Fudge

I recently had the great joy of hosting a cookie party at my house.  I try to do this every year just before the holidays, and it seems to be pretty popular.  I asked everyone to bring 2 dozen of their favorite cookies, candies, or bars, and one copy of their recipe.  We just put the cookies out, ate until we were almost sick, and then everyone got to take home a plate of the cookie assortment.  I typed up the recipes and emailed them out, so now we can all add to our recipe boxes.

The recipe that I chose to make was fudge.  This is my mom's recipe, and she has no idea where it came from, but it is my dad's most favorite thing this time of year, so we always make at least one batch.

For a printer-friendly copy of this recipe, click here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Z4qhpyk1cxxGl7apCn5fcsgktDMnY5eo-6i4K1Fmg2c/edit

Ingredients:
3 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter or oleo (1 1/2 sticks)
5 fluid oz. (2/3 cup) evaporated milk (the little can)
1 tsp vanilla
12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
7 oz. marshmallow cream
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

I said that it was good, people, but it's fudge.  It is obviously not a health food.  Just don't eat the whole pan and you will be okay.

Start off by combining the sugar, butter, and evaporated milk in a heavy large saucepan.  Turn the heat onto medium and stir until the butter is melted and the sugar dissolved in it.

Keeping the heat on medium, bring it to a full roiling boil, stirring occasionally so that the sugar doesn't scorch.  "Full roiling boil" means vigorous bubbles all over the pan, not just in the middle, that you can't stir down no matter how hard you try.  When you hit this stage, start your timer for 5 minutes and stir the whole time.  You are boiling off some of the water that is present in the butter, a step that is important to the final consistency, so don't skimp on the time.

You can see that it darkened a bit over those 5 minutes.

The last few steps need to be done quickly, so be prepared in advance with all of your ingredients on the counter, opened up, and your pan greased.  When your 5 minutes are up, take the pan off of the heat and add the vanilla.  Stir it in, then dump in the chocolate chips.  Quickly stir to get them all melted.  Your fudge is rapidly cooling, so every second makes it harder to get them melted and requires more biceps.

Still moving like the Flash, stir in your marshmallow cream and nuts if you want to add them.  By this step you will definitely need to use those muscles, but think of how nice your arms will look next year during swimsuit season.  Assuming, that is, that you don't eat the whole pan of fudge.  Keep stirring until all traces of white are gone.

Now pour it into that 13x9" pan that you greased before you started.  Make pretty designs on the top with your spatula before it sets up, and try to restrain yourself as it cools.  If you set the pan up on a cooling rack so that air can get to the bottom you will be there a lot quicker.  Once it's cool, slice it into little bars and go crazy.

I have found that this recipe rivals those of any little shop with the word "fudge" in the name and is so easy to make.  It is definitely cheaper -- I recently paid $17 for a small piece of specialty fudge just to try it, and it still wasn't as good as mine.  Oh, and little kids love, love, love it (at least mine does).

Just be sure that you let someone special lick the spoon ...

Pumpkin Pie

It is just a few days before Thanksgiving here, and that means it's time to heat up the oven and crank out some pumpkin pies.  There is no more traditional dessert in the U.S. for our big feast day, and once you see how easy it is to make one of these by hand, you will feel so stupid for ever just buying one at the grocery store.  I thought that I would start off the holiday season by making my Mom mad ...

My mom is a good cook, but what she is renowned for is her homemade pies.  One summer when I was a kid, she decided to teach me how to make her famous pie crust.  This is a period that I lovingly remember as "Pie Making Boot Camp."  I made pie after pie until I got it right.  Well, Mom, this is not your recipe.  Sorry!  Yours is very tasty and we will definitely make it another time here on the blog, but it does not do well with fancy pie cutters, and that's what I want to do this time.  Please forgive me.

For a printer-friendly copy of this recipe, click here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/126z77ZgzPz_Cg1dHgQhqJ99y8fTse23rB_is8Q3_0Hg/edit

Ingredients (Pie Crust -- enough to make 2 crusts):
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup shortening
1 tbsp white vinegar
5-6 tbsp milk

Ingredients (Pie):
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 can (16 oz.) canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk

First, make your crust.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour and salt.  Now cut in the shortening with your handy-dandy pastry cutter (or 2 forks if you still haven't bought the handy-dandy pastry cutter, and really, what's stopping you?).  It should look like little crumbs of shortening when you're done.

Sprinkle it with vinegar, then gradually add the milk.  Start with the 5 tablespoons of milk, then add more if necessary.  Stir it with a fork until it gloms together into a ball.  It took 6 tablespoons of milk for me.  Wrap it in plastic wrap and stick it in the fridge for about 30 minutes or until it is easy to handle.  The consistency will be a lot like Playdoh.

Now it's time to roll it out.  Be sure to flour your counter and your rolling pin so that it doesn't stick.  Since we made enough for 2 pies, just roll out half of it.  We will do something super fancy with the other half in a bit.  Your goal with the rolling pin is to get a circle bigger than your pie pan.  When you have accomplished this, wrap it loosely around your rolling pin to transfer to your pan, then unwrap it when you get there.

Now smooth it down in the pan and poke it wherever it needs to be poked to look presentable.

Remember the other half of the pie crust?  Here's where we get our fancy on.  I have a set of pie crust cutters from Williams-Sonoma in the shape of fall leaves.  (Jealous?  I bet you are).  They have a plunger to not only cut out little leaves but to make indentations on the top, too.  I almost cried with happiness when I bought them.  We are going to roll out the remaining pie crust, then cut little leaves out of it for the rim of the pie and for the top (after it's cooked).

Just place them on the edge, trying to space them evenly.  You will have to press a little bit to get them to stay, but don't press too hard or they will be misshapen.  Take the remainder of the leaves, place them on a cookie sheet, and bake them at 425 degrees for about 8 minutes or until lightly browned (keep an eye on them -- the little suckers go from "brown" to "charcoal" very quickly).

Isn't that a special looking pie crust?  Now we just need something to fill it with!  I enlisted my small helper for the pie-making step, mainly because he saw the mixer come out and was trying to climb my leg to get to it.  Just take all of your pie ingredients and combine them in a big bowl in the order given.  Stop every now and then to mix, but that is it.  Can you believe how easy this is?

Carefully pour it into the pie shell.  Aim for the middle.  You don't want to knock one of the crust leaves off.  I know from past experience that if you do, they sink like a rock.  Your pie filling will be VERY runny, but have no fear.  It will firm up in the oven.

Slide your pie into a 425 degree oven for 15 minutes.  This will get the crust nicely browned.  Without opening the door, reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for another 45 minutes.  This should get the middle cooked through.  Be sure to check it with a toothpick before you take it out.

Let it cool, then arrange your extra baked leaves on top, and voila!  A pumpkin pie tastier and prettier than they sell in your grocery store.

Let it cool completely, then store it in the fridge until Thanksgiving day, or any random day if you just get in the mood for it.  As pies go, this has to be the easiest one ever to bake, so if you are a novice, start with this one.  I guarantee that your fear of pie making will be gone when you finish, because it really is "easy as pie."  (Sorry -- couldn't resist).  Happy Thanksgiving!

Divinity

If you are one of those people who just asked themselves, "What the heck is divinity?", you are not alone.  This is an old-fashioned candy that was popular around the time of our grandmothers but that has almost disappeared from your modern recipe box.  My grandma taught me how to make it, and it turns out that my 2-year-old loves it, so I had to make my yearly batch.

For a printer-friendly copy of this recipe, click here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EElmaHuOgDGDUgbEXcmTR47K4IQvGWI5N0cHq7Q4Idc/edit

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
3 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans

First of all, do not, I repeat, DO NOT attempt to make this without a candy thermometer unless you are at least 80 years old and well experienced.  When grandma used to make this, she would use the "hair up" method, in which the candy was cooked when it formed "hairs" when dropped in ice water.  This stage is also known as "hard ball" to candy makers.  Unless you are experienced, it is difficult to tell when you are in this stage.  The first time that I made it solo, without the thermometer, I either over- or under-cooked it, and when I poured it into the pan, it became so solid that a week with a chisel and boiling water wouldn't get it out.  I eventually had to buy a new pan.  So buy a candy thermometer.  Mine is an old-school glass one that clips to the pan, but you can get fancier models, including an infrared one that you just point at it.

Well, now that I have scared off all of my readers, I can get to the directions.  This is really a pretty fast and easy candy, and tasty, too, so don't be afraid of it.

This is so easy to make if you own a stand mixer, but definitely possible without one.  Start by beating your room temperature egg whites until they are very, very stiff.  I just put them in the stand mixer and let it go nuts the whole time that I am cooking the candy.  You can also use a large mixing bowl and a hand mixer.  Just whip the egg whites up before you start cooking.

Put the sugar, corn syrup, and water into a large pan and stir until it is all combined (it will be a thick slurry).  Clip your thermometer to the side so that the tip is in the candy but not touching the bottom of the pan.  Now crank the heat to high and stand back.  Don't touch it, and just let it go until that thermometer hits 260 degrees F.  This is not the time to go start some laundry, folks.

When you hit that magic temperature, add the vanilla.  Okay, now it is time to run small children out of the room, since you don't want anybody burned.  The syrup is very hot and very sticky and you should really avoid letting any of it touch anybody's skin.  With your mixer going at the same time in those egg whites, slowly pour the syrup into the egg whites, beating until they are combined and creamy.  It should look pretty shiny as well.

Stir in the pecans, then pour into a greased 13x9" pan.  Let it cool completely before you cut it.  You also are going to want to get all of the pans, beaters, etc., soaking in hot soapy water before the candy turns solid.

See, and you thought it was hard!  This candy actually makes itself -- you just have to supervise.  If you have never had it before, the consistency is similar to marshmallows, very fluffy.  They stay a good consistency for a long time, making them a great choice if you are mailing Christmas cookies to someone.

It just wouldn't be the Christmas baking season at my house without a batch of divinity.  If you try it, you will make it part of your tradition as well.

Buttery Celery Stuffing

We are just a few days away from Thanksgiving here in the U.S., and I am gearing up to host the big family feast for the first time.  In my family, there will be revolts if mom's stuffing is not served.  Just the smell of the ingredients cooking makes me think of turkey.  Give it a try, and I guarantee you will love it.

For a printer-friendly copy of this recipe, click here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CdSs-ReG-jvAITah6hThWND24XFIen4svQkUYyN5cOc/edit

Ingredients (Turkey-Sized Batch):

14 cups day-old breadcrumbs
1 1/2 cups finely diced celery
1 1/3 cups boiling water
1/2 cup minced onion
2/3 cup butter
2 eggs
1 tsp poultry seasoning
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Start by tearing up all those breadcrumbs.  I know, it is a pain, but it is totally worth it.  Don't use the good "Sara Lee" or "Pepperidge Farm" bread for this.  Buy the cheapest, oldest, crappiest bread in the grocery store, where it is probably lying, rejected, on the bottom shelf.  Give it a home.  Cheap bread needs love, too.  You can either tear these up by hand or use a pizza cutter, but it will still take some time.  If you have a relative who wants to help with dinner, by all means hand this off to them.  If you are looking for a bowl big enough to hold this, try using a plastic pie or cake carrier turned upside-down or a big plastic punch bowl.

Once you have the breadcrumbs torn up, start on the celery.  This job is even more obnoxious than the breadcrumbs, so you definitely want to delegate this one.  If you want to just get it out of the way early, you can always dice it and then freeze it down (pre-cooked) weeks in advance.

As for the onion, just buy it pre-diced in the frozen vegetable section of the grocery store.  Believe me, by this time you will be ready to take the easy way out here.

Hang in there!  Most of the work is done, and it really does taste amazing, so don't give up now!

Now that everything is chopped and diced, you want to soften the celery and the butter.  Cook the onion in the butter for just a few minutes, and definitely take it off before it turns brown.  The celery is a tougher nut to crack, so boil it for 15-20 minutes or until it is softer.  When you drain the celery, be sure to catch and keep 1-1/3 cups of the boiling water.  You can pitch the rest.

Okay, now just assemble everything.  Dump everything together into the bowl with the breadcrumbs: the butter/onion mixture, the celery, the celery juice, the eggs, and the spices.  You might want to let it cool down a bit before you get in there with your hands to mix it all up if your onions or celery just came off of the stove.  I assume that you have common sense and wouldn't stick your hands in when it is obviously steaming, but who knows?

Now it is ready to bake.  You have 2 options here:  do the old turkey proctologist route and cram it up inside her, or put it into a greased 13x9" pan covered with aluminum foil.  I made this for a potluck at church, so I used the pan, but will definitely be introducing Mr. Stuffing to Mrs. Turkey on Thanksgiving day.  Either way, you want to bake it at 325 degrees until it reaches 165 degrees, which takes about an hour in the pan, or who knows how long in the turkey (usually about an hour past the point when the guests get surly at our house).

Done!  Trust me, it will smell so rich and buttery and taste even better.  You will never again buy Stove Top and will become a huge snob against any dressing made from cornbread.  It was pretty popular at the potluck.  I was a little slow in getting a picture before they got into it, so here is a picture of what was left in the end:

Have a happy Thanksgiving!  Remember to thank God for the many blessings in your life.