FoodBuzz: Skippy Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies & Banana bread

As a preferred blogger for Foodbuzz.com, I get lots of fun trials and freebies. This time around I hit the jackpot! The National Peanut Board sent me two, count them two jars of Skippy Peanut Butter, which in this house was like winning the lottery. But there was a stipulation...like or love, they didn't care as long I blogged about it. SO here it is... Two wonderful recipes tried just for you to enjoy like we did!

Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies:

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup  shortening
• 1 cup  sugar
• 1 teaspoon  baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon  salt
• 1-1/4 cups  buttermilk or sour milk
• 1   egg
• 1 teaspoon  vanilla
• 2-1/4 cups  all-purpose flour

  
  2/3 cup  unsweetened cocoa powder

The Filling:

• 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup peanut butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Equipment: Pastry bag with round tip

Directions

1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, beat shortening with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking soda, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in buttermilk or sour milk, egg, and vanilla until combined. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour and cocoa powder. Beat in as much of the flour mixture as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour mixture.

2

Drop dough from a rounded measuring tablespoon* 2-1/2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes or until the edges are firm. Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; let cool.

3

Spread the flat sides of half the cookies with a rounded tablespoon of Creamy Filling. Top with the remaining cookies, flat sides down. Store in the refrigerator. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. Makes about 16 sandwich cookies.

These were awesome!! Nothing like whoopie pies to brighten your evening!!

Then we moved onto Peanut Butter Banana Bread:

• 1 3/4 cups flour, sift before measuring
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup shortening
• 3/4 cup peanut butter, crunchy or smooth
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 cup mashed bananas

Preparation:

Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, and salt; set aside. Cream shortening and peanut butter, then beat in sugar and eggs. Alternately add dry ingredients and bananas, stirring with a wooden spoon. Spoon into muffin tins and bake for 18 minutes. 

If your house is anything like our's, your jar of Skippy creamy peanut butter will look a lot like this when you are done!!