The first-ever Peanut Fest Gourmet Goober Cookoff was a huge success, with entries in each of the four categories ranging from peanut-encrusted pork to peanut butter truffles.

Using peanuts or peanut butter as a feature ingredient, residents of Hampton Roads came out to the 25th Annual Suffolk Peanut Fest on Saturday, Oct. 12 to participate in the contest. A variety of cash and other prizes were awarded to the following:

APPETIZERS & SIDES

First Place – Wilma Hylton of Chesapeake for Broccoli Salad

ENTR…E

First Place – Betty Jo English of Suffolk for Peanut Crusted Pork with Popovers and Peanut Gravy

PIES & CAKES

First Place – Kadi English of Suffolk for Peanutty Peanut Butter Brownies

Second Place – Kadi English of Suffolk for Peanut Cheesecake with Peanut Butter-Chocolate Ganache

COOKIES & CONFECTIONS

First Place – Susan Pendleton of Suffolk for Peanut Butter Truffles

Second Place – Esther Piatt of Chesapeake for Sugar Coated Peanuts

Third Place – Betty Jo English of Suffolk for Peanut Crunchies

GRAND PRIZE OVERALL

First Place – Susan Pendleton of Suffolk for Peanut Butter Truffles (Recipe follows; permission to reprint is granted.)

Folks are encouraged to think of recipes for next year’s cookoff, to be held the Saturday morning of Peanut Festival. Categories and rules may change slightly. Check the Peanut Fest Web site for more details starting next year.

PEANUT BUTTER

TRUFFLES

By Susan Pendleton of Suffolk

First-Place winner in Cookies & Confections category

Grand Prize Overall winner; First-Ever Peanut Fest Gourmet Goober Cookoff

Filling Ingredients

One-Third box of graham crackers

Two sticks of margarine or butter

One and one-fourth cups smooth peanut butter

One pound confectioner’s sugar

Coating Ingredients

Two 11.5-ounce packages milk chocolate chips

Other Ingredients

36 – 48 miniature cupcake liners

Method

Crush graham crackers in food processor or blender until fine. In a large bowl, add the next three ingredients to the graham cracker crumbs. Mix until well blended with spoon and then with hands. Roll mixture into one-inch balls and place on wax paper. Chill while preparing the chocolate chips.

Melt chocolate chips in microwave for one minute at 70-percent power. Continue at 15 second intervals at 70-percent power until completely melted. Place toothpick in ball and dip into melted chocolate.

Garnish with sprinkles or chopped nuts if preferred. Place in miniature cupcake liners. Chill until set.

Yield: 3 – 4 dozen.