Word of the Week
Glutinous (glue-tin-us): Sticky or having a gluelike texture. It comes from the Latin word glutinosus meaning "gluey."
Hello, hello!
You didn't think I could possibly get through this week without acknowledging one of my very favorite things, did you? Peanut Butter! Smooth or crunchy or natural- I love it all! Tuesday, March 1st is National Peanut Butter Lover's Day. I could go on and on about the delicious treat and share some of my favorite recipes with you. . .but I decided to try something a little different this time!
We all know the purpose of peanut butter. We eat it, we create incredible recipes with it, and we even treat our beloved pups to it. But did you know that peanut butter has a number of other uses, too? Read on. . .
Surprising Uses for Peanut Butter
Leather Cleaner: You read that right! Put a small amount on a soft cloth and rub it over leather surfaces in a small, circular motion. The natural oils help clean the leather and make it very shiny! I can't promise your dog won't be tempted to lick that leather, though.
Shaving Cream: A small thin layer of peanut butter is a good replacement if you run out of shaving cream. Just apply and shave like you normally would. Again, the oils in peanut butter act as a moisturizer.
Odor Eliminator: When you cook certain things, those smells can be tricky to get out of the house. For some reason, candles just don't do the trick. But if you put a tablespoon of smooth peanut butter in the frying pan you cooked in and fry it for a minute or so, the smell supposedly disappears! I will have to try this the next time I cook bacon or fish!
Taking Medication: Sometimes pets or kids have trouble taking pills. Pop that pill in a spoonful of peanut butter! It helps hide the pill and the taste of the pill. Yum.
Gum Remover: This one, I have tried on my granddaughter, Mary's hair. Gum is sticky and can be a huge mess. The next time you find gum in your hair or carpet or clothes, rub a bit of peanut butter over the gum, let it sit for a few minutes, and wipe it away!
Debugger: When your car windshield is full of bug splats that are tough to get rid of, spread a little peanut butter on the spots, let it sit for about 10 minutes, and spray it off with a hose!
Remove Wood Scratches: Apply smooth peanut butter to a scratch, leave it for 30-60 minutes, then rub it away with a cloth!
Remove Glue: When you get glue all over your hands, try rubbing some peanut butter on your hands to remove the glue. The natural oils will loosen the glue and help it wash away.
Pesky Sticker Removal: Stores put stickers in the worst places sometimes! Now you can rest easy. Instead of fighting the sticker and being left with residue, smear some peanut butter on and rub it off with a cloth!
Butter Substitute: If you're ever in the middle of cooking and realize you're out of butter, replace it with smooth peanut butter!
So, how do you celebrate this delicious treat? Try one of those fun tricks I listed above! Eat peanut butter! Cook or bake with peanut butter! Or. . .try making your own, natural peanut butter. Here's a recipe I found and intend on trying:
Give it a whirl! Until next time. . .
Gram