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RECIPE ROUNDUP
Peanut Butter Prodigy
By Shannon Oelrich
Max Nania began “inventing” different kinds of snacks when he was 3. By the time he was 7, he published his first cookbook, Cooking with Max: 45 Fun and Kind of Messy Recipes Kids Can Make by Max Nania with special tips and photography by Sienna Nania (Little Five Star, 2007). Max’s mother, Sienna, says she always encouraged Max: “The only agreement we had was that he could invent if he would help clean up afterward.”
Who better than a kid to come up with recipes that kids will like? Max uses wholesome household ingredients to come up with new combinations that are very well-suited to a kid’s tastes. Below are recipes for Max’s homemade peanut butter and a dip for carrots and apples.
Note: Max lists ingredients and utensils at the beginning of each recipe, so you can make sure you have everything you need to get started.
MAX’S BEST PEANUT BUTTER
1 cup honey roasted peanuts
1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
Blender
1 wooden spoon
1 airtight container
Place all the ingredients in the blender that your grown-up helper has set up for you. Now make sure the lid is on. Have your grown-up helper press the blender’s “chop” button (your grown-up helper might let you if you’re old enough—but you have to ask first!). When the nuts all go to the side, stop the blender and use the wooden spoon to push the mixture back to the middle. Once you’re sure the lid is back on tightly, press the “chop” button—or try the other buttons. Repeat this whole process as many times as necessary until it looks like peanut butter. It takes a while!
Warning: Never put your hand in the blender and always let your grown-up helper clean it up for you. The blades on the bottom are way sharp and can really hurt, so always have some help.
Serving size: 2 tablespoons. Per serving: 204 calories, 6 g protein, 17 g fat, 11 g carbohydrates, 122 mg sodium, 2 mg cholesterol
PEANUT BUTTER DIP
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup cream cheese
Several carrot sticks
1 apple (sliced)
1 large mixing bowl
1 large plate
In a mixing bowl, combine the two ingredients and stir until they’re blended together. Plop the whole mixture in the center of the plate, and place carrot sticks and apple slices all around it like the sun.
Serving size: 2 tablespoons. Per serving: 146 calories, 5 g protein, 13 g fat, 3 g carbohydrates, 118 mg sodium, 16 mg cholesterol
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HOME COOKING
Recipe Contest Winner: Sandra McCormick, Comanche Electric Cooperative
Prize-Winning Recipe: Peanut Butter Paté
I know, I know, you are shaking your head and wondering how on earth this could be any good. But, friends, it is. The peanut butter just gives a nutty flavor that works with the other ingredients. Try it … come on, just try it. You’ll be glad you did.
PEANUT BUTTER PATE
1/2 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 slices bacon
3 green onions, finely chopped
Assorted crackers
In skillet, sauté mushrooms in butter for 5 minutes over medium heat. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice.
In mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and peanut butter until fluffy. Stir in mushrooms and shape into a ball. Set ball in bottom of mixing bowl. Cover bowl and refrigerate 1 hour.
Fry bacon until crisp; drain and crumble. Combine bacon and onions on a plate. Take ball out of fridge and roll in bacon and onions. Cover and refrigerate until serving time. Serve with crackers.
Serving size: 2 tablespoons. Per serving: 64 calories, 2 g protein, 6 g fat, 1 g carbohydrates, 63 mg sodium, 16 mg cholesterol
PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE BROWNIES
2 1/3 cups sugar (divided)
1 1/3 cups butter or margarine, softened (divided)
2 3/4 teaspoons vanilla (divided)
6 eggs (divided)
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (divided)
3/4 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup peanut butter chips
3/4 cup peanut butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13x9-inch pan. In large bowl, cream 2 cups sugar and 1 cup butter until light and fluffy. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla and 4 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup and level off, measuring 1 1/2 cups flour into small bowl. Add cocoa, baking powder and salt to this bowl; mix lightly. Gradually add these dry ingredients to creamed mixture; mix well. Stir in peanut butter chips.
In small bowl, cream peanut butter and 1/3 cup butter. Add 1/3 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons flour; blend well. Add 2 eggs and 3/4 teaspoon vanilla; beat until smooth.
Spread half of chocolate mixture into prepared pan. Spread peanut butter mixture over chocolate mixture. Spread remaining chocolate mixture over peanut butter mixture. Gently cut through the layers to create a marbling effect. Place small strip of aluminum foil over all four sides of pan to prevent edges from baking too quickly.
Bake 40–50 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely before icing. Makes 20–24 brownies.
Ganache Icing
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
8 ounces heavy cream
Place chocolate in large metal or glass bowl. In saucepan, heat cream just to the boiling point. Pour cream over chocolate, making sure all of the chocolate is covered. Cover bowl and let stand 5–10 minutes.
Whisk chocolate and cream until dark and shiny, then cool to room temperature. To thicken, beat cooled icing with a hand mixer for a few minutes. You may spread this over the brownies now, or leave out to thicken overnight.
Serving size: 1 brownie. Per serving: 406 calories, 7 g protein, 26 g fat, 42 g carbohydrates, 244 mg sodium, 88 mg cholesterol
Jill Noack, Pedernales Electric Cooperative
AUNT MARIE’S PEANUT BUTTER PIE
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup sugar (divided)
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs (separated)
3 cups milk
2 teaspoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 deep dish 9-inch pie shell, baked
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
In small bowl, with your fingers or a fork, combine powdered sugar and peanut butter to make coarse crumbs. Set aside.
In a 2-quart saucepan, stir together 1/2 cup sugar, cornstarch, flour and salt.
Separate eggs. Place whites in a medium-sized bowl and set aside to warm to room temperature. Add yolks to sugar mixture in saucepan along with the milk. Stir constantly with wire whisk over medium heat until mixture is boiling. Boil for 2 minutes longer, continuing to stir. Remove pudding from heat; stir in butter and vanilla.
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Sprinkle a third of the peanut butter crumbs over bottom of baked pie shell. Spoon half of the pudding over the peanut butter crumbs. Sprinkle another third of the peanut butter crumbs over pudding, then top with the remaining pudding.
Add cream of tartar to egg whites in medium bowl. With electric mixer at high speed, beat whites until soft peaks form. Gradually sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup sugar over whites, beating until meringue is stiff.
Spread meringue over pudding, touching edge of shell to seal. Sprinkle remaining third of the peanut butter crumbs around edge of pie to form a border. Bake 8–10 minutes or until meringue is golden. Cool before cutting. Store in refrigerator. Serves 12.
Serving size: 1 slice. Per serving: 279 calories, 7 g protein, 13 g fat, 34 g carbohydrates, 220 mg sodium, 34 mg cholesterol
Priscilla Moreland, Wise Electric Cooperative
MOVE OVER, PB&J
Many readers sent in new twists on that old standard, the peanut butter sandwich:
Peanut Butter-Cinnamon Toast: Cover slice of bread with peanut butter. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar. Toast in toaster oven or under broiler.
Granny Sandwich: Using whole wheat or potato bread, spread 1 tablespoon peanut butter on a slice of bread, top with a couple of slices of Granny Smith apple, and top that with a slice of sharp Cheddar cheese. Put another slice of bread on top.
Fried Peanut Butter Sandwich: Spread peanut butter between 2 pieces of bread; spread outside of sandwich with butter. Cook in skillet over medium heat, flipping until both sides are brown. Serve with maple syrup on top.
PB&B on Toast: Mash 1 banana with a fork. Add 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter and mix until smooth. Spread on toast.
Peanut Butter and Pickle Sandwich: Make a peanut butter sandwich and put crisp dill pickle spears on it. Or, spread peanut butter on a butter cracker and top with a crisp dill pickle slice.
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