Easy Fudge- Better Homes and Gardens

This is a pretty basic easy fudge recipe. I've seen variations of this that use powdered sugar instead of granulated, but you have to double the quantity or something like that. I'm not sure what the exact conversion rate is. 

I won't lie and say this is the most delicious fudge recipe around, but it's probably the easiest (microwave? Hello!), and one of the most versatile. You can substitute the chocolate chips for any flavor you wish, marbleize it, add chunks of delicious goodness, etc. For instance, this year I used dark chocolate chips and added in crushed up chocolate oranges in lieu of walnuts to make dark chocolate orange fudge. Yummers! The possibilities are endless, and it's so fast and easy to whip up that you'll find yourself making multiple batches just because you can.

Ingredients

• 1-1/2  cups  sugar
• 1  5-ounce can (2/3 cup)  evaporated milk
• 1/2  cup  butter
• 2  cups  tiny marshmallows
• 1  cup  semisweet chocolate pieces or chopped bittersweet chocolate (the higher quality of chocolate, the better your fudge will turn out so splurge on the Ghirardelli vs. the generic store brand)
• 1/2  cup  chopped walnuts
• 1/2  teaspoon  vanilla

Directions

1. Line an 8x8x2-inch baking pan with foil, extending the foil over the edges of the pan. Butter the foil; set pan aside.
2. Butter the sides of a 2-quart heavy saucepan. In saucepan combine sugar, evaporated milk, and butter. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until mixture boils (about 10 minutes). Reduce heat to medium; continue cooking, stirring constantly, for 6 minutes.
3. Remove saucepan from heat. Add marshmallows, chocolate pieces, walnuts, and vanilla; stir until marshmallows and chocolate melt and mixture is combined. Beat by hand for 1 minute.
4. Spread fudge evenly in the prepared pan. Score into squares while warm (super important- this stuff is a beast to cut when it's chilled if you don't). Cover and chill for 2 to 3 hours or until firm. When fudge is firm, use foil to lift it out of pan. Cut fudge into squares. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Makes about 2 pounds (64 pieces).
Peanut Butter-Chocolate Fudge: Prepare as above, except substitute 1/2 cup peanut butter for the butter and, if desired, peanuts for the walnuts.
Nutrition Facts per piece: 58 cal., 3 g total fat (1 g sat. fat), 1 mg chol., 14 mg sodium, 9 g carbo., 0 g fiber, 1 g pro.
Daily Values: 0% vit. A, 0% vit. C, 1% calcium, 1% iron
Exchanges: 1/2 Other Carbo., 1/2 Fat
Microwave Directions: In a 2-1/2-quart microwave-safe bowl microwave butter, uncovered, on 100 percent power (high) for 45 to 60 seconds (for 1,000- to 1,300-watt ovens) or 60 to 75 seconds (for 600- to 800-watt ovens) or until melted. Stir in the sugar and evaporated milk. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 7 minutes (for 1,000- to 1,300-watt ovens) or 10 minutes (for 600- to 800-watt ovens), stirring every 3 minutes. Carefully remove bowl from microwave oven. Add marshmallows, chocolate pieces, nuts, and vanilla, stirring until marshmallows and chocolate are melted and mixture is combined. Beat by hand for 1 minute. Pour into prepared pan; continue as above.

Hershey's Rich, Dark Tiger Kisses Cookies

1-1/2 c granulated sugar
1/2 c veg oil
1/2 c Hershey's Cocoa
1-1/2 tsp vanilla
1-1/4 c flour
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
48 Dark Chocolate Kisses, unwrapped
Powdered sugar

Combine granulated sugar and oil in large bowl. Add cocoa, beating until well blended. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt; gradually add to cocoa mixture beating well.

Cover, refrigerate until dough is firm enough to handle at least 6 hours.

Heat oven to 350. Grease cookie sheet. Shape dough into 1 inch balls (will be sticky). Roll in powdered sugar to coat. Place about 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheet.

Bake 11-13 minutes or until almost no indention remains when touched lightly and tops are cracked. Immediately press 1 kiss into center of each cookie. Cool slightly. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Karlie Shaw Abrams and Camille Farias

1 c shortening
1 c brown sugar
1/2 c granulated sugar (mix)
2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon (mix)
2 eggs (mix)
1 c flour (mix)
3 c oats (mix)
1-1/2 c raisins (mix)

Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes

Snickerdoodles

1 c shortening
1-1/2 c sugar
2 eggs
2-3/4 c flour
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp soda
2 tsp salt
roll into balls and roll in cinnamon and sugar.
Dot with water and squish with fork.
Bake 8 minutes at 350

Sugar Cookies

Linda Streeper and Kristy Grover

1 c margerine
1 tsp vanilla
1-1/2 c sugar
3 eggs

Cream first.

3-1/2 c flour
1 tsp soda
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp salt

Add and mix. Roll dough out, cut into shapes, bake at 375 on greased cookie sheets.

Butter Frosting for cookies:
Mix
1 lb powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cube margerine, softened

Add part of a can of evaporated milk slowly while beating to get a correct consistency.

Optional: Add cocoa for chocolate frosting. Can add food coloring and flavoring.

This frosting turns out cream colored, not white, so it looks best when some coloring is added.

*This is my step-mom's recipe. It's probably the easiest sugar cookie recipe ever, and it's an instant classic.

Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookies

This went around on the internet a few years ago- I guess some disgruntled employee spilled the beans on the Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe, which at that time sold for around $18/lb. Not sure if that's true or not, but they're pretty darn delicious.

2 c butter
2 c sugar
2 c brown sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract
4 c flour
5 c oatmeal (measure, then blend in a blender to fine powder)
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
25 oz. chocolate chips (guittard big chips in the silver package are the best)
1 oz Hershey bar (grated)
3 c chopped pecans (or other nut)

Cream butter and both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and soda. Add chocolate chips. Hershey bar and nuts. Roll into balls and place two inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes at 375.
Makes 112 cookies (recipe may be halved)

Betty Crocker Divinity

2-2/3 c sugar,
2 c light corn syrup
1/2 c water
2 egg whites, stiffly beaten
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 c broken nuts (walnuts, pecans) optional

mix sugar, syrup, and water in pan and stir over low heat until dissolved. Then cook without stirring to hard boil (260 degrees)

pour into egg whites and add vanilla. Mix until dull and fold in nuts. Drop quickly from tip of buttered spoon or into buttere pan and cut into squares

Virginia Fudge (Penuche Fudge)

Lyn Babb

1 cube + 2 tbsp butter
2 c brown sugar
1/2 c evaporated milk
1/2-1 c chopped nuts
1 tsp vanilla
3 c sifted powdered sugar

melt butter in sauce pan. add brown sugar and milk. boil, stirring constanly for 3 min. Keep sugar crystals from forming on sides of saucepan. Remove from heat. Add vanilla, powdered sugar, and nuts.
Make sure candy is free from lumps and pour into 8x8 pan.

Cool completely before serving.
Store in refrigerator.

*This is my favorite candy recipe of all time. It reminds me of all my favorite holidays, because when I was little mom always made it for Christmas and Thanksgiving. It's a nice change from the chocolate-blitz you're usually hit with around Christmas, so I like to give this away as a holiday gift.

Baked Caramel Corn

2 gallons popcorn, popped

2 c brown sugar
2 cubes butter (not margerine)   boil in heavy saucepan 5 min.
1 c karo syrup

immediately remove from heat and add 1/2 tsp soda and 1 tsp vanilla

pour over popcorn and coat well. Divide onto 2 cookie sheets (greased).
Bake at 250 for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes

Cool on wax paper, separated and store in tightly sealed containers. Will remain
fresh for 2-3 weeks.

*I learned this recipe from a college roommate as well. It is the best/easiest caramel corn recipe I've ever used. I like to make this and give it away at the holidays, because it's always a crowd pleaser.

Divinity

Beat 2 egg whites stiff.
2 c sugar, 1/2 c hot water, 1/3 c corn syrup, 1/4 tsp salt
Combine in sauce pan and cook stirring constantly until boils. Cover for 2 min, then uncover and cook w/o stirring to hard ball (254 degrees).

Pour egg whites in a steady fine stream while beating until mixture loses gloss.
Stir in 1 tsp vanilla and 1/2-1 c pecan or walnut pieces

Drop by teaspoonfulls onto baking sheets covered with wax paper

Ghirardelli Mississippi Mud Bars

1/2 c butter or margerine, softened
3/4 c brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 c all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 bar (4 oz) semi-sweet baking bar, chopped and divided
1 bar (4 oz) white chocolate baking bar, chopped and divided
1 c walnuts, chopped and divided

Preheat to 350. In a large bowl. beat butter with sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy (about 4 minutes). Add vanilla and egg, mix on low speed until incorporated. combine flour, baking soda, and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Mix in 1/2 of the chopped semi-sweet and white chocolate bars and 1/2 c walnuts. Spread in a greased 9" square baking pan. Bake for 12-15 min or until toothpick inserted in center comes out almost clean. Sprinkle with remaining semi-sweet and white chocolates. Cover with foil. Let stand 5 minutes or until chocolates are melted. Swirl chocolates with small knife to marbleize. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 c walnuts. Cool in pan until chocolate is firm. Cut into bars. Makes 1 doz bars.

Ghirardelli Chocolate Cheesecake

Crust:
1-1/2 c thin chocolate wafers, crushed
1/4 c butter, melted

Filling:
16 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c sugar
3 eggs
1 bar (4 oz) Semi-Sweet baking chocolate, melted

Topping
1 bar (4 oz) Semi-Sweet baking chocolate, melted
1/2 c sour cream

Crust: Mix wafer crumbs with butter and press with spoon onto bottom and part way up sides of 8" or 9" springform pan.

Filling: Preheat oven to 350. With a mixer, blend cream cheese with sugar; add eggs. Add melted chocolate to cream cheese mixture, beating until thick and smooth. Pour into prepared crust. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until firm in center. Chill 4 hours or overnight.

Topping: stir melted chocolate into sour cream, spread over top, chill until firm.

Makes 10-12 servings

Ghirardelli Chocolate Mousse

4 large egg yolks
1/4 c sugar
2-1/2 c heavy whipping cream
1-1/2 bars (6 oz) semi-sweet chocolate baking bars, chopped

Beat egg yolks in small bowl with electric mixer on high speed until thick and lemon colored (about 3 minutes). Gradually add sugar and beat on high speed. Heat one cup whipping cream in 2 qt saucepan over medium heat just until hot (do not boil!). Gradually stir half of the hot cream into egg yolk mixture; stir back into hot cream in saucepan. Cook over low heat about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens (do not boil!). Let cool for about 10 minutes. Add chocolate to egg yolk mixture and stur until mixture thickens and chocolate is well belnded, about 5 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally, just until chilled. Beat 1-1/2 c whipping cream in chilled medium bowl with electric mixer on high speed until stiff. Mix 3/4 of whipped cream into chocolate mixture until blended. Fold remaining whipped cream gradually into chocolate mixture until well blended. Pipe or spoon mixture into cups or small dessert bowls. Refrigerate leftovers.

Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Cookies

2 bars (8 oz) Semi-sweet Chocolate Baking Bars broken into 1" pieces
3/4 c brown sugar, packed
1/4 c butter, softened
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 c flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate baking chips
2 cups walnuts, optional

Preheat to 350. Place semi-sweet chocolate in a large bowl in microwave at medium power for 1 to 1-1/2 minutes. Remove and stir. If not melted, return and repeat heating step, stirring every 30 seconds. When small lumps remain, remove and continue to stir to complete melting. Stir in sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla. Stir flour with baking powder; add to chocolate mixture, mixing well. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts. Drop by 1/4 cup onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 12-14 minutes. Cool 1 minute on baking sheet; remove to wire cooling rack. Makes 12-18 cookies.

Traditional Spiced Prune Cake

Carol Winder

Carol was my RS president. She has won the Betty Crocker cake competition multiple times, once with this recipe.

1 c sugar
3/4 c margerine
2 eggs
2 small jars (4 oz) Gerber's baby prunes (or prunes/pears)
1-1/2 c flour
1-1/2 tsp soda
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c buttermilk or sour milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c coarsely chopped walnuts

Cream sugar and margerine. Add eggs and prunes. Blend. Sift flour, soda, spices, and salt. Add to mixture. Stir in milk, vanilla, and nuts. Bake in lightly floured pan at 350 for 30 minutes. Double recipe for pan approx 10x14. Frost with cream cheese frosting.

Frosting
3 oz cream cheese
1-1/2 c powdered sugar
2-3 tbsp milk
Beat cheese until smooth, add sugar and just enough milk to make it smooth.

Apple Walnut Cake

Karlie Shaw Abrams

2 c. flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. veg oil
2 c. sugar
3 large eggs at room temp.
3 c apples cupt into small pieces
1 c. chopped walnuts
3 tbsp. apple brandy- optional

Preheat to 325
Sift together dry ingredients.

Beat oil and sugar together unti smooth. Add eggs 1 at a time and beat until light.

Add dry ingredients in thirds beating after each addition until smooth. Will be extremely thick. With a spoon stir in remining ingredients until just blended. Divide between prepared pans and bake 40-45 minutes.

Icing: beat 1 lb. cream cheese with 1/2 c softened butter. Gradually add 1 cup caramel sauce until well incorporated.

Frost cooled cake. Garnish with chopped walnuts and drizzle 1/4 cup caramel sauce.

*I got this recipe from my college roommate and dear friend Karlie Shaw Abrams. It is my favorite cake, hands-down.

Classic Pear Crisp

Pear Mixture:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp. flour
1 tps. cinnamon
4 cans sliced pears- drained

Topping:
1/2 cup flour
 1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup crispy rice cereal
1-1/2 c quick oats
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter

Preheat oven to 350. In a 9x9 glas pan combine pear mixture ingredients and toss gently until well-combined. Spread evenly in pan.

In a separate bowl, combine the topping ingredients. Use your fingers or a fork to break up the butter into very small pieces and blend it into the other ingredients.

Spread topping evenly over pears. Bake 45 minutes until golden brown. Serve with warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

Black Forest Cake

2 (20 oz) cans tart pitted cherries, undrained
1 c granulated sugar
1/2 c cornstarch
1-1/2 tsp vanilla
2 (9 inch) chocolate cake layers baked and cooled
3 cups cold whipping cream
1/2 c. confectioners sugar
1. Drain cherries reserving 1/2 c juice. Combine reserved juice, cherries, granulated sugar, and cornstarch in saucepan. Cook and stir over low heat until thickened. Add vanilla and stir.

2. Split each cake layer into half horizontally. Crumber one half layer and set aside.

3. Beat whipping cream and the confectioners sugar in large bowl until stiff peaks form. Reserve 1-1/2 cups whipped cream for decorative piping

4. Place one cake layer on serving plate. spread with 1 cup whipped cream; top with 3/4 cup cherry topping. Top with second cake layer. 1 cup whipped creamand 3/4 cup cherry topping; top with third cake layer

5. Frost cake sides with remaining whipped cream; pat gently with reserved cake crumbs.

6. Spoon reserved 1-1/2 cups whipped cream into pastry bag fitted with star tip. Pipe around top and bottom edges of cake. Spoon remaining cherry topping over top of cake

Classic Natural Vanilla Cake

Betty Crocker

1 pkg. Vanilla Cake Mix
1 stick butter, softened
4 eggs
1 cup milk
vanilla bean or 2 tsp. real vanilla extract

Make cake as directed on package- except use 1 cup milk instead of water, 1 stick butter instead of oil, and 4 eggs. Add vanilla extract or scrap vanilla bean and mix well.
Note: Batter will be extra thick.

If using 8" rounds or bunt, fill pans only 2/3 full and make 8-10 cupcakes with remaining batter. Bake time in minutes:
13x9: 36-41
8" rounds: 36-41
9" rounds: 35-40
Bundt: 38-43
Cupcakes: 20-25 (makes 34 cupcakes)

Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Frosting

Seriously the best Chocolate Frosting EVER. I could eat this without the cake if given the opportunity.

1 stick butter or margerine
2/3 c. Hershey's Cocoa
3 c. powdered sugar
1/3 c milk
1 tsp. vanilla

1. Melt butter
2. Stir in Cocoa
3. Alternately add sugar and milk, beating on medium speed to spreading consistency. Add more milk if needed. Add vanilla

Makes 2 cups