sugar coated peanuts

Easy way to enjoy peanuts Sertoma Club fundraiser helps deaf and hard of hearing By Lisa Boykin Batts Times Life Editor My family definitely loves peanuts. We eat them boiled, roasted, straight from the can and in desserts. So when Bruce Tingle with the Wilson Sertoma Club asked me if I wanted a bag of peanuts for a food column recipe, I didn’t hesitate to say yes. The Sertoma Club is in the middle of its annual peanut sale. They use proceeds to help improve the lives of the deaf and hard of hearing in Wilson County. They are selling raw, blanched, honey roasted and chocolate covered, with prices starting at $6.50 a bag. Bruce gave me a bag of 16-ounce bag of raw peanuts, prepared by Williamson Peanuts of Sims, along with some brochures and recipes. The peanuts are the Virginia-type grown in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. After reading through the recipes, I immediately knew which recipe I’d make from Virginia-Carolina Peanut Promotions. I choose the recipe for sugar-coated peanuts. I’m always drawn to sugar-coated peanuts at parties. I love the pale pink color of the sugar coating, and I love the sweet taste it brings to the peanut. But I’ve never known how they are made! I read the recipe and was a little surprised with the process, but I followed it with very good results. The peanuts are simmered in sugar water until all of the syrup has been absorbed. It took 30 minutes and plenty of stirring for the syrup to disappear when I made the recipe. Then the peanuts are transferred to a baking sheet and cooked for another 30 minutes until the sugar coating has hardened. The recipe takes about an hour, and it’s time well-spent! My peanuts were delicious, just like the ones I’ve had so often at parties. I will most certainly make them again now that I know how. If you’d like to purchase peanuts, contact a Sertoma Club member or Bruce directly at 230-2883 orbbtwilson@yahoo.com. lisa@wilsontimes.com | 265-7810 Sugar Coated Peanuts 1 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup water 2 cups raw shelled peanuts, skins on Dissolve sugar in water in saucepan over medium heat. Add peanuts and continue to cook over medium heat, stirring frequently. Cook until peanuts are completely sugared (coated and no syrup remaining).* Bake at 300 degrees for approximately 30 minutes, stirring at 10-minute intervals. Virginia-Carolina Peanut Promotions *This step took around 30 minutes for me.