Homemade CB & J

Answer: macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, cinnamon toast. Question: What are some of the most popular comfort foods? 

And one humble one I'd forgotten: the classic peanut butter and jelly. At the time I found it in my bag lunch on the playground I might have traded it for something more glamorous, but now it holds a certain homey nostalgia. Simple, honest and good.

After making the quick and delicious Whole Wheat Bread I started thinking of what I could smear on it. I started dreaming up an all homemade PB&J sandwich. I changed the peanut butter to cashew butter and used strawberry jam instead of grape. Of course, you can go with the usual suspects, but this twist is a nice way of making a kid's sandwich grow up fast.

CB & J Sandwich

Whole Wheat Bread

For Cashew Butter:

2 cups toasted cashews

1-2 tablespoons safflower oil (0ptional)

For "Strawberry Jam":

1 pound strawberries, stemmed

1/2 pound dried strawberries

For the Cashew Butter: Pour nuts in the Vita-Mix container. Secure lid. Select VARIABLE, speed #1. Insert tamper through lid opening. Turn on machine and quickly increase speed to #10; then to HIGH. Use the tamper to push the nuts into the blades. In 1 minute you will hear a high pitched chugging sound. Once the butter begins to flow freely through the blades the motor sound will change from a high pitch to a low laboring sound. Stop processing. Remove nut butter to a container and store covered.

For the "Strawberry Jam":

Put the fresh and dried strawberries in the Vita-Mix container. Secure lid. Select VARIABLE, speed #1. Insert tamper through the lid opening. Turn on machine and quickly increase speed to #10, then to HIGH. Use the tamper to push the dried berries into the blades. Run for 1 minute, longer if you want completely smooth "jam". Remove to a container and store in refrigerator. Best if chilled for at least 2 hours.