Dear Linds,

Bacon Peanut Brittle is my new cure-all.



In the past few weeks, I've found myself making and eating copious amounts of this stuff. So far, I've found that it helps with hangovers, random stomach aches, dizzy spells, broken hearts, and a wavering (dis)belief in god. I mean, something this good has to have some sort of g-o-d in it. Here's the recipe, courtesy of Al Dente:

2 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 T ground ancho chili
Pinch cayenne pepper
2 cups bacon, cooked and chopped into .5" pieces (about 1.5 pounds)

1 cup roasted, salted peanuts
2 T unsalted butter, divided
1 tsp baking soda

Measure all ingredients in advance so that they are ready to mix into the sugar mixture before it hardens. Butter a baking sheet with about ½ tablespoon of the butter and set aside.

Boil sugar and corn syrup over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is bubbly and a pale golden brown. Add the ground chili and cayenne and cook for 2-3 minutes longer or until the sugar mixture has reached the hard-crack stage, about 300ºF on a candy thermometer.

Take off the heat and, working very VERY quickly, stir in the remaining 1 ½ tablespoons of butter and the baking soda. Add the peanuts and bacon and mix well. Immediately pour onto the prepared baking sheet, smooth with a spatula and let cool.

Break the brittle into pieces and ENJOY!

Love,
Megs

Beignets!

Dear Megs,

Help! I am almost done with the baby blanket I've been working on, and I think I'm going to start the hat that matches the yellow scarf I made (the one you made for me). What is Yarn Over? How is it done? Also, what do you think is the best way to sew all these squares together securely for the blanket? In my place, would you use a drop of superglue to secure the knots? Or do they tend to stay put on their own?

On the menu today (in preparation for company this weekend): tabouleh, pink grapefruit and mint sorbet. :)

Love,

Linz