Heavenly Hash Rocky Road Fudge

2-10.5 oz bags mini marshmallows, frozen
4 cups sugar
12 oz evaporated milk
20 large marshmallows
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into 8 slices each
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 oz dark chocolate chips (semi-sweet is fine)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 lb pecans, toasted

Toss both bags of mini marshmallows into freezer for at least 2 hours, although overnight is better.

After marshmallows have frozen, begin fudge.

Toast pecans in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes; set aside.

Butter and line a 13x9 casserole dish.

In a deep pot, combine sugar, evaporated milk, and the 20 large marshmallows.

Cook over medium-high heat until melted, and allow mixture to boil for 6 minutes - stir continuously.

After 6 minutes, turn off heat; add in the chocolate chips and pieces of butter.

Stir mixture until chocolate and butter has melted, then add in the toasted pecans.

Pour 2 1/2 cups of the chocolate-pecan mixture into the bottom of the prepared casserole dish and spread to cover. 

Pour mini marshmallows over chocolate, pressing marshmallows with your hands.

Pour remaining chocolate-pecan mixture over marshmallows, being sure to cover all of the marshmallows.

Allow to set overnight in the refrigerator.

Using parchment paper, remove entire block of fudge from dish and cut into pieces.

***The pan I used has a 14-cup capacity; if you don't have anything of this size, you will need two 13x9 pans. Alternatively, you can use 1 bag of mini marshmallows instead of 2. 

The thickness will be reduced, and you have more chocolate than marshmallows, but it should fit in one pan.***

Share by Grandma Hilda McLean

Cinnamon Valentine Caramels

2 c. white sugar
1-1/2 c. light corn syrup
1-1/2 c. heavy cream
1 c. butter, plus 1/2 T. for buttering the pan
2 tsp. cinnamon oil (I used cinnamon oil from a Wilton candy flavorings multi pack, from Michael’s)
1-1/2 tsp. red food color gel (I used Wilton red “no taste” icing color, from Michael’s.)

(Cinnamon oil is very strong, but necessary for reaching a stronger cinnamon flavor. Be careful to not get it on your skin, as it can cause irritation. For a more subtle cinnamon flavor, substitute 3 tsp. cinnamon extract for the cinnamon oil. The extract can be found in the baking section of your grocery store.)

Butter a 9″ x 13″ pan and set aside.

Place all ingredients except the cinnamon oil and the red coloring in a heavy medium sauce pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring quite constantly, until it reaches 240°. 

This will take awhile, but don’t wander too far away, as the temperature seems to rise quickly right at the end. Take off heat and stir in the cinnamon oil and red coloring. 

Pour into your buttered pan. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate to set. Take out of refrigerator and let sit for about 10 minutes before cutting.

If you want to gift these caramels, simply cut them into your desired size and wrap in wax paper.

Please note: Using candy thermometers can be a tricky thing. Thermometers seem to vary, which can give you different results. When Mom makes these caramels, she cooks them to 236°, as her thermometer registers a bit differently than mine.

Shared by Mary Ann Hartley

Strawberry Shortcake Bars

1 stick butter, melted1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. strawberry jam

Icing:
1 c. powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 TBS milk

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 8x8 baking pan w/ foil, w/ extra over the edges, and spray w/ cooking spray w/ flour. In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar and butter. Add eggs, one at a time. Add salt, vanilla and stir to combine. Stir in flour and baking soda until well mixed. 


Spread into pan. Spoon jam over dough. Drag a knife through dough and jam, swirling jam into dough. Bake 25 minutes or until golden and toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pan. To make icing, in a small bowl whisk together powdered sugar, vanilla and milk. 


Drizzle icing on cooled bars. Let icing set up. Remove from pan using foil and cut into bars.

Shared by Debbie McLean Warner

Easy Rum Balls

1 box (12 Oz. Box) Vanilla Wafers
1 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
1/2 cups Chopped Pecans (optional)
1/4 teaspoons Salt
1/2 cups Cocoa Powder
1/2 cups Rum Or Bourbon
3 Tablespoons Light Corn Syrup
1/4 cups Extra Powdered Sugar, For Rolling

Blend wafers into fine crumbs. Pour into a bowl. Add powdered sugar, nuts, salt and cocoa to the crumbs. Mix well. 


Add rum or bourbon and corn syrup. Stir with a fork until moist. Mix with hands until completely combined. Shape into balls then roll in extra powdered sugar. Store in a covered container.

Note: to substitute rum extract, add 1 tablespoon extract plus milk or water to make 1/2 cup total.

Enjoy!

Shared by Debbie McLean Warner

Harvest Apple Cookies with Brown Butter Glaz

4 tart apples - peeled and cored
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
lemon juice
3/4 cups raisins
1 tsp rum or rum flavoring
1 tsp vanilla flavoring
hot water
.........................
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
3 cups quick cooking oats
3/4 cups toasted walnuts, finely chopped
..........................
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2-3 tbsp water


For the rum soaked raisins:

Place the raisins in a small bowl, cover with enough hot water to cover them. Add the vanilla and rum flavoring. Let the raisins soak for about 3 hours or overnight. When ready to make the cookies, drain the raisins and set aside.

For the spiced dried apples:

Preheat oven to 275F. Peel and core 4 medium sized apples. Slice them into circles about 1/4 inch thick, and place them in a small bowl with some lemon juice. Sprinkle the cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice over the apple slices.

Stir and toss with a spoon to evenly coat. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet, and arrange the apple slices on the wire rack. Put in the oven and bake for about an hour, until the apples are dried but not crisp.

Remove from oven and cut into small pieces. Set aside or store in an airtight container for later use.

For the cookies:

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter until fluffy. Add the sugars and cream  together. Add the eggs and vanilla, mixing well. In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. 


Gradually add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture, mixing until combined. Stir in the oats, apples, raisins and walnuts. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350F, drop cookies by heaping tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool for 2 minutes, then transfer cookies to a wire rack.

In the meantime, put the 4 Tbsp of butter in a medium skillet, cook and stir over medium high heat until the butter begins to turn golden. It will begin to foam, then turn from pale yellow to golden, and small brown flecks will form in the bottom of the pan.

As soon as you see the butter begin to form flecks, remove from heat. Add the powdered sugar to the brown butter, and whisk to incorporate. Add vanilla and enough water to make a drizzling consistency.

Drizzle the brown butter glaze over the slightly warm cookies.

Let cool. Serve and enjoy!

Shared by Grandma Hilda McLean

Valentine Fortune Cookies

Prep: 5 min; Cook: 12 min; Servings: 24

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 large egg whites
1 tbsp water
1 tsp vanilla extract
semi sweet chocolate chips for melting
red decorator sugar
heart shaped sprinkles
paper and pen to write your valentine notes


In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cornstarch, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add the oil and egg whites, whisking until smooth. Whisk in the water and vanilla.

Drop a rounded teaspoon of batter onto a well-greased baking sheet. Using the back of a spoon or an offset spatula, spread the batter into a 3" circle. Repeat with another rounded teaspoon of batter. 


Bake at 300F for 8 to 12 minutes or until lightly golden.  The cooking time will depend on your oven, mine were done at 8 minutes.  


If the cookies break when you are trying to shape them, try cooking them for less time.

Working quickly, immediately remove each cookie from the pan with a spatula (an offset spatula works well), and flip over into gloved hand. 


Place your prepared valentine message in the center of each cookie and fold each cookie in half. Grasp the end of each cookie, and place over the edge of a bowl, pulling the edges down to form a crease. 


Place cookies, ends down, in a muffin pan to maintain shape while cooling. Let cool completely. Repeat procedure with the remaining batter, baking only 2 cookies at a time.


To Decorate: Microwave the chocolate chips in a small bowl at medium power for 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. Dip the outer edge of the cooled cookie into the melted chocolate, then into decorator sugar or sprinkles. 


Place on waxed paper to let the chocolate harden. You can place the cookies in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to harden the chocolate faster.

Shared by Debbie McLean Warner

Spiced Sugar Cookies

1 and 1/3 cup sifted flour

1/4 a cup almond meal

1 egg yolk

3/4 cup of icing sugar

a little less than 1/2 cup of soft butter

2 tablespoons of milk

1 teaspoon of vanilla 

1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves

Plus ground cinnamon and powdered sugar for dusting.

Put your flours and spices into a bowl, then add your soft butter and quickly work it into the flour until it all looks crumbly.

Don’t panic! Simply add your yolk and milk and knead with the palm of your hands to release the gluten in the flour that will magically turn this goop into perfect cookie dough.

Add the vanilla, then roll into a ball, wrap in cling film and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Roll out your dough onto a floured surface. Cut out your cookies and place them onto a baking tray lined with baking parchment.

Place in the fridge for 10 minutes while you bring your oven to 340 Farenheit.

Bake for 10/12 minutes. They will still feel quite soft, but keep in mind that they will firm up during the cooling time.

Dust the angles with ground cinnamon and icing sugar while they are still hot from the oven and surrender to the Christmas Spirit!  Great for Christmas, but we make them year round.

Dad Endert's Chocolate Fudge Candy

Ingredients to cook on stove:
10 Large or 100 to 110 Small Marshmallows
1 Can Condensed Milk (2/3 Cup)
2 Cups Sugar

1 Teaspoon Vanilla, set this aside

Ingredients to have ready in a bowl to add later:
1/2 to 1 Cup of Chopped Nuts (optional)
1 small package of Chocolate Chips
3/4 stick butter (NOT MARGARINE)

Grease an 8x8 or 9x9 pan with butter.

COOK marshmallows, milk and sugar on medium to slow heat until boiling
BOIL 6 minutes.

After it starts boiling, add the 1 Teaspoon Vanilla.

AFTER 6 MINUTES OF BOILING, ADD nuts, chocolate chips and butter.

Stir until it loses its gloss....this may take a few minutes.

Put in buttered 8x8 or 9x9 pan to cool.

Cut into serving squares AFTER FUDGE COOLS....ABOUT 2 HOURS.


Shared by Beverly Andrews Gaskins Thaxton


The Pot Stirrers

Mom's Cocoa Fudge

2/3 Hershey Cocoa
3 Cups Sugar
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 Cups Milk
4 1/2 Tablespoons Butter
1 Teaspoon Vanilla

Cook cocoa, sugar and salt constantly stirring.

Add milk.

Bring to boil, stirring frequently.

Cook to 232 degrees F (cooking thermometer) or until a small amount of
mixture forms a soft ball when dropped in cold water.

Remove from heat, add butter and stir into mixture.
.
Cool to lukewarm, 110 degrees F, add vanilla and beat until mixture thickens.

Pour into buttered pan (8x8 or 9x9) and cut into serving squares.


Shared by Beverly Andrews Gaskins Thaxton


The Pot Stirrers

Mom's Peanut Brittle

1 Cup Sugar
1/4 Cup Water
1/2 Cup White Karo Syrup

Cook these 3 items in iron skillet until mixture spins a thread when dripping
from a spoon

Add 2 Cups fresh peanuts

Cook until golden brown

Add 2 Tablespoons Margarine and 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

Remove from flame and pour onto a greased cookie sheet.

Spread as thin as possible.

Break when hardened.


Shared by Beverly Andrews Gaskins Thaxton


The Pot Stirrers

Melt In Your Mouth Cookies

**Preheat oven to 300 degrees

2 Tablespoons Powdered Sugar
1 Stick BUTTER, melted
1/2 Cup Chopped Walnuts
1 Cup Flour
1 Teaspoon Vanilla

Place about 2 Cups of Powdered Sugar in ziplock bag and set aside

Melt butter.

Mix melted butter and all other ingredients together in a bowl.

Shape mixture into small drops or round balls, about the size of a rounded
teaspoon, placing them on a cookie sheet.

Bake about 20 minutes at 300 degrees.

Remove from oven, cool for a few minutes then put into ziplock and gently toss
the cookies around in the powdered sugar until coated. 


Place on wax paper to finish cooling process.


Shared by Beverly Andrews Gaskins Thaxton


The Pot Stirrers

Rum Cake

Pillsbury Yellow Cake Mix with pudding
4 eggs
1/2 Cup oil
1/2 Cup water
1/2 Cup Rum - White
1/2 Chopped nuts (optional)

Spray Bundt pan, put nuts on the bottom, add rum cake mix. Bake at 325
degrees for 50-60 minutes or until toothpick clean.

Cake icing:

1 stick margarine (1 Cup)
1 Cup sugar
1/4 Cup rum
1/4 Cup cold water

Bring these ingredients to a boil, for 2 minutes.


Icing is prepared 10 minutes before cake is done baking.  Pour over cake as soon as it is out of the oven and still in the pan.

Shared by Beverly Andrews Gaskins Thaxton

The Pot Stirrers

Cream Cheese Crab Spread

Spread cream cheese on a platter, cover with cocktail sauce and crab or mini shrimp.

Place an assortment of crackers for use with the dip!


Shared by Jackie Diaz


The Pot Stirrers

Ohana Breakfast Bread

Makes one 9 x 13 pan, which will serve 6-8 for breakfast or dessert

Ingredients:
1 c. crushed pineapple
1 c. unsweetened coconut
1 c. sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 3/4 c. water
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp shortening
4 1/2 c. bread flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 c. sugar
1 tbsp instant yeast

Directions:
Place crushed pineapple (I used fresh, which I crushed with a potato masher) and coconut in a medium bowl. In a separate small bowl, mix sugar and cornstarch well with a whisk.

Add sugar and cornstarch mixture to the pineapple and coconut mixture, and stir well to combine. Refrigerate for at least an hour.

In a large mixing bowl, combine water, egg yolk, shortening, bread flour, salt, sugar, and yeast.

Mix on the lowest speed of your stand mixer with a dough hook or paddle attachment, or stir by hand until the dough picks up and the sides of the mixing bowl come away clean as the dough swoops around the bowl.

Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise until double in size. My kitchen was cool, so it took nearly 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 170F.

Roll dough out onto a floured surface into a 2″ thick rectangle. Grease and flour a 9″ x 13″ cake pan with baking spray or butter and flour, and then place the dough into the pan. It should overlap some.

Pour the coconut pineapple mixture into the middle of the bread, and then fold the bread over itself until you have formed a sealed, rectangular dough “sandwich”.

Using a pizza cutter, cut squares into the dough.

Place the dough in the oven for approximately one hour or until it has had time to rise half way up the sides of the cake pan. Remove the pan from the oven and increase the temperature to 325F and bake for 20-30 minutes, until the tops of the bread are golden brown and crusty.

Shared by Debbie McLean Warner


The Pot Stirrers

Margarita Bars

Serves 9-12. You can also easily double the recipe for a 9×13″ baking dish. 


For the crust:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, melted

For the filling:
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp tequila
1 Tbsp triple sec
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tsp lime zest
1 drop green food coloring (optional)
Powdered sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8×8″ baking dish. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Stir in the melted butter.

Press the dough into the baking dish and then bake 15-20 minutes or until the edges of the crust turn light brown.

Reduce the heat to 300 degrees. In another medium bowl, mix together the eggs, sugar, flour, salt, tequila, triple sec, and lime juice and zest, and food coloring. Pour the filling mixture over the warm crust and bake another 20-25 minutes.

After removing the dish from the oven, lightly dust with powdered sugar. Let cool and then cut into squares. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Shared by Debbie McLean Warner

The Pot Stirrers

Rolo Dream Bars

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE SHORTBREAD BASE
1 cup butter (2 sticks), room temperature
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (I used King Arthur)

FOR THE DREAM BAR TOPPING
2 cups dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour (I used King Arthur)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs, well-beaten
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut, toasted (toasting is optional)
1 cup diced nuts: walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds or crisp rice cereal
26 Rolos, frozen and unwrapped

DIRECTIONS:
Start by freezing a bag of Rolos for 2-24 hours

FOR THE SHORTBREAD BASE
Preheat oven to 300F.

Cream together the butter, sugar, and salt with a mixer on medium speed. Add flour and mix again until fully combined. Dough may be crumbly. This is okay.

Spray a 9" x 13" casserole dish with baking or cooking spray. Press dough into the dish, creating an evenly distributed crust.

Bake for 30 minutes, until cookie begins to look lightly brown around the edges. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least an hour.

When cookie is cool to the touch, prepare the topping.

FOR THE DREAM BAR TOPPING
Preheat oven to 325F.

In a large mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, flour and baking powder. Mix until evenly combined with a mixer on medium speed.

In a separate bowl, crack and then whisk eggs until yolks are broken and fully mixed into the whites. Add to brown sugar mixture and mix on medium speed again.

Add coconut and nuts, mixing until fully incorporated. Set aside.

Place 12-14 Rolos directly on top of Shorbread base in casserole dish. Spoon brown sugar-coconut mixture on top of shortbread/rolos, covering base completely.

Press the remaining Rolos into the topping. (By doing this separately, you'll get some Rolos that melt inside the topping, and others that stay intact, which adds great texture.)

Bake for 30-35 minutes until topping is golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool overnight. When you first remove from the oven, the topping will be unset. It will set completely as it cools, and create an almost "brownie" like crust. Cut into bars once completely cooled.

These bars are incredibly rich, so small bars (2" x 2") are appropriate.

Shared by Debbie McLean Warner

The Pot Stirrers

Candy Cane Kiss Cookies

Ingredients:
4 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups butter; softened (3 sticks)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 eggs

1 bag Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses, chopped in a food processor or by hand into chip-sized pieces)

4 tablespoons holiday non pariels

Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and kosher salt. Whisk well to combine and aerate the ingredients, then set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine butter and both sugars. Cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs and mix again until completely combined.

Add flour mixture in increments to butter mixture, mixing on low speed after each addition until completely combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula often.

Add the Candy Cane Kiss pieces and non pariels when flour is completely incorporated. Mix on low until you feel the Candy Cane Kiss bits are well distributed.

It is not integral, but I found the dough to be more flavorful when refrigerated for at least 20 minutes. You may also roll the dough into balls and flash freeze them for baking as and when you want. Simply store in a gallon ziptop bag once frozen.

Bake at 350F for 15-17 minutes from fresh or 375F for the same amount of time from frozen. Makes about 4 dozen

Best served with a cup of cocoa and a smile!

Shared by Debbie McLean Warner

The Pot Stirrers

Five Pound Fudge

6  Cups Sugar
1 2/3 Cups Light Karo Syrup
2  Cubes Margarine
1  Can (8oz) Pet evaporated milk


Mix and cook to soft boil stage


Cool, beat, add 1 pound pecans or walnuts.  Add 2 Tablespoons vanilla.


Butter 10x14 pan.  


When fudge loses the gloss and gets creamy, pour into pan.


Cut when cooled.

Shared by Mary Ann Hartley

White Chocolate Cherry Chunkies

Ingredients:

1 stick butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup chopped macadamia nuts
1/2 cup candied cherries
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chunks

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, with electric mixer, cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until just combined. Set aside.

Sift together flour, soda, and salt. Add milk to the butter mixture and then add the flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Batter should be stiff.

In another bowl, combine nuts, cherries, and white chocolate. 


Then add to batter, stirring only to blend. 


Drop by heaping tablespoons onto a greased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart.

Bake for approximately 11 to 13 minutes. 


Cool on wire rack.

Shared by Debbie McLean Warner

No Bake Cookies

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups white sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, milk, butter, and cocoa.

Bring to a boil, and cook for 1 1/2 minutes.

Remove from heat, and stir in peanut butter, oats, and vanilla.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto wax paper.

Let cool until hardened.

Very yummy!

Shared by Kathy McLean