How to make friends and influence RVer’s...

The old saying that comes to mind is the surest way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. I am not sure that this old idiom applies to men only! I have been favorable impressed, if not actually “loved” somebody because they know how to make a mean BBQ brisket like my Aunt Karen, or can work wonders with a pie crust and some fresh fruit ala the late Julia Child. A very dear RV friend of ours is a minister…this second career came after a distinguished career as an officer in the United States Air Force. Now retired a second time, Hank and his wife Elizabeth travel year round in their beautiful Winnebago Adventurer. Hank generously shared his marvelous magical microwave peanut brittle recipe and even provided step by step lessons on how to make his specialty right in his RV one wonderful winter while we visited their snowbird digs at McDill AFB in Tampa Florida.

I really like this recipe. It is simple, and I usually have the ingredients on hand…well, ok, maybe not the peanuts. It cooks up in just minutes and it is really hard to mess this one up. One thing you must keep in mind is that you have to know the wattage of the microwave you will be using. Wattages and therefore power, can vary greatly and the timing in this recipe is crucial. The times listed in the recipe are for an 800 watt microwave. Check your owner’s manual to verify the wattage. My father in law made this in his home microwave and had a stinky burnt mess as he didn’t know what this oven’s wattage was. Another caveat…use a glass bowl…both Hank and I recommend the 8 cup glass Pyrex measuring bowl with the handle. (That huge one you rarely use is the best one for this recipe.) Remember, the sugar and syrup mixture when cooked is extremely hot and you can easily burn yourself (or melt a plastic bowl…ask me how I know this!). Please use study potholders and protect your countertop if you need to.

Hank’s Magical Marvelous Microwave Peanut Brittle

• l cup sugar
• 1/2 cup white corn syrup
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup peanuts **
• 1 tsp. butter
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or butter the sheet heavily with real butter and set aside. Mix sugar, corn syrup and salt in large glass Pyrex
measuring or glass bowl. Microwave on high for about 4 minutes, or just until the mix is amber in color. Carefully, remove the bowl and remember…it's very, very hot, so be careful! Throw in the peanuts, stir and put back in oven; microwave one to two additional minutes on high. Remove the bowl from the oven (again, remember to be careful!) add the butter, baking soda, and vanilla all at once, and mix thoroughly. The baking soda will make the mixture foamy so act quickly… spread the mixture on to the prepared cookie sheet. I repeat: Quickly spread the mixture as it does set up fast. Let cool, then break into pieces.

**Spanish peanuts work best…you can find them raw at most grocery stores. Check in the produce department or in the baking section. Some cooks have reported success with dry roasted nuts…I don’t care for them myself.

More tips…

▪Always use real butter!
▪Always use real vanilla!
▪I put the vanilla, butter and baking soda in a little bowl and just dump the contents into the hot mixture all together when it’s time. I learned the hard way and tried to measure and then add when the bowl came out of the microwave…silly mistake!

I know that when I make this, I have many, many friends. And I gain many, many pounds. I won’t tell you how long it takes to walk off a pound of Hank’s Peanut Brittle. Enjoy.