Super- Easy Fudge

Fudge
1 Can (14oz) Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 bag (12oz) Semisweet Chocolate Chips
1 oz unsweetened Baking Chocolate, If desired
1 1/2 C Chopped Nuts, If Desired
1 tsp Vanilla

1. Grease bottom & sides of 8 inch square pan.

2. In sauce pan heat milk, chocolate chips, and unsweetened chocolate over low heat, stirring constantly until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat.

3. Quickly stir in nuts and vanilla. Spread in pan refridgerate about 1 1/2 hours or until firm. Cut into 1 inch squares.

This is one of my Dad's favorites when it comes to the Holiday goodies! So "Super Easy" is very attractive to me when all the hustle and bustle comes with the Holidays a lot of times we just need something to get us out the door quickly and onto the next family function. This was very tasty and quick and I'm sure my Dad would agree... DELICIOUS!

Caramels

Caramels
2 C Sugar
1/2 C Butter
2 C Whipping Cream
3/4 C Corn Syrup

1. Grease bottom and sides of 8 or 9 inch square glass baking dish.

2. In heavy saucepan, heat all ingredients to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil uncovered about 35 minutes, stirring frequently, to 245' on candy thermometer. Immediately press into baking dish. Cool completely, about 2 hrs.

3. Cut into 1 inch squares. Wrap individually into wax paper squares. Store into air tight containers.

The secret to this recipe is that you need to make sure they are cooked long enough otherwise they will not stay in a stiff form and will become runny once they get warm.

Peanut Brittle-EASY

Peanut Brittle
1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Vanilla
1 1/2 C Sugar
1 C Corn Syrup
3 T Butter
1 lb Peanuts

1. Heat oven to 200' Grease Cookie sheet with butter; keep warm in oven. (Keeping pan warm allows candy to be spread easier)

2. In 8 C microwavable measure, mix  sugar, corn syrup, and peanuts. Microwave uncovered high for 5 minutes; stir. Microwave for 5 more minutes. Stir in butter and vanilla. Microwave on high for 4-6 minutes. Mixture will turn brittle on the spoon or spatula when done.

3. Pour candy mixture onto cookie sheet. Spread about 1/4 inch thick. Cool completely. Break into pieces. Store in an air tight container.

I was BEYOND impressed with the simplicity of this recipe! I made this at least 3 times between Thanksgiving and Christmas! It is great for a gift also or just to snack on at home!

Happy Baking!

Crunchy Peanut Clusters

Crunchy Peanut Clusters
1pkg White Chocolate Chips
2/3 C Creamy Peanut Butter
4 C Cheerios
2 C Mini Marshmallows
2 C Roasted Peanuts

1. In sauce pan heat chocolate chips until melted. Stir in peanut butter until smooth. Add remaining ingredients; stirring until completely coated.

2. On waxed paper drop mixtures by heaping teaspoonfuls. Let stand about 1 hr until firm. Store tightly covered.

The picture below in not an actual picture of the cookies with the recipe but they are very similar except the ones below are made with milk chocolate and no cheerios. These cookies were very delightful! I will put this on my sweet tooth list of goodies for in the future again!

Bark- Peppermint or Cranberry Almond

Peppermint Bark

1pkg Almond Bark or White Chocolate chips

24 Hard Peppermint Candies

Cranberry Almond

1pkg Almond Bark

1/2 C Dried Cranberries

1/2 C Chopped Almonds

1. Cover cookie sheet with waxed paper. In 8 cup microwave bowl melt candy coating 2-3 minutes stirring every 30 seconds. Stir until smooth.

Peppermint: 2. Crush peppermint candies into very tiny pieces, Mix in with the candy.

Cranberry: 2. Stir in Cranberry and almonds into candy coating until covered

3. Spread coating evenly onto cookie sheet.

Peppermint: Sprinkle with remaining bigger pieces of peppermint candies. 

4. Le stand about 1 hr until cooled and hardened.  

Well I am really late on getting these posted but 6 more months and we will be bakin for the Holidays again! I always enjoy all the goodies that come olong with the holidays! These recipes are sure to impress your friends/ family!

Happy Baking!

Classic White Bread

I have had such a difficult time just mastering basic white bread. I have finally found it! This bread is fabulous especially when I mixed it in the Kitchen Aid.. It was so fluffy and so yummy! This is definitely my new go to Bread Recipe. Highly Recommended by me! Enjoy!

Classic White Bread

6-7 C All purpose or bread flour

3 T Sugar

1 T Salt

2 T Shortening

2pkg Yeast (4 1/2tsp)

2 1/4 C Very Warm water

2 T Butter

1. In a large bowl stir in 3 1/2 C of the flour, the sugar, salt, shortening and yeast until well mixed. Add warm water. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute. Beat on medium speed 1 minute. Stir in enough remaining flour, 1 C at a time to make dough easy to handle. 

2. Place dough on lightly floured surface. Knead about 10 minutes until dough is smooth and springy. (I placed in my kitchen aid with the bread hook for 5 minutes) Place dough in a lightly greased bowl let rise in a warm place 40-60 minutes or until the dough is double in size. 

3. Grease bottom and sides of 2 bread pans. 

4. Gently push fists into dough to deflate. Dived into 2 halves. Flatten each half  with hands or rolling pin into 18x9 inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Roll dough up tightly, seal the edge by pinching the ends together. Pinch the ends of the roll together to seal, fold ends under the loaf. Place seam side down in the bread pan. Brush lightly with butter. Let rise in a warm place 35-50 minutes or until dough has doubled in size. 

5. Heat oven to 425 

6. Bake 25- 30 minutes or until loaves are a deep golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Remove from pans to a wire rack. Brush loaves with butter, cool. 

Happy Baking!

Yummy Yummy!!

Cream of Cauliflower Soup

I know I know.. It has been super long since I have been on here posting yummy recipes for you all to enjoy. I made this recipe a while ago but the flavor is still in my mind! With these cool days ahead of us here in November this soup will be your friend.

I recently started selling Pampered Chef so in the future recipes you may see me put a little blurp of which products I used for the recipe. And if you are interested in getting any products who know who to call!

Cream of Cauliflower Soup

1 head of Cauliflower

2 C Water

1 lg stalk of celery, chopped

1 med Onion, chopped (add 1 Tbs Lemon juice)

2 T Butter

2 T Flour

2 1/2 C Chicken Broth 
1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

Dash of nutmeg
1/2 C Heavy whipping cream
Shredded cheese, if desired

1. Remove flowerets from cauliflower head; set aside. Cut stalks into 1-inch pieces, discarding any leaves.

2. In 3 qt sauce pan heat water to boiling, add cauliflower, celery and onion. Cover and heat to boiling.; reduce heat. Simmer about 10 min or until cauliflower is tender (do not drain)

3. Carefully place cauliflower mixture into blender. Cover and blend on medium speed until smooth.

4. In a 3 qt saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour. Cook, stirring constantly until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat. Stir in broth. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 min.

5. Stir in cauliflower mixture, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Heat just to boiling. Stir in whipping cream. Heat just until hot(do not boil or soup may curdle) Serve soup topped with cheese.

Happy Cooking!