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Thursday, November 25, 2010

One Well Worn Pot and Spoon makes Grandma Marge's Famous Peanut Brittle. A Recipe that doesn't stick in your teeth!

This recipe is one of the most special that has been passed down from my husband's mom (Marge) to me.  She passed this recipe and all the necessary equipment to make the perfect batch of this buttery, delicious peanut brittle.  The best part is it doesn't ever stick in your teeth. 

With the recipe, the well worn and loved pot and spoon - came alot of responsibility.... Responsibility that I am excited to be in trusted with.  It is my job to make sure loved ones get there batch of the brittle every holiday season.






Every year when I start to make this peanut brittle...standing at the stove (or this year sitting on a bar stool with my leg elevated)...I can envision Marge doing this same love task, over and over and over every year.  The difficult part is when I look at the hand written recipe card....



....and read her special note on the top corner



....as you can see it tell me to call her before starting the peanut brittle.  She always would share her special knowledge.

My biggest tip is to have everything ready on the stove top before starting this recipe.




If you notice in the above photo - I have the butter cut up in cubes to help it incorporate quicker and better.  The baking soda and salt in one small cup together.  The Pyrex measuring cup in full of water (I use it to add the candy thermometer in before I add the butter and baking soda/salt.  Otherwise the hot sugar is difficult to get off later.) 

Ingredients:

2 cups granulated white sugar
1 cup white syrup (corn syrup)
1 scant cup water
2 cups raw peanuts
2 teaspoons of baking soda
2 Tablespoons of unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Boil first 3 ingredients over medium heat to soft ball stage.



Add peanuts.


Cook until light brown (hard crack), stirring constantly.



Remove from heat and continue to stir while adding add baking soda, salt and butter.




Do not over stir the baking soda/salt and butter in, otherwise you will knock all of the air bubbles out of the brittle and it will be hard.
Pour out onto 2 buttered cookie sheets - DO NOT STRETCH OUT!!! 



By not stretching the brittle it helps keep the texture, light and airy.  Which you will see - makes it not stick in your teeth. 

Happy Holiday's everyone.  We miss you so much Marge - it has been almost 7 years since you left this world - and there isn't a day that goes by that we don't think about you.

Keep on eye on my blog.  The King Aurthur Giveaway is only a few days away from starting!

6 comments:

  1. My Grandma made Peanut Brittle too! She was deep into Alzheimers by the time anyone thought to obtain her recipes. Such a regret! I am so glad you have that recipe from your Aunt and the tools she used to make it as well. It's so special to have something like that to define a person- a recipe can live on long beyond us.

    I am trying to learn how to make the rolls my Husband's Mother is famous for. It will take me a long time to even come close to making them as good as she does but I'm off to a decent start.

    I might just have to steal the Peanut Brittle Recipe and tell the kids it IS my Grandma's Peanut Brittle- they might feel more connected and I don't have to say the recipe is/is not authentic. LOL!

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  2. Cynthia I am so sorry to hear about your Grandma's battle with Alzheimers. I was lucky that my mother-in-law passed her recipes down before she came down with cancer and passed away. The book she made for me with all her cherished recipes mean the world to my husband and I.

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  3. Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving such sweet comments:-) I hope to see you back there soon:-)

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  4. I can tell everyone from taste testing the peanut brittle is delicious and does not stick to your teeth. Colleen, my daughter, makes it for me every year. I have found one problem while it eating though, knowing when to stop. One piece leads to another, it is very good. Colleen is a good cook and loves to share with others. Cindy, Colleen's mom.

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  5. My grandma always made peanut brittle too, but it DID stick to your teeth. BAD! Haha!

    I love the the tenderness and reverence you have for these recipes. the tools, and the people who passed them on to you. This is family history in the making!

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  6. My family really likes this! I eat around the peanuts because I don't like that part but it's still really good!

    Thanks for linking this recipe up! I hope you'll stop by this week to link up more great recipes :)

    http://notsohomemade.blogspot.com/2010/12/tex-mex-lasagna-whats-cooking-wednesday.html

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