Yes, that's the legendary fried peanut butter and banana sandwich that the King, Elvis Presley, consumed in mass quantities. What made me do it? Well, Glenna over at A fridge full of food and nothing to eat has a zany blogging event called Weekend Obnoxious But Amazingly Tasty recipes (WOBAT). Of course, she took the obvious choice for her post, a fried Twinkie. I e-mailed her and complained that I couldn't think of anything obnoxious but tasty to make, and she said, "Well Sher, we always have Elvis as our guide." And she's right, of course. I've never had a fried PB and banana sandwich, but I've always wanted to taste one. So, here was my chance, and it was very, very good. In fact, I'm surprised the King didn't add bacon to the ingredients. I bet that would make it perfect.
Legend has it that Elvis ate dozens of these a day. That's frightening, because the fat grams have to be very high for just one sandwich. I was tempted to use whole wheat bread instead of white. But, I'm going to make a wild guess and assume that Elvis never had whole wheat bread in his life. And it wouldn't have been true to Elvis to use anything but white bread. That meant I had to buy a big squishy loaf of white bread in Davis, which is politically incorrect. There weren't many loaves of it in the bread aisle, but I finally found a loaf of Sara Lee and hid it in my basket, in case I met someone I know. Come on, admit it--we all look at what other people buy at the grocery store.
Here it is. It was delicious, but I'll never have one again. I'm not ready to die yet.
Elvis Presley Fried Peanut Butter And Banana Sandwich
2 slices white bread
2 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter (and not that reduced fat stuff)
1 small banana
2 Tablespoons butter
Toast the bread slightly and cool. Spread the PB on one slice, but don't bring the PB up to the edge of the bread.The PB will get warm and run a bit. Slice or mash the banana and put it on the other slice of bread (or on top of the slice with PB on it). Put the bread slices together and fry in hot melted butter until each side is browned.
You're brave! I'm having a good laugh about adding bacon to the sandwich to make it perfect.
Posted by: Julie | July 27, 2006 at 11:08 AM
ok, I'm holding my breath and sucking in my tummy, your butter fried PBB sandwich is totally obnoxious! But decadent!
Posted by: gattina | July 27, 2006 at 11:16 AM
Personally, I just don't know if I could do it- you are one brave chick!
Posted by: s'kat | July 27, 2006 at 11:22 AM
I would definitely try this - once! I love peanut butter and bananas but left them behind when I started low carbing. But, just once . . . I might!
Posted by: Christine | July 27, 2006 at 11:58 AM
OMG-this looks so good, i almost licked my screen. Then again, peanut butter has been my pregnancy craving for months now, which can somewhat explain my obsession with this delicious recipe and photo.
Have you ever heard of Elvis's Fool's Gold sandwich run? I saw this recently on a VH1 special. He chartered a plane in the middle of the night, flew to Denver, and ate one 9or probably more) of the sandwiches, made from a single loaf of hollowed out, warmed bread, one jar each of peanut butter and jelly, and a pound of bacon. Gaa!!! Holy clogged arteries!
Posted by: Kristi | July 27, 2006 at 12:37 PM
Julie,
It was a fun thing to make this, I admit. As I recall, Nigella Lawson did it on her show, and she loved it. I recall someone telling me that they ate bacon and peanut butter sandwiches.
Gattina,
What I can't understand is how he could eat so many!!! I was full after eating one half. It's so loaded with fat.
s'kat,
Thank you!! I'm ready for my Badge of Courage now!! Or foolhardiness.
Christine,
Yes, once is enough for me too. Now I'm going to eat omega-3 today, to help my arteries.
Kristi,
You know, I believe that!! It's so Elvis and over the top. But, he did things like that. Don't feed Beastie one of these. :):) But, a nice cupcake made from your Magnolia Bakery cookbook would be nice.
Posted by: sher | July 27, 2006 at 12:54 PM
I was working and semi-watching Paula Deen today and she did an Elvis-themed show and I need to have my arteries done just from watching.
Posted by: steven | July 27, 2006 at 02:09 PM
LOL.
girl, the heat has fried your brain!
now, i'm cooking the bacon as i write -- but it's for pasta carbonara.
sorry to rub it in, but we have air conditioning in south carolina. nobody could live here otherwise, and i predict a migration out of this swamp if [when?] the energy chickens come home to roost, bird flu or no.
we'll be begging for nukular energy, doncha know.
btw, did upsie come begging for a sample?
time to chill and have another frozen margarita.
Posted by: whaleshaman | July 27, 2006 at 02:35 PM
Steven,
Gasp!! I missed that? Well, I have to see if they repeat it. What am I saying? Of course they will repeat it.
Posted by: sher | July 27, 2006 at 02:35 PM
there used to be a place in Boston that served a Velvet Elvis sandwich which was exactly what you made, but battered and deep fried!
I never ate it, but trust me, it was only because i hate peanut butter!
Posted by: ann | July 28, 2006 at 05:26 AM
Kristi--no. way. I mean, I totally believe Elvis did that but my brain refuses to even imagine it.
Posted by: Shannon | July 28, 2006 at 08:18 AM
Whaleshamen,
Ahh--pasta cabanara!! I love that dish!! We do have an AC, but it can't keep up with the heat, probably because the builder installed an AC unit that's too small for the size of our house. We only discovered that fact this year! Always wondered why it was so hard to cool this house down. Apparently, this is a very common thing for some builders to do, saves money for them.
No, Upsie thinks bananas and peanut butter are disgusting! She would have wanted the bacon.
Ann,
Oh, that would kill you for sure. Batter fried? Elvis would have loved it, I bet.
Shannon,
In the South, we dream up all kinds of crazy foods to clog our arteries. That's why Paula Deen uses at least a pound of butter on her show.
Posted by: sher | July 28, 2006 at 10:21 AM
Have you watched "Last Days of Elvis" (I think it's what the TV show called)... later on the doctor had Elvis to eat health, so he started on grapefruit...yes, but he ate hundreds of it a day...
Posted by: gattina | July 28, 2006 at 10:28 AM
Just happened across your blog. As a longtime Elvis fan, I want to correct your recipe for EP's sandwich: the bananas are mashed, not sliced. As for bacon, EP didn't have it with the PB&B sandwich--he liked it by the pound and fried until burnt.
If you like funny food, you might want to check out pimpthatsnack.com. It supersizes snacks and has fun to book.
Regards, Ellen
Posted by: FriendofElvis | July 28, 2006 at 05:23 PM
Gattina,
No, I didn't see that show. Hundreds of grapefruit! Wow! I like grapefruit a lot but the acid in that many would make my teeth hurt.
Friend of Elvis,
Hi, thanks for stopping by. I had read that he had his cook mash them, but they photograph better sliced. :) I love bacon too, and I think it would be great on his sandwich.
Posted by: sher | July 28, 2006 at 07:17 PM
I've done this - and my mother, in Connecticut, used to make us peanut butter and bacon sandwiches (though not fried - guess that's where the New England comes in). Scrumptious. Never thought of all three together, must give it a shot!
Posted by: tina | March 22, 2009 at 03:46 AM
im ganna try it today, leave elvis alone he is still the king!!!
Posted by: jeannie stelly | December 19, 2010 at 01:42 PM