Guest Post by Christine from Best HomeSchool Place

I've never been a guest blogger before, so I wanted to make sure this was good. I've always been a big peanut butter fan, so I'm going to share some of my more unusual peanut butter things, a couple of recipes and a great how to video AI found on one of my other favorite blogs. But to start this post off right, I'd thought I'd share a photo from one of my favorite tv shows.

From Project Runway season 4
This great dress, although not as exciting or innovative as some of the other dresses, was made completely out of Reece's Peanut Butter Cup wrappers. I don't think this picture does it justice, but it is a cute and wearable party dress. Does it look like it was made from candy wrappers? I don't think it does. Although it wasn't the winner of that episode, it wasn't the loser either.

My favorite Peanut Butter Recipes

This is something my mom always made me when I was a kid. One of the few things in my lunch box that I wouldn't trade or give away. Mostly because the other kids thought it would taste gross, and wouldn't even TRY it. Which was fine with me, because I loved it, and knew that if someone else wanted it, I'd probably give it to them. LOL! What is it, you ask? It's a peanut butter & sweet pickle sandwich.

Now, I know that most of you are going "YAK!!", by now, but trust me, it is delicious! You have to use the best creamy peanut butter, Jif was always my favorite. Then you need the best Vlasic sweet pickles, the sweeter the better. Cut the pickles into thin slices. Make sure the peanut butter is on both slices of bread, with the pickles in the middle. It may take you a little bit to build up the courage to eat it, but once you do, you'll be hooked. Much like you'd be hooked on peanut butter & banana sandwiches. If you like those, then you'll like the sweet pickles too.

Brownies

The next recipe I just came up with. I was wanting some brownies during the Labor Day weekend. We only had a little bit of cocoa powder, and no chocolate chips. I was trying to figure out what else I could put in the brownies to give them that extra something. Of course, what else goes with chocolate better than good old peanut butter! Then all I had to do was find a good recipe. Easier said than done, evidently. I went all over the internet, my main source of information for everything, and couldn't find a simple, easy to make, good peanut butter chocolate brownie! So I decided to make one up myself . . . well, actually blend two recipes into one.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup butter softened
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In large bowl beat butter and peanut butter until smooth.
Mix all ingredients in order given.
Bake for 30 minutes in 9 x 13 in greased pan
Check with toothpick to see if it is done in the middle

Baking time may vary according to your oven. Mine is slow to heat up, so it took about 40 minutes to cook.

These are now my all time favorite brownies! They came out smooth, creamy, rich, and delictable . . . if I do say so myself! LOL It's a simple recipe, so feel free to add to it what you think would make it better. And if it comes out even better, let me know!!


Unusual Uses

Now for the two unusual uses for peanut butter. The first is one, that I have NO idea where I got it from. I think my sons heard of it on Mythbusters, or some other Discovery Channel show. I'm always amazed at what my sons get from that channel, it's great! Anyway, peanut butter can get rid of hiccups!!

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the cure for hiccups is the amazing, ever useful, never leave home without it, PEANUT BUTTER! And it works every time!! Just take a spoonful of peanut butter and suck on it till the peanut butter is all gone. The hiccups should be gone before the peanut butter is, but that doesn't really matter, because you've got peanut butter!

And finally, the last thing I want to share with you is this fantastic "how to" video I found at Momspark . It's all about how to make Peanut Butter Play D@h (not the registered trademark stuff).







Momspark Video Blog Episode 1 "Peanut Butter Play Dough" from Mom Spark on Vimeo.


I hope you enjoyed my little post about all the interesting things you can do with Peanut Butter. I've enjoyed being a guest blogger here at the Peanut Butter Blog. If you'd like to read more of my stuff, you can find me at Wyndsong's Sacred Place, Best HomeSchool Place, and Type-A Mom