How do you do peanut butter and crackers?

[ipsedixit]

Lets hold constant the PB for a moment -- in other words, take your favorite PB, be it homemade, salted or unsalted, creamy, chunky, or whatever -- and tell me which type of cracker you use to eat said PB?

Are you a water cracker person? A preference for something neutral so as to maximize the nutty goodness of the PB?

Do you prefer a more salty platflorm, like a Ritz cracker, Saltines or a Wheat Thin? Perhaps the savory flavors of the crackers better accentuates the saltiness of the PB?

Or are you more about texture than taste? Maybe you prefer a melba toast to a water cracker b/c the melba toast provides that "fall-apart" crispiness that a cracker does not.

Well, let me say this, I'm none of the above.

Today, I think I found the perfect "cracker" for PB and crackers.

Winner? Oreo cookies.

It's crunchy, sweet, salty and provides (most importantly) that great mouthfeel that only a mixture of Oreo stuffing and PB can generate.

[tomatoaday]

On Wasa, on celery, on a spoon, fingers if no one is watching, a sandwich with mayo and bread and butter pickles.

[ohvikery]

saltines,cheese crackers,wheat thins,graham crackers,veggie crackers,cheese crackers, or wheat crackers almost every cracker is good w/ pb.how ever there are also rice cakes they are good with peanut butter to.peanut butter toast,peanut butter on bread,pickles & peanut butter,tortilla shells with peanut butter on them & then wrapped yum! So many possibilities for peanut butter..

[paulcol]

oh great. Now I've got to go buy some Oreos. Thanks

I'll eat peanut butter on anything.

[NellyNel]

Has anyone ever heard of "Irish potato candy"?

I just came across this recipe -

For some reason - peanutbutter, sugar and boiled potato - sounds AMAZING to me!!
Boil a small potato until very soft. Cool. Mash the potato and mix in enough confectioners sugar until it is a stiff dough. Roll into a "pie crust" about 1/4" thick and spread with peanut butter. Roll into a log and cut into pieces.

[cuccubear]

Yes, I've heard of it. It's delicious, and around here (VA) most people make it at Christmas.

[NellyNel]

Really?
I have never heard of it - but by gosh I am going to make some tonight!! lol

[goodhealthgourmet]

go for it, NellyNel. here's an old thread with a similar recipe:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/4062...

[NellyNel]

Thanks GHG!
I am definitely going to try it!!

[cuccubear]

And let us know what you think!

[NellyNel]

I will...
I am sure I will spend ages in the store later trying to decide what brand of PB to use!

[buttertart]

...maybe make a little batch with some mini chocolate chips sprinkled over the pb? (evil laugh)

[NellyNel]

lol
oh yeah! don't tempt me!

[goodhealthgourmet]

there are versions with cocoa added to them, i just didn't link to the recipes ;)

[NellyNel]

Hi there

So I did try the Irish potato candy!
Hmm half of me was slightly dissappointed, but I think it's because I had a very bland potato. Ya ever get a potato that has no potato flavor?
Well that's what happened.
I did use a bit of vanilla to add flavor...I slaped the potato/sugar/vanilla mixture into a perfect thin rectangle and spread a thin layer of PB over it, and rolled it up...

I didnt have any chocolate on hand and I forgot to pick some up - I think it would have been just the thing to add some much needed excitement to it.

It was good if slightly dissapointing - it tasted like muted PB!
Having said that - I cant stop eating it now!! It's been quite addictive.

I will make it again - hopefully with a better tasting potato! (oh and a bit of chocolate!)

[goodhealthgourmet]

thanks for the report! and next time, you don't even need to have actual chocolate on hand - just mix in some cocoa powder!

[cuccubear]

How much potato did you use? I've read recipes that call for anywhere from .25 cup to 1 tbsp. I always thought there was more potato than that.

[NellyNel]

GHG - I don't have cocoa on hand either - but that sounds good too!

I used a whole potato which made a log about 8 inches long.

I can't see using anything less since the potato is used as the outside or "crust".
I don't know how much sugar or vanilla I used as I just added to taste.

I brought the rest into work and people are using the word "interesting" to describe it.!! LOL!

[mpjmph]

Yes! Irish potato candy is in all of the church/civic group cookbooks from my hometown in NE North Carolina. I've never actually tried it, but always imagined it would taste like the old fashioned peanut butter bars candy, but not as crunchy.

[NellyNel]

I thought I reported back on the Irish potato candy..
As it turned out - the darn stuff got better and better as the week went on - (I would only eat a tiny amount each time so it lasted for a while- as I am always watching what I eat)
anyhow..it just got tastier and tastier!!
By the time I finished it I nearly cried!
It took on an almost chestnut-y flavor...yes.... like sweet chestnut paste...

Next time I am going to try using a batata instead (a white sweet potato)
I will hardly need any sugar in that case and I bet it will taste even better.

I dont know what the old peanutbutter bars candy tasted like so I don't know??
Give 'em a try - it's so easy to whip up

[buttertart]

You did report, somewhere - I remember seeing it.

[NellyNel]

I see my reports above but I thought I reported back AGAIN to say how much I ended up loving it!
Because my initial reaction was "it's ok - nothing special"... but it grew on me
And Im sure the flavor intensified and changed as it aged....

[buttertart]

Are you trying to put me in harm's way? Chestnut??? ;-)

[chowser]

With all the talk about dipping fingers and all, I think I'll try dipping chocolate dipped Pockys next time I have some.

[Whosyerkitty]

Celery

[brooklynkoshereater]

Much like the hokey pokey, I dip the cracker in, I take the cracker out - that's what it's all about! Salted top crackers, chunky peanut butter - I throw on some extra chocolate shavings or chocolate chips if I'm really in the mood of going all out.

[westsidegal]

crackers?
just put the pb in a microwave safe vessel, add some semisweet chocolate chips, nuke for a little while to melt the chocolate, stir, and you've got yourself perfection.

[NellyNel]

oooh that sounds good!

[starlings]

On Triscuit crackers. I spread it on the unsalted (or, rather, less-salted) side, so that the salty side is tonguewards for extra impact.

[six dower]

everyday snack - pb and apples. if it must be a cracker than Carr's WholeWheat which tastes like a cookie.

[Emme]

Carr's Whole Wheat are the freakin' best!! They are the crackers I miss most.

[chowser]

I've been filling cookie dough w/ peanut butter and confectioners sugar center. I got the idea from King Arthur. They're even better than they sound but I think I should add sea salt sprinkled on top next time. They were great in chocolate chip cookies. If you eat them hot out of the oven, you get oozy peanut butter. Not crackers, but along the lines of the oreos.

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipe...

[Emme]

the macaw i used to have loved peanut butter and boysenberry jelly on saltines... i would sometimes have a bite of one as well, if my mum was making him some...

[Rmis32]

How do I eat peanut butter and crackers?

by the kilo.

[greygarious]

Extra-chunky PB sandwiched between a Trader Joe's Mini-Soy/black sesame rice cracker and a Trader Joe's 12-grain cracker, which, fortunately, is the same 1-1/4" diameter. The rice cracker is very crunchy while the 12-grain is a little sweet, with a crumblier Ritz-like texture but healthier and tastier.

[CocoDan]

Peanut Butter and sprouts on a real bagel! You wouldn't believe how good it is.
Enjoy,
CocoDan

[ttoommyy]

Pretzels! I take a small custard cup, plop some PB in that, grab a bag of pretzels and start dipping and eating.

[buttertart]

Crunchy natural, on regular salted Saltines (I agree with another poster, one without is just an "Ine"), SALT SIDE DOWN on your my tongue. My usual little bite if I need something to tide me over.

[NellyNel]

Bleh!
I love PB, I love cracker but not together!
Yuck -
in fact sometimes when I am eating a saltine I get a flashback taste of PB on a saltine and I gag!
I don't know why - I love PB on white bread (it's gotta be Wonder! )

I might try the Oreo thing though - that sounds pretty good!

[cheesecake17]

As a kid, I scraped out the oreo filling and replaced it with peanut butter. Sooo good.

[ipsedixit]

You know, they make that way now, right?

[cheesecake17]

I didn't know that! Seriously, I don't remember the last time I've had an oreo.

These days I would rather have a savory peanut buttery item...

[buttertart]

This behavior was learned fom my husband. I used to be a butter on Saltines (or soda crackers as we called them) only girl. His father loved it on party rye, which doesn't do it for me.

[NellyNel]

hmm - what is party rye?
Is that the black and white rye?
Love that bread - but not w/ PB on it - only Wonder bread suits PB IMO

Yup me too - i used to love butter on saltines!!

Oh and BTW - sour cream on Oreo's is the BEST!!

[LauraGrace]

Party rye is usually found in the deli section (of American grocery stores at least) -- it's very thinly sliced rye bread in long, thin, square loaves. Each slice is about 3" by 3". It's ideal for hors d'oeuvres.

[buttertart]

I didn't see this, but yup LauraGrace is right. May be a bigger thing in the Midwest (they lived in Iowa) than other places, but I do see it even in my Brooklyn supermarket.

[NellyNel]

Oh it sounds vaguely familiar - I must have seen it before - and doesnt it sound good!!!

[buttertart]

My father-in-law was a big man (6'4" and 280 lb in his prime) and could go through a whole loaf at a sitting. The pieces are little but you can put away a whole lot of pb that way. (I miss him, he was a sweetie.)

[NellyNel]

Aww...
Funny how many food related memories we have of people...
(I was thinking of me dad earlier on another post because he used to put butter in his coffee)

I love the tiny thin rye idea - but please not with PB!!!
Some things are just WRONG! (lol)

[buttertart]

I agree 100%, just don't like pb and rye. (Have a million nice food memories of him - he loved to eat.)

[KaimukiMan]

i had forgotten that pb on that dark rye/pumpernickel was a favorite of mine growing up. and yes, i still like pb on rye (esp with dill pickles, but thats another topic.) I do understand why people would not like the pb rye combo... like i really cant stand pb and chocolate, but like chocolate with peanuts. Taste is so very subjective... which is what makes it so much fun.

[buttertart]

Truer words were never spoken.

[Emme]

my mom always ate saltines with smart beat... when she was being "bad" and eating carbs... oh don't get me started on this.

[buttertart]

My mom's standard midnight snack was 5 saltines with butter and a small glass of skim milk. I can see her in the corner of the kitchen as I type this.

[jfood]

Wow...salt side outward, may need to give that a whirl. Jfood is always salt touches PB

[buttertart]

I like the grittiness of the salt on my tongue. You also get more of a salt hit that way. Love salt.

[jfood]

No No, jfood thinks it is an outstanding idea, can't believe he missed that one.

[buttertart]

Do it with aged cheddar too. Or butter. Those are pretty much the only things I eat on a Saltine.

[lisavf]

Mostly it's either right out of the jar or on toast, but lately it's also been on these little crunchy chocolate cookies called ShaSha Cocoa Snaps. They're sweet and chocolatey, and I like them as a contrast to the salty PB. I make little sandwiches out of them.

[jfood]

here's boring

saltines...pb on one side...place another one on top...eat pb sandwich

[shaebones]

pb and grahams.

[tatamagouche]

No, not boring, natural. When I do use crackers, I agree—I want salty, either saltines or Ritz, or sometimes Triscuits.

[cuccubear]

That's my MO too, but salty side out...and sometimes with jelly, just a drop.

[KaimukiMan]

Not exactly a cracker, but PB on a frito "scoop" is my pick for a crunchy snack.

[lynnlato]

For me, Ritz crackers are the classic go-to cracker for a peanut butter cracker. But I do like a saltine every now and again. Actually, I'll eat peanut butter on just about anything.

I was diagnosed w/ Type 1 diabetes when I was pregnant with my first child. It was a major deal and I immediately started injections. Well, as I learned to dose my insulin I had a lot of low blood sugars (BG's). I was always in the doctor's office and my nurse, who was the southern mama I never had, always treated my lows with OJ first and then peanut butter and GRAHAM crackers (the protein helps the sugar stay in your system longer and time releases it). That was 12 years ago and to this day peanut butter and graham crackers are still delicious and very comforting. Try it, you'll like it. :)

[goodhealthgourmet]

+1 for the PB with graham crackers. i used to make the most insane PB brownie tart with a graham cracker crust.

[chowser]

I've been avoiding this thread because I knew it would be too tempting. Could you share your recipe on the Home Cooking Board? Thanks!

[goodhealthgourmet]

chowser, it was always one of those things that i just made by feel & sight...i don't have a formal recipe for it, but i can give you general guidelines. i have to warn you that it's *obscenely* rich! i'll post on the HC board tonight.

[goodhealthgourmet]

i could have sworn last night that the mods removed this, but i guess not! check your hotmail acct.

[lisavf]

Oh, yumm, PB and graham crackers. I haven't bought graham crackers in an age. Even better, as a really, really special treat, PB and Fluff on graham crackers. Ohh, that takes me back...

[lynnlato]

Are you and GHG trying to torture me with your fluff and brownie desserts??? I'm a type 1 diabetic! LOL (I'm just teasing, btw). :-P

[ipsedixit]

Yeah, graham crackers are definitely a good option.

This morning I just tried PB with Fig Newtons ... I might've just found another great combo. It's almost like "PB and Jelly sliders"

[lisavf]

Sweet torture is more like it! I usually give in to the fluff once a year, then savor the memories. I'm not diabetic, but I know it's so very bad for me (and everyone, really). Definitely going to get graham crackers next time, or maybe even cinnamon graham crackers.

[just_M]

Try chocolate grahams, so good especially with a little fluff.

[goodhealthgourmet]

didn't mean to torture you, lynn! besides, i said i *used to* make that insane concoction. it's been years since the last one...though i still get requests for it :)

[lynnlato]

Ha! I was just teasin' - I'm not that weak! Well, except when my husband puts the bag of peanut butter m&m's right here next to the computer. I am human, after all. :)

Lisa, the cinnamon grahams are good too, as are the chocolate ones - yikes!

Ipsedixit - fig newtons? That is hilarious. My husband will have to try that one.

sidenote: I come from a long line of pb lovers. My dad loved the stuff so much he used to put pb on his pizza. I know, disgusting right? I never tried it but it doesn't sound good.

[vttp926]

i do like my ritz and peanut butter. but lately i been eating peanut butter and pretzels. yum! i want some now but no ritz or pretzels.

[elfcook]

I do not eat peanut butter (blasphemy, I know!) but my husband goes through about a jar a week - the big ones. His favorite method is a spoon, scoop a huge glob out, and then roll that in a handful of chocolate chips. He calls it his fuel for cycling. I will have to clue him in to the Oreo idea.

[bagelman01]

IN LARGE QUANTIES>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
all kidding aside, I like chunky on Ritz, I like crfeamy on wheat thins

[cheesecake17]

cheez its and peanut butter. or melba toast. or just the jar and a spoon.

[LauraGrace]

Oh yes. Cheez Its and anything.

[Parrotgal]

Yep, Cheezits.

[tatamagouche]

....Crackers? I just need a spoon.

Although I do love Ritz, and love Mitch Hedberg's joke about Ritz:

"When you buy a box of Ritz crackers, on the back of the box, they have all these suggestions as to what to put on top of the Ritz. "Try it with turkey and cheese. Try it with peanut butter." But I like crackers, man, that's why I bought it, 'cause I like crackers! I don't see a suggestion to put a Ritz on top of a Ritz. I didn't buy them because they're little edible plates! You've got no faith in the product itself."

[ipsedixit]

... spoon?

I just need an index finger.

[goodhealthgourmet]

middle finger works better once the jar starts to get low because it's longer ;)

[ipsedixit]

At that point I just take out the kitchen shears and cut the jar in half (assuming it's plastic).

[Axalady]

I've found that a small spatula, the type with one flat side, works wonders when the jar starts to get empty. You can easily get up under the rim and not miss a drop.

I prefer water crackers.

[goodhealthgourmet]

i do the same thing with the spatula, but instead of using it every time i want the PB (or almond butter), i use it to scoop out the remains and transfer them to a smaller container so it's more easily accessible.

but back to the topic at hand...when i *could* eat crackers (well, the ones worth eating), Ritz was my favorite vehicle for PB.

[tatamagouche]

Ha, touché.