Making the perfect PB&J may be one of the first
kitchen conflicts in any relationship. Can it be made on
whole wheat bread or does it have to be soft white bread?
Is toasted bread acceptable?I am a
grape jelly purist but my husband prefers strawberry jam.
We both like crunchy peanut butter but smooth and creamy
is favored by many.
My mother cut the finished sandwich
diagonally into 2 triangles (and sometimes into four
triangles which made the deliciousness go even further.)
Others cut it into two rectangles while some don't cut it at
all.
Do you put peanut butter on both sides and
then jelly/jam in the middle? Do put peanut butter on
one slice, jelly/jam on the other and then put the two sides
together or do you just put both peanut butter and jelly/jam
on one slice of bread and slap the second slice on top?
Who knew making a simple sandwich could be
so complicated? Then there is the whole "how do you eat
the sandwich?" question.
Some people like to take a bite right out of
the middle while others prefer to eat from corner to corner.
Then there are those who like to tear off bite-sized pieces
and eat them one-at-a-time.
There is even an entire movement to use
PB&J's to replace one meat meal and help the environment. I
never realized this common sandwich was vegetarian.
Whatever the composition of your favorite
PB&J, here are some variations that may add a little variety
to your life. Of course, peanut butter is a basic but
what goes with it can add more nutrition to your plate and a
new taste to your palate.
Many people use bananas along with or
instead of the jelly or jam but why not use other whole fruit
for your sandwich?
For added crunch, slice an apple, pear or
nectarine very thin and layer the slices on top of the peanut
butter. Firmer fruits work better for this method.
If you want to make more of a spread, grate
the fruit and then mix with the peanut butter and a little
lemon juice or milk to make it spread more easily. This
is also the best way to mix in softer fruits like oranges or
pineapple.
Drain excess liquid from applesauce and mix
it with the peanut butter for a spread. Apple butter or
honey is also a great accompaniment to peanut butter.
If you want to add a sweet taste to the
fruit, sprinkle a little cinnamon on the peanut butter first.
You don't need to add sugar. The cinnamon will make the
natural sugars in the fruit taste sweeter.
Raisins or dried cranberries make a great
substitute for jelly or jam. You can use larger dried
fruits but it should be sliced thin or chopped into pieces
first.
Put the fruit in the bread. Spread
your peanut butter on toasted slices of fruit or cinnamon
raisin bread. Even vegetable breads like zucchini and carrot
are great toasted with peanut butter on top.
Make a peanut butter panini. Lightly
spray the outsides of a peanut butter sandwich (with whatever
sidekick you prefer). Place in a hot pan and put a heavy
pan on top to press down on the sandwich.
The result with be a crispy curst with a hot
gooey center. PB&J goes gourmet!
Related Food Story Peanut
Butter and How it Started, How it "Spread"
Cooking Good
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