[click_to_tweet tweet=”Did you eat 1500 PB&J sandwiches?” quote=”Americans have such a love for peanut butter, each student will eat 1500 PB & J sandwiches before they graduate from high school.”]Peanut butter is almost as American as apple pie. The United States is the third largest producer of peanuts, right behind China and India, with Texas and Georgia as the most peanut-prolific states.
More than half of the American peanut crop goes into making peanut butter. No wonder. Each student eats more than 1,500 PB&J sandwiches before graduating from high school. That’s a head start on the approximately 3 pounds of peanut butter per year consumed by every American — a whopping 700 million pounds annually.
As tasty licked off the end of a spoon as it is in a sandwich, peanut butter is a versatile ingredient; it can be used in sweet and savory dishes. Its earthy nuttiness pairs well with spicy ingredients or can easily be sweetened to serve as the star or as the supporting role in desserts and candy.
CHINESE NOODLES WITH SPICY PEANUT SAUCE
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- 1 pound thin spaghetti
- 2 cups cooked chicken breasts shredded into large bite-size pieces
- 1/2 pound asparagus woody ends removed, and cut in thirds diagonally
- 1 red bell pepper cored and seeded
- 2 scallions white and green parts, sliced diagonally
- 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds toasted
For the dressing:
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup good apple-cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
- 1/2 tablespoon honey
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon peeled grated fresh ginger
- 1/2 tablespoon sesame seeds toasted
- 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
- 1 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Prepare the spaghetti according to package directions, al dente; set aside.
- Remove the meat from the bones, discard the skin, and shred the chicken into large bite-sized pieces.
- Blanch the asparagus in a pot of boiling salted water for 3 to 5 minutes until crisp-tender. Immerse the asparagus into ice water to stop the cooking. Drain. Cut the peppers in strips about the size of the asparagus pieces. Combine the cut chicken, asparagus and peppers in a large bowl.
- Whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing, and pour over the chicken and vegetables. Add the scallions and sesame seeds, and season to taste. Serve cold or at room temperature.
REESE’S PEANUT BUTTER PIE
Ingredients
- Peanut Butter Crumb Crust recipe follows
- 1 8- ounce package Reese’s Mini Peanut Butter Cups divided
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 package 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 tub 8 ounces frozen nondairy whipped topping, thawed
- Additional whipped topping or sweetened whipped cream
Instructions
- Prepare the Peanut Butter Crumb Crust.
- Coarsely chop remaining peanut butter cups; set aside.
- Combine peanut butter, cream cheese and vanilla in a large bowl; beat until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and milk, blending until smooth. Fold in whipped topping. Stir in chopped peanut butter cups. Pour into the prepared crust.
- Cover and freeze several hours or until firm. Soften slightly before serving. Garnish each slice with whipped topping and 1 to 2 mini peanut butter cups. Cover before freezing leftover pie.
Peanut Butter Crumb Crust
- Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups vanilla wafers (about 45 wafers), crushed
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 3 tablespoons butter
- Directions:
- Heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Stir together crushed vanilla wafer crumbs and powdered sugar.
- Place the peanut butter and butter in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at medium power (50 percent) for 30 seconds or until butter is melted and mixture is well blended when stirred. Add to crumb mixture, blending thoroughly. Press onto bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake 5 minutes.
- Cool completely before filling.
Notes
PEANUT BUTTER POPCORN
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 6-8 cups popped popcorn
Instructions
- Place popcorn in large bowls or on aluminum-foil-lined cookie sheets.
- In a small pan over medium heat, melt together corn syrup and sugar. Add peanut butter and stir constantly until completely combined. Be cautious — peanut butter can burn if it cooks too quickly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
- Stir mixture into popcorn and cool. Store in an airtight tin.
