Peanut Brittle

Peanut Brittle

Daughter Barbara has made this recipe for years. Actually she is known for her delicious peanut brittle. She does not use the raw Spanish peanuts in her recipe but ramps it up a notch with the Deluxe mix of cashews, almonds and pistachios.

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup light Karo

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup water

1 cup Deluxe mixed nuts

2 Tablespoons butter, softened

1 teaspoon baking soda

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Directions:

Lightly butter a cookie sheet and set aside. Have all ingredients measured and set aside before beginning as the recipe cooks fast.

***

In a heavy 2 quart pan, over medium heat, bring to a boil sugar, corn syrup, salt., and water. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Stir in nuts. Set candy thermometer in place, and continue cooking. Stir frequently until temperature reaches 300 degrees, or until a small amount of mixture dropped into a glass of very cold water separates into hard and brittle threads.

***

Remove from heat; immediately stir in butter and baking soda; pour at once onto cookie sheet. Pour at once onto a cookie sheet. With two forks lift and pull peanut mixture into a rectangle about 14 X 12 inches; cool. Snap candy into pieces.  
Yield: one pound.

Fresh Fig Chutney

Fresh Fig Chutney

Our daughter Barbara used this Food Network recipe today making this batch of Fresh Fig Chutney.  Barbara said her kitchen smelled so good and the chutney in the jars was a picture!

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Ingredients
2 1/2 cups red wine vinegar
1/2 pound light brown sugar
1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
1/4 lemon, zested
1/2 cinnamon stick
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/4 pounds firm, slightly underripe fresh figs,  

   rinsed, stemmed and cut in halves.   

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Directions:

In a large saucepan combine the vinegar, sugar, onion, ginger, mustard seeds, lemon zest, cinnamon stick, salt, allspice, and cloves and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until mixture is thickened and reduced by 2/3, forming a thick syrup. Add the figs and cook gently until the figs are very soft and beginning to fall apart and most of the liquid they've given off has evaporated, about 30 minutes.

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Transfer the chutney to a non-reactive container and allow to come to room temperature before serving. The chutney may be made up to 3 weeks in advance and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. (Alternately, hot chutney may be ladled into hot sterilized canning jars and processed in a hot-water bath according to manufacturer's directions.)

Gruyere And Parmesan Cheese Souffle

Gruyere and Parmesan Cheese Souffle

Our daughter Barbara has shared another great sounding souffle recipe which she has prepared. It is always fun to visit Barbara as she serves such delightful and delicious menus. Barbara found this recipe on Epicurious.com.

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Gruyère and Parmesan Cheese Soufflé

Ingredients:

Grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup butter

5 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

Pinch of cayene pepper

Pinch of ground nutmeg

1 1/4 cup whole milk

1/4 cup dry white wine

6 large egg yolks

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons packed coarely grated Gruyere cheese (about 6 ounces)

1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

8 large egg whites

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Directions:

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400°F.

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Generously butter one 10-cup soufflé dish or six 1 1/4-cup soufflé dishes; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese to coat. (If using 1 1/4-cup dishes, place all 6 on rimmed baking sheet.)

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Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour, cayenne pepper and nutmeg. Cook without browning until mixture begins to bubble, whisking constantly, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk, then wine. Cook until smooth, thick and beginning to boil, whisking constantly, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

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Mix yolks, salt and pepper in small bowl. Add yolk mixture all at once to sauce and whisk quickly to blend. Fold in 1 1/4 cups Gruyère cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (cheeses do not need to melt).

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Using electric mixer, beat whites in large bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold 1/4 of whites into lukewarm soufflé base to lighten. Fold in remaining whites. Transfer soufflé mixture to prepared dish. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons Gruyère cheese.

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Place soufflé in oven; reduce heat to 375°F. Bake soufflé until puffed, golden and gently set in center, about 40 minutes for large soufflé (or 25 minutes for small soufflés). Using oven mitts, transfer soufflé to platter and serve immediately.

Madeleines

Guest contributor: Barbara Myers, our youngest daughter.

MADELEINES

Ingredients:

1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus additional for brushing molds

1 1/4 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising; sift before measuring)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons finely grated fresh lemon zest
Confectioners sugar for dusting

Special equipment:
3 madeleine pans, each with 12 (1/8-cup) molds

Directions: 

Set oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Brush molds with some melted butter.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat eggs in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until light and foamy, about 30 seconds with a standing mixer or 1 minute with a handheld, then beat in vanilla. Gradually add granulated sugar, beating constantly at high speed, and continue to beat until mixture is tripled in volume, about 3 minutes with standing mixer or 5 minutes with handheld. Sift flour mixture in 3 or 4 batches over egg, folding in each batch until just combined. Then fold in zest and 3/4 cup melted butter. Spoon a rounded tablespoon of batter into each mold (they will be about two-thirds full) and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven (2 pans will fit on 1 rack), switching position of pans halfway through baking, until golden around edges and a tester inserted in centers comes out clean, 10 to 12 minutes total. Invert madeleines onto a rack and dust scalloped sides with confectioners sugar.

Peanut Brittle ..... Daughter Barbara made a double batch for her office party. Check her secret ingredient !!!

Peanut Brittle

Barbara has made this recipe for years. Actually she is known for her delicious peanut brittle. She does not use the peanuts in her recipe but ramps it up a notch with the Deluxe mix of cashews, almonds and pistachios.

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup light Karo

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup water

1 cup Deluxe mixed nuts

2 Tablespoons butter, softened

1 teaspoon baking soda

***

Directions:

Lightly butter a cookie sheet and set aside. Have all ingredients measured and set aside before beginning as the recipe cooks fast.

***

In a heavy 2 quart pan, over medium heat, bring to a boil sugar, corn syrup, salt., and water. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Stir in nuts. Set candy thermometer in place, and continue cooking. Stir frequently until temperature reaches 300 degrees, or until a small amount of mixture dropped into a glass of very cold water separates into hard and brittle threads.

***

Remove from heat; immediately stir in butter and baking soda; pour at once onto cookie sheet. Pour at once onto a cookie sheet. With two forks lift and pull peanut mixture into a rectangle about 14 X 12 inches; cool. Snap candy into pieces. 
Yield: one pound.