Lots and lots O' peanut butter!

Do you have any idea how many recipes the there are out there with peanut butter in them? Well, I can now say with  certainty, that there are ALOT of them, and ALOT of them are REALLY GOOD!:)

About a month ago I was asked to serve on a committe to help with the refreshments for the re-opening of the LDS church's peanut butter factory here in Houston. This open house event was kinda a big deal. I didn't know much about the PB factory, but I guess it serves the LDS church as well as the Houston food bank, and makes over 95,000 jars of peanut butter a year. I believe all these are given to those in need at no cost.

They got a new peanut roaster, and renovated the whole factory and last week it was re-dedicated and some VIP's were in attendance for that and the open house, some politicians, church leaders, those overseeing the foodbanks.

We had a few meetings for the refreshments, got to try some of the recipes, (it was 9am, and there was alot of chocolate and peanut butter....I was in heaven!:) we decide what we were all making, and a week later we headed out to the factory to get an idea of the set-up. 

The set-up meeting was over spring break, so we had lots of kids with us, and when they were each given a jar of peanut butter they were so excited! Halli and Peyton opened theirs in the car and just kept eating it out of the jar, and loved it!

Did I mention the amazing group I was asked to do this with? These are some incredibly talented girls, but I knew that already. There was Stacy, her mom Susan, Allie, Laura, Jen and Andi Cook, our fearless leader who had the vision of everything from the start.

Last wednesday we all got together in the morning to set everything up. This was after lots and lots of cooking the day before. I think I probably had the easiest recipes, but some of the other foods were AMAZING and SO delish! (not that mine weren't good, they were just more simple compared to what some of the other girls were making).

The floral centerpiece filled with peanuts....gotta tie those in any way we can! Those jars around the flowers hold whole peanuts, shell and all, peanuts with the red casings, and peanuts ready to eat!

The whole shabang....it looked AMAZING!

Steak Satay in a peanut sauce, I think these savory foods were my favorite so yummy! Andi made these and her son grilled them right at the factory so they were good and fresh and smelled wonderful!

Allie made these spring rolls with a hoisen peanut butter sauce....so, so good! I loved having some of the leftovers of these. Maybe someday I'll get brave and try to make them myself, but they look intimidating!

Stacy made these awesome wraps with a creamy peanut butter sauce, again...so good!!

Jen owns her own cupcake catering business, and she made these yummy peanut butter cupcakes. These are the one thing that I don't think I ever got to try, (although I wish I could have) but I'm sure they were delicious and they looked SO beautiful!

Andi made these awesome cheescake peanut butter pops...gorgeous, right? They're better than they look too!

Laura made these amazing peanut butter/brownie trifles, I can't believe how gorgeous some of this food is, or that I'm using the word gorgeous to descibe food!:)

Buckeyes and chocolate cookies with a peanut butter center

The whole table filled with goodies galore!  Stacy's mom was in charge of the drinks...yes, drinks with peanut butter, but she couldn't be there that day.

Here are all the ladies involved, looking sharp and ready to hostess, and then there's me in the middle messing up the gorgeous group of girls in my shabby attire.:) I didn't stay to hostess cause I had little JJ to get home to.

The hostess group with Andi now in the mix. she was on a flight during the set-up and was able to make it just in time for the open house. 

It was alot of prep, and work (especially for all those who stayed), but I was so lucky to be able to serve with such an amazing group of women and fmore importantly, for something that is such a huge blessing for so many people.