North Carolina-grown peanuts and peanut butter are the stars of this month’s recipe roundup.
WRAL reporter Brian Shrader and our own Lisa Prince feature seasonal recipes in their Got to Be Good Cookin’ segment using ingredients grown and available right here in North Carolina. Featured this month were recipes made with North Carolina-grown peanuts or peanut butter. North Carolina has about 5,000 peanut farmers and ranks forth in the nation in peanut production. In 2012, our peanut crop brought in 292 million pounds of peanuts. The top peanut producing counties are Martin, Bertie, Columbus, Halifax and Edgecombe.
This month’s recipes include fudge with peanuts, peanut butter fudge, peanut butter banana bread, peanut trail mixes and an N.C. State Fair-winning peanut butter cake. Recipes are listed below:
These two fudge recipes are quick and easy to make and have just two or three ingredients. Lisa notes that this is the “easiest recipe for fudge she has ever made. You can stir in your choice of “add ins” to the second recipe such as candied fruit, dried fruit, dates, candy bars, marshmallows, coconut, etc.”
Ingredients
12 oz semisweet chocolate chips
1 can Vanilla Frosting (1 lb.)
1 1⁄2 cup roasted peanuts, choppedInstructions
Melt chocolate chips in a saucepan over very low heat or in the microwave one or two minutes until smooth. Stir in frosting and then stir in the peanuts. Pour into a 9- by 9-inch, foil-lined pan that has also been sprayed with non-stick spray. Refrigerate until firm, about one hour. Remove fudge from pan by lifting the foil and cut into squares.Ingredients
1 can vanilla Frosting (1 lb.)
16 oz creamy peanut butter (approx. 1 ¾ cups)Instructions
Line a 9- by 9- inch dish with foil, spray with cooking spray and set aside. In a microwave safe dish, add vanilla frosting and peanut butter – do not stir. Microwave the ingredients for 1 minute. Stir until combined and smooth. Pour into prepared pan and spread until even. Refrigerate until firm. Remove fudge from pan by lifting the foil and cut into squares.
The peanut banana bread recipe contains a cup of N.C.-grown peanuts and Brian suggest serving it for “breakfast, lunch, snack or dessert with a tall glass of milk.”
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup peanuts, chopped
1⁄4 cup wheat germ
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoon baking soda
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs (room temperature)
2 1⁄3 cups sugar
3⁄4 cup creamy peanut butter
1⁄2 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cup coarsely mashed bananas (about 3-4)Instructions
In a medium bowl, combine flours, peanuts, wheat germ, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Set aside. Beat eggs in large bowl. Add sugar; beat until creamy. Add peanut butter, oil and vanilla; beat well. Add banana, beat one minute. Stir in dry ingredients until blended.
Spray two loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray. Divide batter equally between pans; tap on counter to settle batter. Bake at 375 degrees for 55 to 65 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Turn out onto rack; cool completely. Slice when cool. Makes 32 slices.
The following recipe gives you ingredients and amounts for five different trail mixes: Chocolate Gorp, Mello Munch, Nature’s Treat, Tropical Treat and Crunchy Combo.
Ingredients
1 cup roasted peanuts (Chocolate Gorp)
1 cup raisins (Chocolate Gorp)
1 cup chocolate chips (Chocolate Gorp)
1 cup peanuts (Crunchy Combo)
1 cup raisins or dates (Crunchy Combo)
6 ounces chocolate chips (Crunchy Combo)
1 cup dried apple pieces (Crunchy Combo)
1 cup roasted peanuts (Nature’s Munch)
1 cup sunflower seeds (Nature’s Munch)
1 cup raisins (Nature’s Munch)
1 cup roasted peanuts (Mello Munch)
1 cup bite-sized dried prunes (Mello Munch)
1 cup miniature marshmallows (Mello Munch)
1⁄4 cup dried apricots, quartered (Mello Munch)
1 cup roasted peanuts (Tropical Treat)
1 cup raisins (Tropical Treat)
1 cup peanut butter chips (Tropical Treat)
1 cup dried banana chips (Tropical Treat)Instructions
Combine ingredients and toss to mix. Store in a tightly closed container.
Lisa Page of Durham won the 2013 N.C. Peanut Growers Association Dessert Contest at the N.C. State Fair with her peanut butter cake. Lisa suggest “serving with a glass of milk or drizzle of chocolate and you will go back for seconds.”
Ingredients
3⁄4 cup butter
1⁄2 cup creamy peanut butter
4 eggs
1⁄2 cup buttermilk
2 cups sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1⁄2 cup waterPeanut butter topping
1⁄4 cup creamy peanut butter
1⁄4 cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped
1 cup 10X confectioners sugar
4 tablespoon buttermilkInstructions
1. Let butter, peanut butter, eggs and buttermilk warm to room temperature for easy mixing. Grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan or a 10-inch tube pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine room temperature ingredients with remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Beat at a slow speed with electric mixer for 30 seconds, then at medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping side of bowl. Pour into prepared pan.
3. Bake for 45 minutes, then lower heat to 325 degrees and bake for 10-15 minutes longer, or until top springs back when lightly pressed with fingertip. Cool on wire rack 10 minutes. Turn out, cool completely before frosting.
Combine peanut butter topping ingredients in a small bowl until smooth and spoon over cake.
Makes one 12-cup Bundt cake.
Next month Brian and Lisa will feature a month of seafood recipes.