Making the Most of Your Pantry: 4 Yummy Recipes That Use Peanut Butter

Now is the perfect time to get in the kitchen and learn new recipes that you and your family will love. Being a full-time college student that also works doesn’t leave me much time or energy to cook elaborate meals or desserts, so I’ve really enjoyed trying some easy new recipes. Four of my favorite recipes include peanuts, are simple to make, and guaranteed to put a smile on the face of whoever you share it with. If peanuts aren’t already a quarantine staple, after reading through these recipes, they will be. 

Peanut Butter Rice Krispy Treats with Chocolate on Top

The first recipe is one that was handed down to me from my mother-in-law. This has been an all-time favorite dessert for my family and friends. It’s a Rice Krispy Treat, but with a peanut-inspired twist! This recipe has been a lifesaver when I’ve needed to create a fast and easy dessert, plus it can be easily adapted with substitute or additional ingredients to cater to your specific taste! 

You will need:

• 6 tbsp. Butter
• Hampton Farms Peanut Butter (Preferably Creamy)
• 16 oz (1 lb.) of Miniature Marshmallows
• 6 cups Rice Krispies Cereal
• ½ cup Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips

Start by melting the butter over medium-high heat in a large pan that’s deep enough to hold the marshmallow and the cereal. When the butter is almost melted, add all the marshmallows and stir constantly. Remove the pan from the heat once the marshmallows are almost melted. Also be sure to not let the marshmallows get brown because the treats will come out hard, and trust me, you want these to come out soft and chewy. The next step is to take a large scoop of peanut butter—no measurement needed—I use a big spoon and take a good hefty serving. The recommended type of peanut butter can differ from person to person, but we like to use creamy peanut butter. Mix this scoop with the melted marshmallows. Pour in the Rice Krispies Cereal into the mixture and stir until coated evenly.

Next, I take an 8 ½ by 13 pan and grease it with butter. Spread the Rice Krispies mixture into the pan and press gently to flatten the treats, but do not flatten the treats too much or they will get hard. Once done, pour half a cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips into a microwavable bowl and microwave for 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until fully melted. Spread the chocolate over top of the treats as a final touch. This peanut-lover’s dessert does not need to be refrigerated and can be covered and stored at room temperature until the last bite has been enjoyed.

Peanut Butter Protein Balls

If you’re looking for a healthier option for a dessert or an afternoon snack, I suggest these Peanut Butter Protein Balls. I love these for a quick bite on-the-go before my night classes, while my partner uses them to boost his energy during engineering classes. This recipe doesn’t take long to make or require heat of any kind. Not only do they taste great, these peanut butter protein balls also have fantastic nutritional benefits! Peanuts are low-carb and have vitamins such as Thiamine, which convert carbs into energy. I recommend this recipe for that quick burst of energy for any occasion!

You will need:

• 1 ¼ cup Old Fashioned Oats
• ½ cup Shredded Coconut Unsweetened
• ¼ cup Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
• 2 tbsp. Chia Seeds
• 2 tbsp. Flax Seeds
• ½ tsp. Kosher Salt
• ¾ cup Hampton Farms Peanut Butter/PB Crave
• ¼ cup Honey
• ½ tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
• 2 tbsp. Milk (any type)

Start by putting the oats, coconut, chia seeds, flax seeds, chocolate chips, cinnamon, and salt into a mixing bowl. Once those ingredients are mixed, stir in the peanut butter, honey, and vanilla. Sometimes I omit the chocolate chips so that I can use Hampton Farms PB Crave – Dark and Semi-Sweet Chocolate, which adds a sweeter taste to the Protein Balls. After adding all the ingredients together, the mixture should be slightly crumbly, but if it becomes too dry, just add milk a splash at a time. I use 2% milk for my recipe, but any type of milk can work.

Get a large baking sheet and line it with parchment paper or tin foil. Take a small amount of the mixture at a time and roll into balls. The balls can be any size you want, but I make mine smaller so I typically get 24 to 30ish per batch. Once the balls are made, refrigerate them for 30 minutes, or until chilled. When I make these, I usually prepare them in the evening and leave them in the fridge over-night. In the morning, I remove the balls from the fridge and let them get to room temperature before consuming.

Thai Coconut Curry Shrimp

Switching things up, I found another peanut recipe recommendation from a friend when looking for seafood dinner options. I never pictured myself cooking dinner with peanut butter, but after I tried this recipe, I was hooked. This dish yields two servings and can easily be doubled to serve more guests. Within this recipe, I have made some substitutions and tried it without the fish sauce to better suit my personal taste. This recipe will definitely get you out of your cooking comfort zone and could even turn the pickiest eater into a shrimp lover!

You will need:

• ½ lb. Jumbo Tail-On Shell-On Shrimp
• 2 tbsps. Vegetable Oil
• 1 tbsp. Salt
• 1 tbsp. Chili Flakes
• ¼ Onion
• ¼ Red Bell Pepper
• ¼ Orange Bell Pepper
• ¼ Yellow Bell Pepper
• ½ cup Coconut Milk
• 1 tbsp. Peanut Butter
• 1 tbsp. Lime Juice
• ½ tbsp. Brown Sugar
• 1 tbsp. Cilantro
• ½ Green Onion

Starting off, place shrimp into a bowl with 1/3 of the vegetable oil, kosher salt, and chili flakes. Coat these evenly and set aside for 10 minutes. Heat a skillet, I use a 14-inch pan, on medium-high heat with 1/3 of the vegetable oil. Slice the onions and the peppers and add to the skillet, cooking for about 5 minutes, or until softened. I typically use another skillet to cook shrimp and then transfer them to the bigger skillet once cooked. Sauté the shrimp in the rest of the vegetable oil for 5-10 minutes on medium-high heat, or until opaque.

In a bowl, mix together the coconut milk, peanut butter (I use creamy), lime juice, and brown sugar. I typically add a dash of onion and garlic powder to this mixture for taste. Put the mixture into the skillet with the onions and peppers, bringing to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer. Let this cook for roughly 5 minutes, allowing the mixture to reduce by half. Finally add the shrimp to the skillet with cilantro, allowing the mixture to coat the shrimp. This recipe is best served over rice and I garnish the final product with more cilantro.

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

College students usually do not have all the ingredients for a more involved recipe, like the one above. Most of the time, I try to get creative and cook with what I already have on hand. This Peanut Butter Cookie recipe is perfect while we are all relying more on our pantries. It only calls for three ingredients, which most people typically have at home, and it makes one dozen cookies. Out of all four recipes, this is the easiest and quickest to make and will taste better than any other Peanut Butter Cookie recipe you’ve tried!

You will need:

• 2 cups Hampton Farms Peanut Butter (Creamy)
• 2 cups White Sugar
• 2 Eggs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine the three ingredients in a bowl with a whisk. Roll the mixture into quarter-sized balls and place onto a tin-foil lined baking sheet. For an added “decoration,” I use a fork to imprint the cookie balls with a crisscross pattern before putting them in the oven. Bake the cookies for 8-15 minutes until they are golden brown. Let the cookies cool for about 30 minutes before indulging in these sweet treats.

These four recipes are a great way to start cooking with peanut butter. As mentioned above, peanuts are highly nutritious and include multiple health benefits. They are sources of protein and contain vitamins that can help maintain blood sugar levels, as well as support the heart.

Hampton Farms has been producing peanuts since 1917, and it provides me with my favorite on-the-go snacks as well as delicious ingredients that can be added to my breakfast, lunch or dinner. I hope you’ll enjoy these recipes with Hampton Farms Peanut Butter products.