an airtight container in your frig for weeks (and weeks) or you can even freeze it. 

Do check out the two above sites, or do your own web search (Joy has a awesome recipe for Honey Roasted PNB -- YUM!) and let us know your results. 

Then go make some of these: 

We'll be very happy to taste test them for you. 



georgiapeanuts.com



(Please be sure to share your experiences, tips, suggestions... have you ever made your own PNB?)