Betty Kaiser
All right, cooks—listen up! Today, we’re talking peanuts. Actually, we’re talking peanut butter recipes and a bit about the man that put peanut butter on toast, in celery, sandwiches, sauces and cookies.
Peanuts have been around a long time. They originated in South America as early as 950 B.C., emigrated to Africa and from there traveled to Spain. Early global explorers then traded them on their journeys to the American colonies.
My question to you is: Do you remember the name of the American agricultural chemist who discovered 300 uses for peanuts? Of course, you do. It was a former slave turned chemist, George Washington Carver, who began popularizing uses for peanut products in the 1880s.
The Inca Indians were first with a peanut-like paste but it was Carver who made them a significant cash crop in the American South. By the early 1900s, Carver had added hundreds of uses for soybeans, pecans and sweet potatoes to his uses for peanuts, which by the way, included paper, ink and oils.
Carver never patented peanut butter but a Dr. John Harvey Kellogg patented a process using peanuts in 1895. By the early 20th century, many companies were making peanut butter and one man (Joseph L. Rosenfield) invented a churning process to make it smooth. He later began making both smooth and crunchy styles of peanut butter under the brand name of Skippy.
As kids, many of us remember enjoying lunches of peanut butter and jelly. We didn’t know that we were fueling up on an excellent source of protein, vitamin E, fiber and anti-oxidants. And today, many of those who suffer from peanut allergies can also enjoy these treats by using one of the many peanut-free products on the market.
There are so many ways to cook with peanut butter that I hardly know where to begin. So I’m starting with the obvious—cookies— and moving on to fudge, pie and a Thai Peanut Sauce for shrimp. Enjoy!
CLASSIC PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
2-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup peanut butter (smooth or chunky)
3/4 cup butter or margarine (not light!)
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in small bowl; set aside.
Using an electric mixer beat peanut butter and butter in large bowl until smooth. Beat in sugars, then eggs and vanilla until blended. Beat in flour mixture just until blended. If dough is too soft, refrigerate until easy to handle.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Arrange cookies on ungreased baking sheets 2-inches apart. Gently press crisscross pattern into tops of each cookie with fork dipped in sugar.
Bake 12 min. or until lightly golden. Cool completely on wire rack. Store in tightly covered container. Makes 5 dozen cookies.
SKIPPY TRUFFLE COOKIES
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Combine all ingredients except chocolate chips in small bowl until blended. Stir in chocolate chips just until combined.
Drop dough, using slightly rounded teaspoonfuls, 2-inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. (Do not flatten!)
Bake 9 min. or until cookies are puffed and golden. (Cookies will be very soft.) Place baking sheets on wire rack and let stand 5 min. Remove cookies from sheets and cool completely.
Note: This is a flourless cookie. Makes 4 dozen small cookies.
MARSHMALLOW PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE
5 cups sugar
1 large can evaporated milk
1/2 cup butter (the real thing is best)
1-1/2 cup peanut butter
1 pint marshmallow cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
Chopped peanuts for garnish
Put sugar, butter and milk in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil for 10 min., stirring often. Remove from heat and add remainder of ingredients. Stir until thick. Pour into buttered 9X13 pan.
Let stand several hours before cutting. Cover and keep chilled.
FLUFFY CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER PIE
1 baked 9" pie shell, cooled
2 envelopes whipped topping mix
2 1/2 c. cold milk
1 pkg. (4 serving size) chocolate flavor instant pudding & pie filling
1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
1 pkg. (4 serving size) vanilla flavor instant pudding & pie filling
Prepare whipped topping mix with 1 cup milk as directed on package in small mixer bowl. Measure 2 cups prepared whipped topping and set aside.
Add 1/2 cup milk, chocolate pie filling mix and peanut butter to remaining topping in bowl. Blend, then beat at high speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Spoon into pie shell.
Return measured whipping topping to same bowl; add remaining milk and vanilla pie filling mix. Blend then beat at high speed for 2 minutes. Spoon into shell over peanut butter mixture. Refrigerate at least 4 hours. Or freeze several hours or overnight.
Garnish with chopped peanuts if desired.
PRAWNS WITH THAI PEANUT SAUCE
1/2 tablespoons garlic
1 tablespoon ginger
2 tablespoons cilantro
Juice from 1 lime
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 tablespoon chili pepper flakes
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 cup coconut milk
Prawns:
20 large prawns
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon cilantro, minced
Mince first 4 ingredients. Add to sugar and other ingredients, ending with coconut milk. Blend well and set aside. For the shrimp, heat oil in saucepan. Add garlic, cilantro and turmeric to saucepan. Sauté for 1 min. then add shrimp; sauté until done. Garnish with peanut sauce.
Keep it simple and keep it seasonal!
Betty Kaiser’s Cook’s Corner is dedicated to sharing a variety of recipes
that are delicious, family oriented and easy to prepare.
No comments:
Post a Comment