The Pajama Chef

Homemade Maple & Brown Sugar Almond Butter

November 3, 2011November 12, 2015 Sarah

So, nut butter always seemed like one of those things that was so. hard. to make at home. But really? Is it now? After taking a trip to the nicest Kroger in my town and grinding my own peanut butter in their natural foods/bulk bins section, I was swayed a little bit. It looked easy, at least with that fancy grocery-store grinder. I resolved to try it at home “one day.” You know how it goes. One day never came. It was just so easy to keep buying my favorite natural peanut butter from Whole Foods that I didn’t think any more about it. Until I ran out. Whole Foods is a 75 minute drive away. No good.

Enter: creativity, complements of the internet. Guess what? Homemade nut butter isn’t that hard! And you can totally make fancy nut butters for a fraction of the cost of the store-bought non-peanut butters. Sorry, but I’m not going to spend $5-8 on a small jar of almond/cashew/walnut butter or fancy flavored peanut butter. Let’s hope we’re not seeing prices like that on regular peanut butter now that prices are on the rise.

After making a quick trip to Sam’s to stock up on nuts, I went to work. I raided my pantry to see what I could find to fancy up my almond butter and came up with a classic oatmeal combo: maple and brown sugar.

A bit of patience and a food processor and you are all set.

While I can’t promise I’ll never go back to the store-bought stuff, I have been inspired to try more flavor combinations and even experiment with different kinds of nuts to see what we like best!

Reader Question ~ What’s your favorite kind of nut butter? What should I try to make next?

Homemade Maple & Brown Sugar Almond Butter

Servings: makes 16 ounces
Time: 25 minutes
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[inspired by The Lean Green Bean]

Ingredients:

1 pound/3 cups raw, unsalted almonds
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast for 6-8 minutes. The almonds should smell fragrant. In a food processor, combine toasted almonds, syrup, and brown sugar. Process for 10-12 minutes, or until desired consistency is reached.

Notes:

At first, you’ll have to scrape the sides of the food processor constantly because it’ll be mostly “dusty.” Then, after a few minutes, it should start clumping and from there will get smoother and smoother the longer you let it go. It just takes a bit of patience but it is so worth it!

Menu Plans

Menu Plan

October 31, 2011 Sarah

Week of October 31

Monday: Chicken Tortilla Soup

Tuesday: class for me, Ben fends for himself

Wednesday: Peppercorn Pork with Wine Sauce that I didn’t make last week

Thursday: small group party!

Friday: leftovers

Saturday: some sort of pasta dish…

Sunday: church meeting so appetizers and desserts for all!

Oh my goodness! Where did October go??! Here I was ~~daydreaming~~ schoolworking it away, and my pumpkin month is over. Sigh. But do not despair! Pumpkin will still be around here, perhaps not as frequently. And that, my friends, makes me really happy.

Beverages, Recipes

Homemade Pumpkin Spice Lattes–sans espresso machine!

October 28, 2011 Sarah

Okay, so I know this fall there have been about a zillion variations of DIY pumpkin spice latte recipes online. But I kept making excuses for making them, even though I was craving that pumpkin spice-flavored syrup.

I didn’t have any cinnamon sticks [remedied with a trip to Sam’s… big jar for under $4! Apparently sticks > ground.] or any cheesecloth [it’s $2 at the grocery store], and lastly, I certainly didn’t have a fancypants espresso machine. No way to get steamed milk. Ummm… yeah, can’t get past that obstacle for cheap. Or can you? A little googling and apparently some Mason jar-shaking action has somewhat of the same effect. Not exactly the same, but close enough. I was quite impressed with myself after testing out that googled solution. Thankfully I’ve been working out! I combined that milk with some fall-spiced pumpkin simple syrup I cooked up in a jiffy, freshly brewed espresso blend coffee, whipped cream, and cinnamon and had myself a nice, fancy coffeeshop-worthy beverage.

If you don’t want to go to all the trouble of a DIY latte and would rather leave that to the professionals, this syrup is also fabulous stirred into coffee, hot chocolate, and probably even ice cream [though I haven’t tried it yet]. It’s easier than you think–I promise!

Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte [from Annie’s Eats]
printable version

Ingredients:

for syrup

1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 cinnamon sticks
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cloves
3 tablespoons pumpkin puree

for latte

6 ounces skim milk
3 ounces brewed espresso or strong coffee
1-2 tablespoons pumpkin spice syrup
whipped cream and ground cinnamon for topping

Directions:

Stir together water and sugar in medium saucepan set over medium-high heat. Stir from time to time until sugar dissolves. Add cinnamon sticks and whisk in spices, then stir in pumpkin puree. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring continually. Do not let mixture boil. Remove from heat and cool for 15 minutes. Then, strain syrup through a cheesecloth and store in the refrigerator in a sealed container.

To make latte, pour milk into a Mason jar, screw on lid, and then shake for 60 seconds. Then remove lid and microwave for about 60 seconds or until hot, transferring to a larger container or bowl if necessary. [I did this so that it wouldn’t overflow.] Pour into a large mug and stir in coffee. Drizzle in pumpkin spice syrup then top with whipped cream and cinnamon as desired.

Desserts, Other, Recipes

Individual Pumpkin Pie Parfaits

October 27, 2011November 4, 2011 Sarah

Sometimes, a picture is worth 1000 words.

I think now is one of those times.

Let me explain, in case you’re confused. Oreo crust. Pumpkin pudding. Whipped cream. Oreo. Pumpkin. Whip. Oreo. Delicious spoonfuls of marvelousness coming your way. Yes, please.

Individual Pumpkin Pie Parfaits are like a cup of pumpkin pie, except 1000% easier and [dare I say] way more delicious. I made these recently when we had friends over for dinner because they could be made ahead of time from ingredients already in my fridge and pantry. I typically go for over the top baked desserts when I’m cooking for company and so often just forget about pudding or easy chilled treats, but these parfaits are a good reminder to think beyond the oven and experience fall in a new way. Pumpkin and chocolate just can’t be beat this time of year.

Individual Pumpkin Pie Parfaits [adapted from My Name is Snickerdoodle and The Avid Appetite]
printable version

Ingredients:

1 small box [3.4 ounce package] instant vanilla pudding
2 1/2 cups milk, divided
1 envelope Dream Whip
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 cup crushed Oreos [8-10]
1 tablespoon butter, melted

Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine vanilla pudding powder and 2 cups milk. Beat with a wire whisk for 2 minutes then cover and refrigerate for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a stand mixer, whisk Dream Whip envelope, 1/2 cup milk, and vanilla on low for two minutes. Use a spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl, then beat on high for 5-8 minutes or until stiff peaks form.

Remove pudding from refrigerator and stir in pumpkin pie spice and pumpkin puree. Set aside. Stir powdered sugar into Dream Whip mixture. Set aside.

Mix together Oreo crumbs and melted butter. Press 1 tablespoon into the bottom of four small dessert glasses or bowls, then top with 1/4 cup pudding, and 1/4 cup Dream Whip*. Repeat, ending with cookie crumbs.

Refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 4 hours.

Notes:

Can substitute 2 cups Cool Whip or Whipped Cream for the Dream Whip. I just used what I had at home.

Come join the fun at the My Baking Addiction and GoodLife Eats Holiday Recipe Exchange sponsored by Spice Islands.

Main Dishes, Pasta, Recipes

Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese

October 25, 2011October 29, 2015 Sarah

Think about the thickest, creamiest, cheesiest mac and cheese you’ve ever had the pleasure to indulge in. Got it in mind? Good.

Was it something like this? Anything like this? Please tell me I’m not the only one who judges mac and cheese by how close the color of the cheese sauce resembles that of the quintessential blue box.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. And let me tell you something. You absolutely have GOT to take away any preconceived notions of *gasp* butternut squash being, like, a vegetable or something like that. Vegetables aren’t creamy or cheesy or anything like that, are they? And they don’t really belong in cheesy comfort food. So, you might be wondering if I’m trying to pull the wool over your eyes here.

Well, I must confess that the humble butternut squash isn’t exactly cheese. There’s no denying that. But when roasted up in the oven, pureed, and then mixed into with some eggs, half and half, milk, cheese, and spices and poured atop some noodles, butternut squash does become quite thick, rich, and creamy. It also receives bonus points for achieving an almost artificial orange hue… albeit an all natural orange hue. Score! Makes this girl happy.

I was also happy because this slightly sweet yet wholeheartedly savory, rich mac and cheese took almost no time at all, with the exception of roasting the butternut squash [which could be done ahead of time]. That means that this delicious, hearty bite is much closer than you think! Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese

Servings: 6-8
Time: 90 minutes/30 minutes active
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adapted from my recipe and Pinch of Yum

Ingredients:

1 large butternut squash
olive oil
1 cup onion, minced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
cayenne pepper
13.25 ounces small pasta [I used whole wheat shells.]
2 eggs
1/4 cup fat free half and half
1/2 cup skim milk
1 rounded teaspoon whole grain Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
8 ounces Marbled Cheddar cheese, shredded
reserved pasta water
Panko bread crumbs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Split the butternut squash in half and place in a large baking dish. Brush with olive oil and bake for 45-60 minutes, or until soft enough to pierce easily with a fork.

Meanwhile, begin caramelizing the onion. Heat about 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil in n a small skillet over low heat. Add onion and season with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and just a touch of cayenne pepper [or more depending on desired level of spiciness]. Stir to mix and allow to caramelize over the next 30 minutes at least for best flavor.

When the butternut squash is cooked, allow to cool briefly and then scoop out into a medium bowl and puree with an immersion blender. Alternatively, use a food processor or regular blender. Puree should yield about 3 cups.

Cook pasta to al dente according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, whisk together eggs, half and half, milk, mustard, and sage in a small bowl. When pasta is ready, drain and return to pan over low heat. Pour in egg mixture and stir together. Then, add butternut squash and stir again. Finally, fold in cheese and most of the onions, reserving a small amount for topping.

Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add extra pasta water as needed to thin out the sauce. I used about 2/3 cup. Serve immediately, topping with caramelized onions and Panko bread crumbs.