Fudge

I love fudge.  I hate making fudge.  I was anticipating melting chocolate, letting it reset and having very yummy chocolate.  But its considered candy.  You need a double boiler.  And a candy thermometer.  And the temperture and humidity have to be JUST right. After 4 attempts of making fudge (all of which is going to be cake icing some day soon) I gave up.  Im very sad to say this IS a shortcut recipe.  But thats alright, it uses Grandma's all natural ingredients, so it counts. : )

 Fudge

Ingredients:

3 c chocolate chips

1 can sweetened condensed milk

2 t vanilla extract

Directions:

1.  Line a 9x14 pan with foil, spray with Pam

2. Put milk, vanilla and chocolate chips in microwave to 2 minutes, stirring at 1 minute.





3.  Pour into foil lined dish, let cool overnight

4.  Invert tray, fudge should come out easily, peel off foil

5.  Cut into 1/2 inch portions, space out onto parchment paper to dry, serve

Variations:

1.  Add 1 cup nuts.

2.  Use peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips, or white chocolate.

3.  Replace vanilla with peppermint or raspberry extract

Egg Nog

What Christmas Party wouldn't be complete without EGG NOG!  An aquired taste, but delicious all the same!

This is the adult version. but feel free to leave out the alcohol.

Egg Nog

Serves 4

*Alton Brown*

2 egg

1/4 cup sugar, plus 1 T

2 c milk

1/2 c heavy cream

1/4 c bourbon, whiskey or brandy (or you can leave it out entirely

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1.  Separate the eggs.  

 2. Beat the egg yolks until they lighten in color, about 5 minutes.

3. Add the sugar and continue to beat until it is completely dissolved. Set aside.

4. In a medium saucepan, over high heat, combine the milk, heavy cream and nutmeg and just to a steam.

5. Temper the hot milk into the egg mixture.

6. Stir in the bourbon set in the refrigerator to chill.

7. Add the egg whites and 1 T sugar to mixer 

8.Beat until stiff peaks form.

9.Whisk the egg whites into the chilled mixture.



No Bake Cheesecake

Warning.  This is NOT Cheesecake.  This is Cheesecake Pie.  There is a difference. Still delicious, but different!  This was another new recipe for me.  Its very creamy, but my husband and I both decided it needs slighly more sugar, or added bananas or strawberries would be delish!

No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake

8 servings

Ingredients:

1 Graham Craker Crust

2 (8 oz) packages neufchatel (low fat) cream cheese

2t lemon juice

1 t vanilla

1/2 c powdered sugar

1 c Whipped Cream

Directions:

1.  Beat whipped cream and sugar until creamy

2.  Add sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla

3.  Fold in Whipped Cream

4.  Pour into crust

5. Refridgerate for at least 3 hours

Variations:

1.  Chocolate: Microwave 3 oz chocolate chips, mix in step 2

2.  Pumpkin:  beat 1 c pumpkin, 1/2 t pumpkin pie spice in with cream cheese

3.  Peanut Butter:  beat 1/2 c peanut butter with cream cheese

4.  Key Lime:  fold 1/2 c lime juice in with whipped cream

Whipped Cream

What people call whipped cream really isn't.  Whipped cream is just that, cream that has been whipped, no flavorings added.  What people call 'whipped cream' is really called Chantilly Lace.  Sounds fancy and yummy!  Hehe! This is the equililant of one of those store bought Cool Whips, and SOO much better!

Ingredients:
1/2 c heavy cream
1/2 t vanilla
2 T powdered sugar

  

Directions:

1. Pour all ingredients into mixing bowl

2.  Whip until thickens and stiff peaks form.  NOT ANY LONGER!!  You'll make butter!~ But, you already know that from this post!

This is thickend liquid.

This is soft peaks.  The beater makes a mound as it comes out of the cream, but the peak immediately falls.

This is firm peaks.  STOP!

3. Put in the fridge, cool for at least an hour, serve.

VARIATIONS:

1.  Add 2 oz melted chocolate to cream, refridgerate for an hour, remove vanilla, continue with step 2.

2. Replace vanilla with mint, almond, or rootbeer extract!

3.  Replace vanilla with bourban, rum, flavored vodka, or, my favorite: TEQUILA!

Key Lime Pie

My husbands favorite treat: Key Lime Pie! 

Key Lime Pie

Ingredients:

1 prepared graham cracker crust

3 egg yolks

1 can sweetened condensed milk

2/3 c lime juice

Directions:

1.  Whip eggs in an electric mixer on high for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy.

2.  Add the condensed milk and beat for another 5 minutes

3.  Carefully add the lime juice

4.  Pour onto crust

5.  Bake at 350* for 15 minutes until set

6.  Cool on counter, then refridgerate until cold

7.  Freeze until ready to eat, its so much better frozen!  Top with whipped cream, if wanted

*NOTE*  DO NOT let sit on countertop, keep in fridge or freezer, the pie will melt and it just wont be as yummy!

Graham Cracker Crust

Ingredients:

2 cups any cookie

1/2 c butter, melted
1/4 sugar

1.  Place cookies in bag

2.  Roll with rolling pin until in finely crushed

3. Add sugar and butter

4.  Press into bottom on pie pan

5. Place in 350* oven for 5-7 minutes

6.  Let cool before using.

VARIATIONS:

1.  Gingersnaps!  Oreos!  Chocolate Chip!

2.  To use actual graham crackers: use about 1 package worth (the plastic 1/3, not the entire box!)

3.  Spiced crust:  add cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg,

4.  Add 1/4 c crushed nuts!

Peppermint Patties

One of the requests for my blog was something with peppermint.  Now, here left me with a pickle.  I don't like peppermint.  My husband doesn't like peppermint.  My kids don't like peppermint.  So, not to disappoint, one day I was looking in the spice department, I found banana extract! And root beer!  And rum!  And cherry! And raspberry! I remember seeing a peppermint pattie recipe.  I'll make Raspberry Patties!  I'm sure if you were to use peppermint for this recipe, the 1 tablespoon would be plenty.  I, however thought using the raspberry extract, when I make this again, I'll double that.

"Peppermint" Patties

makes about 48 cookies

Ingredients

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 T peppermint extract *

1 bag powdered sugar

24 oz chocolate chips

4 T butter

Directions

1.  Combine the milk and extract

2.  Add the powdered sugar 1 c at a time and beat

3.  When there's about 2 c left, sprinkle a plate with powdered sugar and put the mixture on the surface to knead.

4.  Knead and combine the rest of the sugar about a 1/2 c at a time until combined

5.  Cut the dough with your cookie scoop, place on a cookie sheet

6.  Let the cut patties dry for 2 hours on each side, I did this over night to get them really dry

7.  Melt the chocolate and butter until smooth. 

8.  I added about 2 T of milk to the chocolate to thin it out slightly

8.  Dip patties in the melted chocolate, shake off excess, and place on parchment paper to dry

9.  Have extra chocolate?  Freeze on another sheet of parchment paper, use to make hot cocoa!