This was one of dad's contributions to Christmas cooking.  Mom enjoyed cooking and she did most of it, so he always wanted to do something to make sure he was useful.  It was a very special time for him, all the children came home, so he made peanut brittle.  I can see him now rubbing his head and saying "Dorothy are you sure this is enough food".  "Vel have you seen all that food we have in the freezer?" Volunteering to go to the store in case mom was wrong because he needed his ingredients. Mom never really asked dad to cook anything because he made such a mess and he didn't clean up.
 

DAD'S PEANUT BRITTLE

2 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup water
2 cups salted peanuts or raw Spanish peanuts
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. butter
2 tsp. baking soda

 

• Heat and stir sugar, syrup and water in a heavy 3-quart saucepan until the sugar dissolves.
• Add salt. Cook over medium heat to soft ball stage 
• Add peanuts at 250 degrees. Cook to hard crack stage, stirring often.
• Remove from heat. 
• Quickly, stir in butter and soda. Beat to a froth for a few seconds.
• Pour at once onto 2 well-buttered 15-1/2x10-1/2x1-inch pans, spreading with spatula.
• If desired, cool slightly and pull with forks to stretch thin. Break up when cold.
  
  Makes about 1-1/2 pounds of peanut brittle