PEANUT BUTTER SMOOTHIE ODDLY REFRESHING

It's always national something month. This month, it's peanut butter — a healthful food, especially if you buy the natural kind and drain off much of the oil. Peanut butter and jelly remains a lunch favorite with many of us through our lives.

Here's a different kind of smoothie that will bring back childhood — sounds odd but tastes good — from the National Peanut Board. Rim a 16-ounce glass with peanut butter and coat with graham cracker crumbs. Fill half-full of ice. In a blender, combine 6 ounces grape juice (yes, grape), 2 ounces low-fat milk, 1 tablespoons peanut butter and 1 graham cracker square. Process until well-blended. Pour over ice. (I tried it with apple juice and that worked, too.)

— Wanda A. Adams

FROM OUR READERS

THAT ELUSIVE POPCORN OIL TURNS UP

In the category, Topics That Keep Coming Up: That 'Ono Pretzel Snack? The one that calls for Orville Redenbacher Butter Flavor Popcorn Oil that no one can find? Here's what I've learned since last week, when I offered options: Andrew Yoza and Jeanne Yagi called to say you can get it at Wal-Mart. Yagi, and reader Amy Miwa, of Hilo, said they have no trouble finding it at KTA (Puainako branch and downtown Hilo branches). It's in a new, 16-ounce bottle. And Elsie Yonamine said Safeway Waimalu had a supply of it. Also: You can use half-melted butter, half vegetable oil. If you missed the recipe, I've asked for it to be posted on the Web site, in today's Taste section.

— Wanda A. Adams