Get a Boost with an Ingredient that Sticks

Whether you’re a fitness junkie, busy parent or sleep-deprived student, peanut butter is an ingredient fit for all of life’s moments. With a healthy boost of protein and energy, it is perfect as an on-the-go snack, fuel for a workout, a reliable family meal or a decadent dessert.

There’s no shortage of delicious ways to pack peanut butter into diverse dishes throughout the day:
* Add peanut butter to your favorite fruit smoothie for a nutty new flavor.
* Encourage children to experiment with the essential spread and go beyond PB and J by replacing fruit for the jelly or stirring peanut butter or peanut butter powder into their yogurt.
* A simple peanut butter and honey sandwich makes a great on-the-go snack you can throw in your gym bag or tuck away in a drawer at work.
* Add peanut butter to a sauce or salad dressing for an extra zip of flavor and protein.

Find more creative ways to enjoy peanut butter with these winning recipes from Southern Peanut Growers’ annual PB My Way recipe contest, and find more recipes at peanutbutterlovers.com.

Graceland Mini Cupcakes
Recipe courtesy of Linda D., Coconut Creek, Florida
Serves: 36

Cupcakes:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 ripe bananas
1/2 cup light sour cream
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons canola oil
3/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 large egg white, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Peanut Butter Filling:
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

Bacon Topping:
4 slices bacon
1/2 cup brown sugar

Frosting:
8 ounces low-fat cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar

Heat oven to 350 F. Line cupcake tins with paper liners and lightly spray with cooking spray.

To make batter: In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Stir to combine and set aside.

In small bowl, mash bananas and add sour cream. Mix well and set aside.

Using electric hand mixer, beat butter, oil and sugar until incorporated, about 3-5 minutes. Add eggs, egg white and vanilla. Mix until combined. Slowly add half the dry ingredients and mix until almost incorporated. Add sour cream and banana mixture and gently fold into batter. Add rest of dry ingredients until combined.

Spoon batter into lined cupcake pans. Bake 18-20 minutes and let cool.

After cooling about 30-45 minutes, use paring knife to cut small circle in middle of top of cupcakes and remove plug, creating a well about halfway down cupcake. Add peanut butter to piping bag and fill each hole. Set aside.

In medium bowl, dredge both sides of bacon slices in brown sugar. Place on foil-lined baking sheet; bake 10 minutes. Flip and bake another 6-8 minutes. Remove bacon from oven and place on plate to cool. Once cool, chop bacon and set aside.

To make frosting: In large bowl, combine cream cheese, butter, peanut butter and vanilla extract. Mix until combined. Add confectioner’s sugar and mix until well-combined.

Add frosting to piping bag. Pipe a dollop of frosting onto each cupcake and sprinkle with candied bacon pieces.

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Source: Southern Peanut Growers