Grown-up peanut butter

Southern Living, Sep 2003 by Briscoe, Cynthia Ann, Chambliss, Mary, Mitchell, Sherri, Turkheimer, Ashley

This favorite sandwich spread shows its versatile side in these scrumptious recipes.

While some might consider peanut butter just a children's snack or lunchbox staple, it can also add wonderful flavor to a variety of grown-up dishes. The evidence is in these recipes. Nutty-spicy Peanut Butter Salad Dressing perks up ordinary greens. A fiber-rich Peanut Butter-Banana Muffin doubles as breakfast on the run, and for dessert, Chocolate-Peanut Bars melt in your mouth. CYNTHIA ANN BRISCOE

PEANUT BUTTER-BANANA MUFFINS

MAKES ABOUT 1 1/2 DOZEN

PREP: 20 MIN., STAND: 5 MIN., BAKE: 30 MIN.

These muffins are a hit as a snack or a light dessert. Freeze them up to one month; thaw in the refrigerator overnight, or defrost in the microwave.

2 cups shreds of wheat bran cereal

1 3/4 cups milk

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 medium-size ripe banana, mashed

1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 large egg

Streusel Topping

STIR together cereal and milk; let stand 5 minutes.

COMBINE flour and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture.

STIR banana and next 3 ingredients into cereal mixture; add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Spoon into greased muffin pans, filling two-thirds full. Sprinkle Streusel Topping evenly over batter.

BAKE at 350[degrees] for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from pans immediately, and cool on wire racks.

Streusel Topping:

MAKES 1 1/4 CUPS

PREP: 5 MIN.

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup butter or margarine

2 tablespoons peanut butter

COMBINE flour and brown sugar. Cut butter and peanut butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles small peas.

MARY CHAMBLISS

HOUSTON, TEXAS

NOTE: For testing purposes only, we used Kellogg's All-Bran cereal for shreds of wheat bran cereal.

CHOCOLATE-PEANUT BARS

MAKES ABOUT 4 DOZEN

PREP: 10 MIN., COOK: 3 MIN., CHILL: 1 HR.,

STAND: 10 MIN.

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 cup crunchy peanut butter

1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar

1 1/2 cups vanilla wafers, crushed (about 45 cookies)

1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate morsels

1/2 cup whipping cream

BEAT butter and peanut butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Add powdered sugar and vanilla wafer crumbs; beat until blended. Press mixture evenly into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking pan lined with wax paper.

STIR together chocolate morsels and whipping cream in a medium saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Spread evenly on top of peanut butter mixture. Chill 1 hour or until firm.

REMOVE from refrigerator, and let stand at room temperature 10 minutes or until slightly softened. Cut into 48 bars.

SHERRI MITCHELL

HOVER, ALABAMA

PEANUT BUTTER SALAD DRESSING

MAKES 1 1/3 CUPS

PREP: 10 MIN.

2/3 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup fresh orange juice

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

1/4 teaspoon salt

Mixed salad greens

WHISK together first 7 ingredients in a bowl until blended and smooth. Serve over mixed salad greens.

ASHLEY TURKHEIMER

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA

MARY CHAMBLISS

HOUSTON, TEXAS

SHERRI MITCHELL

HOVER, ALABAMA

ASHLEY TURKHEIMER

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA