Almond Butter. . .

About two years ago, I was introduced to Almond Butter, which is like a teeny slice of Heaven to me!! I was visiting my friend Tracy in Portland and she took me to a Whole Foods store where I bought my first jar of the yummy nut butter. Sadly, because I only had a carry-on bag with me, I couldn't take it back to Iowa with me. I could have paid $25 to have it shipped there, but that seemed like a ripoff so I just threw it away. I was so bummed. . .until I realized that my very own HyVee carried almond butter. I was so excited!
For the last 19 months, I've missed my beloved almond butter. I stashed four jars of it in our luggage when we came back here in September. It lasted less than four weeks! If there's one food I wish I could buy here, almond butter would be it! It's really a big deal to me.
Well, my amazing Martha-Stewart-friend Mollie decided one day she would make her own peanut butter because we can't buy that here either. She perfected her recipe and now makes her own peanut butter whenever she feels like it. After trying a bite (or a lick, or whatever it is you're supposed to do with it), I decided I would have to make some of my own. She happened to have a few almonds with the peanuts and said they had processed just fine, too.
So, on Saturday evening, I roasted a bunch of peanuts and almonds, put them in a food processor (separately) and made myself some homemade peanut butter and almond butter!!! Knowing his wife's love for almond butter, Kevin smiled and said, "Yay. Now we can live here longer." Kind of funny, but also very true. I learned to make my own tortillas. I learned to bake my own chicken and make my own chicken stock and chicken broth (which I had not known prior to living here). I learned to make my own nut butters. Having those few food items has made me a happier ex-pat. It's amazing what a few bites of almond butter will do for my heart!
*Two days after I made my almond butter, I received a package in the mail from one of my sisters. I had specifically asked for two jars of almond butter and although I was super-excited to get them, I'm not as crazy about guarding those jars with my life. I know I can just go to the store and buy some almonds and make my own now:) Yay. Thanks Mollie!!
*Oh, and I roasted both types of nuts for about 15 minutes, flipping them once. I placed the peanuts in a food processor for just over 5 minutes before the oils released and they became butter. The almonds took a little longer, like closer to 10 minutes. Every minute was worth the goodness:)