Advent Update

We're definitely making headway.

1. Make wreath with boxwood branches.
2. Put up Christmas tree--Done.  And it looks lovely.
3. Church cookie cafe--Done.  Our favorites are hazelnut shortbread, cherry cookies, jam thumbprints.
4. Put up lawn decorations--Done.  There is a new Snowy Owl figure for this year.  And they look great in the snow.
5. Send Christmas cards.
6. Holiday horse picture photo shoot for Sis--Done.  Oh, how cute the pictures are!
7. See new Star Wars.
8. Attend holiday strings concert at school--Done.  Saw the first concert at the other school on Thursday (they needed extra cello and violin players); will see the concert at their school tonight.
9. Participate in Girl Scout holiday service field trip--Yep, made cards with and sang to the seniors.
10. Go to office holiday party--Done.  The food, oh, the food.  
11. Celebrate my birthday.
12. Read A Christmas Carol.
13. Watch Little Women.
14. Attend Bud's Piano recital--Done.  He played "Midwinter Memories," very nice.
15. OSV Candlelight tour.
16. Deliver gifts to vet, etc.
17. Keep looking for Snowy Owls--DONE!  We've seen two.  Best. Year. Ever.
18. Go to church vespers service.
19. Have holiday game night.
20. Celebrate Solstice
21. Put up Christmas Lego Village on table--Done.  There are a lot of horses and penguins in it this year.
22. Make gingerbread houses
23. Bake Christmas cookies
24. Choose a family charity for Advent of Gratitude

The New Advent Activities

With twin tweens in the house, I have a feeling our Advent Activities will be a little different this year.  Already, Sis has said she doesn't want to host the cookie-decorating party that we've had for years.  It was always a chaotic, messy, fun evening.  Bittersweet to say goodbye to it.  And I imagine that's the way some of our activities will go.  In fact, this is more "my" list than "ours" now.

There is one thing I want to try as a family--an Advent of Gratitude exercise that I saw on FB.  I think it's a thought-provoking activity in this time of abundance.  When we're done, we'll have to think of a charity to which to donate it.

Our New Advent Activities List

1. Make wreath with boxwood branches.
2. Put up Christmas tree.
3. Church cookie cafe.
4. Put up lawn decorations.
5. Send Christmas cards.
6. Holiday horse picture photo shoot for Sis.
7. See new Star Wars.
8. Attend holiday strings concert at school.
9. Participate in Girl Scout holiday service field trip.
10. Go to office holiday party.
11. Celebrate my birthday.
12. Read A Christmas Carol.
13. Watch Little Women.
14. Attend Bud's Pianp recital.
15. OSV Candlelight tour.
16. Deliver gifts to vet, etc.
17. Keep looking for Snowy Owls.
18. Go to church vespers service.
19. Have holiday game night.
20. Celebrate Solstice
21. Put up Christmas Lego Village on table.
22. Make gingerbread houses
23. Bake Christmas cookies
24. Choose a family charity for Advent of Gratitude

(For comparison:  2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016.) 

Advent All-Around

I'd say we're full of the holiday spirit now, with cheer arriving almost daily since our holiday/birthday weekend in Vermont.

(I'll note one downside:  the Snowy Owl died.  She (or perhaps a juvenile "he") was probably exhausted from her journey from the Arctic and in organ failure (making it easier to photograph her, alas), then she fell through the ice and, despite being taken to a rescue organization, died two days later.  I was very, very, very sad, as was Mama--and we decided not to tell the kids.  Enough death this year.  They got the lesson.  So, please don't mention this.  We've said the owl moved on so it's not here to be seen anymore.  I read today that there's one in Hartford.  Hopefully, it's heading south!)

Okay, back to the holiday spirit.

We're decorated (though, somewhat minimally this year), with presents wrapped and cookies baked, too.  We watched Bill Murray in Scrooged and the kids even made a small snowman in the weekend snowfall.  I did the grocery shopping today and finished my gift buying (I think.)  We're not doing a big meal, just gumbo and muffalettas, with Vermont cheeses, homemade (and cookie cafe) cookies, hot chocolate, maybe the NYTimes hot chocolate red wine (!), and perhaps a gingerbread bundt cake from King Arthur Flour.

1. Go to Cookie Cafe (Dec.3)--DONE
2. Set up Lego Christmas village--DONE
3. My birthday celebration--DONE
4. Holiday weekend away--DONE
5. Office party--DONE
6. Look for Snowy Owl--DONE
7. Family game night (probably Animal Jam)--DONE (we played Tenzi, too)
8. Decorate house--DONE
9. Build gingerbread houses
10. Host cookie party--TODAY
11. Make holiday wreath--DONE (two, actually--one with boxwood and one with twinkle lights)
12. Stay up late, a la Solstice Camp Out the night of last day of school
13. Gifts for teachers, vet, coaches--DONE
14. Create and send family Christmas card--halfway done (the cards were just ordered)
15. Watch "Emmet Otter's Jugband Christmas" 
16. Watch "It's a Wonderful Life!"
17. Watch "Doctor Who" Christmas episode
18. Christmas Eve service
19. Drive around looking at lights
20. Extra screentime--DONE
21. STAR WARS!!!!!--DONE

Belated Advent

We're a little behind with our Advent Activities, though we have been slowly getting in the spirit of things.  We'll see what else we get to--here's a list to help me keep track.

1. Go to Cookie Cafe (Dec.3)--DONE
2. Set up Lego Christmas village--DONE
3. My birthday celebration--DONE
4. Holiday weekend away--DONE
5. Office party--DONE
6. Look for Snowy Owl--DONE
7. Family game night (probably Animal Jam)--DONE (we played Tenzi, too)
8. Decorate house--DONE, halfway
9. Build gingerbread houses
10. Host cookie party (Dec. 21)
11. Make holiday wreath
12. Stay up late, a la Solstice Camp Out the night of last day of school
13. Gifts for teachers, vet, coaches
14. Create and send family Christmas card
15. Watch "Emmet Otter's Jugband Christmas"
16. Watch "It's a Wonderful Life!"
17. Watch "Doctor Who" Christmas episode
18. Christmas Eve service
19. Drive around looking at lights
20. Extra screentime
21. STAR WARS!!!!! (Dec. 16)

Advent Activities: Christmas Prep

It was our "down" day today . . . so we did everything but relax!  (And my hormones were raging--have all month--and so there was some grumping and crying and then apologizing over dinner.)

We made 5 dozen spritz cookies which remind me of the ones my Aunt J would make (using a friend's recipe, to see if it was a softer, easier dough)--hers were frosted; Gommie made long flat ribbon ones which were super-crunchy and my paternal grandfather's favorite.  

We made 6 dozen snickerdoodles as part of Sis's Girl Scout Bronze Award, not pictured here.

I knitted and pulled out a foot of stitches and started again.  

We wrapped presents, cleaned the house, played Minecraft, watched "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," napped, cleaned the garage because we couldn't find the tree stand.

We found the tree stand.

So we decorated the tree.  Our approach is what you might call horror vacui.  Some branches have two or three ornaments.  

We ate dinner and then watched "How the Grinch Stole Christmas."

Pressed Butter Cookies

Ingredients:

         2 ¼ cups flour

         ¼ tsp baking powder

         1 cup butter

         ¾ cup sugar

         1 egg

         1 tsp almond extract

         Colored sugars and sprinkles

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. 

Whisk together flour and baking powder in small bowl.

Cream butter and sugar thoroughly in a large bowl. Beat in the egg and almond extract.

Gradually blend in dry ingredients.

Fill cookie press, and form cookies on ungreased sheets.

Decorate with colored sugars and sprinkles.

Bake 6-8 minutes. 

Carefully remove at once to cooling racks.

Makes about 6 dozen

Miss RM's recipe         

Advent Activities: In Pictures

House decorations

Baking cookies--6 dozen!

Our only snowflakes this season

Waiting for Star Wars 7

Kindness Elves appear, getting ready for our cookie party

Sis's cookies

Making a scarf for a friend's daughter

Bittersweet

It was a bittersweet morning doing Christmas cards.  I keep a long spreadsheet of addressees and like looking over it, even if I've lost touch with many of the people and no longer send cards.  I took the radical step of paring down my list considerably; just don't feel the need to send cards to so many anymore, which makes the task more pleasurable.

But this year, it wasn't quite a pleasing walk down memory lane:  two people I've sent cards to for years died since last Christmas, my beloved Aunt Sis and my friend Sunny.  Sad not to write their names on an envelope and send them holiday wishes.

I'll keep their names on the list so that I can remember them at this time each year.  And I know it will sting a little less each year, but this morning it was hard.

Advent Activities: Start the Calendars

Rabbit, rabbit, as they apparently say here in New England on the first day of a new month (I know, I don't really get it either.)  And it being December, it's the start of Advent.    Which means calendars.

We haven't unearthed our Christmas boxes yet so the Advent socks aren't hung on the mantle with care.  But we do have our now-traditional Lego Advent calendars--Friends for Sis and Star Wars for Bud this year.

And they got me a calendar, too!  It's not a Lego calendar, nor is it actually a countdown to Christmas.  It's a Lighthouse from the LL Bean outlet that now counts down to my birthday!

This morning, the #1 drawer was filled with a little pastel origami pinwheel, Sis's new origami specialty.  Apparently, each drawer until my birthday will have a little treat.

Such a sweet idea, especially because I love my birthday and I loved Advent calendars as a kid.  I always had a paper one from Hallmark, usually with anthropomorphic animals.  Since then, I've had felt ones from the Art Institute and a beautiful quilted one from Gommie.

And now this wonderful lighthouse . . . .

Advent Activities: Something Old, Something New

This is our sixth year of Advent Activities and our sock Advent Calendar (see the lists here--2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014) 

This year, I'm adding a new twist:  kindness elves!  I have two little elves I purchased (alas, not from the people at Imagination Tree who came up with the idea; they sold out) and they will make occasional, random appearances during Advent to encourage us to spread the joy this holiday season.  I've put an asterisk after those that would work.  You may recall how much I dislike the Elf-on-the-Shelf tradition with its focus on threatening children into good behavior with a Big-Brother spying Elf in the house who otherwise will lead them to material reward on Christmas morn, which is now all part of a huge consumerist trap with books, clothes, accessories, etc. for said Elf.  Yay.  I like these 25 ways to spread kindness during the holiday season.

And here's our own list, both fun things to do and kindness to spread:

1. Build gingerbread houses
2. Host cookie party (Dec. 18)
3. Make holiday wreath
4. Stay up late, a la Solstice Camp Out the night of last day of school
5. Make a snowman (weather permitting; if not, turn fridge into a snowman)
6. Deliver gifts to vet, pediatrician, etc.**
7. Create and send family Christmas card
8. Office holiday parties
9. Watch "Emmet Otter's Jugband Christmas" (we actually did this last night!)
10. Make cards for teachers, babysitters, etc.**
11. Watch "Doctor Who" Christmas episode
12. Choose family holiday charity (seals?  owls?  cat project?)**
13. Deliver ELF bags to friends in need of holiday cheer**
14. Piano recital (Dec 6)
15. Celebrate my birthday at Old Sturbridge Village candlelight
16. Go to Cookie Cafe (Dec 5)
17. Sew buttons on Christmas stockings
18. Watch Geminid meteors (Dec. 13-14 peak)
19. Drive around looking at lights
20. Begin reading A Christmas Carol
21. Make origami ornaments for tree
22. Watch original A Miracle on 34th Street
23. STAR WARS!!!!! (Dec. 17)
24. Make latkes on first night of Hanukkah (Dec. 6)

Other ideas:  make candles or soap; follow UU Advent Calendar from Alice the Chalice; make cinnamon buns for Santa Lucia day (Dec. 13); look for Snowy Owls; make a card for my hospice patients; watch It's a Wonderful Life; play with Lego Christmas village; 

Come January, I think I'll have another list of Winter Fun activities.

Fall Fun Wrap-Up

As I sit here, beginning to cook Thanksgiving dinner--the dinner rolls (always the first thing I make)  are in the bread machine--I realize that fall has pretty much come to a close.  Sure, Thanksgiving is the culmination of fall, but it really almost fits in better with the holiday season.  Soon, I'll start my annual Advent Activities list.  I can't believe this will be the 6th year we'll done those.

But I'm getting ahead of myself.  Here is a wrap up of our Fall Fun for this year.

Done

1. Knitting retreat--see here.
2. Get out mittens, hats, scarves, sweaters, etc.--finally needed them today!
3. Change fire alarm batteries
4. Block Island weekend--yes!  See here.
5. Indigo Girls concert--yay!  See here.
6. Vote.  Because the local election and referendum have gotten very nasty.
7. Trick or treat!!!  
8. Make a leaf pile.
9. Decorate a pumpkin.  Does it count that I "zentangled" one?
10. Yarn!  I'm participating in a CAL, or crochet-along.  Plus the knitting retreat.
11. Watch Halloween film (is it time for Hocus Pocus?)--we watched Hocus Pocus.  Odd.  Virginity is a major plot line in this kids' movie from 1993.
12. Scout overnight at Mystic Seaport!!!
13. Florence Griswold Museum Wee Faerie Village
14. Make pies--we made a Swedish Apple Pie
15. Boo gifts for friends
16. Backyard fire with foil dinners and s'mores--can it count that we did it at Applepalooza?  Might be fun to do this holiday weekend, too, with Goo.
17. Applepalooza (our family fall open house, with apple desserts):  a wonderful day, even with the flurries!
18. Pull out quilts and blankets
19. Nature Mandalas:  a first this year; so pretty.
20. Church in-gathering celebration:  we took water from our rain gauge, excited that it had finally rained
21. Make faerie houses:  our first ones circled the silver maple
22. Comic Con:  always fun, like a big geeky Halloween party
23. Matilda:  excellent!
24. Spring Awakening (adults only):  a fantastic evening of ASL and musical theater, in a story about drastic consequences resulting from miscommunicaitons between horny German teenagers and their parents
25. School Open House:  another year has started!
26. Prepare Halloween costumes:  We have Black Widow and Link all ready to go
27. Nature walk or bike ride:  I'm going to count the Sept GS bike ride.

Maybe next year . . . . 

1. Renaissance festival:  NO, missed it this year
2. Church Harvest festival--NOPE, we missed this
3. Russian Orthodox Christmas fair (feels more like Christmas than fall, but it is in Nov.)
4. Apple picking
5. piano recital--now in December
6. Roast pumpkin seeds
7. Make apple or pumpkin butter
8. Pumpkin picking
9. Corn maze
10. Go to a football game
11. Amish Friendship bread
12. Paint pinecones
13. Tent in the backyard
14. Make candles or soap
15. Explore sourdough bread recipes

Advent Activity: Getting Ready

It's that time of year--our annual cookie-decorating party!  Tomorrow, six friends are coming over to frost and sprinkle sugar cookies.  New this year, they'll make mini-gingerbread houses,pieces made using IKEA gingerbread dough (not too tasty, I found) and a cookie cutter that makes all the parts you need in a single cut.  It's a sweet tradition that apparently means as much to the guests as to us the hosts--a few of their moms say how much they look forward to being invited each year, that it's a highlight.

I'll post "after" pictures tomorrow.

The kids are especially excited because tomorrow is also our family's Christmas Eve.  And Goo is coming.

Chocolate "Lembas Bread"

Beware fandom speak.

We played Hobbit this evening, Sis and I did.  She was Legolas (always) and I was first Tauriel and then Gandalf, because she said I made a better Gandalf (I'm going to just let that be.)  We were on a journey, from the Lonely Mountain to Bree, to find Aragorn, heir to the throne of Gondor, which is where last night's movie left off (before the "next" movies start--the LOTR/Hobbit order in reverse-chronology is going to present the same problems as SW!) 

Anyway, we had our weapons, her cloak, a horse (not Shadowfax, though), and of course Elven lembas bread.  But not just any lembas bread, no.  This was CHOCOLATE!

Yep, straight from the tin of fudge we made last night as part of our Advent activities.  Lord Legolas told me that it takes more chocolate lembas bread to fill up, unlike the one bite of the plain.  

And I'm sure it helped us in our journey, though we broke off before we found the Ranger.

I have long told the kids about fudge and how I went through a fudge-making period before they were born.  I became quite adept, well, as much as a home-amateur can (no marble Mackinac fudge tables for me, though.)  And I made lots of different kinds.  But boiling sugar with children was never my idea of a good time.  I burned my finger last night just a little to prove that.  But they're older now and follow directions in the kitchen and so we cooked it up.  I know, I know, the "no fail fudge" is not true fudge.  But I'm okay with that.  It tastes good enough and is a good start.

'Cos, you know, the journey through Middle Earth is long and hard and no doubt we're going to need more lembas bread . . . . in various flavors.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-


Chocolate "Lembas Bread" aka Never Fail Fudge from the Fluff Jar
I don't think I had ever actually used the recipe on the back of the jar before, especially because we didn't have Fluff in Texas, but another brand.  Anyway, it works well as a first fudge and, because we probably over-caramelized the mixture, it had a richer flavor than I expected.  Sis loved making it and used it as a prop when we played Hobbit (Dec. 2014.)

2 1/2 cups sugar
4 tablespoons butter
1 small (5 oz) can evaporated milk
1-7.5 oz jar Marshmallow Fluff
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
1-12 oz. package semi-sweet chocolate

Combine first five ingredients.  Stir over low heat until blended.  Bring to boil over medium heat, being careful not to mistake air bubbles for boiling.  Boil slowly, stirring, for 4 minutes (use softball test.)  Remove from heat.  Stir in vanilla and chocolate until melted.  Pour into a buttered 9x9" pan and cool.

Fluff label

Creamsicle Fudge

I put this together from a couple of sources to make one of my favorite flavors—creamsicle!  It was one of the four fudges I made for holiday party 2000.

1-12 oz. bag of white chocolate chips

2 ¼ cups sugar

7 oz. (1 jar) marshmallow crème

¾ cup evaporated milk

¼ cup (1/2 stick butter)

½ tablespoon orange extract

In heavy 3-quart saucepan, combine sugar, marshmallow crème, evaporated milk, and butter.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil; boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat; stir in orange extract.  Immediately stir in white chocolate chips.  Spread into prepared (foiled and greased) pan.  Cool at room temperature and cut.

Double-Decker Fudge

The first and most famous of my fudges!  Never fails.  And the marshmallow crème base can be adapted for other fudges.  The peanut butter part reminds me of Miss Betty’s mother’s peanut fudge but it is not quite the same.

About 5 dozen pieces or about 2 pounds fudge.

1 cup Reese’s Peanut Butter chips

1 cup chocolate chips

2 ¼ cups sugar

7 oz. (1 jar) marshmallow crème

¾ cup evaporated milk

¼ cup (1/2 stick butter)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

            Line 8 inch square pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan.  In medium bowl, place peanut butter chips.  In second medium bowl, place chocolate chips.  In heavy 3-quart saucepan, combine sugar, marshmallow crème, evaporated milk, and butter.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil; boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.  Immediately stir half of the hot mixture (1 ½ cups) into peanut butter chips until chips are completely melted; quickly spread into prepared pan.  Stir remaining hot mixture into chocolate chips until chips are completely melted.  Quickly spread over top of peanut butter layer.  Cool to room temperature; refrigerate until firm.  Use foil to lift fudge out of pan; peel off foil.  Cut into 1-inch squares.  Store in tightly covered container at room temperature.

Miss Betty’s Mother’s Fudge

Miss Lorraine lost all of her recipes in Katrina, when she lost her home, and so tried to recall the recipe from memory for me after Miss Betty died.  I remember having this back when the World’s Fair was in New Orleans and we went over to Waveland to visit Miss Lorraine (and Jeff Davis’s house).    I haven’t tried it yet and so don’t know if this recipe works.  And, in some ways, it doesn’t have to.  It doesn’t say how much peanut butter—I’m going to guess ¾ to 1 cup.  I can guess at the vanilla, too (1 teaspoon).

4 teaspoons cocoa

3 cups sugar

1 small can cream (5 oz)

1 stick oleo

Peanut butter

vanilla

In large Pyrex measuring cup (64 oz), mix sugar, cream, and oleo and cocoa.  Microwave on high 3 minutes.  Stir.  Repeat 3x.  Microwave on hi 1-minute.  Remove from microwave and add vanilla and Peanut butter.  Beat by hand 2 minutes—pour into buttered cookie sheet.  Let cool and cut into pieces when fully set.

Miss Lorraine

Eggnog Fudge

From the Skaarup Laboratories fudge website, I made this for our holiday party 2000.  It’s a little brittle but tasty.

1/8 cup butter

3 cup sugar

1 cup egg nog (no “light”)

6 oz. white chips (or 6 oz. butterscotch chips, gives extra zing)

1 ½ cup mini marshmallows

1 cup almonds, chopped (optional)

½ teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon cinnamon

            Line a 9 x 9” pan with aluminum foil and set aside.  Keep butter chilled in the refrigerator.  Spray sides of a large saucepan with butter-flavor non-stick spray.

            Heat egg nog and sugar at medium setting.  Bring to a rolling boil (medium to medium high heat) while stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.  Boil for 2 full minutes by the clock.  Now fold in the marshmallows, cinnamon, and nutmeg; the boil will probably stop until the marshmallows are completely dissolved.  Bring back to a rolling boil for another 6 full minutes by the clock.  Stir continuously.

            The mixture will start to turn brown during the boil.  If you get brown flakes in the mixture then turn down the heat a little.

            Remove from heat and add the butter, chips, and nuts.  Stir like crazy until thoroughly mixed or until it starts to lose its glossy appearance.  Pour into prepared pan.  At this point you may want to sprinkle a little nutmeg on the surface.

            Cool at room temperature.  Remove from pan, remove foil, cut into squares. 

Festive Fudge

3 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1-14 oz. can chocolate or original sweetened condensed milk

dash of salt

½ to 1 cup chopped nuts, optional

1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

            In a heavy saucepan, over low heat, melt chips with condensed milk and salt.  Remove from heat; stir in nuts and vanilla.  Spread evenly into a wax paper-lined 8- or 9-inch pan.

            Chilll two hours or until firm.  Turn fudge onto cutting board, peel off paper, and cut into squares.  Store covered in the refrigerator.

Makes 2 lbs

Irish Cream Truffle Fudge

Miss B brought the makings for this, which she’d seen on the internet, and we made it when she and Miss J visited our house for the first time.  I’d seen the recipe on the internet too and had wanted to try it.  It was okay, not a true fudge, but fun to make together while Miss J and Mama trimmed trees and did other house things.  So stereotypical!

3 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup white chocolate chips

¼ cup butter

3 cups powdered sugar

1 cup Irish Cream liqueur

1 ½ cups chopped nuts

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

½ cup white chocolate chips

4 tablespoons Irish Cream liqueur

2 tablespoons butter

            Butter an 8 x 8” pan.

            In the top half of a double boiler, melt 3 cups semisweet chocolate chips, 1 cup white chocolate chips, and ¼ cup butter until soft enough to stir.

            Stir in the powdered sugar and liqueur until mixture is smooth.  Stir in nuts.  Place mixture in the prepared pan and lay a sheet of plastic wrap over top; press and smooth top down.

            In the top half of a double boiler, melt remaining chocolates until soft.  Remove from heat and with a fork beat in the butter and liqueur until smooth.  Spread topping over cooled fudge with a knife.  If a smooth top is important, place plastic wrap over the top.  Refrigerate until firm, 1-2 hours at least.  This fudge can be easily frozen.

allrecipes.com

 

Key Lime Fudge

Another in the holiday 2000 fudges, Houston series.  This is incredible stuff!

7 oz. (1 jar) marshmallow crème

¾ cup evaporated milk

¼ cup (1/2 stick) butter

2 ¼ cup sugar

12 oz. white chocolate, coarsely chopped

1/3 cup key lime juice

1 teaspoon lemon extract

1 cup toasted almond slices

Line an 8 inch pan with foil; grease. 

Place white chocolate chips and toasted almond slices in a large bowl.

In heavy 3-quart saucepan, combine sugar, marshmallow crème, evaporated milk, and butter.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil; boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat; stir in lime juice and lemon extract.  Immediately stir into mixture of white chocolate chips and toasted almonds.

Allow to cool at room temperature and then cut into 1-inch squares.

Oh, Fudge!

Lemon Butter Fudge

Just incredible fudge.  Very much like Mackinac Island fudge—kinda sugary crust and then melt-in-your mouth.  And the butter/lemon mixture is amazing!  The first fudge of Christmas 2001.  And the first one I’ve made from the book Oh, Fudge!

2 cups sugar

½ cup (5 oz. can) evaporated milk

1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice

¼ teaspoon salt

1 x 3 inch piece lemon zest (or zest of one lemon)

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter

Optional:

½ to 1 teaspoon lemon extract

½ cup chopped nuts

4 drops yellow food coloring

            STEP 1:  Prewarm thermometer; use 2-quart saucepan; butter upper sides of saucepan; measure all ingredients except butter, food coloring, and optionals, and dump into saucepan.  Grease and, if necessary, line a 5 x 10 inch pan.  Freeze all the butter.  Fill glass with ice cubes and water, and fill sink half-inch full of water.

            STEP 2:  Dissolve sugar.  Mixture may look curdled, but it will turn out fine.  Stir constantly with wooden spoon over low heat until gritty sounds cease and spoon glides smoothly over bottom of pan.  Increase heat to medium and bring to a boil. 

            STEP 3:  Boil after washing down any crystals that may have formed with pastry brush dipped in hot water from thermometer bath, using as little water as possible.  Introduce prewarmed thermometer.  Reduce heat while retaining boil.  Stir no more than necessary. 

            STEP 4:  Test in ice-cold water when mixtures thickens and bubbles become noisy.  Ball, formed in ice water, should hold its shape until heat from your hand begins to flatten it and should be al dente—slightly chewy.  Approximately 236 to 244°F.

            STEP 5:  Shock by placing saucepan in sink.

            STEP 6:  Seed by adding, without stirring, frozen butter.  Then allow to cool.

            STEP 7:  Stir when lukewarm and “skin” forms on top (110°F).  Return thermometer to its hot-water bath to soak clean.  Add food coloring and check flavoring, adding optional lemon extract if desired.  Remove zest (or leave in if grated), then agitate with mixer and not by hand.  Pause frequently to allow fudge to react.

            STEP 8:  Watch for fudge to thicken, lose its sheen, become light in color or streaked with lighter shades, give off some heat, suddenly stiffen.  If mixing in food processor, fudge will flow sluggishly back to center.  By mixer, mixer waves will become very distinct.  By hand, fudge will “snap” with each stroke.

            STEP 9:  Add optional chopped nuts like pecans just before you pour.

            STEP 10:  Pour, score, and store when cool in airtight container in refrigerator or at room temperature.

Oh, Fudge!

Mexican Orange Fudge

I made this for the museum but found it very sugary and sweet.  I might try it again with less sugar.

Makes 45 pieces or about 1 pound

2 ½ cups sugar

¼ cup boiling water

½ cup light cream

2 tablespoons butter

½ cup chopped pecans (optional)

1 tablespoon finely shredded orange peel

            Line 9 x 5 x 3 pan with foil; butter and set aside. 

To caramelize sugar, in a heavy 2-quart saucepan heat 1 cup sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly, till sugar melts and turns a rich brown color.  This should take 10-15 minutes. 

            Remove pan from heat.  Slowly add boiling water, stirring carefully until sugar dissolves.  Add the remaining 1 ½  cups sugar, cream, and butter.  Cook over medium high heat to boiling, stirring constantly to dissolve additional sugar.  This should take about 5 minutes.  Avoid splashing mixture on sides of pan.  Carefully clip candy thermometer to pan.

            Cook over medium low heat stirring frequently until thermometer registers 240 (softball stage).  Mixture should boil at a moderate, steady rate.  This should take about 8 to 10 minutes.

            Remove pan from heat.  Cool, without stirring to 110, about 55 minutes.  Remove thermometer.  Beat vigorously until just beginning to thicken; add orange peels and pecans (optional).  Continue beating til very thick but still glossy.  This should take 4 to 5 minutes total (or less, keep an eye on it).  Quickly turn fudge into prepared pan.  While warm, score into squares.  When firm, lift out of pan; cut into squares.  Store tightly covered.

Better Homes and Gardens Candy

Orange Chocolate Fudge

I made this as part of the holiday 2000 fudges, Houston series.  MMmmmm!

2 ¼ cup sugar

7 oz. (1 jar) marshmallow crème

¾ cup evaporated milk

¼ cup butter (1/2 stick butter)

2 cups chocolate chips

1 teaspoon orange extract

Line an 8 inch pan with foil; grease. 

In a medium bowl, place chocolate chips.

In heavy 3-quart saucepan, combine sugar, marshmallow crème, evaporated milk, and butter.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil; boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat; stir in orange extract.  Immediately stir mixture into chocolate chips.  Pour into lined and greased pan.

Allow to cool at room temperature and then cut into 1-inch squares.

Peppermint Fudge

The candies turn the white fudge pink!  One of the holiday 2000 fudges (and my favorite, I think), adapted from Taste of Home.

2 ¼ cup sugar

7 oz. (1 jar) marshmallow crème

¾ cup evaporated milk

¼ cup butter (1/2 stick butter)

1 cup white chocolate chips

½ teaspoon peppermint extract

¼ cup crushed peppermint candy

1 cup chocolate chips

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Line an 8 inch pan with foil; grease. 

In one medium bowl, place chocolate chips and vanilla extract..  In another bowl, place white chocolate chips, crushed peppermint candies, and peppermint extract.

In heavy 3-quart saucepan, combine sugar, marshmallow crème, evaporated milk, and butter.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil; boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat; stir in almond extract.  Immediately stir half of mixture into chocolate chips and the other half into white chocolate and peppermint candies.  Pour chocolate mixture in pan first, then peppermint mixture.

Allow to cool at room temperature and then cut into 1-inch squares.

Taste of Home magazine

White Christmas Fudge

Very yummy, especially with the new adaptation, which was tested in the museum.  Mom’s note (10/01):  “Mom’s Favorite!”

Makes 36 squares

2 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar

2/3 cup milk

¼ cup butter

12 oz. white chocolate, coarsely chopped

½ teaspoon almond extract

¾ cup dried cherries, cranberries, or apricots, coarsely chopped

¾ cup toasted almond slivers

            Line an 8 inch pan with foil; grease.  Mix sugar and milk in heavy saucepan.  Over medium heat, add butter and bring to a boil; stir constantly.   Without stirring, boil constantly for 5 minutes.

            Over low heat, add chocolate and almond extract.  Stir then whisk until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth.  Stir in dried fruit and almonds.  Pour into prepared pan.

            Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm.  Invert pan, peel off foil, and cut into 1 inch squares. 

           

            To toast almonds:  Spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet.  Bake at 350°F for 5-10 minutes, shaking pan occasionally, until they begin to brown and turn fragrant.

Alternate:  White Christmas Fudge

7 oz. (1 jar) marshmallow crème

¾ cup evaporated milk

¼ cup (1/2 stick) butter

2 ¼ cup sugar

12 oz. white chocolate, coarsely chopped

½ teaspoon almond extract

¾ cup dried cherries, cranberries, or apricots, coarsely chopped

¾ cup toasted almond slivers

Line an 8 inch pan with foil; grease. 

In heavy 3-quart saucepan, combine sugar, marshmallow crème, evaporated milk, and butter.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil; boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat; stir in almond extract.  Immediately stir into mixture of nuts and berries.

Allow to cool at room temperature and then cut into 1-inch squares.

Mocha Fudge

I made this fudge for our second holiday party in 1999 but no one could taste the coffee.  Perhaps increase?

Makes 2 lbs.

3 cups chocolate chips

1-14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

3 tablespoons chocolate syrup

1 tablespoon instant coffee

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

            In saucepan over low heat, melt chips and condensed milk.  Remove from heat.  Stir in syrup, coffee, and vanilla.  Spread evenly into foil-lined 8-or 9-inch square pan.  Chill two hours or until firm.  Cut into squares.