If you are growing your own peanuts or simply have access to a batch of peanuts at a good price, why not make your own peanut butter?
Homemade peanut butter is good for two weeks from the day it is made. It does need to be kept in the refrigerator. It is easy to make and tastes delicious. All you need to make your own peanut butter is 1 ½ cups unsalted, roasted peanuts and 1 tablespoon of oil. If you have peanut oil, that is the best choice, if not use what you have on hand.
For a smooth peanut butter, mix the peanuts and oil in a small dish until the peanuts are coated with the oil. Then put them into a food processer and grind until the mixture is smooth. Once you are satisfied with the texture, put it in a sealed container and refrigerate.
If you prefer crunchy peanut butter, simply omit ¼ cup of the nuts from the food processor. Process as above, then add the ¼ cup of nuts to the mixture and process again until you get the right texture. You will not want to process it the second time until it gets smooth, just until the nuts are chopped up enough ton suit you. This mixture will also need refrigerated.
Sometimes the oil will separate from the peanut butter. If this happens, simply stir the peanut butter up so the oil is mixed back in. Use this as you would any commercial peanut butter.