New Holiday Classics

Sweet and Savory Recipes for the Season


MISSION, KS--(Marketwire - Nov 28, 2011) - (Family Features) The holiday season is the perfect time to gather around the table with friends and family and share delicious dishes and treats. Every family has their traditional favorites -- whether sweet or savory.

Consider giving your traditional holiday feast a creative twist with these three recipes. They all feature the fresh-roasted taste of Jif® Peanut Butter, a versatile ingredient that complements both sweet and savory dishes, turning simple recipes into new holiday classics.

Peanut Butter Caramel French Toast: This decadent breakfast or brunch dish can be prepared the night before, so all you have to do in the morning is pop it in the oven. It's an easy way to start the day off with friends and family.

Rigatoni Romesco with Grilled Shrimp: This flavorful pasta dish features peanut butter in a zesty red sauce with grilled shrimp. And it comes together in no time -- which means you have more time to enjoy the company of good friends.

Apple Cranberry Peanut Butter Crisp: Take baked apples to a whole new level with a peanut butter crumble topping. It's so good you might want to make two and save one for later.

For more sweet and savory holiday recipes with a peanutty twist, visit www.jif.com.

Peanut Butter Caramel French Toast
Servings: 8
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup Jif Extra Crunchy Peanut Butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
12 1-inch-thick slices French bread
6 large eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Whipped cream or whipped butter

1. Coat 13 x 9-inch baking dish with no-stick cooking spray. Stir brown sugar, butter, peanut butter and corn syrup in small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until smooth and thickened. Pour peanut butter mixture into baking dish. Place bread slices over mixture, trimming to fit.

2. Whisk together eggs, milk, salt, vanilla and almond extracts in a medium bowl. Pour egg mixture over bread. Cover and chill 8 hours or overnight.

3. Heat oven to 350°F. Remove cover. Bake 45 minutes or until lightly browned. Invert onto large serving platter. Cut into servings. Serve with whipped cream or whipped butter.

Apple Cranberry Peanut Butter Crisp
Servings: 9
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes

6 cups peeled, sliced Gala apples (about 3 large)
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Topping
6 tablespoons Pillsbury Best® All Purpose Flour
3 tablespoons toasted wheat germ
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup Jif Omega-3 Creamy Peanut Butter
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Smucker's® Sundae Syrup™ Caramel Flavored Syrup (optional) or
Smucker's Sugar Free Sundae Syrup Caramel Flavored Syrup

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Stir apples, cranberries, 1/4 cup brown sugar and cinnamon until coated. Spoon evenly in 9 x 9-inch baking pan.

2. Mix flour, wheat germ and 1/4 cup brown sugar in medium bowl. Cut in peanut butter with fork until crumbs form. Stir in walnuts. Crumble over apples.

3. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until apples are fork tender and top is golden brown. Cool 10 minutes. Drizzle with caramel flavored syrup, if desired. Serve warm.

Rigatoni Romesco with Grilled Shrimp
Servings: 6
Cooking Time: 20 minutes

2 tablespoons Crisco® 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided, plus 1/3 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, divided and chopped
1 slice white bread
1 cup Jif Extra Crunchy Peanut Butter
1 (12-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, undrained
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
2 teaspoons salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
3 pounds (about 3 dozen) large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 (16-ounce) package rigatoni pasta, cooked according to package directions and kept warm
Optional Garnish
Chopped Italian parsley, chopped peanuts or roasted red pepper strips

1. Add 1 tablespoon oil and 2 cloves garlic to a large non-stick skillet on medium heat. Sauté and stir about 1 minute.

2. Transfer garlic to small bowl. Add bread to skillet and cook 2 minutes on each side until toasted. Remove bread and tear into large pieces.

3. Place sautéed garlic, remaining clove raw garlic, bread, peanut butter and roasted red peppers in food processor and purée well. Add in pepper flakes, tomatoes, parsley, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, vinegar, chili powder and paprika; purée. With processor running, add 1/3 cup oil gradually through the feed tube and mix well. Return sauce to skillet and heat thoroughly. Keep warm.

4. Heat grill. Season shrimp with remaining 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1 tablespoon oil in large bowl. Stir to combine. Grill about 2 minutes on each side or until opaque.

5. Place pasta on large platter. Top with sauce, then shrimp. Serve hot. Garnish with Italian parsley, chopped peanuts and red peppers if desired. Serve hot.

Create Your Own Classics -- and Win
Now through January 18, 2012, creative cooks can share original recipes using at least two tablespoons of Jif Peanut Butter in Sweet and Savory categories for the chance to win one of two $10,000 kitchen makeovers in the Jif New Classics Recipe Contest.

Complete Official Rules are available at www.jif.com. Contest open to legal residents of the 50 United States and D.C., 18 years or older. Void where prohibited.

About Family Features Editorial Syndicate
This and other food and lifestyle content can be found at www.editors.familyfeatures.com. Family Features is a leading provider of free food and lifestyle content for use in print and online publications. Register with no obligation to access a variety of formatted and unformatted features, accompanying photos, and automatically updating Web content solutions.

Contact Information:

Wendy MacDonald
wmacdonald@familyfeatures.com
1-888-824-3337 ext. 235
http://editors.familyfeatures.com

Peanut Butter Caramel French Toast