Brings me back

I love peanut butter. Maybe a little too much. Jay often catches me sneaking a spoonful around 9 pm when most people are seeking out ice cream or cookies. This is pretty much a way to have your spoonful of peanut butter at 9 pm in a more socially acceptable way. It is a recipe from my childhood from some stained and worn unnamed cookbook. They are remarkably simple to prepare, don't require any cooking, and freeze very well. You can find many similar recipes out there - some of which add some sort of cereal product for crunch. You can add pretty much whatever you like to the recipe: dried fruit, rice krispies, chocolate chips - but below is the purists' recipe, adjust as you like:

Peanut Butter "Fudge"

1 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup nonfat dry milk (more may be required to achieve proper consistency)

turbinado sugar or coconut

Combine peanut butter, honey and dry milk in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Dough should be dense and not at all sticky. Roll into balls, roll into sugar (or coconut if you prefer) and place on wax paper. Freeze until hard. Store in a sealed container in the freezer. Thaw for 10-20 minutes prior to eating.

Meat on a stick

Food on a stick is generally a good thing. I actually struggle to think of something served on a stick that I don't like. Perhaps the best example is satay. Whether its pork, beef, or chicken, meat on a stick is a pretty easy to prepare and a great vehicle for good sauce. I made this recipe last night to bring to a party and spent quite a bit of time finding a recipe for peanut sauce. I actually made one version of it on Friday and was very disappointed by the results. I threw it out on Saturday morning and started over. The second time I decided to adjust a recipe I had made before from The Enchanted Broccoli Forest that is used for a Broccoli and Tofu Stir Fry (I highly recommend - both the cookbook and the recipe) to suit a dipping sauce. It worked beautifully.

Chicken Satay with Thai Peanut Dipping Sauce

4 - 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 in fresh ginger, peeled and sliced

1/2 cup water

2 tbsp honey

16 bamboo skewers, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes

In a bowl combine soy sauce, ginger, honey and water. Slice chicken breasts into 4 slices each. Place in a sealable Tupperware and add marinade. Cover and let sit, refrigerated, for 1 hour up to a day. Brush a roasting pan with oil and preheat broiler. Skewer chicken strips, moving the skewer front and back to assure that chicken stays attached. Lay on the roasting pan and broil about 2-3 minutes each side or until the chicken is cooked through.

Thai Peanut Dipping Sauce

3/4 cup peanut butter

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp molasses

6 tbsp rice or cider vinegar

3 tbsp soy sauce

1-2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/8 - 1/4 cup light coconut milk (adjust for consistency)

Blend all the ingredients using a food processor or blender. Let sit in the refrigerator for about an hour before serving to allow flavors to meld.

Groundnuts are Good

So since I started this endeavor I have had on my mind that I wanted to do something involving peanut butter and sweet potatoes. The inspiration for this is a dish called Veggie Groundnut from a favorite local spot Pan Africa Market. I used to work around the corner from this place and it is so good, Jay used to walk the 10 minutes walk from his office to mine to join me for lunch. When he does he always orders the veggie groundnut which is, served over rice, comprised of sweet potatoes, carrots, and bell peppers lathered with a peanut sauce. I looked through my various cookbooks for an African Peanut Soup and found nothing. It wasn't until my friend Eva sent me a recipe found on allrecipes.com that I reinvigorated my search. I found another recipe on a fat free vegan website (fat free my ass - it has peanut butter... but whatever), that seemed to fit the bill. I, of course, altered it a bit to suit. Of course this is more of a stew than a soup, but I decided that was allowable:

African Peanut Stew

2 tbsp canola oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 jalapeno peppers, minced

3-4 cloves garlic. minced

1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp coriander

1 tsp red pepper flakes, more if desired

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1- 28 oz can diced tomatoes, in juice

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 in cubes

2 cups chickpeas, cooked

3 cups vegetable broth

1/2 cup natural peanut butter

2 cups frozen green beans

salt and pepper to taste

In a soup pot heat canola oil over medium heat. Cook onions and jalapenos for 5-6 minutes until onions are translucent. Add garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and red pepper flakes and cook for 2 minutes to release aromas. Add tomatoes, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, broth and peanut butter. Stir thoroughly. Bring to a slow simmer and cook 30-40 minutes until potatoes are soft. Add green beans and cook until heated through. Salt and pepper to taste. If you like a spicier dish you can always add more red pepper flakes. Serve over brown rice or quinoa.