I might have made the most delicious peanut butter and jelly in all of mankind. It is quite possibly the most perfect PB & J that civilization has ever seen. Even if you say to yourself right now, “No way it’s better than my mom’s” or “Who cares about peanut butter and jelly?,” you’d be wrong. Why? Well, that is because I made the absolute best peanut butter and jelly in all of life.
(CUT TO FIVE DAYS LATER)
RATS. I did it again. I have topped myself…. again! I have made yet another epic peanut butter and jelly that was better than the last one! Seriously though, this one takes the cake! I can’t even believe how great this one was, and it really pushed the limits of what a PB & J can do.
(CUT TO ONE DAY LATER)
Okay. I’m noticing a trend. Peanut butter and jellies are freaking totally awesome and the most amazing, albeit underrated, sandwich around. Thus, every PB & J you make is better than the last one. Why are they so perfect? Well, to start they’re hearty, sweet, sometimes crunchy, sometimes savory, always chewy and always wonderful. They’re just so magically comforting. Honestly, what can make you feel more like being wrapped up in the arms of your favorite teacher/babysitter/camp counselor/parental figure than a diagonally cut PB & J?
And have you noticed that everyone seems to have their own secret thing about PB & Js, too? For example, my fiancé loves it when they get really smushed. Kinda weird/gross, ya? Well, I love mine in the form of a cupcake. While I am half serious, I also LOVE raisins on my PB & J. It’s a textural thing that adds a whole fun dimension to it. Other people like to add things like marshmallow, Nutella, potato chips, or every Midwesterner’s favorite: BACON. As a vegetarian, I can’t get down with that. It’s not that I wouldn’t want to, but I do have major issues when we’re forcing more meat into things that don’t need meat. I digress.
What’s my point of all this? Go crazy on your PB & Js! Seriously. Or as my millennial co-worker would type: Srrrsly! Fo realz, go nuts! Go bananas! Go raisins! Go fresh fruit! Go honey! Go pickles! I mean, why not? What’s a life worth living if you can’t let down your hair and concoct a crazy PB & J recipe or two?
So after you go run to your pantry to build the most creative and delicious PB & J of your life, make sure to let a sister know what fun ingredients you used. Did it work? Did it not work? Will you eat it again? If you need a little nudge in the right direction, give this recipe a try. It was one of those “best PB & Js in the universe” recipes.
Bread
Nut butter of any kind
Pumpkin butter
Raisins
Corn Flakes
Wild Huckleberry Honey (I’m sure you have this in your pantry, right? If not, use regular honey.)
If you really want to be fancy with your PB & J, you could make your own jam or your own peanut butter. That's right! The Chopping Block will teach you how to make Peach Vanilla Jam among other canned deliciousness and perhaps some canning cheats in our upcoming Summer Canning and Preserving cooking class.
Our October class calendars were just released today, so check them out!