Easy Peanut Butter Fudge

I had to share this Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe!  This has to be the easiest Peanut Butter Fudge EVER! It has the perfect flavor as well.  I love fudge but I hate when it is so rich that you cannot hardly eat it.  I thought that this fudge was just right!

Ingredients:

2 cups of sugar

1/2 cup of milk

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup of peanut butter



Directions:

Line a 9x9 pan with aluminium foil.

Bring sugar and milk to a boil. 

Boil two and half minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in Peanut Butter and Vanilla.

Pour mixture into prepared pan and let it sit until it hardens. 

ENJOY!!



Oreo Truffles

OH MY GOODNESS!! These are soooooo good but so addicting.  You cannot eat just one!!! Try these TONIGHT!

Ingredients:

1 pkg. Oreo cookies
3/4 pkg cream cheese, soften to room temp.
1 pkg. white almond bark

Directions:

Finely crush the entire Oreos.

Drop in 3/4 of the cream cheese brick and mix well with hands.

I put the mixture in the fridge for about an 30 minutes or so because they seem to roll up better when they are cold.

Roll into equal bite-sized shaped balls. Put them on a cookie sheet or container that will fit in your freezer. Keep them close but not touching.

Freeze for 1-2 hours before dipping in melted chocolate.

Melt chocolate in the microwave. I only melt 1/4-1/2 pkg at a time so it doesn't harden while I'm dipping.

As you finish dipping, put each one on an parchment paper or aluminum foil lined pan.

I topped each of them off with Wilton Cookie and Cream Sprinkles but you can save 1/3 cup of Oreo in the beginning before you mix in the cream cheese and it works just the same!!

Store in the fridge.

ENJOY!!

Egg Nog Cookies

WE LOVED THESE COOKIES!! I made these for my husband to take to work for his guys along with several other kinds of cookies and these were my favorite!!! My husband is an egg nog addict and he is obessed with these cookies!! A must try especially for the holiday season!

Ingredients: 

1 1/4 cups white sugar

3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup eggnog
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 egg yolks
1 tsp nutmeg
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Eggnog Glaze:

1 ½ cup powdered sugar

3 TBSP eggnog

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees

Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Cream sugar and butter until light

Add eggnog, vanilla, and egg yolks; beat at medium speed with mixer until smooth.

Add flour mixture and beat at low speed until just combined.

Do not over mix

Spoon onto un-greased cookie sheets and make the dough balls rather small, they will spread generously in the oven.

Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg.

Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until the edges barely start to brown.

While cookies are in the oven, make the eggnog glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar with 3 T eggnog.

Gaze your cookies warm or cooled and top with cinnamon.

ENJOY!!

Cherry Chocolate Kisses

If you love cherry and chocolate you will love these cookies!!

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/8 tsp salt
2 tsp maraschino cherry “juice”
1/4 tsp almond extract
2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup maraschino cherries, chopped
Granulated sugar, for sprinkling the cookies
36 milk chocolate kisses, unwrapped


Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

In the bowl of your standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute.

Reduce the speed to the lowest setting and slowly add the powdered sugar and salt.

Add the cherry juice and the almond extract until combined.
With the mixer still on low, slowly add the flour, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Increase the mixer speed to medium and add the cherries.

Shape the dough into 1-inch balls, and place the balls on a baking sheet, approximately 2 inches apart.

Using your thumb, gently press each cookie in its center until the cookie is about 1/2-inch thick.

Sprinkle each cookie with a little granulated sugar.

Bake the cookies until the bottoms are lightly browned, about 14 minutes.

Once removed from the oven, immediately press a chocolate kiss into each cookie’s center.

Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

ENJOY!!

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cookies

Oh My!! These are the best chocolate chip cookies ever! They are so soft and moist! Definitely give these a try!!!

Directions:



1 cup butter , softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar
8 ounces cream cheese , softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 large egg
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

 

With an electric mixer cream butter and sugars until nice and creamy.

Add cream cheese and continue to mix until all lumps are gone and it is nice and smooth.

Add vanilla and egg and mix.

Slowly add flour, a little at a time. Add baking soda and salt and mix well, but not too much!

Turn off your mixer and add the chocolate chips, folding by hand with a rubber spatula.

Scoop cookie dough by the rounded tablespoon onto a cookie sheet; make sure they aren’t too close though!

Bake in your oven for 9-11 minutes, I do mine for 10.

Cool on a rack and once they are all the way cool put into a plastic bag or container and keep in the fridge! Since they have cream cheese in them you don’t want them to spoil. 
ENJOY!!

Snowswirl Fudge

I made this fudge to go along with all of the other goodies I made to give away at Christmas.  This fudge turned out really well and was REALLY good! And the best part....you can do it all in the MICROWAVE!

Ingredients

2 cups miniature marshmallows

2 TBSP butter or margarine

2 cups Hershey's Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

Dash of salt

1/2 to 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Directions

Line a 8 or 9 inch square pan with foil

Place marshmallows and butter in medium microwave-safe bowl; set aside

Place chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, and salt in large microwave safe bowl.  Microwave on HIGH (100%) 1 minute; stir. 

 If necessary, microwave on HIGH an additional 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, until chips are melted and mixture is smooth. 

Stir in nuts and spread evenly in prepared pan.

Microwave marshmallows and butter on HIGH 30 seconds; stir.

If necessary, microwave on HIGH an additional 30 seconds or until marshmallows are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred.

Immediately spoon onto fudge.  With table knife or metal spatula, swirl through fudge.

Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm. 

Remove fudge from pan; peel off foil.

Cut into squares using wet knife. 

Store loosely covered at room temperature.

Tip: Fudge will cut even easier if you refrigerate overnight.

ENJOY!!

Homemade Santa Sugar Cookies

I made these Santa cookies to leave for SANTA.  I thought it would be a great idea and it is something we can possibly continue to do throughout the years and it is something that Brayden could enjoy creating when he gets a little older.  These cute little guys were so much fun to make!

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups butter, softened

1-1/2 cups shortening

1-1/2 cups sugar

1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

3 eggs

4-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

6-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1-1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

FROSTING:

• 1/4 cup HERSHEY'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• Red Cookie Icing
• 1 carton whipped vanilla frosting
• 1 tablespoon butter, softened
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• Red colored sugar
• Red jimmies

Directions

In a large bowl, cream the butter, shortening and sugars until light and fluffy. 

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.

Combine the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.

Refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until easy to handle.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-in. thickness.

Cut with a 3-1/2-in. heart-shaped cookie cutter and place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes or until firm (do not overbake).

Remove to wire racks to cool.

Frosting

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

Using a piping bag insert #10 round tip. Add melted chocolate.

For eyes, pipe two dots in the center of each cookie.

Using red cookie icing create the red nose.

In a small bowl, combine the frosting, butter and sugar.

For hat, frost the top 1 in. of the pointed end of cookie. Sprinkle with red sugar.

Frost the sides and rounded ends for beard. Place two jimmies for the mouth.

Using another piping bag, insert #16 star tip. Fill with remaining frosting.

Pipe a zigzag boarder under hat for fur hatband. Pipe a pom-pom on top of hat. 

ENJOY!!

Hard Candy

I made this hard candy last night to kick off my week of Christmas candy making and baking and it turned out really good!! I have never made hard candy before and I was so afraid that it would not turn out but this recipe was simple and easy, but I must say that you HAVE to have patience and do not cook the sugar mixture too fast.  Keep the stove set closer to medium heat the entire time and it will come out perfect. 

Ingredients

2 cups sugar

1 cup water

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon oil

a couple of drops of red food coloring

Directions

In a large heavy saucepan, combine sugar, water and corn syrup.

Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cover and cook for 3 minutes.

Uncover and cook over medium-high heat, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 310 degrees.

Remove from the heat; stir in oil and food coloring, keeping face away from the mixture as the odor with be very strong.

Immediately pour onto a greased baking sheet.

Quickly spread into a 13-in. x 9-in. rectangle.  Let cool at room temperature. 

Place wax paper over candy and break into bite size pieces.  (I used a hammer to break candy)

Sprinkle with powder sugar to lightly coat the candy to keep from sticking together. 

(I also made a batch of Cotton Candy.  These were both delicious.  You just follow the same recipe with any flavor of oil and food coloring you like.)
ENJOY!!

Reindeer Brownies

I made these cute little brownies over the weekend! Perfect for the little ones that like to help out in the kitchen.  Of course, mine is still too little but next year I hope he will want to help mommy make Christmas goodies! I love this time of year.  These were so simple and the best part....you get to eat the pieces of brownie that is left over....YUM!

Ingredients:

1 (19.5 oz.) package Pillsbury Classic Traditional Fudge Brownie

1/2 cup Vegetable Oil

1/4 cup water

2 large eggs

Mini pretzel twists

Brown and red candy coated chocolate pieces (I used M&M's)

1 (16 oz.) can  Chocolate Fudge Frosting

Directions:

Prepare and bake brownies as directed on package using oil, water and eggs.

(I used a 13 x 9 pan so that the brownies would be thin and would make more brownies.)

Cool completely.

Cut into cookie-sized triangle shapes.

Finish with candy "eyes" attached with frosting.

ENJOY!!

Attach mini pretzel "antlers" with chocolate fudge frosting on two corners of each brownie. Add a red candy "nose" on third corner, attaching with a touch of chocolate fudge frosting.