Homemade Almond Butter

It's National Nut Day!

Would you care to celebrate with some homemade almond butter?

This may seem odd to you*, but I did not even realize other nut butter existed, outside of peanut butter.

*(or maybe not)

When I was 20, subletting a room from a friend in Jersey City, I lived with 3 dudes. 3 health conscious dudes. I was also kinda dieting so I'd look ok in my bikini for that one movie. One such boy, a model, was telling me about almond butter and how it was healthier than peanut butter. I tried it. I was like "Huh..it's OK I guess...I'd still rather have peanut butter though."

Fast forward to me having some Godiva truffles, including their roasted almond butter one-OMG. 

Fast forward to me making homemade peanut butter and realizing that I should totally make homemade nut butters all the time.

Fast forward to me making roasted almond butter. I had a smidgen bit of difficulty-the nuts weren't breaking down the way the peanuts had. I then realized I'd have to relent and add oil. So I did. Then, we had perfection. And it was deeelicious. I totally think it's amazing, now. Not better than peanut butter. But just like peanut butter's equally pretty and talented sister, ya know? And it's healthy, so, awesome.

Then I made cookies. Not necessarily so healthy. Whatever. I'll share those later. 

You know what I also did? Smeared some of this goodness on homemade graham crackers for breakfast. Yums-ville.

Discover almond butter. Discover yumminess.

"Oreo Balls" a la Kayle (No Cream Cheese!)

This is not one of those recipes where there are...umm....measurements. It was pretty much just me doing a lot of improvising and guesswork. "Let me esplain....no, there is too much. Let me sum up" (The Princess Bride-my fav. movie):

We had only been moved in a short while. My new food processor was sitting there, begging me to use it. I had a half used package of Oreos, that had pretty much gone stale. I was having a chocolate craving (which happens at about 4:00 PM every day). I thought to myself, "Hey! I have that Oreo Balls recipe on my computer from How Sweet, I should make that!" Once I consulted the recipe, I realized....I didn't have cream cheese. Nor do I particularly enjoy it in my desserts. I searched the internet for substitutions but found nothing. But I figured...how hard could it be to just mimic the texture?

 So, I broke apart the Oreos I had left and put them in the food processor. Then I decided peanut butter might be a good substitute for the cream cheese, so I put some of that in there to. I processed for a while but...it was too thick. I added some more peanut butter. I added a little milk. Then I melted some chocolate and poured that in there too. That did the trick! They seemed to be the exact same consistency as the actual "Oreo Balls"!. Then I did as my original recipe instructed, I rolled the mixture into many little balls, and put them on a tray and set them in the freezer for an hour or so. After they'd frozen and firmed up, I melted some chocolate and dipped them in and coated them (some got covered in milk chocolate, others in dark-I definitely think I preferred the dark chocolate). Then back to the freezer (where they remained)!

They. Were. Per-fect! PERFECT! I loooved them, Michael loved them! It was a miracle! They were like yummy little peanut butter Oreo truffles and they were awesome-I hope you try them and love them as much as we did (and now I have something to do with leftover Oreos!) :).

Oreo Balls

Author: Kayle, "The Cooking Actress"

Ingredients:

• Oreos
• peanut butter
• melted chocolate (milk, dark, or white-whatever you prefer) + more to coat the Oreo balls
• Optional-milk, if the consistency is too thick

Preparation:

• Break up Oreo's and place in a food processor. Add peanut butter and melted chocolate. Proccess until it reaches a consistency that will allow you to roll them into small balls. If too thick, add a bit of milk and/or extra melted chocolate.
• Rolls the mixture into small balls (about the size of a gumball). Place on a tray that is lined with wax paper or parchment paper and freeze for about 1 hour, until firm.
• Melt some chocolate and dip the frozen Oreo balls in until coated. Place back on the wax or parchment paper and return to the freezer until the chocolate has hardened.
• Store leftovers in the freezer or refrigerator. 

Peanut Butter Cream Pie and Strawberry "Ice Cream"

Finally! I am BACK! We're completely moved in (I might post a picture sometime later) and I love our new place! It's adorable and pretty and wonderful :). And I finally have a kitchen all to myself!!! So, to make up for the fact it's been like a month since I shared a recipe I'm giving you all a double dose! These are the two first new things I've made in this kitchen and they are delicious, yum yum yummy desserts!

Here, have a bite. It's the least I could do.

Yesterday I made peanut butter pie. It's a recipe I've had sitting in my recipe box since I was in high school that I had pulled out of one of my mom's old magazines. It seemed easy, refreshing (a prerequisite for a dessert Michael will love), and it has peanut butter sooo....you can't go wrong. Funnily enough, although I thought the fact that it was chilled would mean Michael would like it, he wasn't very excited, he feared it would be too "rich" (*eye roll*). But I persevered and made it anyway. And I am soooooo happy I did! It is amazing! And when Michael took his first bite, he looked at me with wide eyes and then gave me a big peanut buttery kiss. He approved. It's a super easy to make recipe, requires very few ingredients, and not too bad for you either, especially if you opt for lower cal ingredients (ie. fat free milk, etc.).