Nutty Butter Goodness

I recently stumbled across a recipe for "Nutty Butters" in the April edition of Real Simple. The cookies turned out perfectly and I found myself making 4 batches in one week, tweaking the recipe here and there in an attempt to make them a bit healthier. You can use any nut butter that suits your fancy (peanut, almond, cashew), but I stuck with homemade peanut butter.



If you've never made homemade peanut butter before, it's quite simple. All you need is a food processor and peanuts (shells removed, of course). Place the peanuts in your food processor, turn it on and like magic, the peanuts will transform into peanut butter goodness. Peanuts naturally contain oil, so you shouldn't have to add anything to smooth it out. It's up to you whether you want to sweeten the butter with sugar or season it with salt, but I prefer mine in its simplest form. Let your food processor run until the peanut butter reaches the desired consistency, and voilà! You have homemade peanut butter.

NUTTY BUTTERS

Recipe:
1 1/2 sticks organic unsalted butter, softened
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp White Whole Wheat Flour (King Arthur brand, preferred)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp COARSE sea salt
1/3 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1 large organic egg
1/2 cup homemade peanut butter
1/2 cup chopped peanuts

NOTE: The original recipe calls for All-Purpose Flour in place of the White Whole Wheat Flour and granulated sugar in place of the coconut sugar, but I prefer these cookies a bit on the healthier side.

Method:
1. Melt 1/2 stick butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add oats, and cook, stirring until toasted (approx. 5-7 minutes). The oats can quickly go from toasted to burnt, so be sure not to leave them unattended. Spread the oat mixture on a parchment-lined baking sheet or Silpat; let cool.

2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (176 C). Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Beat together the remaining stick of butter and the sugars with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Add egg, and beat until combined. Add the nut butter and beat on medium speed until well combined.

3. Add oat mixture and chopped nuts, and beat on low speed until combined. Add flour mixture in stages, and beat until just combined.

4. Roll the dough into 1 1/2-inch balls or use a portion scoop (preferred). Place cookies about an inch apart on baking sheets, lined with parchment paper or Silpats. Bake until golden. The original recipe calls for 12 - 15 minutes, but I find that 10 minutes in my oven is the ticket. Let cool completely on baking sheets.

Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for one week, but I guarantee they will be gone well before that. They are PERFECT with coffee. Enjoy!

Blueberry Muffins with Crumb Topping

I've never been a huge muffin fan, nor a fan of fruit baked into my desserts, but this blueberry muffin has completely changed my mind. It is easy and delicious and will surely impress your weekend guests!

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (King Arthur brand, preferably)
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 cup fresh blueberries

FOR CRUMB TOPPING:

2/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose four
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, cubed and at room temperature

METHOD:

To make the Muffin Batter...

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease muffin tin or line with muffin liners.
2. Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cups sugar, salt and baking powder.
3. In a one-cup measuring cup, combine the vegetable oil, egg and enough milk to fill the cup.
4. Add the the oil, egg and milk mixture to the flour mixture, being careful to mix until just combined.
5. Gently fold in the blueberries.
6. Fill the muffin cups right to the top and sprinkle with the crumb topping mixture.

To make the Crumb Topping...

1. Combine the crumb topping ingredients and mix with a fork until a coarse texture is achieved.
2. Sprinkle over the muffins before baking.
3. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until done.

NOTE: Buttermilk can be used to replace the milk in this recipe for a richer muffin at a 1:1 ratio. White sugar can also be used for the crumb topping. If opting to use white sugar, mix 1/2 cup white sugar, 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup butter (cubed), and 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon for the crumb topping. I tend to bake the muffins for about 22 minutes and they turn out perfectly!