September 28, 2000, Plains, GA -- The National Peanut Board, The Planters Company and The Peanut Institute teamed up with the citizens of Plains, Georgia, to sponsor the first ever Plains Peanut Festival Recipe Contest. Hundreds of recipes from 31 different states were received. Food editors and writers served as judges to select three winners in each of four categories: snacks and appetizers, salads and main dishes, breads and muffins, and sweets and desserts, plus one overall winner. In addition to the recipe contest, the Plains Peanut Festival 2000 included the Peanut Pavilion, a Folk Play by the town of Plains, and a parade with Mr. Peanut himself as Grand Marshall.

Murray Campbell, Chairman of the National Peanut Board, says, "We are glad that this peanut recipe contest has been such a success. We saw what a tough job the judges had in picking the winners out of hundreds of recipes. We hope people will stay tuned in for next year."

Former President and Mrs. Carter took part in the first annual Plains Peanut Festival Recipe Contest by submitting two famous recipes: President Jimmy Carter's Recipe for Roasting Peanuts in a Microwave and First Lady Rosalynn Carter's Recipe for Peanut Brittle.

Ms. Brooks of Byron, Georgia, who submitted a recipe for Georgia Gold Peanuts, not only was the first place winner in the snacks and appetizers category, but also received an additional $250 as the overall grand prize winner. These candied peanuts had just the right ingredient -- gold luster dust -- to steal the show. Janet Merluzzi of Benton, PA, wowed the judges with her recipe for Peanut Marinated Grilled Chicken Breasts with Warm Honey Peanut Sauce and took first place in the salads and main dishes. Denise Neff of Imperial Beach, CA, won first place in the breads and muffins category for her Peanut Butter Banana Bread. The sweet taste of victory also went to Carole Resnick of Cleveland, OH, who submitted a Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie to die for. Each winner received $100 plus a case of Planters peanut products.

Plains Peanut Festival Recipe Contest Judges

Runners-up in the snacks and appetizers category include Peanut Crusted Chicken Strips by TerryAnn Moore, Oaklyn, NJ; Peanut Pate by Roxanne Chan, Albany, CA; Spicy Wings with Peanut Dip by Courtney McMichael, Fernandina Beach, FL; and Oven-Roasted Mushrooms with a Peanut Pesto by Wolfgang Hanau, West Palm Beach, FL. In the salads and main dishes category, runners-up include Peanut Chicken Salad Wrap by Janice Herron, Evergreen, CA; Nutty Filet All the Way by Robert Pavey, North Miami, FL; Orange-Peanut Honeyed Chicken by Diane Halferty, Corpus Christi, TX; and Peanut Ambrosia Salad by Patti Lu Oransky, Richboro, PA. Runners-up in the muffins and breads category include Oatmeal Peanut Butter and Banana Muffins by Josie-Lynn Belmont, Woodbine, GA; Peanut Butter Apple Muffins by Jo Gray, Park City, MT; Peanut Butterscotch Muffins by Danielle Branam, Norman, OK; and Georgia Peach and Creamy Peanut Muffins by Wolfgang Hanau, West Palm Beach, FL. And the runners-up in the sweets and desserts category include Down South Peanut Pie by Eloy Murphy, Moultrie, GA; Peanut Butter Sheet Cake by Tim Bennett, Batesville, AZ; Silky Peanut Butter Chiffon Squares by Valarie Holt, Cartersville, GA; and Peanut Cheesecake Squares by Diane Halferty, Corpus Cristi, TX.

Peanuts and peanut butter are some of America's favorite foods. In fact, Americans consumed almost 400 million tons of peanuts last year. Chefs and consumers alike are finding new and exciting ways to include the versatile peanut into their daily diet. Creative recipes incorporate peanuts and peanut butter into everything from stews and salads to cakes and pies.

And there is more good news. Snack peanut consumption is the highest it's been in over a decade. One reason may be because people are hearing the good nutrition news about peanuts. A growing body of nutrition research is showing that frequently eating small amounts of peanuts and peanut butter can reduce the risk of heart disease by up to 50%.

In addition to a significant amount of heart healthy monounsaturated fat, peanuts and peanut butter contain protein, phytosterols, vitamin E, folate, potassium, magnesium, zinc, and fiber, all of which are thought to benefit health.

The National Peanut Board is a newly formed promotional board representing US peanut producers. The Planters Company is the largest snack nut company in the United States. The Peanut Institute is a non-profit organization that supports nutrition research and develops educational programs to encourage healthful lifestyles.

The winning recipes plus a video of the Plains Peanut Festival can be found on The Peanut Institute's web site at www.peanut-institute.org. For photographs or to arrange an interview, please email pmkassociates@pmkassociates.com.