March 1 Is National Peanut Butter Lover’s Day


I know everyone is talking about the primaries today. But, I also want to acknowledge that today is National Peanut Butter Lover’s Day. Do you love Reeses? Do you love peanut butter sandwiches? Read on for more information about peanut butter and the many foods it is used in.

According to Nationalpeanutbutterloversday.com, George Washington Carver, a botanist and teacher, invented this delicious spread in 1903. In 1922, Joseph L. Rosefield started selling peanut butter that was churned more. In 1932, his company, Skippy, was the first to produce a crunchy version of the spread.

One acre of peanuts will make 30,000 peanut butter sandwiches. Africans first used peanuts in stew as early as the 1400s. To be labeled peanut butter, it must contain 90% peanuts with no artificial colors or flavors. Four out of the top ten candy bars contain it as an ingredient. It was also used in the “Mr. Ed” show to make the horse look like it was talking.

The website recommends some interesting ways to use this very versatile spread. You can drizzle it on warm cinnamon buns, fresh out of the oven. You can use peanut butter in fondue and dip marshmallows in it. Naturally you can make cookies with it. But, I’ve also seen it used in cheesecakes, brownies, fudge, and many more.

I would like to present my mom’s recipe for peanut butter “criss-cross” cookies:

Peanut Butter “Criss-cross” Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup shortening

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup peanut butter

2 1/2 cut flour

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 12 oz bag of milk chocolate chips (optional)

Directions

  1. Cream the shortening, sugars, eggs, and vanilla in the mixer.
  2. Stir in peanut butter.
  3. Sift the dry ingredients and stir into the creamed mixture.
  4. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
  5. Press a “criss-cross” design into each cookie with a floured fork.
  6. Bake at 350 for about ten minutes. Makes about five dozen.

Featured image by NIAID via Flickr, available under a Creative Commons license.

Hi, I'm from Huntsville, AL. I'm a Liberal living in the Bible Belt, which can be quite challenging at times. I'm passionate about many issues including mental health, women's rights, gay rights, and many others. Check out my blog weneedtotalkaboutmentalhealth.com