Coffee’s Best Friend

CHEF
Johnson & Wales Freshman Bridget McQuaige

PREPARATION TIME
10 minutes

TROPICAL FOODS INGREDIENT

PB&J Mix®

COOKING TIME
40 minutes

SERVINGS:  16 muffins

INGREDIENTS
1 cup Tropical Food’s PB&J Mix®, separated
¼ cup Tropical Food’s PB&J Mix®
12 muffin liners
1 sweet potato
1 tbsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. cardamom
1 tsp. nutmeg
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
3 tbsp. maple syrup
1 tbsp. heavy cream
¼ cup and 1 tbsp. white sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup brown sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 banana, chopped
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil

INSTRUCTIONS
Peel and chop sweet potato into one-inch cubes and toss with cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg. Melt butter in a pot and add in seasoned sweet potato cubes. Stir and add in cream and maple syrup. Cover and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 20 minutes, or until soft.

Blend ¼ cup Tropical Food’s PB&J Mix® and 1 tbsp. white sugar in a blender, until it resembles fine crumbs. Separate the remaining PB&J Mix® by placing cranberries and peanut butter chips in one bowl and peanuts in a separate bowl. Roughly chop half the peanuts in the food processor and set aside. Process the other half until it forms a thick paste. Sift together flour, brown sugar, ¼ cup white sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Add chopped peanuts, cranberries and peanut butter chips to dry ingredients.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add chopped banana and peanut paste to the tender sweet potatoes; mash or puree. Mix egg, milk and oil in a medium bowl, then whisk in sweet potato mixture. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Combine with a spoon until moistened, but do not over mix batter. Spoon batter into muffin cups and bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.