By: Jocelyn Smith

The month of November is a month dedicated to peanut butter! It has been a very convenient and tasty condiment to us Americans for centuries, and we have three men to thank for that. In 1884, Marcellus Gilmore Edson patented peanut paste, and made the substance by milling roasted peanuts between two heated surfaces. Over a decade later, Doctor John Harvey Kellogg made it possible to make peanut butter from raw peanuts, and intended for the paste to be consumed by people with bad teeth. Then in 1903, Doctor Ambrose Straub patented a machine to make peanut butter, and the process goes on until finally we have our modern Skippy peanut butter, produced in 1932 by Joseph Rosefield.

In honor of this peanut butter filled month, I present you with these delicious recipes:

Chewy Peanut Butter Brownies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/3 cup margarine, softened
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 egg

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C ). Grease a 9×9 inch baking pan.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together peanut butter and margarine. Gradually blend in the brown sugar, white sugar, eggs, and vanilla; mix until fluffy. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; stir into the peanut butter mixture until well blended.
3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in preheated oven, or until the top springs back when touched. Cool, and cut into 16 squares.

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
2. Combine ingredients and drop by teaspoonfuls on cookie sheet. Bake for 8 minutes. Let cool. Recipe doesn’t make very many, so you could double recipe as you desire.

Peanut Butter and Banana Stuffed French Toast

Ingredients:

• 4 thick slices challah bread
• 4 tablespoons creamy peanut butter + additional for topping
• 1 large banana, sliced + additional for topping
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 100% pure maple syrup, for topping
• Powdered sugar, for topping
• ½ tablespoon butter to coat skillet

1. Slice challah bread halfway through. Stuff each slice of bread with a tablespoon of peanut butter and several banana slices.
2. In large square baking dish, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla and cinnamon.
3. Dip stuffed bread into egg mixture and allow to soak for at 5-10 minutes.
4. Butter nonstick skillet and heat over medium, cooking until golden brown on both sides.
5. Slice french toast on diagonal (if desired) and serve with extra slices of bananas, powdered sugar, maple syrup and a drizzle of peanut butter.