Peppermint Fudge + 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies

Before you run off and make this fudge (because how could you not?), any advice you have for me is more than welcome!

Sharing this recipe at 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies!  You've got..what?  3 full weeks left to come up with inexpensive gift ideas for all those extra people that somehow got added to your list?  This is perfect for such an occasion.

I'm sorry.

For today, I give you....another fudge recipe.

It's a stovetop dessert.  Which equals easy.  And un-time-consuming.

This is really good fudge though.  As in, it's perfect.  I was actually going to take it to work to share.  Then, before I knew it, I had eaten 3 pieces and then had licked the pot clean.

It was delicious.

Needless to say, actual fudge is not about to be shared.  However, I will give you the recipe.  I'm generous like that.

Peppermint Fudge
makes an 8x8 pan

1 1/4 cups sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
2 t. vanilla
2 T. butter
1/4 t. peppermint extract
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cups mini marshmallows OR 1 1/2 cups marshmallow fluff (I used the fluff.)
1/2 cup crushed peppermint pieces

In a large saucepan, heat together the sugar, milk, and butter.  Let it come to a rolling boil and let that go, stirring constantly, for 4 minutes.  Take off of the heat and add in the vanilla, peppermint extract, chocolate chips, and marshmallow.  Stir very well, almost whisking-like, to combine.

Spread into a greased 8x8 pan.  Press the peppermint pieces into the fudge.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until set.


Also shared at:
Coffee and Conversation Thursday
Sweet Treats Thursday
Friday Food
Sweet Tooth Friday
Strut Your Stuff Saturday
Seasonal Inspiration
Sweets for Saturday 
Holiday Sweet Swap 
Tasty Tuesday
Tuesday Talent Show
Crazy Sweet Tuesday
Holiday Tips, Crafts, and Recipes
Mix it Up Monday

Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies + 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies

 I'm linking this recipe to 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies.  It's realllly time to start thinking about Christmas cookies.  Here's a quick recipe that would make a tasty addiction addition to any cookie platter.

Over the years, I've become skilled enough to make this recipe over a commercial break. 

Though I've included measurements for you, of course, I don't measure it.

Very rarely, does it come out badly.  The only way you can mess this up is to let it boil for too long.

I eat it out of the saucepan while drinking a big glass of milk.

Usually on a Friday night.  Usually while perusing the internet and watching 20/20.

This is why we don't go out.  It doesn't take a whole lot to make me happy.

Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies
makes 2 dozen cookies

2 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
2 cups sugar
1 t. vanilla
1/2 cup milk
3 T. cocoa powder
5 T. peanut butter
4 T. butter

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium low heat.  Add the cocoa powder, milk, and sugar.  Stir together well.  Keep over medium low heat.  Bring to a boil.  This will take a few minutes.  Keep stirring.  Let boil for exactly 1 minute.  No more, no less.
Remove from the heat.  Add vanilla and peanut butter.  When the peanut butter is almost all melted into the chocolate mixture, stir in the oats.  Mix well.  Spoon onto a cookie sheet in tablespoon size dollops.  Let cool and enjoy!

My two favorite ways to eat these cookies:  Warm, straight out of the pan and frozen, straight out of the freezer.  

Being shared at:
Sweet Treats Thursday
Coffee and Conversation Thursday
Bedazzle Me Monday 
Holiday Sweet Swap

White Chocolate Mocha Cookies + 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies

Today I'm linking up to 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies again.  Go check it out!

 

I thought of these delightfully chewy cookies right before I fell asleep.

My latest go-to drink at Starbucks (shh. I'm not proud of it.) is a White Chocolate Mocha.  So I thought, what if I add coffee to chocolate chip cookies and then add cocoa powder?  While you could certainly melt up some bittersweet chocolate, I generally don't mess with a lot of different kinds of chocolate.  I guess I don't care enough to.  Probably not going to win me any fans in the blogging world, but I know we can all agree that simplistic is usually best.  This is simple.

I waited all of the day to make the cookies (oh, the trials and tribulations of employment).  After school, and after cleaning up the messy kitchen from the previous night, I began.  They came together in no time.  I didn't even measure ingredients exactly.  (I subscribe to the Rachael Ray idea of "feeling" your way through cooking.  Despite what she says about needing to measure when you bake, my haphazard method of guesstimating sugar and flour has not let me down yet.)

Anyway...by the time they came out of the oven, it was too dark to get a decent picture.  Even on the windowsill with my DSLR, pictures were not coming out without a flash.  (With a flash, food usually looks pretty horrendous.)

So I had to wait until the next afternoon to get a decent picture.  I think it came out just fine.

This is reason #487 not to live in Alaska.  No decent daylight in the winter.  Oh, yes.  It's already winter here.

White Chocolate Mocha Cookies
makes 3 dozen

3/4 cup Crisco
1 egg
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
2 T. strong (cold) coffee
1T. vanilla

4 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 t. salt
3/4 t. baking soda
1 3/4 cup flour

1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Cream together the Crisco and the sugar.  Add in the egg, coffee, and vanilla.  Blend for a few minutes until well combined.

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl.  Add to the wet mixture in 3 batches and mix well to combine.  With a spoon, stir in the chips.

Dollop onto a greased cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Also sharing at:
Sweet Treats Thursday
Coffee and Conversation Thursday
Friday Food
Sweet Tooth Friday
Seasonal Inspiration
Strut Your Stuff Saturday 
Sweet Indulgences Sunday 
Tea Party Tuesday 
Tasty Tuesday
Crazy Sweet Tuesday

Salted Chocolate Walnut Fudge

*This post is being shared at 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies.  

It's a great holiday (or non-holiday) treat!*

When it comes to fudge, I'm a purist.

I love peanut butter.  But in fudge?  I just don't feel that is its place.  Fudge is about chocolate.  Pure, sweet, chewy chocolate.  With a crunchy walnut throw in for good measure.

I decided to go a bit over and above here and toss in a scant amount of sea salt. (Think:  Salted Hot Chocolate.)

This is very simple fudge.  I made it in the microwave.  Wrapped up in cute cellophane and some ribbon?  An adorable holiday gift it will make. 

I could've done the "fudge-on-the-stove" that my grandma makes (a recipe I fully intend on swiping soon), but I had no evaporated milk and the 3 (yes, 3) cans of low-fat sweetened condensed milk in the pantry were calling my name.

They said they needed to be licked clean.

Salted Chocolate Walnut Fudge
makes an 8x8 pan

1 can sweetened condensed milk
3 cups chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet)
1 t. vanilla
1/8 t. sea salt, or 1 grind of the sea salt shaker
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Melt the condensed milk and chocolate chips together in the microwave.  (45 seconds was all it took.)
Stir in the walnuts, vanilla, and sea salt.
Line an 8x8 pan with foil.  Pour in the fudge, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate over night.

Also shared at:
Sweet Treats Thursday
Coffee and Conversation
Six Sisters' Stuff
Sweet Indulgences Sunday
Sweets for Saturday
Melt in Your Mouth Monday
Mouthwatering Monday