The Best Fudge Recipe I've Ever Made!

Christmas Day has come and gone and we survived our first celebration here in the little yellow cottage. We had 4 out of 5 grandsons present, two daughters, one son and two sons in love celebrating together!  What fun we had.  It was a bit crowded, but so what?  We were together and that is the most important thing.  Our older son, daughter in love and grandson live in New York City, and John had a show on Christmas Day so they were unable to join us this year.  But, we did spend time Skyping and got to watch our grandson open his gifts.  THAT is the amazingly fabulous thing about technology!  Being able to see each other face to face, talking like we were in the very same room.  Thank you to whomever invented Skype!

The holiday seasons for us are all about fun, fellowship and good food.  Our oldest daughter and her family moved to Nashville the week before Christmas and it was a wee bit hectic, trying to help them get enough things unpacked to be able to live for a few days AND get their Christmas shopping done all at the same time.  We watched our grandsons a couple of days to help her out and I didn't get my usual amount of baking done this year  - which is okay because there is usually waaaaay too much.   But, I did try some new recipes and made enough gluten free things that our son in love could also enjoy treats with the rest of us.  All in all, it was a very successful holiday.  

This fudge is fantastic - best recipe I have ever tried.  Candy is so cantankerous to make that I have sort of given up the last few years except for a couple of really reliable, easy things that I can count on.  You have to use a candy thermometer, the humidity affects the outcome, it's too hard, or too soft and on and on.  It is really frustrating.  Well, this year I found this recipe on Pinterest and it said it was a winner at the state fair.  Okay, I'll give it one more shot.  My husband LOVES chocolate and he LOVES fudge, but you know how fudge can be.  Sometimes it's grainy and sandy and I don't like that.  Or it's too hard or too soft.  Boo on that too.  I hate wasting time and ingredients on something that really isn't good.  But, this recipe is the best fudge recipe I have ever made bar none!  It is creamy, chocolaty, made a huge pan full and was worth the effort.  Think I will stick with this recipe from now on.

Here is what you need:

2 sticks of butter (use real butter)

6 cups of sugar

1 can evaporated milk

1 jar marshmallow cream

1.5 (18 oz) packages chocolate chips (1 -12 oz bag and 1 -6 oz bag)

2 tsp vanilla

a jelly roll pan (approximately 11 x 15), butter bottom and sides of pan

a large dutch oven

1 wooden spoon

In a large dutch oven, melt the butter, sugar and evaporated milk on medium heat until boiling.  Once it boils, set timer to 6 minutes.  After 6 minutes, remove pan from heat and add marshmallow cream and chocolate chips.

Mix thoroughly with wooden spoon until all marshmallow cream and chocolate chips are melted and the contents are a nice even chocolate color.  Add vanilla and  continue to stir until fudge thickens and no longer runs quickly off the spoon.  It will be very glossy and  the fudge will kind of collapse off the spoon in big clumps.  That's how you know it's done.  The whole process took about 30/35 minutes.  Don't get in a hurry.

Pour the fudge onto the buttered jelly roll pan and spread evenly over pan.  Looks like this. (Are you drooling?)

Let the fudge sit about 30 minutes and it's ready to slice.  I cut it in about 1 inch squares and it makes TONS!  It is rich, sweet, chocolaty and just the right texture for my liking.  Dan has declared it the best!  He is a connoisseur of all things chocolate, so consider that confirmation of it's goodness.  : )

If you have more holiday parties to attend or are having a New Year's Eve Party, this is a wonderful treat for your guests.  It would also make lovely little treat bags for everyone to take home.  

Hope you will give this recipe a try, because the best part is you get to lick the spoon when the fudge is done and poured in the pan.  MMM, MMM, MMM, MMM.

Takes you back to childhood doesn't it?  Everyone likes to lick the spoon.  Yummm.  Enjoy this fabulous recipe.  Just one little square of this delicious fudge is so good with a cup of coffee.  Best dessert ever.  

Everyday Donna

Things to remember:

Go ahead, lick the spoon.  It's the best part!  

Gluten Free No Bake Cookies - Delicious!

Everyone loves a sweet treat sometime.  Unfortunately, those with gluten allergies are limited because wheat flour contains gluten and most baked goods contain wheat flour.  Our son in love has Celiac, so I am always on the hunt for gluten free recipes, especially ones that don't require a bunch of hard to find ingredients.  He also happens to love no bake cookies, and guess who found a gluten free recipe?  This girl!  Thank you Pinterest.  Now, we can eliminate the gluten, but unfortunately there is nothing I can do about the calories.  hahaha

No bake cookies are easy and delicious.   He was so excited yesterday when he found I had made him a huge batch of these cookies to enjoy for the holidays - especially when everyone is enjoying all kinds of delectable goods.  You might want to see my post on peanut brittle from yesterday which is also gluten free!  And, you can  make Rice Krispie  Treats gluten free now because there is a brown rice gluten free version of Rice Krispies available!  It's easy to find gluten free marshmallows (just check the package) and the only other ingredient is butter.  So, you are good to go!  Now, back to the no bake cookies.

You must use gluten free oats to make this recipe gluten free.  I got mine at Trader Joe's.  By the way, did you know that Trader Joe's will give you a list of all their products that are gluten free?  It is pages long, but ever so helpful when shopping.  Walmart has also added lots of gluten free products.  They tend to be pricier than other grocery items since they are "specialty," but Trader Joe's and WalMart's are more affordable.  Just thought I'd let you know that piece of information in case you weren't aware.  Now, back to the no bake cookies.  Sorry I keep getting off track.

Here is what you need for the no bake cookies.

1 stick butter

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (make sure it's gluten free)

1 teaspoon vanilla  (make sure it's gluten free)

3 cups old fashioned gluten free oats

1 cup dry roasted peanuts

2 baking sheets lined with wax paper

Directions:

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium high heat.  Stir in the brown sugar, cream and cocoa and boil for 1 minute.  Remove the saucepan from heat, add the peanut butter and vanilla and stir until smooth.  Stir in the oats and peanuts.  Drop heaping tablespoons full of the batter onto a wax paper lined baking sheet, spacing them 1 inch apart and let them cool until set - about 20 minutes.

Storage suggestions  Keep the cookies at room temperature between sheets of wax paper in an airtight container.  

One recipe makes 36 cookies.

These cookies are quick and easy to make and they are really, really good - especially if you like no bake cookies.   This also allows those with gluten allergies a chance to enjoy a sweet treat.  Give these a try even if you don't have gluten allergies.  You could use regular old fashioned oats in place of the gluten free. 

Hope you enjoy this quick and easy recipe that will give you your chocolate and peanut butter fix and they are extra good with a nice cup of coffee!  Yum!!!  Enjoy!!

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Cookies are made of butter and love.  ~Norwegian Proverb