Spicy Peanut Butter & Jelly Burgers and Quick PB&J Tarts

 

Wait! Don’t run away!  Listen – Lots of people have been doing weird stuff to hamburgers, these days. It’s just not enough to slap a patty on the grill, maybe a little cheese, and be done with it anymore.  Now, they have to be loaded, stuffed, and dressed for prime time.  Truth is, stuffing a burger with peanut butter, as we’re doing here today, isn’t a new thing at all. In the South, we call ’em Goober Burgers.  But, you know me – the twists are coming…

You know how I’m always telling you to play with your Freakin’ Flamingo jams and jellies? What a delicious addition they are to both sweet AND savory foods? In fact, I’ve posted before about adding jam to your meatloaf instead of ketchup.  My favorite Freakin’ Flamingo flavors to add to meatloaf are the Blueberry Mojito and Blue Sunshine. It doesn’t taste like there’s jam in your meatloaf, but gives the meat a bit of a sweet/savory kick and helps keep it moist. In fact, not only does my husband love my meatloaf made this way, but even some of my customers have told me that it’s the best meatloaf they ever made!

I’ve been a fan of Peanut Butter & Co. for several years and use them at home on a regular basis, because they don’t use any HFCS or anything fake, and their imaginative flavors are just delicious!  Their “Bee’s Knees” (honey flavor) and “White Chocolate Wonderful” are among my favorites – especially for a quick breakfast or snack. So when I met a couple of people representing the company a couple of months ago (and I swear – it was purely by chance!), it just seemed like a match made in heaven, didn’t it? I mean, we’re both always telling people to “Think Outside the Jar!”  And when I heard that PB & Co. has a spicy peanut butter named “The Heat is On”? Make no mistake about it – this stuff is HOT! No, really. If you can’t take the heat, I suggest using one of their other flavors, such as Mighty Maple.

Thus, the Spicy Peanut Butter & Jelly Burger was born:

Spicy Peanut Butter & Jelly Burgers

Ingredients:

• 4 rounded tsp. Peanut Butter & Co. ® The Heat Is On peanut butter, divided
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 Tbs. Freakin’ Flamingo ® Blueberry Mojito or Blue Sunshine Jam (regular or sugar-free)
• 1/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, uncooked
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp. (or just a few grinds) freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Method:

Scoop out individual teaspoons of the peanut butter onto a small sheet of parchment paper and place into the freezer for about an hour or more.

In a medium bowl, lightly mix together the ground beef, jam, oatmeal, salt, pepper, and garlic powder, until well-blended.

Divide the meat into four portions and shape into large balls, then flatten.

Place a frozen peanut butter disc onto the center of each patty, then wrap the edges around it and seal well. It should look like a regular patty, with no seams showing. We don’t want that peanut buttery goodness to leak out! 🙂  Refrigerate patties for a minimum of 30 minutes before cooking.

Cook on your outdoor grill or on a stovetop grill pan (or even your broiler) to your preferred doneness, and top as desired.

This is easily doubled for a crowd and you can assemble them up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate until you’re ready to grill.

Now, who’s ready for a quickie dessert? Peanut Butter & Jam Tartlets are so ridiculously easy and quick to put together, I almost feel guilty turning it into a recipe. Almost.

These little tartlets are the perfect take-along dessert for any get-together, anytime of year. Make these for last-minute company, family night, or when you just want a little snack. You can even make them in your toaster oven – no need to heat up the kitchen! And all you need are three ingredients for the perfect bite!

Peanut Butter & Jam Tarts

Ingredients:

• Freakin’ Flamingo ® Jam (any flavor – except tomato – regular or sugar-free)
• Peanut Butter & Co. ® Peanut Butter (any flavor)
• 1 package of Mini-Fillo (Phyllo) shells
• various toppings, such as shredded coconut, chocolate chips, or mini-marshmallows (optional)

You’ll find the phyllo shells in your grocer’s freezer section. There are 15 in each package.

Pre-heat your oven (or toaster oven) to 350º F. Place the thawed shells on a baking tray and bake for about 5-6 minutes to crisp them up a bit. Remove from the oven and cool.  Leave the oven on.

Fill each tart shell with 1/2 tsp of peanut butter and top with 1/2 tsp of jam. Sprinkle with a little of your chosen topping, if using. Bake for an additional 5-6 minutes in the hot oven, remove and allow to cool before serving.  Can’t wait? You really don’t have to bake them at all!

My favorite combinations? Dark Chocolate Dreams peanut butter with any mango or strawberry flavor jam; Smooth Operator or White Chocolate Wonderful with Blue Sunshine, Lemon Ginger Jelly, or Piña Colada; Mighty Maple with Strawberry Joe (when in stock) or Strawberry Vanilla (when in stock).

I always have a package of phyllo shells in my freezer at all times. And if you have a jar of Peanut Butter & Co. peanut butter and Freakin’ Flamingo jam around, you’re always ready for a snack attack! Because you just never know, right?

Visit Peanut Butter & Co. to find a store near you or, if your store doesn’t carry the flavor or style you want, order from them directly.  Of course, you know where to find your favorite seasonal flavors of Freakin’ Flamingo! 😉

Peanut Butter & Co. provided me with several jars of their peanut butter to experiment with Freakin’ Flamingo jams and jellies. All opinions expressed are my own, as always. You had doubts?