September 2010 PowerKids

After school snacks are a must to help make homework time more bearable.

To commemorate Chocolate Milkshake Day on Sept. 12 and Peanut Day on Sept. 13, plan a special snack time. Making a homemade chocolate milkshake is a snap, and believe it or not, it’s not difficult to make homemade peanut butter to spread on some whole wheat bread. Now, all you need to make your after school snack complete is the homework! (Just kidding!)

Peanut Butter

Roasted peanuts in shells
1-2 T. corn or vegetable oil

Crack open the shells and remove the peanuts. Measure them out until you get about one cup.

Remove the red skin from the peanuts. If you want chunky peanut butter, put the peanuts in a food processor or  grinder and run the chopped mixture 3 or more times until the peanut butter is the consistency you like. For creamy style peanut butter, chop up the peanuts in a blender.

Add oil in small amounts and regrind or blend the mixture until the peanut butter is the right consistency for spreading on bread. To avoid spoiling, keep any unused peanut butter in the refrigerator. Use as soon as possible.


Chocolate Milkshake

3 scoops chocolate ice cream
A couple of squirts of chocolate syrup
1⁄2 cup milk

Put all ingredients in a blender and process until combined. Top with whipped cream and sprinkles to make it extra-special.