It's peanuts for St Elizabeth!

If the products showcased in the St Elizabeth parish pavilion are any indication, the folks from the breadbasket parish not only know how to grow crops, they also know how the prepare them in creative ways.

There was an impressive array of dishes, snacks, preserves and sweets on display. And, they were all made with peanuts. From peanut fritters to peanut banana snack and peanut raisin balls, they were all on show.

Here is a small sample of what we tasted.

Peanut Doughnuts

Ingredients

1 pint sweet milk

1 egg, well beaten

1/2 cup butter (softened)

1 tbs lemon juice

1 cup sugar

5 1/2-6 cups flour

2/3 cup yeast

1 pint chopped peanuts

Preparation:

1. Mix in order given, allow to rise slowly until light.

2. Roll out and cut out in desired shape. Allow to rise until very light, then fry in hot fat.

Peanut Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients

1 cup broken macaroni

1 cup milk

2 tbs flour

2 quarts boiling salt water

1 cup coarsely ground peanuts

1/4-1/2 pound cheese

1/2 tsp salt

A dash of cayenne pepper

Preparation

1. Cook macaroni in the boiling salted water, drain in a strainer and pour cold water over it to keep the pieces from sticking together.

2. Mince cheese and mix with all ingredients, except macaroni.

3. Put sauce and macaroni in alternate layers in a well-buttered baking dish, cover with buttered crumbs and bake slowly until crumbs are brown.

Creamy Peanut Sauce

Ingredients

1/4 cup peanut butter (at room temperature)

1/4 cup plain non-fat yogurt

1 garlic clove (minced)

1 tsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. dark sesame oil

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1 tbsp. hot water

1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)

Preparation

Combine all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Mix until smooth, using either a wire whisk or a blender.