Oh FUDGE...and other holiday treats!

Holiday Baking in the Brown home was always a monumental event! My Mom is a fabulous cook and even better baker! She would always make so many amazing treats around Christmas, I don't know how she managed to get it all done with 5 kids nagging her! Fudge is definitely one of my favorite holiday treats! My sister got this fudge recipe from a lady who used to own a candy shop! It's so dangerously delicious! I swear I could eat a whole pan by myself! I can't even wait for it to cool before I dig in!

Janice’s Fudge

12 oz. package Ghirardelli’s Semi-Sweet Choc. Chips

7 oz. Jar Marshmallow Cream

12 oz. Can Evaporated Milk

1/2 Cup Salted Butter

4 Cups Sugar

1/2 Tsp. Vanilla

Optional:

2 cups nuts

Or 1 Cup Chopped Candy Cane and Substitute Mint Extract for the Vanilla.

Prepare 9X13 pan by buttering bottom and sides.

Combine chocolate chips and marshmallow cream in LARGE bowl. Set aside.

Combine Butter, Sugar, and Milk in large heavy pan. Stir occasionally until it boils.

Boil, stirring constantly for 7 minutes. Add Vanilla and Pour over chocolate chip/marshmallow mixture. Beat with large spoon until creamy. Add nuts or candy cane.

Let cool at room temperature for 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 6 hours. Keep refrigerated.

Here are some of my other very favorite Brown Family Classics that I made this year. Sorry, my kitchen was a GINORMOUS MESS so I didn't take pictures of my own, but lets just pretend they turned out as pretty as these ones! :)

photos courtesy of sunset, food network, hersheys and eagle brand

1. Buttery Lemon Squares: recipe here

2. English Toffee: recipe here, the only changes I make are putting the nuts on top of the chocolate instead of in the toffee itself.

3. Peanut Butter Blossoms: recipe here

4. Magic Cookie Bars: Recipe here instead of using 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, I use 1 cup semi-sweet and 1 cup butterscotch chips.

My new favorite thing to use for dipping pretzels or other candies is Ghiradelli Candy Making and Dipping Bar. You can get a 2lb bar of it at Sam's club for like $5 or $6 and it tastes amazing and hardens beautiful and shiny! Seriously, the BEST stuff! I think Sam's only has it seasonally, so stock up!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Originally posted on Crazy Domestic 2010 by Megan