mmmmm, mondays: heavenly fudge

i'm going to be real here. fudge is my holiday weakness. i could eat an entire tray of it myself. it's one of those treats my grandmother used to make for me and it holds not only value for its deliciousness but sentimental value as well. honestly, any dessert that consists almost entirely of chocolate, butter and sugar is probably on my top ten list. this recipe is simple and delicious. my five year old has helped with the stirring process the last two years and it turns out amazing. looking for something to share with your neighbors? this just may be the dessert for you.

heavenly fudge

1 1/2 cups butter

6 cups sugar (yep...you read that right!)

1 1/3 cup evaporated milk (a little less than one 12 ounce can)

2 packages (12 ounces each) semi-sweet chocolate chips (use chocolate chips 

         and not baker's chocolate.) 

2 (7 oz.) jars of marshmallow cream

2 teaspoons vanilla

melt the butter in a large saucepan. add the sugar and the evaporated milk and mix. bring the mixture to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly (this is a great time to bring in the kiddos and have them take turns stirring). continue boiling over medium heat for five minutes. stir constantly to prevent burning. 

remove from heat. add the chocolate chips, marshmallow cream and vanilla and mix until fully melted and incorporated. pour into a buttered 9 x 13 pan and a 8 x 8 pan (there should be enough to fill both.) cool at room temperature and cut into squares. heaven!

friday fun finds-- top christmas cookie recipes

christmas is upon us and i am baking up a storm! here are my favorite recipes of the season. enjoy!

santa hat brownie bites

this idea has gone viral and i am not sure where it first came from. you can bake brownies from scratch (as in the recipe link), but my plan is to buy brownie bites at costco, strawberries and icing and simply assemble. they are so easy to make and couldn't be cuter.
(photo credit: www.daisyt13.wordpress.com)

spritz butter cookies

i think that these are a little time consuming, but they were a tradition in my home growing up. looking forward to making them. buttery and delicious.

rice krispie wreath treats

a yearly tradition in nellie's house. fun and simple.

melted snowman cookies

adorable! what fun to make with the kiddos!

white chocolate peppermint bark

you had me at paula dean. won't this make a lovely hostess gift?

snickerdoodle shortbread

mmmmmmm!

candy cane blossoms

couldn't be cuter!

oreo balls

the fastest desert. to make and eat. they will be gone in a flash.

forgotten kiss cookies 

they are made with no egg so you (or your kiddos) can eat the dough. (not that i have ever done that--hee, hee).

easy peasy lemon bars

so easy and so good. a great crowd pleaser.

soft, brown sugar cookies

this will be my first time making these....but don't they look heavenly?

what is *your* favorite holiday baking recipe?

mmmmm, mondays: christmas wreath rice-krispie treats

i'm a big fan of rice krispie treats...partially because i love them and partially because they are so simple and can be made into so many different things. here's one for Christmas.

Christmas wreath rice-krispie treats

1 cube (1/2 cup) of butter

1 bag of mini-marshmallows

several drops of green food coloring

12 cups of rice-krispies

red m & m's or red hots

tube of red icing

melt the marshmallows and butter over medium hit until smooth. add the green food coloring. add the rice-krispies and mix well until all of the cereal is coated in the green marshmallow mixture. spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray. (it also helps to spray your hands as well). form the mixture by cup fulls into green rings. once cool, decorate with the red icing as bows and attach the red candies with bits of frosting. enjoy!

mmmmm, mondays: oreo balls

let the holiday baking begin! this recipe actually doesn't involve baking at all and is pretty amazing any time of the year. still, i tend to throw these into a cookie box for our friends each year and they are always a favorite of everyone who tries them. really, the "oreo balls" title just isn't sufficient...there should be something totally obscene in the title of these little treats...they are just that good.

oreo balls

one package oreo cookies

one 8 oz. block of cream cheese

white chocolate or white candy coating for dipping

place the oreos (i do one sleeve at a time) into a food processor or blender and blend until they become a fine powder. pulverize the entire package and place into a large mixing bowl. add the 8 oz. of cream cheese, softened. mix the oreo puree and the cream cheese with your hands until thoroughly mixed together. there will be no oreo crumbs and the mixture will form a soft ball.

pull off quarter sized clumps of the mixture and form into 3/4 inch to one inch balls. place on a large cookie sheet and place in the refrigerator to harden slightly. after about 30 minutes, remove from the refrigerator and dip each ball in white chocolate. place back on the cookie sheet and cool again in the refrigerator until coating is set.

if you're feeling creative, you can add Christmas sprinkles to make them more festive. i'm not sure it's necessary as they will be eaten in about five minutes. seriously, try to eat just one.