Easy Peanut Sauce Recipe for 6 Family Meals

Peanut butter, perhaps one of the best creations ever to pair with jelly, or chocolate, or ice cream, or practically anything, is getting a makeover. Babble writer Melissa Roberts says it's a national emergency when her household runs out of the sticky lunch staple - a favorite of her little boy, Henry, who as she says, never seems to tire of eating it in a sandwich. So she decided to mix it up, and mix it in, with a few new recipes to experiment with it beyond the lunch box. He was delighted, she says, when presented with "chicken on a stick with peanut butter sauce" (a.k.a satay-style chicken) at the dinner table. The sauce is so easy to make, and keeps (well covered) in the fridge, for a week.

Give it a try! (And here are a few other recipes for peanut butter lovers)

• Peanut Sauce 1) Place 1 clove of garlic and a 1-inch length of peeled fresh ginger in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
  2) Add 1/2 cup smooth and sweetened peanut butter (such as Jif or Skippy), 1/2 cup warm water, 1 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil, 1 tablespoon vinegar (red wine, cider or rice), and 1 teaspoon sugar.
  3) Throw in 1/2 to 1 teaspoon red chile flakes if you'd like some heat, and blend until smooth (thin with additional water if necessary).
• 
  
• Chicken Satay (Chicken on a stick) 1) Stir together 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice with 2 Tbsp olive oil, and 1 tsp salt.
  2) Slice 1 lb chicken breasts lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces and marinate for 1-3 hours
  3) While chicken marinates, soak 8 to 10 (8-inch long) wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes.
  4) Then thread the meat onto skewers and cook on a stovetop grill pan over medium-high heat, turning once, until cooked through, about 3 minutes a side. (Chicken can also be cooked under a broiler, 4 to 6 inches from the heat.)
  5) Serve with peanut sauce.