Anne's Peanut Brittle

1/2 cup water
2 cups white sugar
1 cup light karo syrup
2 cups raw peanuts
2 Tablespoons REAL salted butter
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
Candy thermometer

Generously butter a large cookie sheet and set aside. Bring 1/2 cup water to a boil in large saucepan. Add white sugar and karo, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Bring back to a boil until it reaches 230 degrees and will spin a thread. Add peanuts. Reduce heat to low and cook until mixture turns golden brown. Mixture will be thick. Continue to cook and stir until it reaches hard crack stage and remove from heat. Add butter, baking soda, and vanilla. Stir quickly and then spread onto a large well buttered cookie sheet. Cool and break apart. Store in air-tight container at room temperature.

Variation: increase water to 1 cup and add 1 (15 oz.) package of coconut at time of butter and vanilla. You can also make this with cashews instead of peanuts.