Peanut Butter Cake

Some of the most wonderful people I’ve ever known have shared some of the most amazing recipes. This recipe came from a sweet lady who left us many years ago. I loved her smile and her kindness. This recipe is a sweet memory she left behind.

Naturally, I changed the recipe up just a bit. The crunchy peanut butter gives it a texture you might expect in a cake from your grandmother. If that’s not your thing, it’s certainly okay to use smooth peanut butter.

The filling really needs time to thicken. I recommend cooking that first. If you have any left or just need a special snack, the filling is absolutely wonderful on graham crackers.

Peanut Butter Cake

1 cup butter, softened

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

3 cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring

Mix well. Pour the batter into four well-greased baking pans. Bake at 350 degrees 15 minutes or until the center tests done.

Filling

2 cups sugar

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup milk

1 ½ cups crunchy peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring

Cook on medium heat about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat when mixture begins to boil. Let mixture cool, then refrigerate until it begins to thicken.

Spread mixture between cake layers.

Frosting

3 cups powdered sugar

¼ cup butter

1 cup crunchy peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring

3 tablespoons milk

Mix all ingredients together. Add extra milk, if necessary, to create a smooth consistency. Spread on the top and sides of the cake.

Tiger Butter Bark Candy

Do not try to say the name of this recipe fast. Nope. Just don't. It will twist your tongue and make others think you are loopy. Okay. I'm usually a little blonde. so nobody would know the difference. Just saying.

Anyway, this is yet another recipe using peanut butter. It's just different and easy and a wonderful variation from my usual peppermint bark. I found the recipe in the December/January issue of Country Woman magazine. I highly recommend the magazine. It has wonderful recipes and stories for everyone, whether you live in the country or not.

Tiger Butter Bark Candy

1 lb. white candy coating, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon shortening

Line a 15x10x1-inch pan with waxed paper.

Place candy coating and peanut butter in a microwave safe dish. Melt at 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth. Spread mixture into the prepared pan.

In another microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips and shortening. Again, melt at 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until well blended. Drizzle this mixture over the top of the peanut butter mixture. Use a knife to swirl the two mixtures so that it looks marbled.

Refrigerate until firm. Break into pieces. Enjoy!

Peanut Butter-Butterscotch Pie

Sometimes the very best recipes come from the least expected places. This recipe came from one of those inserts in the newspaper and was directed at folks who cook with children. I probably wouldn't have even glanced at it except that I'm a sucker for peanut butter. It's not my fault. Growing up in an area where peanuts are plentiful and every fall smelling that wonderful smell of roasting peanuts. Well. I really didn't have a chance, did I?

Peanut Butter-Butterscotch Pie

1/4 butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 cups marshmallows
4 cups crisp rice cereal
1 (3.5 oz.) box of instant butterscotch pudding and pie filling
1 3/4 cups milk
1/2 cup Cool Whip, thawed
Chocolate syrup for topping

Place butter, peanut butter and marshmallows in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until melted and smooth. Don't skip the stirring part. When you are melting things in the microwave, sometimes they don't appear to be melting when they really are. This can cause you to overcook, or burn, your food.

Stir cereal in to the peanut butter mixture, mixing thoroughly.

Coat a pie pan with cooking spray. When the cereal mixture is cool enough to handle, press it along the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate to form a crust.

In a large bowl, whisk pudding mix and milk until the mixture thickens. Fold in the Cool Whip and pour it into the crust. Refrigerate at least two hours or until the pudding filling is set.

Drizzle with chocolate syrup before serving.

Makes 8 servings.

Creamy Double Decker Fudge

What could be better than peanut butter and chocolate? Well, something quick and easy works for me. How about for you?

This recipe comes from the folks that give us REESE’S and EAGLE BRAND. Sometimes the very best recipes come from folks trying to seel us their products. I sure don’t mind -- especially when I use their products anyway.

Creamy Double Decker Fudge

1 cup REESE’S Peanut Butter Chips
1 (14-oz) can EAGLE BRAND Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk), divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, divided
1 cup HERSHEY’S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Line 8-inch square pan with foil.

In small microwave-safe bowl, place peanut butter chips and 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk. Microwave on HIGH 1 to 1 ½ minutes, stirring after 1 minute, until chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred. Stir in ½ teaspoon vanilla; spread evenly into prepared pan.

In microwave-safe bowl, place remaining sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chips. Microwave on HIGH 1 to 1 ½ minutes, stirring after 1 minute, until chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred. Stir in remaining ½ teaspoon vanilla; spread evenly on peanut butter layer. Cover; chill until firm.

Cut into 1-inch squares. Cover; store in refrigerator.

Makes about 1 ½ pounds.

Jif Peanut Butter Cookies

I am a recipe collector. I have all these scraps of paper, newspaper clippings, magazine pages and handwritten notecards. Some have nothing more than a list of ingredients and, perhaps, an oven temperature. Others are so old that I have no idea where they originated. But there they are, valuable to me for the endless possibilities.

This recipe comes from the Jif peanut butter people. I think it was an ad, probably around Christmas. The photo reminds me of the peanut butter cookies I ate as a child. I can almost taste them. I guess that means I'm off to bake a fresh batch. How about you?

Irresistible Jif Peanut Butter Cookies

3/4 cup Jiff Creamy Peanut Butter
1/2 cup Crisco All-Vegetable Shortening
1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 egg
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine Jif, Crisco, light brown sugar, milk and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Add egg. Beat just until blended.

Combine flour, salt and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture at low speed. Mix just until blended.

Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie baking sheet. Flatten slightly in criss-cross pattern with the tines of a fork.

Bake at 375 degrees for 7-8 minutes or until set and just beginning to brown. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet.

Makes 3 dozen cookies.