Reviews:

Kirkland Organic Creamy Peanut Butter

= 85% The level of roasting is perfect, not too much, not too little. The grind is thick but silky smooth with just a pinch of salt. It’s a little bland and, in my opinion, needs more salt, but for organic peanut butter, this is a great value. This variety comes in a 2-pack of 28oz jars (56oz total) for around $7, which works out to $2 per standard size jar (16oz). The grind is very fine, which means the oil separates a lot but the texture is super creamy, so it’s the perfect choice for something like Peanut Sauce Stir-Fry. The only downside is that Kirkland is the private label of Costco, so you must go to Costco to buy it. My only question: Why is there no crunchy variety?

Market Pantry Creamy Peanut Butter

= 75% Like your standard store-brand creamy peanut butter but a little better. Spreads more easily than Skippy but not as easily as Peter Pan. Simple and cheap, I use this style of peanut butter for cooking and baking so as not to waste the more expensive and tastier natural peanut butters. Good flavor and good enough for a PB&J. I still prefer Wegman’s brand a little better though, but not everyone has access to the fabulous grocery store that is Wegman’s.

Crown Creamy

= 75% Similar in texture to a traditional Skippy-like peanut butter but tastes a little more like actual peanuts. The other difference is a bit more sugar which makes for a very tasty peanut butter. It’s very thick and creamy but spreads easily. A cool fact about Crown is that apparently they used to sell their peanut butter in a drinking glass with a lid. After finishing the jar, you could keep the glass to use for drinking purposes. That got me thinking, I bet if you put a full jar of Crown peanut butter in the microwave for about a minute, you’d have a most delicious beverage! Crown is a southern US brand, which may explain the higher sugar content (those Southerners like their tea sweeeeet!), but makes a great Pancake topping or classic PB&J.

Crown Crunchy

= 70% Just like the creamy, the crunchy variety has plenty of added peanut chunks. This variety tastes less sweet due to the added peanuts but actually has more sugar – go figure. It’s good, but the full experience of this peanut butter is better uncovered with the creamy variety. Great for some Peanut Butter Cereal though. And just look how classically old-school that jar is? How could you not?

Ingredients:Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp whole wheat flour (or oat flour, for gluten-free)
3/4 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup brown sugar
1-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
pinch of salt
3 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
6-10 apples, cored and sliced

Directions:

1. Place the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a large bowl and stir together. Add the butter and peanut butter and cut it in with a knife, then mix with your hands until all the butter and peanut butter is evenly incorporated.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the apples in a deep 9×13 baking dish until the dish is completely full. Top with the crisp mixture to cover the apples. Bake for 35-45 minutes, until apples are very tender and the topping begins to turn a medium-dark brown.

Ingredients:Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

1lb ground bison, beef, lean pork or turkey
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 ripe bananas
1 Tbsp butter or coconut oil
2 tsp brown sugar
8 slices thick sandwich bread or cabbage leaves
bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat a pan on medium heat. Cut bananas in half and slice lengthwise. Add the butter to the pan to coat it. Place bananas, flat side down, in the pan and sprinkle with the brown sugar. Cook for 2 minutes and flip. Stir the bananas to get the remaining brown sugar and butter in the pan, and let cook for another 1-2 minutes, or until bananas are caramelized on both sides.

2. Form 4 patties from the ground meat, season with salt and pepper. Grill until desired doneness or cook in a pan on medium heat, covered, for 2-3 minutes per side.

3. Spread 1 Tbsp of peanut butter on a slice of bread, toasted first if preferred. Place burger on top, pile on 2 slices of banana and any additional toppings. Top with remaining slice of bread and consume. Yea, after one bite you’ll be all shook up.

Ingredients:Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

1/3 cup instant oats
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup skim or soy milk
1/4 cup fresh cranberries, rinsed (optional)
1/2 ripe banana
2 Tbsp peanut butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon (8 shakes)
pinch of nutmeg (2 shakes)
pinch of ground ginger (2 shakes)
2-4 tsp maple syrup, to taste

Directions:

1. Mix the oats, milk, pumpkin puree and cranberries (if using) in a medium microwave-safe bowl until pumpkin is dissolved. Microwave on high for 2 minutes.

2. Remove from the microwave and slice the 1/2 banana into the bowl. Microwave on high for an additional 1-1/2 to 2 minutes. Watch closely so the oatmeal doesn’t cook over the edge of the bowl.

3. Remove from the microwave and stir in the peanut butter, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and maple syrup. Use the back of the spoon to mash the bananas and mix well. The more maple syrup you use, the more it will resemble a classic pumpkin pie. The final result:

Ingredients:Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

2 (8oz) tubs nonfat cream cheese (*see note below)
1/2 cup currants or raisins
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
2T cinnamon
4t sugar or honey, to taste

Directions:

1. Empty cream cheese into a plastic container and whip with a knife until smooth and creamy. Add the cinnamon and sugar and mix well, then incorporate the raisins and walnuts. Spread on graham crackers, bagels, toast or crackers. My favorite is to spread it on Honey Crispy Wheats.

Ingredients:Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

2 cups spicy peanuts
2 cups salted soynuts
1 cup raw almonds
2 cups grape nuts or other firm cereal
1 cup peanut roasted chickpeas
2 cups pretzel nugget pieces (honey mustard & onion flavor)
1 + 1/2 cups chopped dates

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a large sealed bag and shake until well mixed. The grape nuts tend to sink so shake the bag around before each snack session. For best results, transfer to a bowl or napkin before eating or you will eat to much!

Ingredients:Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

2 eggs or 4 egg whites
8-10 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
2 (1/4″ thick) slices fresh mozzarella cheese (THIS, not this)
pinch of kosher salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat a small skillet over high heat. Mix together the eggs and tomatoes in a small bowl. Once the pan is hot, reduce the heat to medium and pour in the egg mixture. As the omelet cooks, lift the edges up and tilt the pan so the uncooked portion flows underneath the omelet. Once the eggs are mostly set, toss on the fresh basil and flip over.

2. Layer the cheese on half of the omelet and fold the omelet in half. Cook until the bottom gets browned and flip over to cook the other side. Serve with a pinch of kosher salt and pepper on top.

Ingredients:Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

2 lbs cooked, pureed butternut squash and/or pumpkin (any ratio)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pinch of cayenne pepper
9 gluten-free lasagna noodles or thin-sliced zucchini
2 boxes of frozen chopped spinach (thawed and squeezed dry)
1 1/2 cups cottage cheese (any kind)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 1/2 grated fresh Mutz (a.k.a Mozzarella)*
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted (optional, since I forgot them)

Sauce
3 Tbsp butter or substitute
3 Tbsp corn starch
2 1/2 cups skim milk
1 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 pinch of cayenne pepper
2 shakes of nutmeg

* Note – It’s much easier to grate fresh Mozzarella if you put it in the freezer for at least 30 minutes beforehand (or overnight).

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the squash/pumpkin, garlic and cayenne in a bowl. Combine the spinach, cottage cheese and half of the Parmesan cheese in another bowl. Cook the lasagna noodles according to the package directions, but subtract 2-3 minutes from the cooking time.

2. For the sauce, mix the corn starch in a bowl with a small amount of milk. Once mixed, stir in the rest of the milk. Heat the butter in a medium saucepan until it begins to melt, then add the corn starch and milk. Whisk continually until the milk begins to boil. Add the salt, pepper, cayenne and nutmeg. Lower heat and cook until the sauce thickens, stirring occasionally, for about 5-7 minutes.

3. Using a 9×13 baking dish, pour 1/3 of the sauce on the bottom, followed by 3 lasagna noodles, 1/2 of the squash mixture, 1/2 of the spinach mixture and 1/2 of the pine nuts (if using). Repeat, then top with a final layer of lasagna noodles, sauce, Mozzarella and remaining Parmesan cheese.

4. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the sides are bubbling and the cheese on top is lightly browned.

Ingredients:Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

2 cups no-salt added cottage cheese (or ricotta cheese)
1 1/3 cups cooked pumpkin puree (canned is fine)
1/4 cup honey
3-4T peanut butter
1t vanilla
2t cinnamon

Instructions:

Throw it all in a blender and process until super creamy. Add extra honey to sweeten to taste. Chill and serve in small dishes. Top with whipped cream (I forgot to).