Did Laura Ingalls eat peanutbutter?

I know you hear a lot about being frugal and there are websites, books and blogs on the topic. But really when I think about frugal living there is only one example that really goes to the basics. It’s the Little House on the Prairie Series I read as a child.  In Laura's early childhood, her father settled on land not yet open for homesteading in what was then Indian Territory. There if they were lucky enough to have a dead wild deer dragged home or butchered a hog you ate every inch of that animal and meat was so rare and expensive they consumed very little of it. And one of my favorite stories what when Laura got an orange and a single candy cane one year for Christmas. Golly gee my son tosses out enough half eaten fresh fruit to boggle the socks off Laura Ingalls. Now wonder we’re dying of cancer and heart disease these days, look at the crap we eat. When you look at the way of life featured in those books you can learn to save money and make the most with what you have. Now I’m not knocking everything from my current life style, antibiotics, indoor plumbing and birth control are 3 inventions I’m convinced the world can’t progress without but still with all the squawk about frugal tips I think Ma Ingalls was the best role model out there.

One thing I keep around for The Professional Picky Eaters is peanut butter. My kids eat a ton of it and I try to look for recipes that use it in the hopes of getting them to eat something that doesn’t come with bread and jelly. So here’s what I’m going to try in the true spirit of Ma Ingalls, only I’m using store bought peanuts cuz I don’t have the yard space to grow them and the dogs would probably dig them up anyway. I’m also using time saving devices and electricity since unlike Ma I am not a stay at home domestic goddess. My family goes through a lot of peanut butter, so while buying them still in the shell or skins is much cheaper, I would rather pay a little more and save a lot of time.

Homemade Peanut Butter

Ingredients:

     1½ c. unsalted roasted peanuts

    1 tbsp. peanut oil

Directions:

For smooth peanut butter:

1.    Mix the peanuts with the peanut oil, and pour the mixture into the food processor.

2.    Process the mixture until it's very smooth.

3.    Store your smooth peanut butter in a sealed container in the fridge. It will be good for 2 weeks.

For chunky peanut butter:

1.    Take about ¼ cup out of your 1½ cups of peanuts and set them aside.

2.    Mix the rest of the peanuts with the oil, and pour the mixture into the food processor.

3.    Process the mixture until it's very smooth, then stir in the peanuts that you had set aside.

4.    Process a few seconds more to create the chunks in your chunky peanut butter.

5.    Store your chunky peanut butter in a sealed container in the fridge. It will be good for 2 weeks.