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The Theme Is … Peanut Butter!

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Tasty Kitchen Blog: The Theme is Peanut Butter! (Nutter Butter Balls, recipe submitted by TK member Bakerella)

 
Today, March 3rd, is National Peanut Butter Lovers’ Day. Does anyone know how they schedule these food holidays? Because I’d like to suggest a National All-You-Can-Eat Dessert Lovers’ Day, and I imagine there may be some specific protocol in place for such requests.

In any case, we support just about anything that focuses on food around here, so let’s join the fun and give all the peanut butter lovers out there something to celebrate! Bakerella gets us started with her Nutter Butter Balls in the top photo. She uses only three ingredients, and oh, what she can do with those three.

Bakerella’s recipe reminds us that peanut butter and chocolate make excellent partners, and boy, have we got some more great partnerships here. Starting from the top left and going clockwise, we see in the photo below the classic Peanut Butter Buckeyes from Angie Arthur, awesome cookies with a surprise creamy filling called Magic Peanut Butter Middles from Karly Campbell, guiltykitchen’s elegant sweet and salty Idle Hand Bars that have pecans, hazelnuts, and pink Himalayan salt (they’d make wonderful little gifts), and of course, we had to include cookincanuck’s Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup and Chocolate Cheesecake Bars. The title pretty much says it all.

Tasty Kitchen Blog: The Theme is Peanut Butter! (PB and Chocolate)

 
 
 
You know what else really goes with peanut butter? Bananas. And what happens if you keep the chocolate, add bananas, and then, for good measure, throw some coffee in the mix?

Tasty Kitchen Blog: The Theme is Peanut Butter! (Banana Chocolate Chip Espresso Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting from The Noshery)

You get Banana Chocolate Chip Espresso Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting from The Noshery.

It might be enough to convert some banana-haters (*cough*Ree*cough*) out there.

Of course, peanut butter isn’t just for dessert. It gives wonderful body to savory dishes, too. Like the Spicy Chicken Peanut Noodles from gitskt below on the left, and Ree’s Spicy Peanut Pasta Salad to the right. And because March is apparently also National Sauce Month (the sauces must have good lobbyists on their side to get an entire month to themselves), and as you know, we’re all about maximizing potential here, take a look at the Gluten Free Tangy Peanut Sauce below from elanaspantry that covers both food holidays.

Tasty Kitchen Blog: The Theme is Peanut Butter! (Savory Dishes)

 
 
 
Peanut butter is so versatile, and there are so many other wonderful recipes I didn’t get to include here. If you have any favorite peanut butter recipes, we’d love to hear them! Do you have any strongly-entrenched preferences? Do you like chunky, creamy, plain, honey roasted … or are they all good to you as long as they end up in your tummy?

I’ll get us started, because my answer is simple. My two favorite ways to have peanut butter are either in a PB&J sandwich, or in a spoon.

And yes, you guessed it. We’ve got a recipe for that, too.

Tasty Kitchen Blog: The Theme is Peanut Butter! (Homemade Peanut Butter, recipe submitted by TK member Ali of Gimme Some Oven)Homemade Peanut Butter from Ali @ gimmesomeoven

 
 

76 Comments

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megan on 3.29.2010

tried the spicy peanut salad friday night and it was great!! i only altered it slightly (used rice vinegar instead of red wine and smooth peanut butter instead of crunchy, topped it with crushed peanuts). it went great with my grilled ahi and salad with wasabi vinegrette! and it kept the family meat free for lent! thanks for the great recipe!

Chaya on 3.19.2010

Each recipe is great and I want to make them all. That is not going to happen, though. Too many calories. This means, I have to pick only one or two. So sad.

betty on 3.10.2010

oh man i love anything chocolate PB and BANANA!!

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christinem on 3.9.2010

Yum! I feel like I need an ice cold glass of milk, now! ;)

Dana on 3.9.2010

what idiot schedules these things during Lent?

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mrsu on 3.8.2010

I LOVE peanut butter!!! But I definitely love it IN recipes more than just plain. Mr. U, however, eats it by the spoonful!! LOL!!

I’m glad that he will happily help me eat any and all recipes I make with peanut butter in them!! Mmmm!!

His,
Mrs. U

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Greeblemonkey on 3.6.2010

Oh, wow. Heavenly.

Kristen on 3.6.2010

I just made my daughter one of our very favorite sandwiches around here: peanut butter, bacon, lettuce, and tomato. You should see the looks we get when she orders a BLT at a restaurant and asks them to sub peanut butter for the mayo. All I can say is don’t knock it til you’ve tried it.

Dana on 3.5.2010

I love peanut butter layered between pancakes-topped off with syrup of course. Grilled PB & J anyone!?!

Deeza on 3.4.2010

I don’t have a food processor – do you think a Magic Bullet would work?

Patti Margarita on 3.4.2010

I have already forwarded this to several friends. I think this is my favorite day of the year! Considering I am 7 months pregnant and my current craving is simply peanut butter sandwiches (no need to contaminate with jelly!)

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sylvie10 on 3.4.2010

Peanut butter is something I can eat every day of the week and never get tired of it. And the Nutter Peanut Balls look sooo good.

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shellsonvancouverisland on 3.4.2010

Peanut butter (the natural no salt, no sugar kind) and a banana wrapped in a tortilla …. heaven.

I lived on a tall-ship sailing vessel not long ago and I craved peanut butter, the cook had bags of roasted peanuts so I whirled some up in the little food processor, added some oil and salt and voila, had some great peanut butter while we were bobbing around in the Atlantic ocean.

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bloglass on 3.4.2010

God in heaven….I think I’m going to have to make those Nutter Butter Balls

Shari on 3.4.2010

DROOL! OMG, how did I miss this holiday! I’ll just have to celebrate it a day late!!

k on 3.3.2010

Those treats look fantastic! We have the unfortunate situation of peanut allergy in our household, too — in fact, we also have cow’s milk and egg allergies so it’s daily torture to see everything on this site that seems so delectable! We’re always on the lookout for great recipes that can have substitutes without detracting from the greatness, so thanks for noting that where you do/can!

Amy S on 3.3.2010

We love peanut butter–especially peanut butter wraps. You take a tortilla we use whole wheat spread it with peanut butter then pour on 1 TBSP honey. Smooth honey over top then take a Nature valley peanut butter granola bar crush it real fine and pour all over the top of the peanut butter mixture. Roll tortill up and cut into 1/4″ slices and serve. yumm-0

Variation–first spread tortilla with cream cheese and then continue with above…..

hope someone else tries this as this are so good!

Spruce Hill on 3.3.2010

Oh dear! These all look so good! We made the nutter butter balls at Christmas time and they were a huge hit! I recommend them, and they are so easy!

http://sprucehill.typepad.com/

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sellen on 3.3.2010

I might be the only person in the world who doesn’t eat peanut butter and chocolate together. Ick.

And I don’t eat pb&j. I eat Miracle Whip (not mayo!!!!) on peanut butter sandwiches. Sounds gross, but it’s yum.

Amanda V on 3.3.2010

Oh this is a good day.
I had some homemade peanut butter banana granola this morning, unknowingly celebrating :)
But I guess I’ll have to be more conscientious for the rest of the day!

Jeanette on 3.3.2010

Peanut Butter & Nanner Samiches!! I like it creamy or crunchy.

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Jerseycook on 3.3.2010

I’m not a fan of peanut butter on its own, but it’s perfect in this recipe for Thai fish sauce and lime chicken:

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1011267

I make it all the time — it’s so fast and easy.

Vicki Stevens on 3.3.2010

Buckeyes are a Christmas staple in my family. I have to make them and everyone gets some with their tin of cookies. When I worked I took them to work. My family came from Ohio and now we live in Maryland. I know many Marylanders that are Buckeye candy lovers now. Happy peanut butter day

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on 3.3.2010

I content myself with eating shards of dark, dark chocolate dunked in peanut butter. Nothin’ better. :)

Jenn on 3.3.2010

After some deep soul searching, I have decided to make peanut butter brownies tonight, without refined sugar. Results will be posted.

Nicole on 3.3.2010

My kids eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches almost every day for lunch. They go for whatever type of peanut butter I buy. I like crunchy, but occasionally get creamy for my husband.
I can’t abide peanut butter in a sauce or savory dish. I had some really nasty skewers once with a revolting asian peanut butter sauce. If I see peanut butter in a savory recipe I will chuck it. I suppose I should get over this, but it just grosses me out.

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3bakingsheets on 3.3.2010

Weird. I literally just ate some all-natural peanut butter as an afternoon snack.

Straight out of the jar, no less.

Andrea in CO on 3.3.2010

Hanging out on this site and being on a diet do not mesh. I love chocolate covered peanut butter.

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cookincanuck on 3.3.2010

Oh my – those nutter butter balls look positively evil. How I love the combination of chocolate & pb.

Thanks so much for including my cheesecake bar recipe.

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burntapple on 3.3.2010

Thanks for sharing this! Going to try the magic peanut butter middle cookies right now! My husband loves peanut butter!

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jennintheswamp on 3.3.2010

I’ve been told that if you take an oreo cookie, smear it with peanute butter, top with another oreo, freeze it and then eat, its just like a peanutbutter cup.

I’m dying to try it but its Lent and I foolishly gave up chocolate.

Calli Makes Do on 3.3.2010

Dr. Seuss’s birthday birthday yesterday and peanut butter today… there’s too many excuses to make yummy (fattening) food!

Jess on 3.3.2010

I must have subconsciously known that today was a PB lover’s holiday because I made PBJ Muffins last night. So good. I totally love peanut butter. A little too much perhaps.

Spedrson on 3.3.2010

Seriously?? I’m PMSing big time and all of that looks awesome! Especially the peanut butter frosting on those muffins/cupcakes. I could lick it right off the screen!

Amy in KC on 3.3.2010

Oh My Goodness! I want to eat everything pictured here. I think the Banana Chocolate Chip Espresso Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting just made it on my “Find an Excuse to Bake These” list.

My husband will love me, but my waistline won’t. I’m willing to make that sacrifice.

Megan on 3.3.2010

My boyfriend is a peanut butter addict and as a result has made me one as well. The best birthday cake ever for peanut butter lovers is smittenkitchen’s chocolate peanut butter cake. You MUST check it out!

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Amber the LittleMrsDomestic on 3.3.2010

I loooove peanut butter too. My favorite is creamy.. I don’t do crunchy. And I too could just eat it straight off the spoon. Sooo good.

Steffi on 3.3.2010

@veshke

Thank you for mentioning almond butter! My lil’ guy is horribly allergic to peanuts (epi pen injection was needed 10 minutes after just the skin test).

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Sex, Food, and Rock & Roll on 3.3.2010

MMM….this makes me want to make soba noodles with peanut butter sauce for lunch. George Washington Carver is my hero!

Shannon on 3.3.2010

My son (age 10) makes the best… I mean BESTEST darn Peanut Butter PANCAKES ever!!! I would give out the recipe but he keeps it secret under lock and key.. LOL There is a pic of him on my blog making them in January!!

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Betsy Joy B. on 3.3.2010

Ok, so not to toot my own horn, but this happens to be my favorite non-sandwich use of peanut butter. :)
https://tastykitchen.com/tasty-kitchen/recipes/soups/west-african-chicken-peanut-soup/

Brandy Schaaf on 3.3.2010

Oh I have a peanut butter icing for a cake that my Aunt makes. I need to post it here on TK.

Rachel on 3.3.2010

Bestill my heart!! To say I love peanut butter is an understatement!! I was even planning on making a peanut butter cake today with peanut butter frosting. Guess I was right on for today’s food holiday!!

melissa on 3.3.2010

I’ve been making the Magic Peanut Butter Middles from Allrecipes.com for years. My oldest son gobbles those things up and they’re always the first to disappear at events.

Sandra on 3.3.2010

Peanut butter and bacon! Skippy actually test-marketed jars of peanut butter with bacon in it (probably Bacos back then), but I guess they didn’t like the results, ’cause it never made it to the national market.

Jen on 3.3.2010

Oh man, it’s like this post was made for me. I loooove peanut butter!

Amanda on 3.3.2010

YUM! Now I want some Buckeyes. *drool*

MommaKiss on 3.3.2010

My child is allergic to peanuts and I’m soooooooooo sad we can’t have those in our home. Because, Seriously, YUM>

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manaphraim on 3.3.2010

PB is comfort food anyway you serve it.

I made the Nutter Butter Balls for a class I teach.
Big success!

S – A – L – U – T – E to fellow PB-lovers on National Peanut Butter Lover’s Day!

erin on 3.3.2010

i LOVE peanutbutter! Add chocolate and I’m beyond heaven! No offense to my husband.