PEANUT BRITTLE
From: Marye
Serves: 1 baking sheet  •  Prep: 5 min  •  Cook: About 15 min

From a handwritten 'What's cookin'' card (antique cast-iron stove design). Attributed in the 'Recipe from the kitchen of' line to a Reatha Beard (confirmed by another card from her in the collection).

INGREDIENTS
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2 cups sugar
¼ cup water
1 cup white Karo (light corn syrup)
Pinch salt
½ tsp vanilla
1½ cups raw peanuts
1 Tbsp butter
2 tsp baking soda
Butter, to grease the cookie sheet

INSTRUCTIONS
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1. Butter a cookie sheet generously and set aside.
2. In a saucepan, combine the sugar, water, white Karo, salt, and vanilla.
3. Cook to the brittle stage — about 300°F on a candy thermometer.
4. Add the raw peanuts and the 1 Tbsp butter.
5. Cook, stirring constantly, until light brown in color.
6. Add the 2 tsp baking soda and stir quickly — the candy will foam up.
7. Immediately pour onto the buttered cookie sheet, spreading thin.
8. Cool completely, then break into pieces.

NOTES
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Marye's card groups the sugar, water, Karo, salt, and vanilla together with a bracket and "cook to brittle stage 300°" — they're the candy syrup base. The peanuts, butter, and soda are added in sequence after the syrup hits temperature.

[Photos in this folder: 30-20260524023106-peanut-brittle.jpg, peanut-brittle-card.jpg]
