Silly Peanut Facts:

 First of all, the peanut is wrongly named.  It's not really a nut at all.  It grows underneath the ground and is technically called the plant's "fruit."  But, never mind the biology details, right? ;)

What is the peanut's nickname?
Answer: Goober Peas

Which President is considered "The Peanut President?"
Jimmy Carter.  He had a peanut farm.

So besides President Jimmy Carter's farm, how many peanut farms are there in the USA?
Aproximately 50,000 farms are in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, N. Carolina, Oklahoma, S. Carolina, Texas and Virginia.

1 % of the population (3 million people) have severe allergies to peanuts.
Airlines have now been required to have "peanut free" flights.
For more information, visit
Children's Peanut Allergy Site.

How to Make Your Own
 Homemade Peanut Butter

What you need:
A blender or food processor
2 Cups Canned, Roasted, Salted Peanuts
(For Crunchy Peanut Butter Use 2  1/2 Cups)
1 Tablespoon Oil
1 Tablespoon Sugar 

Directions:

Put 2 cups of  peanuts and oil into the blender or food processor.  Turn it on low at first.  Then slowly increase the speed. But don't over do it. All you want to do is make sure the peanuts become creamy and the mixture is smooth.  Now, taste it!  If you want it to be sweeter, then add more sugar.  Or if you wish, add some honey.
For Crunchy Peanut Butter, stir  in 1/2 cup of chopped peanuts.  
To "Stir" it in  means with a spoon. 

Eat or Store in a sealed container.  This should last 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator.  Remember, this does not have any preservatives!  So it won't last as long as store purchased peanut butter.  If you notice the oil rising to the surface, just stir it before using.   

Here's a few fun variations to stir in with a spoon:
Do not  use the blender!  You'll end up with a mucky mess. ;)

Also stir in some ice cream chocolate syrup for chocolate and peanut butter.
Or, stir in your favorite jam.
Or, stir  in some marshmallow cream.
Or stir in some rice krispies, or your favorite cereal (small in size).
Or use your imagination!

It should be OK if it's not older than 5 days.  Some sites are saying 2 weeks. Hmmm?

My motto for if you're not sure if you should eat something:
If in doubt, toss it out!

It's much better to toss out a few dollars of food than end up in the ER for food poisoning.

For more peanut recipes, visit the National Peanut Board.

How to Grow Your own Peanut Bush Plant

The peanut bush averages approximately 18" high and has small yellow flowers. Each flower will bloom for only one day. So keep your eyes peeled!  After that, the flower will then wilt and the petals fall off.   The stem of the flower is called a "peg" and Mother Nature (aka gravity) pulls this to the ground.  Several weeks later, this peg burrows into the ground and a peanut begins to form about 1" below the surface.  Want to grow a plant?

1.  Take the small rocks and put them in the bottom of your pot (for drainage purposes).Then fill the pot with the potting soil.

2. Important:   Take one of your natural peanuts and carefully remove the outer shell.  Be sure to leave the "red skin" on it!

3.  Soak this peanut in water overnight.
4.  The next morning, take your finger and make a 1" hole in your
     dirt.  Stick the peanut in it.  Cover it with soil, pat and sprinkle
     with some water.

5.  Put the pot in a warm and sunny place and make sure the soil is
    always moist.

8 DAYS LATER!
It should have sprouted!

6 - 8 WEEKS LATER!
You should have a small green bush that's close to blooming
those yellow flowers mentioned above.

6.  After your peanut plant blooms, the stalks fall down to the dirt    and after a couple of weeks should tunnel into the ground.

7.  The tip of each of these flower pods (under the ground now) will
     mature into a peanut in about 40 to 50 days.

8.  When your peanut bush begins to turn brown, that's harvest time!

HARVEST YOUR PEANUTS!

1.  Gently pull the plant out of your pot.  Shake off all the dirt and ...  Wha-La!  You should have a crop of peanuts hanging in front of 
     you.

2.  Hang your plant in a warm, dry place for about a week to dry
     out your peanut pods.

3.  After they're dry, spread them out on a cookie sheet and bake
    them in the oven at 350 F for 15 to 20 minutes.  Remove from
    the oven and allow them to cool.  Shell them, toss some salt on
    them and enjoy!

Source:  "Silly Celebrations - Activities for the Strangest Holidays You've Never Heard Of!"
by Denice Skrepcinski, Melissa Stock and Lois Lyles
Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division © 1998

DID YOU KNOW?

Arachiutyrophobia =
the fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth.

Our Midi is
 "Goober Peas"
It's a traditional song from the Civil War.  Below are the lyrics if you want to sing along.
It plays only once. So if you missed the beginning just hit "Refresh" and it will begin again.