It's Foaming !!!!!

Now in my cooking experience, which started in 1961 with NO experience what so ever- nada.  I would read my cookbook like a school history book from cover to cover.  I have only had one cooking experience that made me panic.  The cooking of gravy ?  Nope, not even when I tried making it for the first time and used like 1 cup of flour in 1 tablespoon of cooking grease.  Grease back then it was called.  Talk about a glob of mess and I mean a glob.  Looked something like the Blob, if you ever saw that old horror movie.   I didn't even panic when I tried frying Eldon an egg and it turned out like some horribly deformed alien. 

Now what do you wonder could make Annette panic ?  I mean I love horror movies and not one of those treasures made me panic or think anything other than great movie.  

It was cooking Peanut Brittle. Yes, a sweet sugary concoction of Peanut Brittle.   I followed the recipe Eldon's mother gave me, which was given to her from my brother -in- laws mother.  I was feeling pretty cocky, thinking man this is so easy.  Well when I put baking soda in the pan I was not prepared for what happened.  It made the golden brown sweetness turn white and foamed and foamed some more even to the top of the large pan I cooked it in.  I thought what have I done?  Have I  totally ruined my sugar and corn syrup ?   Well, after collecting myself together ( I was probably 18 at this time) I poured it into the buttered cookie sheet and immediately called Eldon's mother.  She just laughed and laughed and said yes it is suppose to do that and it was not ruined.   The soda just helps make it crunch and I cooked it correct so will not be gummy.   Whew that was a relief. 

Now here is what the brittle looks like when cooking to the correct temperature of golden brown.   You will notice that I use pecans instead of peanuts.  Seems after growing peanuts for so many years and eating the goobers  Mr. Eldon is allergic to the peanuts.  Not like he is to onions to the point of throat closing up but close.  So pecans to the rescue.   I did not take a picture with the foaming of it, goes to fast and sorry it was either good brittle or a picture for you.  

Here it is, so good and crunchy and no calories at all, at least in the picture.  

Now it was snowing that day so candy or some kind of cooking is what I like to do on those days or make bread.   I felt sorry for the fur babies and let them in.  They look like they are planing something here and I caught them red handed, but no they are actually on point waiting for me to drop something so it can be swept up with the lick of a tongue and a wag of the tail.

   Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world.  xoxoxo