Peanut Butter Fudge...or at least I tried!

When I was little, I remember we used to get the most amazing Peanut Butter Fudge from someone. It was smooth, creamy, and super sugar-y. So, I thought it would be pretty simple to recreate the delicious treat.

Well, practice (I think) will make perfect. This time out...not the worst, but definitely looks like there is room for improvement! Any helpful hints are DEFINITELY appreciated!

 

 

Peanut Butter Fudge

Ingredients
*1/2 cup light butter
*2 cups packed brown sugar (I had dark brown on hand)
*1 cup creamy peanut butter
*1 tsp vanilla extract (definitely had a bit more because I poured too fast)
*3 cups confectioners' sugar
*1/2 cup evaporated milk

Step by Step Directions
*You will need a thermometer for this recipe*

1. Put confectioners' sugar in a large bowl. Set aside.

2. Melt the butter in pan over medium heat.

Once the butter is melted, stir in brown sugar and milk. Make sure your thermometer is in this liquid.

3. While CONSTANTLY stirring, bring mixture to a boil and boil until the thermometer reaches 234 degrees.

(if you stop stirring, the mixture will rise up and boil over...what a mess that would be!)
4. Once the thermometer hits 234 degrees, remove mixture from heat. Stir in peanut butter and vanilla.

5. Pour over the confectioners' sugar and beat until smooth. (mine never became smooth, it was crumbly...this is where I need some input...what did I do wrong?)

6. Pour mixture into a greased pan (I used an 8x8). I had to press the mixture into the pan.
Chill until firm. (mine was firm)

 

Recipe inspired by Baked Perfection

Short On Time & Need a Holiday Treat? Read On!

This continues my holiday "baking" theme...however, this isn't a "baking" treat, but a super simple and super quick holiday treat! Chocolate Covered Pretzels!!!

I wanted to add another treat to the basket of treats I am making for my husband's office and I wanted one that added some color to the entire basket...(bonus it is one that taps into the sweet tooth of my husband...)

Prior to this, I have melted chocolate and made chocolate covered strawberries. That was when we lived in Florida (by the way, if you haven't experienced a true Florida strawberry from Plant City, Florida...you haven't LIVED!) and if I had covered all of the strawberries and still had chocolate left over I would start throwing anything in....but for some reason, I never even thought about using these treats at Christmas...silly me.

Anyway, without further to do...

Chocolate Covered Holiday Pretzels

Ingredients
*1 bag of Snyder's "Olde Tyme" Pretzels
*1 bag unwrapped Hershey Kisses
*PAM spray
*wax paper
*variety of holiday themed sprinkles (and/or crushed peppermints)

**Set up is VERY important**
Cover the counter with wax paper.
Pour the sprinkles into bowls that allow the pretzels to lay flat when pressed into the sprinkles.
Put "whole" pretzels in a bowl you can pull from quickly.
Keep a spoon handy to continually stir the melted chocolate between pretzel dippings.

Step by Step Directions
1. Set up a double broiler. If you don't know what that is (or have an "official" one)...improvise, put water into a pan and place a bowl into the pan. (see below)

2. Set the heat setting to medium. Spray the bowl with PAM! Dump the Hershey Kisses into the bowl. (I didn't throw all of them in at once, as they melted I added more)

3. Keep the water to a low boil. It will take a while for the Kisses to melt. Keep stirring from time to time to rotate the chocolate. I don't know if this helps, but I also spray PAM on the chocolate a few times before I stir. (at most, I spray the chocolate 2 times)

4. Once the chocolate is melted, dip a pretzel in the chocolate. Tap extra chocolate off and even wipe the excess off the back on the side of the bowl.

5. Press into the sprinkles.

6. Lay on wax paper.

That's it! If you need the chocolate to set quickly...put them into the refrigerator. Otherwise, leaving them on the counter for awhile works. (some may disappear over the course of the day, but really, who can resist?)

I will DEFINITELY be making these every Christmas. Next year, I might try other types of chocolate...definitely add in some peanut butter. But, for a first time...I am very happy with this outcome! Happy Dipping!

Ryan's Favorite Xmas Cookie MUST HAVE!

As you know, I am not a baker. My mom is the baker. But, now that we have our own house, I thought it was about time I begin to try and bake some of our own favorite Christmas cookies! This is by no means a recipe I made up on my own...it is the recipe my mom has used for years...it is probably very similar to others you have read!

Without further ado, here is Ryan's favorite Christmas cookie recipe...

PB Hershey Kiss Cookies

Ingredients
1 cup light butter (2 sticks)
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
4 T. milk
2 t. vanilla
3 1/2 c. flour (yes, I used white flour)
2 t. salt
2 t. baking soda
approximately 2 packages of Hershey Kisses (I used traditional and dark chocolate)

Step by Step Directions

**Unwrap the Hershey Kisses before you begin!**

1. Cream butter and peanut butter. Gradually add both sugars and cream well.
2. Add eggs, milk, and vanilla.
3. Blend in dry ingredients.
4. Shape into small 1 inch balls and roll in sugar.

5. Bake on ungreased cookie sheets for approximately 6 minutes.

6. Take out of the oven and press a Hershey Kiss into the center of each cookie.
7. Put back into the oven and bake for an additional 3-5 minutes. Cool on baking racks.

Soft and Chewy Chocolately Delights

Back into the kitchen I go to do some more baking...this time, I came across this recipe in my book of recipes I have collected over the years. It was originally from Kraft Kitchens recipe collection. In fact, it is from so long ago, you cannot find the original recipe on their website! (I checked)

These cookies are similar to a brownie, but in cookie form. You can put your own spin on these cookies by what you top your cookies with. These cookies are relatively easy to make, but can be somewhat of a pain to get onto the cookie sheet because it becomes hard to handle. But, then again, I am impatient when it comes to baking....so that may just be my own personal opinion.

So, here is my own take on these soft and chewy chocolately delights...

Soft and Chewy Chocolately Delights

Ingredients
*4 squares Baker's Unsweetened Baking Chocolate
*3/4 cup light butter
*2 cups sugar (I only used 1 1/2 c. and I could tell they needed to be a bit more sugary)
*3 eggs
*1 t. vanilla
*2 c. flour

Step by Step Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Microwave chocolate and butter in a microwable bowl. Cook on HIGH for 2 minutes.

3. Stir until the chocolate melts completely.

4. Stir in sugar. Blend in eggs, vanilla. Add flour. Mix.
5. REFRIGERATE for at least 15 minutes until dough is easy to handle.

6. Drop dough onto GREASED baking sheet about 1 inch apart.

7. Bake for 8 minutes. Then, top with your favorite toppings.

*If you need to wait on cookie sheets that are baking in the oven, put the dough back into the refrigerator, so the dough doesn't get warm.

*Toppings I used...mint chips, almond slices, caramel Hershey Kisses, sprinkles (decorate with sprinkles BEFORE you bake), chocolate covered peanuts, dark chocolate Hershey Kisses...all completely up to you!