The Co-op Pantry

The Co-op Pantry
The Co-op Pantry

From boiled and roasted peanuts at a favorite sporting event to a midnight snack of peanut butter and crackers, peanuts are a mainstay in the hearts of Alabamians of all ages. And nowhere do those hearts beat stronger or faster than at the National Peanut Festival held each year in Dothan.

From a distance, the Peanut Festival may appear to be just another fair, with daily agricultural and educational events giving way at sundown to the lights and excitement of the midway, but the ten-day event attracts about 150,000 people and includes a parade, beauty pageants, food and displays of all varieties of peanuts used for just about anything imaginable. One of the festival’s most delicious events continues to be the annual Recipe Contest with dishes ranging from the simple pleasure of a traditional peanut butter cookie to appetizing main dishes with tempting, "peanutty" twists.

The contest features numerous categories with winners named in each group and a grand prize winner selected in both the adult and student divisions. And this is no small contest. Last year it brought nearly 200 competitors to the National Peanut Festival grounds, all carrying carefully-made dishes containing peanuts or peanut products.

This year’s competition is slated to begin at 10 a.m. on Thursday, October 28, with the National Peanut Festival running from October 30 to November 8. Entries are judged on the basis of texture, excellence in flavor, appearance, originality and effective use of peanut products. Anyone interested in entering can find out more by calling the National Peanut Festival office at (334)793-4323.

In preparation for the National Peanut Festival, this month’s Pantry is stocked full of prize-winning recipes from previous festival recipe contests, highlighting the versatility of peanuts with main dishes, cakes and snacks all featuring the flavor of peanuts. And as the harvest season approaches for Alabama peanuts, anyone looking for more ways to enjoy them fresh from the field can find ideas online at www.alpeanuts.com.

Kellie Henderson is a freelance writer from Troy.

Peanut-Chicken Quiche

2008 National Peanut Festival
Adult Grand Prize Winner
Ann Fennell – Dothan

Crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
½ cup cocktail peanuts, chopped
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon paprika
1/3 cup peanut oil

Filling:
1 cup sour cream
½ cup chicken broth
¼ cup mayonnaise
3 large eggs, beaten
2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
¼ cup fresh onion, minced
¼ teaspoon dried dill weed
3 drops hot sauce
¼ cup cocktail peanuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350^o. Combine flour, 1 cup cheddar cheese, ½ cup cocktail peanuts, salt and paprika. Stir well and add peanut oil. Press on bottom and along sides of a 9-inch deep dish pie plate. Bake for 12 minutes. Cool completely (about 15 minutes).

Mix sour cream, broth, mayonnaise and eggs. Stir with whisk until smooth. Stir in chicken, ½ cup cheese, onion, dill and hot sauce. Pour into cooled crust and put peanuts on top. Bake for 55 minutes. Cool 10 minutes and serve.

Paxton’s PB Cheesecake

2008 National Peanut Festival
Student Grand Prize Winner
Paxton Peacock – Wicksburg

Crust:
1 ½ cups peanut butter Oreo cookies, crushed
4 Tablespoons butter, melted
4 Tablespoons sugar

Filling:
4 (8 oz) packages cream cheese
1 ½ cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 large eggs, add slowly to mix

PB Mix:
2 cups peanut butter
2/3 cup evaporated milk
3 Tablespoons light corn syrup
1/3 cup light brown sugar

Mix crust ingredients together and place in a spring-form pan (a two-piece round pan with sides that can be removed through an interlocking band). Cool. Combine ingredients for filling and mix with a mixer. Pour filling over crust. Combine PB Mix ingredients in a pan and bring to a boil on the stove. Drop PB Mix in several places on top of filling and swirl with knife tip.

Bake at 325^o for 50 minutes. Cool to room temperature, sprinkle with crushed peanuts and freeze. Once frozen, remove from freezer and remove from pan. Take left over PB Mix and smooth around edges. Thaw and serve.

Festive Beef Bites with Peanut-Bourbon Sauce

Brittney Kirkland - Newton

1 ½ pounds boneless beef top sirloin or shoulder center steak (cut ¾-inch thick)
1 medium red pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium green bell pepper, cut into 1- inch pieces
½ to ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 can chunky pineapple
Parsley, chopped

Sauce:
¾ cup whipping cream
½ cup chunky peanut butter
½ cup water
¼ cup bourbon
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons molasses
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
¼ to ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
24 6” bamboo skewers

Soak skewers in water 10 minutes. Drain. Cut beef steak into 1-inch pieces. Alternately thread 2 beef pieces, 1 bell pepper and 1 pineapple evenly onto each skewer. Season with black pepper. Combine sauce ingredients in medium saucepan, stirring until smooth. Bring just to boil. Reduce heat, simmer 12 minutes or until thickened, stirring frequently. Keep warm. Meanwhile, place ½ of skewers on rack in broiler pan – beef should be 3 to 4 inches from heat. Broil about 6 to 9 minutes for medium rare to medium doneness, turning once. Repeat with remaining skewers. Serve with peanut sauce.

Rockin and Rollin Cherry Candies

Wanda Williams – Dothan

2 cups sugar
½ cup water
1/3 cup white Karo syrup
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 egg whites, beaten
1 cup cherries, chopped
½ cup peanuts, chopped
½ cup vanilla almond bark
¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate, melted

Mix sugar, water, syrup and salt. Bring to a boil. Cook until hard boil stage. Pour slowly into egg whites – while beating. Add vanilla, cherries and peanuts. Let cool until set. Microwave bark, dip candy, cool and drizzle with chocolate. Yields 2 doz.

Ultimate Peanut Butter Carrot Cake

Joanne McGhee – Dothan

Cake:
1 box Betty Crocker Super Moist Carrot Cake Mix
½ cup Hellman’s mayonnaise
½ cup Sun-Maid raisins
½ cup pecans, chopped

Frosting:
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 Tablespoons Spice Barn Peanut Butter Flavoring, optional
2 pounds powdered sugar
½ cup crunchy peanut butter
1 jar Planters peanuts, chopped and divided

Prepare cake as directed on box and add mayo, mix well. Fold in raisins and pecans. Place batter in 2 round, 8-inch cake pans and bake as directed. Allow to cool.

For frosting: Mix cream cheese, butter and flavoring well. Gradually add sugar then peanut butter, mix well.

Assemble cake: Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread with frosting; repeat procedure with second layer. Sprinkle ¼ cup peanuts on top of cake. Gently press remaining peanuts into frosting on side of cake.

Nutter Butter Bon Bons

Donna Turner – Ozark

1 (18 oz) jar creamy peanut butter
1 cup butter, softened
3 cups Golden Grahams cereal, crumbed
4 cups powdered sugar
1 (6 oz) package butterscotch morsels
Beat peanut butter and butter at medium speed with electric mixer until creamy. Add crumbs, beating until well blended. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended. Using a melon scoop, shape into one-inch balls. Cover and chill one hour. Melt butterscotch morsels in microwave safe dish. Pour into small Ziploc bag with a tiny corner snipped off. Drizzle over 1-inch bon bons.

Nutter Butter Cheesecake Truffles

Traci Mitchell – Dothan

1 package Nutter Butter Cookies, divided
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 package white chocolate candy coating, melted
*1 teaspoon LorAnn Cheesecake Flavoring (optional)

Crush 5 of the cookies to fine crumbs in food processor; reserve for later use. Crush remaining cookies to fine crumbs; place in medium bowl. Add cream cheese; mix until well blended. Roll cookie mixture into
1-inch balls. Refrigerate until firm, about an hour.

Melt white chocolate candy coating and cheesecake flavoring according to package directions. Dip balls into chocolate; place on baking sheet lined with wax paper. Sprinkle with reserved cookie crumbs. Store covered in refrigerator. Makes about 42 truffles.

*Note: LorAnn flavorings can be found in most cake and candy supply stores.

Peanut Crackers

Charlotte Fulgham – Ariton

1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
1 ½ cups roasted peanuts, chopped
½ teaspoon vanilla flavoring
40 saltine crackers (or graham crackers)
Arrange crackers in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Bring to a boil first 3 ingredients for 3 minutes, stirring often. Add vanilla. Mix well. Spoon peanuts in center of each cracker.

Pour remaining sauce over each cracker being sure to cover top of each one. Bake in 350^o oven for 12 minutes. Remove with spatula immediately to a wire rack to cool. Store in air tight container.

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