Easy Butterscotch Fudge

Don't be afraid to make these just because there is no candy thermometer or strict candy-making guidelines.  That is why these are called EASY.  The only thing you need to be cautious of in this recipe is stirring faithfully.  As with all fudge recipes I make or caramels, I line the pan with foil so that I can easily lift out of the pan and cut/serve/store from there.  Enjoy!

3 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter
2/3 cup evaporated milk
12 ounces butterscotch chips
7 ounces marshmallow creme
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Combine sugar, butter (or margarine) and milk in a 2 1/2 quart saucepan.


2. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly.


3. Continue boiling 5 minutes over medium/medium-high heat, stirring.


4. Remove from heat, stir in butterscotch chips until melted.


5. Add marshmallow creme and vanilla; beat until blended.


6. Pour into greased 13×9 inch pan.


7. Let cool and serve.

Chocolate Coconut Candies

• 1-3/4 cups confectioners' sugar


• 1-3/4 cups flaked coconut


• 1 cup chopped almonds


• 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk


• 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips


• 2 tablespoons shortening

In a large bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, coconut, almonds and milk. Shape into 1-in. balls. Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes.

In a microwave, melt semisweet chips and shortening on high for about 1 minute; stir. Microwave at additional 10- to 20-second intervals, stirring until smooth.

Dip balls in chocolate; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper; let stand until set. Store in an airtight container. 

 

Yield: 2-1/2 dozen.

White Chocolate Baileys Irish Cream Cheesecake

* Oreo Cookie Crust (see below)
* 3/4 cup white gourmet chocolate like Ghirardelli chocolate melted with
* 1/4 cup Homemade Baileys Irish Cream liqueur
* 1 1/2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature (3 - 8 ounce pkgs)
* 1 cup white sugar
* 3 large eggs
* 2 Tablespoons white flour
* 2 teaspoons pure vanilla
* 1/8 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)
* Chocolate ganache drizzle (optional)



How to Make an Oreo Cookie Crust

* 13 Oreo cookies or similar chocolate sandwich cookie, crushed fine
* 1/4 cup melted butter
* Prepare a 9 inch springform pan by taking the pan apart. Line the bottom plate with aluminum foil, then reassemble the pan. Pull the excess foil up and around the pan to prevent any batter from leaking into the oven. Spray the sides and bottom with vegetable spray.
* Mix crust ingredients and pat on the bottom of prepared pan. Set aside.



How to Make Baileys Irish Cream Cheesecake Filling:

* Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place pan of hot water in bottom of oven.
* In a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water, melt white chocolate with Baileys, stirring occasionally until smooth. Make sure no water comes in contact with the chocolate or it will seize up. Remove and keep warm, you can always rewarm it later.
* Using a high-speed mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until creamy.
* Add eggs and beat until fluffy, scraping sides of bowl a few times and mixing after.
* Add flour, vanilla and salt, beat again and scrape down the sides.
* With mixer on medium speed, add melted white chocolate and Baileys mixture. Do not over mix. Too much air in the batter causes bubbles that can cause cracking. Mix just until creamy and all lumps are gone.
* If you want to go crazy, now is the time to throw in a handful of chocolate chips into the batter, but save a few for the top!
* Pour the cheesecake batter into pan on top of the Oreo Cookie crust.
* Bake at 325 degrees F for 60-70 minutes. Resist the urge to open and close the oven door while baking. It's hard to tell when a cheesecake is done and you don't want to over bake it either, which again causes cracks. The cheesecake is generally done when the sides are set and a little puffy and the very center is slightly wiggly.
* Cool slowly on a wire rack away from drafts and at an even temperature for 2-3 hours.
* Run a sharp knife around the sides. Leave cheesecake in the pan and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight. Run a sharp knife around the pan once more before releasing sides. Peel the foil off the underside of the pan, gently lift the cake with one hand and peel off the foil sliding the cheesecake onto a serving plate. Drizzle with chocolate ganache if desired.

Irish Cream Bars

Something to try for your March Madness......

For cake:
1 packet yellow cake mix, moist deluxe
3 eggs
2/3 cup bailey's irish cream
1/3 cup oil

For swirl:
1 can cream cheese frosting, vanilla creamy
1 pkg white chocolate chips
1/4 cup bailey's irish cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a jelly roll pan (about 15" x 10" x1"). Mix cake mix with eggs, irish cream and oil. Set aside 1/2 cup of prepared cake batter for swirl. Pour cake batter into prepared pan. In a small bowl, blend all swirl ingredients. Drop large spoonfuls of this mixture over the cake batter. Swirl with a fork to make a marble effect. Bake 25 - 30 minutes. Cool and cut into squares.

Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Peanut halves, unsalted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees f. Blend the butter and peanut butter. Add the sugar and brown sugar and blend well. Add the egg and vanilla and blend well. Stir together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add to the peanut butter mixture and blend well. Drop the dough by teaspoons onto a greased cookie sheet, leaving 1-1/2 inches between drops. Flatten each cookie with a fork (dipped in flour, if necessary), pressing it into the cookie in both directions to make criss-cross pattern. Press two peanut halves into the top of each cookie. Bake for 15 minutes. The cookies should be slightly browned and just beginning to get firm to the touch. Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes and then transfer to wire racks to finish cooling.

Cranberry Upside Down Cake

Topping:
1/2 stick butter or margarine
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 cup golden raisins

Cornmeal cake:
1 stick butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 large eggs
2/3 cup milk
1 1/4 cups flour
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal

Heat oven to 350 degrees. You will need an 8- or 9-inch round cake pan.


Topping: Put butter in cake pan and melt in oven. Tilt to coat sides of pan. Sprinkle evenly with brown sugar, cranberries, and raisins.


Cake: On medium speed, beat butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and baking powder for three minutes or until very pale. Beat in eggs one at a time. On low speed, beat in milk, flour, and cornmeal just until blended. Spread over topping. Bake one hour to one hour and ten minutes, until top is browned and wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for only five minutes before inverting to serve.

Irish Cream Chocolates

12-ounce semisweet chocolate chips
1/2-cup irish cream liqueur, such as bailey's
1/4-cup whipping cream
2-cups pecan pieces

Conventional method: Stirring constantly, heat chocolate, irish cream liqueur and whipping cream in a double boiler over medium heat until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and stir in pecans. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto wax paper, cool until set, about 1 hour. Remove from wax paper and store in airtight container. Microwave method: Place chocolate, irish cream liqueur and whipping cream in microwave-safe dish, cover with paper towel or wax paper. Cook on medium (50 percent power), turning bowl 1/2 turn and stirring 2 times until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth, about 2 to 2-1/2 minutes. Stir in pecans. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto wax paper, cool until set, about 1 hour. Remove from wax paper and store in airtight container.

Raspberry Filled Torte

1/2 pound unsalted butter, chilled and cut into bits
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups raspberry preserves (12 ounces)
2 tablespoons soft butter
2 cups confectioner's sugar
1/4 cup cold water
2 teaspoons lemon juice

In a large mixing bowl, combine the chilled butter, 3 cups of the flour and the sugar and, with your fingertips, rub until the mixture resembles flakes of coarse meal. Beat in the egg and continue to mix until the pastry is smooth. Shape it into a ball, wrap it in wax paper, and refrigerate 1 hour, or until the dough is form. With the back of a spoon, rub the preserves through a fine sieve set over a 1-quart saucepan, then cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until they thicken into a thin puree. Set aside off the heat. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Cut the chilled pastry in half and shape each half into a rectangle. One half at a time, roll the pastry between two sheets of lightly floured wax paper into a rectangle approximately 10 inches wide and 15 inches long. With a pastry brush, coat each of 2 cookie sheets with 1 tablespoon of butter and sprinkle them with flour, tipping the sheets from side to side to coat them evenly. Then invert the sheets and tap them against a hard surface to dislodge any excess flour. Peel off the top sheets of wax paper and use the bottom ones to lift the 2 rectangles of pastry onto the 2 cookie sheets. Peel off the remaining sheets of wax paper. Bake 40 minutes, or until the pastry begins to turn a pale gold. Watch carefully for any sign of burning and regulate the heat accordingly. With a metal spatula, spread the raspberry puree evenly over one sheet of the pastry, covering it completely and smoothly. Slide the second sheet of pastry gently onto the first. With a spoon stir the sugar, water and lemon juice together in a large mixing bowl to form a thin paste. Spread the icing over the top layer of pastry with the spatula, and set the cake aside to cool to room temperature. With a small, sharp knife or pastry wheel, slice the aleksander torte into strips 1 inch wide and 2 inches long, cutting the ends on the diagonal.

Crunchy Peanut Butter Fudge

2 pounds sugar, powdered
0.25 pound butter
1 can evaporated milk
1 jar of marshmallow cream
1 jar of crunchy peanut butter, small jar

Combine sugar, butter and milk in a large, heavy pot. Bring to a boil stirring constantly. Be very careful not to burn! Cook until mixture forms a firm ball when tested in cold water. About 15 minutes of boiling. Remove from heat and add the marshmallow cream and the peanut butter and mix thoroughly. Turn into a 9x12 buttered pan and allow to partially set. Cut into serving size pieces and allow to fully set. This is the original recipe. Adding an extra jar of peanut butter still makes excellent fudge, which is more peanut buttery and less sweet.

Crunchy Peanut Butter Chip Fudge

You can never have too many fudge recipes!


2 cups packed brown sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 cup peanut butter flavor chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Butter to grease pan

Butter one 8 inch pan and set aside. In a saucepan mix brown sugar, evaporated milk and salt. Cook over low heat and stir until boiling. Boil for 3 minutes . Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips, peanut butter, peanut butter flavor chips, and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Pour fudge into pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm.

French Mints

something to take your entertaining to the next level! ;)

4-square bitter chocolate
1-cup butter or margarine
4 eggs
2-cups sugar
1/2-teaspoon peppermint
1-cup flour
1-cup chopped nuts, (optional)
4-tablespoons margarine
2-cups confectioner's sugar
2-tablespoons milk
1-1/2-teaspoons peppermint extract
2-squares bitter chocolate
2-tablespoons butter

Melt chocolate and butter. Beat eggs until fluffy. Add sugar to eggs. Then peppermint and chocolate mixture. Add flour. Pour into greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake 20 to 25-minutes at 350-degrees. Cool totally. 2nd layer: Beat and spread smoothly, refrigerate until hard. Add 1 to 2 drops green coloring if you want prior to spreading. 3rd layer: Melt and blend. Spread on mint frosting. Let set out and then cut 1-inch squares and freeze.

Caramels

1 cup sugar
3/4 cup dark corn syrup
1 cup light cream
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, 1/2 cup cream and butter. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add remaining cream and cook slowly to a soft ball stage (245). Remove from heat. Add nuts and vanilla. Pour mixture into a greased 8-inches square pan. Cut when cool, wrap in waxed paper and store in an airtight container.

Easy 15 minute Peanut Butter Fudge

1 cup sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a saucepan, combine sugars, salt and milk. Cook until temperature reaches 240 on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat and add marshmallows, peanut butter and vanilla. Beat with a wooden spoon several minutes until thick and creamy and gloss disappears. Spread in a buttered 8-inch square pan. Cut into squares.

Easy to Make Fudge

4 cups sugar
1 1/3 cup evaporated milk
1-cup butter
2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips, 12 ounce bag
1 jar marshmallow cream, 7-ounces
1-teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, optional

Line a 13x9" pan with foil. Butter the pan and set aside. Butter the sides of a heavy 3-quarters saucepan. Combine the sugar, butter and milk. Cook over medium-high heat to boiling stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Dissolving the sugar should take about 7 minutes. Carefully clip thermometer onto inside of pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently till thermometer reaches 236 degrees, softball stage. Mixture should be boiling at a moderate steady rate over the entire surface. Reaching softball should take 12-13 minutes at this boil rate. Remove saucepan from heat and unclip thermometer. Add chocolate and marshmallow crème, then vanilla and nuts. Stir quickly until well blended and then turn out into pan. While fudge is still warm score the surface into individual pieces if desired. Store in fridge.

Pecan Bourbon Balls

1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup bourbon
1/2 cup margarine, softened
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
2 pounds confectioner's sugar, plus 2 cups confectioner's sugar
1 1/2 pound chocolate-flavored candy coating, melted

Soak pecans in bourbon 3 hours or overnight, stirring occasionally. In large mixer bowl, beat margarine, vanilla and salt until fluffy; gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk then pecan mixture and confectioner's sugar until well blended. Shape into 1-inch balls. Place on baking sheets. Chill until firm. With fork or wooden pick, dip each ball into warm candy coating; let excess coating drip off. Place on wax paper-lined baking sheets; let stand until firm. Store covered at room temperature or in refrigerator.

Church Windows

12 ounces chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter (or margarine)
10 ounces marshmallows, miniature, multicolored
1 cup pecans - finely chopped coconut, flaked
Melt chocolate and butter over low heat; cool. Add marshmallows and nuts to chocolate mixture. Shape into 2 rolls 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter; roll each in coconut. Refrigerate. When rolls are thoroughly chilled, slice into 1/2" slices.

Cherry Topped Icebox Cake

20 whole graham crackers
2 cups cold milk
1 packet (6 serving size) jell-o instant vanilla pudding
1 3/4 cups cool whip, thawed
2 cans (21 ounce) cherry pie filling

Line 13x9inch pan with some of the graham crackers, breaking crackers if necessary. Pour cold milk into bowl. Add pudding mix. With electric mixer at low speed, beat until well blended, 1 to 2 minutes let stand 5 minutes then blend in whipped topping. Spread half of the pudding mixture over crackers. Add another layer of crackers. Top with remaining pudding mixture and remaining crackers. Spread cherry pie filling over crackers. Chill about 3 hours.

4th of July Flag Cake

1 packet yellow or chocolate cake mix
2 pints fresh blueberries
3 pints fresh strawberries
3 cups whipping cream (do not use whipped topping aerosol can)
1/2 cup confectioners sugar

Bake the cake according to the direction (use the high altitude directions if you need them), in a 9 x 13-inch pan. Cool. (cake may be made ahead and frozen). Place on a serving plate or board. Whip the cream with the confectioners' sugar. Cut the strawberries in half lengthwise. Spread the cream evenly around the sides of the cake, saving a little for the top. To decorate: Using a pastry bag, pipe (or dollop and spread with a spatula) rows of cream alternating with rows of strawberries for the flag "stripes." make a background of the blueberries in the upper left-hand corner, then pipe or dollop stars on top to create the "star" section of the cake. If making cake ahead, arrange fruit several hours before serving. Add the cream up to an hour before serving.

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER MARSHMALLOW FUDGE

4 cups sugar
1/4 pound butter
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
1 dash salt
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
7 ounces marshmallow cream
1 1/2 cup mini marshmallows
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Bring to a boil:

Sugar, butter, evaporated milk and salt. Boil 15 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add chocolate chips, marshmallow creme, peanut butter and vanilla. Beat until thick. Fold in the mini marshmallows. Pour into 13 x 9 inch pan. Refrigerate.

Coconut Date Balls

1 cup dates, chopped
1/4 cup butter
1 egg
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup crisp rice cereal
1/2 cup nuts, chopped
2 cups flaked coconut
Coconut
Combine dates, butter, egg and sugar and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir. Cool. Add crisped rice cereal and nuts. While warm shape mixture into small balls and roll in coconut. Store in container with foil between layers. About 25 puffs.