Peanut Butter and JellyFish Plush Toy

This is another one of those finds that's got me giggling non-stop. It's a Peanut Butter and JellyFish Sandwich Plush Toy from San Diego artist Mandy Jouan. Handcrafted in felt and fleece, it's sure to bring smiles wherever you play with it. Visit her Sappy Moose Tree shop for more fun and quirky items.

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

JIF Sandwich Contest--For Kids Only

If you've got peanut butter lovers between the ages of 6 and 12, get them busy creating a peanut butter sandwich recipe. The grand prize in this contest is a $25,000 scholarship fund, so it's absolutely worth entering. And you get the added benefit of eating the peanut butter sandwiches! The contest ends November 14, 2008, so there's plenty of time to test a few different recipes. You can get the complete rules, entry form, and even check out past winning recipes at JIF.com.

The Perfect Tote for Your PBJ

Lunch bags just don't come any better designed for carrying around your PBJ than this one. It's about 10" wide by 10" high by 4" deep, so there's plenty of room for your lunch. Even better, it's customizable! You can choose peanut butter with grape jelly, peanut butter with strawberry jelly, or fluffernutter (peanut butter with marshmallow fluff); the main bag can be red, brown, or black; and the strap can be peanut butter color or black. $30 from dirtsa.

Famous People and Peanut Butter: Hubert Humphrey

I worked in publishing during an earlier chapter of my life. We did a number of books about politics and presidents, and I picked up a fair amount of useless trivia. Here's your trivia for today:

“My favorite sandwich is peanut butter, baloney, cheddar cheese, lettuce, and mayonnaise on toasted bread with catsup on the side.”
--former Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey

Now there's a combination I never would have dreamed of. If any of you are daring enough to try it out (and survive!), please let us know how it tastes.

PBJ Friendship Necklaces

Remember those split heart necklaces from your childhood, meant for best friends to wear? This polymer clay jewelry artist took that idea and improved on it: peanut butter and jelly sandwich best friends charms! Add a pair of chains, and you've got a pair of PBJ-lover necklaces. You can choose between raspberry, grape, and strawberry jelly--and the charms are scented! You can also choose diagonally cut or square cut sandwich halves. Get yours at DanzDzynes, $14.

Wash Your Mouth (with a PBJ?)

This soap makes me smile every time I look at it! Yes, it's soap, in the form of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. It's actually four individual soaps, so you can use them all together or just wash with bread if you feel like it. I know that some of you (yes Travel Beggar, I mean you) avoid soaps that look like they might be edible. But for everyone else--you have absolutely got to check out this soap!

These are handcrafted by a 3rd grade teacher in Oklahoma who started making soaps for her own children because her little one has such dry and sensative skin. She started making them fun soaps--bath time is more fun with a fun soap, right?--and it has grown from there. She's been making soaps for almost four years now, has sold them on eBay and now on Etsy at Sugarlane Soaps.

I heard a rumor that Sugarlane will also have food candle tarts. I'll keep you posted!

We Belong Together

This Lunchtime Love Story card is blank on the inside, ready for you to add your own sentiments. What a sweet way to let your favorite peanut butter or jelly lover know what's in your heart! Designed by Marilyn Patrizio using an original photograph, you can pick one up at So Softies.

Archer Farms Cinnamon Peanut Butter

I'm a fan of many Archer Farms products (you can find them at Target stores), and this cinnamon peanut butter is delicious. It has the perfect balance of flavors so that neither the peanut butter or the cinnamon overwhelms the other. It does have one serious drawback: it is extremely thin and runny, at least the jar I purchased. I had to use a spoon to get it out of the jar--it slid right off the knife. It makes a very sloppy sandwich. It is, however, the best flavor I've tried so far in a peanut butter and banana sandwich. Warning: You may want to wear a bib.