Brentella

I'm alive.  Its Tuesday and I'm back at work.  I didn't leave the house once sense 2:30 last Thursday until last night for a little bit.  I had cabin fever...but thats the only fever I had so at least thats good.  Being a super duper sick couch potato over a 4 day Memorial weekend is LAME.  I had all this time to come up with new interesting things to cook, 4 days to do whatever I wanted, and I spend it sick.  I had one afternoon left, so I bust out the best kitchen tool I own and go to work.

Have you ever seen those old clunky looking grinders mixed in with the kitchen stuff at second hands stores. You probably have, but never really gave it much thought.  Well think again next time you come across one.  When I was a little kid, once or twice a year my mom would bake a big chunk of roast beef, we'd have it for dinner one night, then out would come my great grandma's grinder.  Oh boy, my dad and I were stoked!  So while in Yuma this year, my parents came across a grinder that had a few different attachments, one being, and I quote, a "nut butter cutter." Nutella. Yes.

What you'll need:
2 cups hazelnuts
5 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350.  Line a cookie sheet with tin foil and spread nuts over sheet.  Toast for 10-12 minutes on upper middle rack, moving around once half way.  They will be a few shades darker and you will see the skins starting to lift off. Allow to cool then place 1/3 into a towel, gather the corners in your hand to make a pocket and rub to shed the skins.  Do with remain nuts until most of the skins are off.

Use either your Nut Butter Cutter or a food processor and grind until just about smooth.  I ran mine through the grinder 3 times.  There was still a little grit left, but I wanted the texture.  Add the remaining ingredients and either mix by hand or pulse in your food processor until well combined.  Store in fridge.  I read somewhere that it will last 2 months in the fridge, I know mine won't be around that long, but I'm thinking it will keep for quite a while.

Grab a spoon and dig in.  Find a strawberry or graham cracker and smear on this deliciousness.  I'm really cheating on Nutella now....Enjoy!