Microwave Peanut Brittle

Every year my Dad and I get in the kitchen and make homemade Chex Mix (aka trash, I honestly do not know why it is called Trash but hmm, something to ponder) and Peanut Brittle right around Christmas time! It is great father-daughter bonding time and I look forward to it every year! This year we had trouble finding raw peanuts at the local grocers (did you know raw peanuts are usually in the produce section in the grocery store? Yeah, me neither) but eventually found some just as fresh in our freezer from earlier this year. Since before I could remember, homemade peanut brittle has been a holiday staple in my house and I can't imagine this time of year without it. This easy, microwave peanut brittle recipe is my grandmother's recipe. Last night I had the pleasure of looking through her old recipe collection with her cursive scribble on scraps of paper that I could barely read, but it made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside just looking at the incredible recipes that had been passed down through generations. So anyway, this makes one batch of peanut brittle, my dad and I made about 5 batches last night for all of the fun festivities coming up!

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1 cup raw peanuts

1/2 cup white corn syrup

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon  butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

In a 1 1/2 quart bowl than can be used in a microwave, stir together peanuts, sugar, corn syrup, and salt.

Cook for 4 minutes, and then stir well and then cook 4 more minutes. After cooking a total of 8 minutes, add butter and vanilla and cook 2 more minutes. At the end of the last 2 minutes, take out of microwave and then add the baking soda, then stir REALLY fast until light and foamy/bubbly. 

Immediately pour onto a lightly buttered foil and spread out. When cool, break into small pieces.

(Set microwave on high. If this setting should burn the peanuts, reduce setting)

Remember: ALL MICROWAVES ARE DIFFERENT!!

OH! & if you want to add shredded coconut to this peanut brittle, add it after cooking the FIRST 4 minutes! :) 

bon appetit!

Have a great Friday everyone! I will be spending mine baking, listening to Martha Stewart Radio, watching Food Network by the fire, and drinking hot coffee! I LOVE this cold weather!

Sean's AMAZING Gumbo

So, my good friend Sean has been wanting me to try his gumbo recipe! And I kept putting it off because it just wasn't cold enough outside for gumbo. Well finally, we got a cold front in and it was chilly enough outside to have something warm and soupy in our tummies (that sounded really gross, my apologies). But anyway he sent me this recipe through text message photo and told me how to tweak it to make it perfect! I also added a few twiks and tweaks of my own. So here it goes:

2 links of venison Slovacek sausage
1 tsp Cajun spices
1 14.5 oz. can stewed tomatoes
1 14.5 oz. can chicken broth, defatted
2 tsp onion flakes
2 cups frozen, cut okra
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 poblano pepper, diced
1/2 tsp garlic salt
2 cups water
1 cup instant rice
1/2 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Dash of seasoned salt

In large skillet put a few drops of water and then place both links of pre-cooked sausage in skillet and let warm. Warm until
both sides have dark marks on them.


Next, I cut the sausage into small pieces and tossed it into a large pot. Along with literally EVERYTHING else except the rice. I brought everything to a hard boil and let it stay there for about 3 minutes. Next, I added the rice and mixed it in, turned it down to low/simmer and put the lid on it and let it simmer for about 6 minutes, occasionally scraping the bottom and stirring. This way, it well cook the rice and condense and make it less soupy and more gumbo-y! After that, it's pretty much done. SUPER DUPER DUPER DUPER easy!

BON APPETIT!