PB and J…From Scratch!!!

When we started with From Scratch Weekends at the start of 2010, I knew right away that this classic had to be made entirely from scratch before the year was through.  You might ask, “What was I waiting for?” and that is a great question. 

Well, this is what I was waiting for:
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I wasn’t going to try an make peanut butter without a food processor.  Since Ryan gave me this for Hanukkah, I was finally able to take on my mission and meet the goal of a homemade PB and J.
I made good use of many kitchen tools and gadgets for this adventure.  I started off by using the bread machine to make jam.  I figured it would be easy enough since the machine came with recipes and has a jam setting.
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I thought this blueberry lime sounded good but I was not sure how this would taste with the peanut butter.

Remember when I had the flu?  Note to self, do not grocery shop when you are recovering from the flu.  I was fairly certain that I needed 6 pounds of blueberries for this recipe.  Now you might think 6 pounds sounds like a lot, and usually it does, unless you are recovering from the flu.  Well, seems I only needed 6 cups.  6 cups!  Oh well, I have plenty of frozen blueberries in the freezer now, LOL!
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I made sure since I used frozen to drain them well.  There was no way I was finding fresh around here.
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I was super glad to know the commissary had pectin.  I wonder who else around here is making homemade jellies and jams.
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The directions never said mash the blueberries up, so they stayed whole as I mixed all the ingredients together.  Once I get better at this jam making process I will try things without added sugar, but I limited the experimentation the first time around and stuck with the recipe.
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How easy is this?!?!?
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After almost an hour and a half, hot jam was ready to cool and be placed in the fridge overnight.
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The next day I selected a bread recipe.  I went with a simple honey whole wheat.
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In go the dry ingredients…
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and out comes a nice loaf of bread.
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While the bread was cooling I set up my food processor.
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I had planned on using peanuts still in the shell but my sister suggested the first time using something already roasted and salted.  Again, as I get better and more practice, I will experiment with recipes.
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I dumped in the peanuts.
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Then I pushed the on button and look at this powerful baby go!
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After a while it balled up, so I stopped to check it out.  My sister told me this would happen, so I just scrapped the bowl and got it off the sides before turning it on again.
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After a little while it all smoothed out.  I think I could have done this a little longer but I didn’t want to risk overdoing it.
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Not sure why this looks red.  Once it cooled down some I was ready to slice it up and make my sandwich. 
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See, it is really not red bread at all.
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I did a little of the PB and a little of the J.
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Put them together…
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and I was on my way to enjoying a PB and J entirely from scratch.
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Seriously, this was amazing, and really easy.  Time consuming, maybe, but mostly time I could use reading or doing work on the computer.  Oh, and the blueberry lime jam tasted great, even with PB.  I loved the sour bite the lime juice gave to the blueberries.

Well, that does it for From Scratch Weekends for 2010.  Stay tuned for more in 2011.

QUESTIONS:  Have you ever made homemade jelly/jam?  Have you ever made homemade PB?

9 comments:

Mari said...

WOW that is so impressive!!!!!! I would love one of your pb&j sammies!

Unknown said...

so fun! santa brought me an ice cream maker :)
I think we might have made jam ponce, but not PB. Enjoy your toy!

Gina; The Candid RD said...

Yum, this is the best looking PB&J I've ever seen. Now, as Nick would say, let's toast it!

I'm getting my new food processor out SOON just to make this peanut butter!! I had forgotten I have the ability to do this now!!!

chow and chatter said...

wow this is so cool

great job I am a Brit and don't really like it but still love Americans love of it he he

Happy New Year

Rebecca

Beth said...

looks so awesome! You need to get some Pomona's Pectin to make low or no sugar jam. No sugar jam won't set up with regular pectin.

I've never made PB, but I definitely jam like a mad woman during the summer!

Kristen (swanky dietitian) said...

This looks excellent!!!

I have never made homemade pb or j...or bread! eek! I need to get in the kitchen. That should be my resolution..more from scratch recipes.

sophia said...

You're just....so darn COOL Melinda! Who would have thought to make the simplest "dish", the classic PB & J, by scratch! you turn everything into a fun adventure!

Simply Life said...

wow, this definitely takes pb&j to a whole new level - nice work and very impressive!

Kimberly Peterson said...

Wowww I totally salute you for making a Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich from scratch! And no, I have never ever made them from scratch - lol. I'm too lazy! I'm sure it was worth it though. I need you to make them for me!! :p

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