The Peanut Butter Boy

Super Peanut Butter Chili

Nick — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:17:58 +0000

Nothing screams “Super Bowl” like a huge pot of chili. I have made many chili recipes, each one different than the last. This one, however, will be made again without modification. I wouldn’t normally incorporate peanut butter into my chili but apparently there is a widespread tradition amongst some people to always serve peanut butter with chili, either on the side with crackers or as peanut butter sandwiches, so I thought why not? This is the best chili I have made, but is it because of the peanut butter? Perhaps, but I think it’s a culmination of all the ingredients I threw in. In fact, my favorite ingredient was the hominy, an ingredient I’ve never cooked with before. I even got rave reviews from people that aren’t “chili people”. This is perfect for Super Bowl Sunday or any Sunday for that matter. Read on for more great Super Bowl recipes…

The Best Meat Sauce. Ever.

Nick — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 19:49:51 +0000

Ever go to a top-notch Italian restaurant that had unique, creative dishes? The kind of place where everything sounded good and it was hard to decide? If so, you probably didn’t order the pasta with meat sauce. But if you had, it might have been the best dish there. I did that once, and it was so good that I was determined to re-create it at home. I present you with the best meat sauce. Ever.

Peanut Butter Kettle Corn

Nick — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:17:00 +0000

Movie night! Tonight on the agenda was a flick called “Black Sheep”. I was searching for the classic Chris Farley comedy from 1996, but it seems the title was rehashed in 2006 for a very different type of movie; a movie about blood-thirsty zombie sheep in New Zealand. How could I resist? Naturally, a movie of this caliber requires popcorn. Thanks to the invent of movie theater “butter” popcorn is usually not considered health food, but I intend to change that. Corn is a whole grain, therefore popcorn is a whole grain. Popcorn kernels contains more fiber than an apple, a banana, 2 oranges or a serving of barley. The only problem is that the carbs in popcorn digest super-quick into your bloodstream, bad for people with diabetes or those watching their weight. Guess what dramatically slows down the digestion of these carbs? That’s right, nature’s perfect food: peanut butter.

Peanut Butter Reviews – International Edition

Nick — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 22:01:39 +0000

Welcome to the 16th installment of the peanut butter reviews here at Peanut Butter Boy. This time I take an exclusive look at foreign (non-U.S.) peanut butter. Can the rest of the world live up to the U.S., the powerhouse producer of peanut butter? Frankly, no, they can’t. While we’re not #1 at everything, the United States can’t be beat in the world of peanut butter. But that doesn’t stop the rest of the world from trying, and there are some close contenders. Whether you’re from North America or abroad, what is your favorite peanut butter where you’re from?

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter

Nick — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 18:55:00 +0000

Individually, dark chocolate and peanut butter are two of my favorite foods. But when these powerhouses combine forces, you’ve got a rich, creamy and gourmet spread that is unlike anything else. However, a few words of wisdom: It does not work with everything. A toasted chocolate peanut butter and banana sandwich? Incredible. But, a simple peanut butter and jelly sandwich may or may not hit the taste buds correctly, it all depends on the jelly. For example, dark cherry preserves will complement fabulously while a grape jelly will clash. Second word of wisdom: Keep spoons away from the jar. This peanut butter is extra creamy and extra delicious, resistance is futile. Hungry yet?

Penne alla Vodka with Crispy Prosciutto

Nick — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 14:34:13 +0000

Everything is better with peanut butter. But does peanut butter work in the ultra-popular penne alla vodka? I don’t know, I was too scared to try. Besides, I wanted to try a new secret ingredient for a healthier version of vodka sauce, and making two drastic modifications at once is a recipe for disaster. Can you guess the secret ingredient? I’ll give you a hint, I’ve used it to make Ice Cream and Pancakes (which, by the way, are two of my favorite recipes on this site). We ran out of penne, so while the full penne alla vodka experience wasn’t there, the taste and flavor was. This sauce greatly exceed both of our expectations – it tasted like a true penne alla vodka. It’s even better when topped with salmon. Make it tonight!

Walnut Snowballs

Nick — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 14:29:33 +0000

Every child likes to eat snow. And who can blame them? The only reason, as adults, that we don’t eat snow is we don’t want the neighbors to see. Well that’s about to change. You’ve probably seen these cookies before since they assume several identities – Mexican Wedding Cookies, Princess Tea Cakes, Honey Sandballs – but no matter what you call them, these are perfect for wintertime. Many people will tell you that these cookies can’t be made without butter – they’re wrong. While the flavor or consistency may be slightly different, this heart-healthy version is just as delicious. However, while healthier, these cookies are still high in calories, so if you’re watching your intake, you may want to stick with real snow.

Pumpkin Peanut Butter Stew

Nick — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:10:07 +0000

To quote our new favorite show: “Winter is Coming”. A batch of this stew, which freezes wonderfully, will help you prepare for the coming cold months. I use pumpkin puree in many recipes, but I never use fresh pumpkin. So I added “chunky pumpkin stew” to my “Winter – To Make” list on the fridge. No single recipe sounded perfect so I came up with my own. The soup fills the house with some excellent aromas (cinnamon, ginger) and the flavors will not disappoint. I’ve never seen a Korean Yam until this year so if you can’t find it in your local grocer, look harder. It’s purple-skinned, white-fleshed and tastebud-stimulating. And don’t forget the peanut butter!

Leftover Turkey and Cranberry Sandwich

Nick — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 14:00:33 +0000

Sadly, Thanksgiving is over. The #1 foodie holiday came and went in a flash. But thankfully, there’s still plenty of leftovers! I went through several iterations of this recipe, finally settling on the one you see here. Deli turkey breast just doesn’t cut it – it’s watery, slimy and lacks flavor and texture. If you don’t have any leftover turkey, go to Costco and get the “kettle fried turkey breast” in the refrigerated section. Despite the name it’s not actually fried, it’s simply a cooked turkey breast without the bones or skin. Disregard the directions on the label, just cut open the package, pat it dry and slice it. The other key ingredient to this sandwich is cranberry sauce. I tried using dried cranberries but they didn’t add much to the experience and often just fell-off the sandwich. Also, homemade cranberry chutney is the only way to go, but if you must, opt for the whole-berry cranberry sauce in a can. There’s one other ingredient here that brings the whole thing together, read on for details.

Sweet Potato and Yam Casserole

Nick — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 15:48:46 +0000

If you want to be praised and heralded for bringing the best dish at Thanksgiving, then make this casserole. The dish is inspired by Elisabeth’s Tia Herlinda who made a stellar sweet potato casserole one year. I’ve made a few Peanut Butter Boy conversions that, I daresay, make it even tastier. My favorite way to eat this dish is actually the next day, cold, straight from fridge. But speaking of potatoes, do you know the difference between sweet potatoes and yams? I thought I had it figured out, believing the orange colored ones to be yams and the white ones to be sweet potatoes. Well I thought wrong, and Google and Wikipedia actually added to the confusion. The definitive answer can be found here: The Sweet Potato vs Yam Debate. While technically both are sweet potatoes, I’m still calling this dish the Sweet Potato and Yam Casserole (I enjoy mass confusion). As a bonus, I’ve also included instructions to perfectly cook 2 turkey breasts, for all the white-meat-loving or small-group Thanksgivings out there.