Begin by blanching the almonds. In a medium saucepan, place 4 inches of water, and bring to a boil. Add the almonds and cook for 1 minute to blanch them. Remove the saucepan from the heat and set aside for 3 minutes to cool. Remove the almonds from the water, squeeze each almond between your thumb and forefinger to remove their skins, and set them aside for 5 minutes to dry and cool. Place the almonds in a non-stick skillet and cook them over medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant. Remove the skillet from the heat and allow the almonds to cool. Transfer the cooled almonds to a blender or food processor and process for 1-2 minutes to finely grind them to a powder. Scrape down the sides of the container. Continue to process the almonds an additional 1-2 minutes, adding some safflower oil, as desired, to form a smooth and creamy paste. Transfer the almond butter to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.

*Note: you can substitute other nuts such as hazelnuts, cashews, pistachios, or peanuts to make other nut butters using the same procedure.

Yield: 1 Cup