Stretching Butter

I learned a new skill today and I'm all full of myself!  In a fit of desperation, I learned how to make stretched butter...and I can tell you that I'll never pay $4 for a bowl of butter again. 

I've been buying the Land O'Lakes spreadable butter for several years because A) it's yummy,  B) it's spreadable and C) I can decipher the ingredients on the package unlike margarine.  Today, we had a crisis when there was no butter for the morning toast and my failing memory flashed back a few months to a Canadian friend talking about stretched butter.  So I looked it up and wow if that's not the easiest stuff to make.  Ever.  Here's what you do:

Bring 2 sticks of real butter to room temperature.  (Don't microwave.  You want it soft, not melted.)  If you've got a KitchenAid, throw them in the bowl and whisk them on high til the butter is creamy.  Reduce the speed and slowly add up to 1/4 cup EACH of water and oil, more or less depending on the desired consistency.  Beat til very pale yellow/white and very creamy.  Refrigerate in a covered container.

That's it.  So easy I'm ashamed to admit that I've been buying bowl butter my entire life.  And so easy, I feel like I've been scammed by butter copanies trying to make a buck LOL.  Oh well.  Live and learn and reclaim the kitchen, right?