Homemade butter

This is fun for kiddos to do as well, they will love making their own herb combinations.

You will need:
heavy cream
Mason jars
a few glass marbles (optional)
your choice of herbs (optional)

Fill each mason jar half way with heavy cream and drop 2 marbles in each jar (if you don't have the marbles that's ok, just shake a little longer).  Shake vigorously for 10-12 minutes  
The cream will go through several stages...Whipped cream, stiff whipped cream, then the liquid will desperate from the butter (buttermilk, ha!).  Once the liquid has separated shake for 2 more minutes.  Open the jar and pour the liquid out and add 3 tablespoons of ice water.  Shake for 30 seconds.  Repeat this, with the cold water 2 more times. 
Drain all the liquid from the jar and put your butter in a bowl.  You can add your own herbs in.  I like adding in roasted garlic and chopped rosemary.
With a fork combine the herbs.  You can either return your butter to a jar or put your butter on wax paper and roll up and refrigerate.  

I use homemade butter for everything!  It's great alone on a slice of bread...The herbed butters are great for making garlic bread and mixing it in with some pasta, for a quick lunch...and I love using unsalted homemade butter for buttercream icing.