Peanut Butter: Perfect for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

November is Peanut Butter Lovers Month. As a nation we consume 700 million pounds of peanut butter each year. Here are some suggestions for enjoying your favorite treat.

November 9, 2005 -- Move over turkey! Ben Franklin’s favorite bird isn’t the only tasty treat to garner attention this month. November is also Peanut Butter Lovers Month. And who among us doesn’t love the quintessential American comfort food, peanut butter? As a nation we consume more than 700 million pounds of peanut butter each year, and at this very moment 75% of us has at least one variety in the cupboard. Peanut butter is an inexpensive source of protein, and a cholesterol-free food. It is portable, and perfect for hikes and picnics, as it doesn’t have to be refrigerated. Although peanut butter is high in fat, most of that fat is the healthy, unsaturated kind.

Many of us grew up eating Grandma’s criss-cross peanut butter cookies and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (still the country’s favorite). But do you know that peanut butter can be served in mouth-watering dishes all day long? Renee Pottle, author of I Want My Dinner Now! - Simple Meals for Busy Cooks (©2004, $12.95 trade paperback, www.craftandcook.com) and The Happy Lunchbox – 4 Weeks of Menus and Recipes (©2005, $6.95 booklet, www.craftandcook.com) offers the following suggestions for enjoying your favorite treat:

·    Peanut Butter Muffins – These jam filled muffins are perfect for breakfast or as an after school treat. (Recipe follows)
·    Peanut Butter Pancakes – add up to ¼ cup of peanut butter to your favorite pancake mix.
·    Toasted English Muffins – Top with crunchy peanut butter and honey.
·    Turkey Wraps – Layer sliced turkey, peanut butter, lettuce, and mandarin orange slices on a flavored tortilla wrap. Wrap up for a kid-pleasing sandwich.
·    Green Salad with Peanut Butter Dressing – Mix together ¼ cup peanut butter, ¼ cup white vinegar, 1Tbsp honey, a dash of cayenne pepper and ½ cup boiling water. Let cool and toss with fresh greens.
·    Vegetarian Burgers – make your own burgers from scratch with oatmeal, rice, cottage cheese and peanut butter.
·    Laurie’s Thai Chicken – Your guests will think you cooked all day when you serve this exotic dish. You didn’t, but your slow cooker did! (Recipe follows)
·    Peanut Butter Pumpkin Pie – Extend your love of peanut butter right into the Thanksgiving holiday. Add ½ cup of smooth peanut butter to any pumpkin pie recipe.

So whether your favorite is smooth or crunchy, honey-roasted or all natural, grab that unassuming jar of peanut butter and turn breakfast, lunch, and dinner into festive meals, all year long!

Peanut Butter Recipes

LAURIE’S THAI CHICKEN
From I Want My Dinner Now! by Renee Pottle

2 Servings        Ingredients               
4             Chicken thighs   
½ cup            Medium salsa
2 Tbsp            Peanut butter        
1 Tbsp            Lemon juice       
1 ½ tsp            Soy sauce       
¼ tsp            Ground ginger       
2-quart            slow cooker               

1. Remove skin from chicken parts. Rinse chicken and place in slow cooker.
2. Combine salsa, peanut butter, lemon juice, soy sauce and ginger. Spoon over chicken.
3. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours, or high for 4-5 hours.

PEANUT BUTTER MUFFINS
From The Happy Lunchbox by Renee Pottle

1 ¼ cups        All purpose flour
½ cup            Whole-wheat flour
¼ cup            Potato flour
2-½ tsp        Baking powder
½ cup            Sugar
½ tsp            Salt
¾ cup            Peanut butter
¾ cup            Milk
2 large            Eggs
¼ cup            Jam

1. Combine the flours, baking powder, sugar and salt. Cut in the peanut butter until it is small pea-sized pieces.
2. Add the milk and eggs. Mix just until combined.
3. Spoon a small amount of batter into a greased muffin tin. Top batter with 1 tsp of jam.
4. Add more batter to each muffin to cover the jam. Bake muffins in a preheated 400 degree oven for 15 – 17 minutes or until done.
5.Makes 12 muffins.

Peanut Butter Facts*
Did You Know?

·    Peanut butter was invented in 1890 by a dentist searching for a source of protein for his toothless patients.
·    In the U.S. 52% of the peanut crop is used to make peanut butter.
·    It takes 540 peanuts to make one twelve- ounce jar of peanut butter.
·    Peanut butter was introduced to the world at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis.
·    Per U.S. law, peanut butter must contain at least 90% peanuts.
·    Peanut butter is excellent for removing gum from hair. It is also a good mouse- trap bait.
·    According to legend, Elvis Presley enjoyed fried, peanut butter and banana sandwiches.

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