minnie and grampy lived out in the country. their place was complete with a tractor, go-karts, rope swings, a tree house, a fishing pond, a swimming pond, fire pits, airdales, and two longhorn steer, named harold and jack. a kid’s paradise.
there we would celebrate the season with my mom’s side of the family. a big family. loads of aunts and uncles and cousins. sometimes this was the only time in the year we would get together, so i always looked forward to it.
there were always tamales, aunt rosie’s mexican wedding cookies, mom’s divinity and fudge, aunt nancy’s spinach dip, minnie’s pot of beans, and peanut brittle for grampy.
gramps was a tall, dark and handsome good ol’ boy, johnny cash-type with a booming voice, a love of trucker caps, a brilliantly sharp mind, and a PDR and a dictionary always next to his chair. he ways always quick to crack a joke, to share a valuable history lesson, and had the loudest, most distinct sneezes i’ve heard in all my life.
i think all us grand kids would agree… he was equally endearing and terrifying.
Peanut Brittle - crispy
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup salted cocktail peanuts
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup Monk Fruit In The Raw
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; spray with cooking spray.
- Combine butter and baking soda in a small bowl; set aside.
- Combine peanuts, vanilla, and cinnamon in a medium bowl; set aside.
- Combine sugar, Monk Fruit In The Raw, and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook until mixture begins to turn a light amber. Stir peanut mixture into very hot sugar mixture. Stir baking soda mixture into mixture. (mixture will bubble rapidly... use care.)
- Pour hot mixture onto parchment paper and spread with a spatula sprayed with cooking spray until peanuts are in a single layer.
