
Last weekend I was struck by a very intense craving for one of my nostalgic childhood foods, so I hightailed it to the grocery store to buy some frozen waffles. I've said before that some of the best sandwiches
evoke memories, and this recipe goes back when I was maybe 7 or 8, and my mom fixed me some waffles before realizing we were out of syrup. She improvised to make this sandwich, and "peanut butter and jelly waffles" soon became one of my favorite meals.Like the nonwaffly version, this PB&J is very easy to make and can inspire countless variations: almond instead of peanut butter, different flavors of waffles or even waffles from scratch, honey in place of jelly, Elvis-style with bananas, and on and on.

My daughter is nuts for peanut butter — she loves manning the grinder when we go to the grocery store and eats the fresh, delicious paste with just about anything, aside from jelly. But, at her peanut-free preschool, the spread and all similar products are tabled. If it makes life easier, for the mom whose child has an allergy — I'm all for it.

Although there a tons of different equally delicious desserts out there, for a child's birthday, let them eat cake. Ask the birthday honoree what type of cake they would like to celebrate their big day.
Kenny is a huge fan of Butterfinger candy bars, so this milk chocolate-peanut butter layer cake is perfect for him.

With
the temps rising (and the fact that North and I would eat just about anything containing peanut butter) I was excited to try a few of the peanut butter goodies that my new
Organic Dog Biscuit Cookbook –
a July Must Have – offered up. One of the easiest and best suited for the recent hot weather are the Peanut Butter Ice Cubes! Is there a more delicious way to stay cool on a hot day in the city?

Recently, I was treated to a box of
Bouchon Bakery goodies with a gigantic Nutter Butter cookie in the box. Everyone knows the famous peanut-stamped cookie with peanut-butter-cream filling from their childhood, and this homemade version was delightfully gourmet. While I remember that
Nutter Butters were delicious, these cookies, made by culinary legend
Thomas Keller, were absolutely heavenly!

The other day I popped down to the local deli for a quick sandwich. The folks I was with were talking about how great the peanut butter and jelly was, so I ended up getting one for myself. I rarely eat peanut butter sandwiches, and it was definitely a nice treat.

I've been known to tinker around in the kitchen and
whip up some peanut butter treats for North and I from time to time, and sometimes I even try my hand at making something with carob, a pet-safe replacement for chocolate. But I must be seriously lacking in the baking creativity department because these treats put mine to shame.
On a recent trip to the Napa Valley, I found these superb looking dessert treats from
Kool Dog Kafe at chic pet store
Fideaux in St.

YumJimmy recently had a birthday, and to help him celebrate, I thought I'd send him off to work with some sweet treats for his co-workers.
Last year's treat was an intense labor of love, so this year I decided to take it easy.
I was inspired by the
million-dollar winning Pillsbury Bake-Off recipe and used it, along with a delicious peanut butter recipe from
Melissa Murphy's new book, to come up with some treats.

Looking for something sweet to cook up this weekend? Then be sure to check out what TeamSugar member
sue85 posted in the
Kitchen Goddess group. She found a recipe for a melt-in-your-mouth peanut butter fudge, and served it up with grated white chocolate and strawberries.

Yesterday was
April Fool's Day, and today is National Peanut Butter and Jelly day! To celebrate, I've put together a little quiz that tests your knowledge of the classic children's sandwich. If you love fun foodie facts, take the quiz now!