"Gather ye rose-buds while ye may." Robert Herrick

"Gather ye rose-buds while ye may." Robert Herrick

Hello Friends!

Friends, Romans, countrymen...y'all. Foodies, gardeners, artists and collectors - let's gather together to share and possibly learn a thing or two in the mix.

Donna Baker

Sunday, December 20, 2015

The Food Prep Has Begun


This candy, peanut brittle, is a family favorite at Christmas.  It is good, and easy.  I use a microwave recipe.  No thermometer hanging in it and hard ball stage mess.  I even have a recipe now for pudding in the microwave.  I love it because I don't have to stand over the pot, stirring constantly, for what seems like an hour.

One batch down and two more to go.



33 comments:

Joanne Noragon said...

It looks yummy. I can remember stuffing myself on this sort of goodness my aunt put on every flat surface. My favorite combo was peanut brittle and gum drops. Try it; your mouth will think you're a child again.

Jacqueline @ HOME said...

YUM !!!! A very old British favourite is peanut brittle Donna. XXXX

RachelD said...

An old-time favorite, though I've made it very few times myself. A local little country church used to come around all year round, selling small piepans of the wonderful stuff, with a delightfully soft snap to the bite---they used Grandma Price's recipe, it it included extra soda.

That was WAY before you could buy so many kinds of disposable molds and pans, and once I asked where they got so many nice pans the right size. The seller smiled and said, "We just all save 'em up from Swanson Chicken Pies."

My own cooking prep will begin again tomorrow---a couple of pans of fudge, and cheesecakes by Caro. We frivolled the weekend away with a little stocking-stuffer shopping, several things for the youngest ones, a movie and a fantastic dinner at our fave cafeteria---stuffed chicken breast for me, and cranberry-relish Jello. A traditional treat.

Now we're home in our jammies, almost dozy at 6:15!

angryparsnip said...

Oh Thank You for posting this. I like peanut brittle but never make it because it seems so hard.
I will look this up.

cheers, parsnip

A Brit in Tennessee said...

Ooh, I love peanut brittle, and yours looks delicious.
Each Christmas I would make a gallon jar full of it, oftentimes I would make pecan brittle also. Nowadays with my husband values his 'new' teeth, so I just make a small batch...lol
Wishing you and yours a wonderful Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year.
Hugs,
~Jo

donna baker said...

At the same time Joanne? I have put Milk Duds in the popcorn at the theatre before.

donna baker said...

I'm glad to know that Jacqueline. I saw Weaver had pecans on her Christmas cake and didn't know if they ate peanuts in England.

donna baker said...

I hear ya Rachel. I'm not making the other family fav candy this year, Reese's cup candy balls. This is the only one. But, I will be cooking daily till Christmas eve. I'm ready for the kids to take it all over and just show up. I'd be in bed early but can't miss Homeland.

donna baker said...

Let me know if you need the recipe. I might have already posted it before.

donna baker said...

Oh Jo, I think one of my first bloggy friends, thank you and you and yours' too. I tried it with cashews before and it was good. Can't go wrong with pecans.

Frances said...

Donna, before I turn to peanut brittle and microwaving, I want to thank you for the post about those intriguing Buddha's Hand citrus fruits. I still remember my curiosity about them when I saw my first sample at some friend's Thanksgiving feast. I am still intrigued, yet have never bought one myself. How cool that you have grown your own.

Now. I do like peanut brittle, and think I might have once sampled some that was homemade. Must have been pre-microwave times. I still don't own a microwave oven, and do not knowingly every eat anything that was prepared via this technique. Yes, I am in some ways a bit of a chicken.

I might dream of peanut brittle tonight. Thank you! xo

donna baker said...

Fraances you are so funny. I bet you are one of those New Yorker's that stores her sweaters in the oven. I see them on tv as space in NYC seems to be at a premium. If I lived there, I would never cook with all the great food on every corner. Yes, the Buddha's Hand is a novelty, but the oldest known citrus fruit. It just smells heavenly every time I walk in the kitchen. Someone should bottle it as perfume. I have to make time in the next days to zest it for the freezer. Have a wonderful Christmas Frances and I look forward to hearing about NYC and you.

Doc said...

I completely forgot the peanut brittle, love the microwave recipe makes life so much more simple.....off to the kitchen Merry Christmas

Elephant's Child said...

I have cooked the Christmas cakes (30 or them this year) and made several batches of shortbread. Both are presents for friends and family.
For us? I will cook him a turkey breast on Christmas Eve, so he can have it cold for Christmas lunch (and rather a lot of other meals). I will also make myself a humungous fruit salad. No orange. No apple. All of the berries, mango, lychee, cherry, peaches, apricots, nectarines, pineapple, passionfruit, kiwifruit... I will live on it for days. And days. After Christmas Eve I expect to do no cooking for a week or so. Guests will be pointed towards the fridge and I will hunker down in a corner with a book.
I hope your Christmas is full of love and laughter. And peanut brittle.

Frances said...

Donna. no sweaters in my kitchen's over, promise. I have a large shaker-inspired linen press cabinet to house my knits. (I did used my oven this past weekend for some cookie baking.)
xo

Ry @ Sotto Il Monte Vineyards said...

Peanut brittle is my husbands favorite. I should be baking right now. One more cup of coffee and I'm on it.
Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Sunday Taylor said...

Oh this looks delicious! This will be a big week of food prep! Merry Christmas!

donna baker said...

Doc, you have a Merry Christmas too.

donna baker said...

You are a champ making that much food. I love shortbread and the fruit salad sounds wonderful. The turkey sandwiches are a fav. I am reading TEA WITH ROSIE now and I wonder if it is one you recommended to me. I love the writing.

donna baker said...

You too Ry. My housekeeper is here today and she'd kill me if I tried to cook in the kitchen with her here. Raring to go though as I'm not sure I'll get it all done by Christmas.

donna baker said...

Yes, Sunday, I'm late. I'm late. For a very important date.

Deborah Nolan said...

Ah Donna that looks so delicious. Isn't the microwave a real help with those certain delicacies that tend to burn on the stove! Wishing you and hubby (hope he is getting better ) a blessed Christmas and Happy New Year.

La Table De Nana said...

I got my recipe from Christine Cavers..she was a client..many many many yrs ago..every time I see it..I cannot help but think of her.

Happy Holidays..enjoy all the newness.. bébé ,city home..etc..and here's to health in 2016.

donna baker said...

Debbie, you are so sweet. He got sick again Saturday, but is on antibiotics and feeling much better today. So, if I can get it all done, Christmas run from the farm to the city will happen. Hope yours is a good one too.

donna baker said...

That really is all that matters isn't it, Monique. I've already been planning my New Year's resolutions. Yes, I'll be hauling my truck/sleigh full of everything Wednesday back up to the city house. Hope it all gets done in time.

Amanda Summer said...

That looks delish - I love peanut brittle! If it's using the microwave must be easy - would love it if you could email me the recipe - thanks Donna! amandasummer10@aol.com

Curtains in My Tree said...

Oh this makes me miss my Grandmother so much. She always made peanut brittle at Christmas and she used a pan on the stove and the candy thermometer,
she did make it in the microwave after they came out

donna baker said...

I will Amanda.

donna baker said...

I remember my Mom and Grands making divinity and pralines at Christmas. I think I've only made them once. Divinity too much trouble and it depends on the weather. Who makes candy according to the weather? It is true though. It won't work if it is cloudy and damp.

jerilanders said...

Good grief, you actually make Peanut Brittle?! I am so NOT A COOK! Which is surprising, since my father was a professional Chef..didn't learn a thing from him. But I really love peanut brittle, so it is a good thing I live a distance from you, else I would pig out.

donna baker said...

Well Jeri, there is something you can't do. The hubby must cook the vegetables from your garden. I am a very good cook; I've even sold baked goods to a book store and tea room. But, it isn't something that I do much anymore. I just don't enjoy it now. My family and friends can't believe it, but I think it's just that they still want all my cooking.

La Table De Nana said...

I am just looking at my recipe file archives..and here it is..in my hands:)
Enjoy!

Cobalt Violet said...

oh my gosh ... YUM!!!!!