Creamy Fudge

I have been making this fudge since December 24^th 2004

Creamy Fudge                                                                 

                                                                        

1 (7) ounce jar marshmallow cream (I put jar in a bowl of hot water while cooking the sugar mixture)

1 ½ cups white sugar

2/3 cup evaporated milk (not whole can)

4 tablespoon unsalted butter

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

2 cups (1- 11.5 oz. bag) milk chocolate chips- have measured and ready to pour and mix

1 cup semisweet or Ghirardelli 60 % cacao chocolate chips- have measured and ready to pour and mix

½ cup chopped walnuts-optional

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Line an 8x 8 inch pan with aluminum foil. I fold a long piece of foil in half and place it in the pan to cover the bottom and over-hang on two opposite sides so I can lift it out easily. Set aside. Sometimes I make it in a small glass dish and I don’t use the foil.

In a 2-3 quart saucepan, over medium heat, combine sugar, evaporated milk, butter, and salt. Bring to a full boil, and cook for 5 minutes more, stirring constantly. I use a wooden spoon. Remove from heat (work quickly) and add marshmallow cream and vanilla and stir. Quickly add chocolate chips and vanilla. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in nuts (or sprinkle on top once fudge is in pan). Pour into prepared pan and cool. Chill for 2 hours. Holding foil over hang on each side, lift fudge from pan and put on cutting board. Remove foil and cut into squares. Store in refrigerator in air tight container.  Let set out at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving for creamier texture (or eat it cold from the fridge).

Cherry Chocolate Chip Cake

This is a very moist cake. I sprinkle nuts on only one side of my cakes because of one picky eater in the house. I love nuts in my cake, so as long as they are added somewhere on it, we are all happy!

Cherry Chocolate Chip Cake

1 1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional but I have them so I add them)

3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt and oil- fill a liquid measuring cup to about 2/3 cup with the yogurt, then finish it off with vegetable oil to equal ¾ cup total

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoon vanilla

1 (21 oz.) can of cherry pie filling

1 cup 60% cacao chocolate chips

1 cup walnuts

powdered sugar for dusting

In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients; set aside.  In a mixing bowl, mix together yogurt, oil and sugar. Add eggs one at a time and combine. Add vanilla. Mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in cherry pie filling and nuts.

Pour into a greased bundt pan. Bake at 350 for about 50 minutes.

Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to rack to cool completely. When cool, dust with powdered sugar.

I love this pan! The cake fell right out!

Sage Dressing or Stuffing

Sage Dressing (or Stuffing)

A cold November day, a warm kitchen with steamy windows and in the background, the Macy's parade on t.v. A skillet full of onion, celery, poultry seasoning and sage cooking in butter... smells like Thanksgiving to me!

I love dressing..or stuffing. I grew up calling it dressing but now I will sometimes call it stuffing. Either way...it's delicious and dressing/stuffing, along with cranberry relish, must be on my plate!  It’s my favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal. I have become the dressing/stuffing maker in our family and I love to make it…..and eat it! I have never stuffed dressing in a turkey and I don't plan to start. I need a crispy top!

Apple Crisp

Warm apple crisp and a good book on a windy Autumn  weekend...nice.


Apple Crisp

4 cups sliced tart apples
dried cranberries- handful or more (optional)
cinnamon to taste
1/4 cup sugar

topping-

3/4 cup flour
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup walnuts
1 cup oats
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
freshly grated nutmeg to taste
1 stick plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter- cut into pieces

Preheat oven to 375. Butter a 9 x 13 baking dish. Mix apples and cranberries with cinnamon and 1/4 cup sugar; spread in baking dish.
In a bowl, mix together dry ingredients, add butter and combine well with a pastry blender until crumbly. Stir in walnuts.

Pour over apples and bake for 30 minutes or until topping is golden brown and apples are tender.
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream  or  heavy cream.

Blue Ribbon Apple Pie

I found this recipe on the Land O Lakes website. I made only a few small changes. It was delicious! 

Blue Ribbon Apple Pie

(source: adapted from Land O Lakes -original recipe here)

Crust

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

fresh grated nutmeg to taste

1/3 cup unsalted Land O Lakes butter, cut into chunks

1/3 cup cold shortening

5-6 tablespoons cold water

Filling

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 cup all- purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch of kosher salt

freshly grated nutmeg to taste

6 cups tart apples (Granny Smith), peeled, sliced 1/4 inch

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter (one melted and one cut into pieces)

1 teaspoon raw sugar

Heat oven to 400°F. Combine 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon sugar, salt, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and nutmeg in large bowl; cut in 1/3 cup butter and shortening with pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in enough water just until flour is moistened.
Divide dough in half; shape each half into ball. Flatten slightly. Wrap 1 ball of dough in plastic food wrap; refrigerate. Roll out remaining ball of dough on lightly floured surface into 12-inch circle. Fold into quarters. Place dough into 9-inch pie pan; unfold dough, pressing firmly against bottom and sides. Trim crust to 1/2 inch from edge of pan; set aside.
Combine all filling ingredients except apples, 2 tablespoons butter and 1 teaspoon sugar in large bowl. Add apples; toss lightly to coat.
Spoon apple mixture into prepared crust. Dot with 1 tablespoon of butter. Roll remaining ball of dough into 12-inch circle. Fold into quarters. Place dough over filling; unfold. Trim, seal and crimp or flute edge. Cut 5 or 6 large slits in crust. Brush with melted 1 tablespoon butter; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar. Cover edge of crust with 2-inch strip aluminum foil.
Bake for 35 minutes; remove aluminum foil. Continue baking for 10 to 20 minutes or until crust is lightly browned and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust. Cool pie 30 minutes; serve warm. Store refrigerated. 

Tortellini and Sausage Soup

You can add whatever vegetable you want in this soup. I think celery would be nice. I had some shredded zucchini from our garden in the freezer, so I added that.

Tortellini and Sausage Soup

3-5 Italian sausages, casings removed
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced or use garlic powder to taste
6 cups chicken stock
2 fresh tomatoes, diced or one can of tomatoes
2 carrots, sliced
1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 cup shredded zucchini, optional
5 fresh basil leaves, chopped or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
black pepper to taste
crushed red pepper flakes to taste
1 can of beans like navy, chickpea, great Northern, drained
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
16 ounces frozen cheese tortellini
 a few nice handfuls of fresh spinach (it wilts down)
freshly grated Parmesan cheese for topping

In a Dutch oven, crumble and brown sausage. Drain well, remove sausage and set aside. Add about a tablespoon of olive oil to pan and add onions and saute for a few minutes then add minced garlic, bell pepper and carrots.  Saute a few minutes.
Add stock, tomatoes, basil, oregano, sausage, black pepper, pepper flakes, beans and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer until veggies are tender.
Add tortellini and simmer about 5 minutes. Add fresh spinach and simmer until wilted but still a bright green. Top bowls with grated Parmesan.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I prefer milk chocolate in my chocolate chip cookies. If I have it, I add wheat germ and/or flaxseed meal just to add something healthy to the recipe. These are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I love the flavor of the vanilla in them.

Chocolate Chip Bars

I have been making this recipe for many years. I got the recipe from my mom. I have since discovered coconut oil and when I want to make them a bit less fattening, I sub a little of that for part of the butter.

Recently, I made them a little healthier and with less fat and they were still delicious. Not buttery like the original recipe but they disappeared in one day at my house! I had less guilt eating them, that's for sure. This is the original buttery recipe.
Because some in my family prefer no nuts, I sprinkle them on top, but only on one side.

Chocolate Chip Bars

1 stick plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter-melted

1 ½ cup brown sugar

2 beaten eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 tablespoon flaxseed meal- optional

2 cups flour (I use 1/4 whole wheat for part of the flour)

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

½ to 1 cup milk chocolate chips

½ to 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 350. Mix together butter and brown sugar until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Whisk together dry ingredients in a bowl then add to wet and mix. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Spread batter in greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes.