Sunday, November 29, 2009

Family Tradition



Every Christmas for the past 34 years I have been making peanut brittle for friends and family. It started while I was visiting my in laws right after Ric and I were married. This was my mother-in-laws recipe and she put me to work helping with this labor of love. I can not imagine the amount of nuts, sugar, syrup and butter I have used but to suffice to say that it is in the hundreds of pounds.
This project starts after Thanksgiving and continues up until Christmas Eve. We usually get requests from friends and co-workers when the holiday approaches. The question is if they are on the list to get this wonderful candy. As we have moved around, the list grows and the tradition continues.

The recipe:
Peanut Brittle
1/2 cup water
2 cups sugar
1 cup Kero light syrup
2 cups raw spanish peanuts
2 Tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

Bring water to boil on medium high heat. Add sugar and kero syrup. Bring to a boil and add peanuts. Stir constantly and cook to 295 degrees. When temperture is reached, turn off heat and add butter and vanilla. Continue stirring and add soda. Pour out onto two generously buttered cookie sheets. When cooled, break into pieces with the handle of a butter knife.

3 comments:

Jennifer said...

I have such fond memories of my Dad bringing home peanut brittle every year for the holidays from his office staff. Yummy! I've never had any nearly as delicious... but yours looks the same. I might just have to try this recipe. Thanks for sharing. How lucky to be on your list! What a gem you are.

Kim Hughes said...

Looks and sounds delicious. Too bad my husband has peanut allergies or I'd be all over that recipe.

Your crafts look great. I crochet a little and one day would love to learn how to knit.

Juanita said...

Ooooh.... that peanut brittle looks good! :) Thanks for sharing the recipe.