aw, nuts.

I've had this itch to make coconut butter for a really long time. Not that I had any reason in particular, just that trendy healthy food bloggers make coconut butter like no one's business and put it on their tens of thousands of oatmeal recipes or whatever, and doggone it if I wasn't going to make coconut butter, too. My first problem was finding it extremely difficult to locate UNsweetened coconut flakes anywhere. I checked multiple stores on multiple occasions. By an act of God, the Kroger had some in stock and I bought about three bagfuls. Check. When the perfect time came along, I made the coconut butter - super easy, just whiz those flakes around in a food processor (or blender, if you're lucky enough to have one) until they turn into butter. Check. My second problem was determining how to store this stuff. Easy. Most natural/homemade butters require refrigeration. Check. My third problem was deciding what to do with this stuff. Um, eat it by the spoon? Check, during the processing process. Put it in oatmeal like a trendy blogwoman? Has potential. Look up ways to eat coconut butter? Ehh, when I have time. Spread it on a tortilla with some chocolate chips and make a choco-taco? Check. Except I ran into my fourth problem, which was discovering that coconut butter placed in the fridge becomes solid as a rock. Whoops. Problem Two was not so solved after all. So I popped the stuff in the microwave. 45 seconds and it was still rocklike. One minute more, can't hurt. My fifth problem was opening the microwave to golden, bubbly, scalding coconut butter. I'm not thinking this is correct, but neither am I letting it hold me back from executing my choco-taco. Choco-taco, check. Look up how to handle coconut butter, check. Apparently you do not need to refrigerate it and it burns easily in the microwave. So now I've got what's going to be the new rage for all the trendy healthy food bloggers - toasted coconut butter - and I've got to figure out how I want to eat it. Maybe I'll make oatmeal tomorrow.