Every Christmas one of my co-workers always makes this delicious fudge.  He promised me that I will be able to make this delicious, fail proof fudge, every time.  It was so simple, and yes I can make fudge, just like he can.

 Estimated Times:

Preparation - 10 min

Cooking - 6 min 

Cooling Time - 2 hrs refrigerating 

 Yields - 49 pieces

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

• 2/3 cup (5 fluid-ounce can) CARNATION Evaporated Milk

• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 2 cups miniature marshmallows

• 1 1/2 cups (9 ounces) NESTLÉ TOLL HOUSE Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels

• 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Line 8-inch-square baking pan with foil.

Combine sugar, evaporated milk, butter and salt in medium, heavy-duty saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly, for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in marshmallows, morsels, nuts and vanilla extract. Stir vigorously for 1 minute or until marshmallows are melted. Pour into prepared baking pan; refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm. Lift from pan; remove foil. Cut into pieces.

FOR MILK CHOCOLATE FUDGE:

Substitute 1 3/4 cups (11.5-ounce package) NESTLE® TOLL HOUSE® Milk Chocolate Morsels for Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels.

FOR BUTTERSCOTCH FUDGE:

Substitute 1 2/3 cups (11-ounce package) NESTLE® TOLL HOUSE® Butterscotch Flavored Morsels for Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels.

FOR PEANUTTY CHOCOLATE FUDGE:

Substitute 1 2/3 cups (11-ounce package) NESTLE® TOLL HOUSE® Peanut Butter & Milk Chocolate Morsels for Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels and 1/2 cup chopped peanuts for pecans or walnuts.

The song talks about “figgy pudding” but do you really think there is such recipe? Well, yes there is!  You might want to add some figgy pudding to your holiday menu, just for history sake.  To be honest, I have not had this pudding, but it sounds interesting.  Take a look.

Figgy Pudding

Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
2 eggs
1 cup molasses
2 cups dried figs (about 1 pound), stems removed, chopped fine
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Garnish
Whipped cream

Instructions
In an electric mixer, cream the butter until fluffy. Add the eggs and molasses and beat again. Add the figs, lemon peel, buttermilk, and walnuts and blend 1 minute. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until everything is incorporated. Grease and flour and 8 by 4-inch souffle dish and pour in the batter. Bake in a 325-degree F. oven for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Spoon the pudding out onto plates or cut it into wedges. Garnish with the whipped cream.

Yield: 12 servings

I would like to wish all of my wonderful readers a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  I hope some of these recipes will help you in preparing for your dinner.

3/4 (12 pound) bone-in ham
1/2 cup and 1 tablespoon butter, softened
1/2 cup and 1 tablespoon honey
1/3 cup and 1 tablespoon whole cloves (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).Cut 1 inch deep criss-crosses into the flat side of the ham. In a small bowl, mix together the butter and honey. Slather onto the ham, making sure to get in the crevices too. Insert cloves into the ham if desired. Place in a roasting pan.

Bake for 4 hours in the preheated oven, or 20 minutes per pound. The internal temperature should reach 160 degrees F (70 degrees C). Baste every 20 minutes with the drippings. Remove, slice, serve, savor.

Cornbread Dressing

6 C. crumbled cornbread

1 tsp. poultry seasoning

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. sage
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. celery salt

1/2 tsp. thyme

1/2 C. bell pepper

1/2 C. chopped onion

3 hard-cooked eggs, chipped

2 to 2 1/2 C. chicken or turkey broth

Sauté onion, bell pepper, and celery salt in 2 Tbsp. butter while preparing the ingredients. Then mix all ingredients and pour broth and add cooked meat pieces that have been boiled. Place in a 9 x 9 inch baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until done.

Candied Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are parboiled and then baked with a sweet sauce of margarine, brown sugar, marshmallows, cinnamon and nutmeg.

4 pounds sweet potatoes, quartered
1 1/4 cups margarine
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
3 cups miniature marshmallows, divided
ground cinnamon to taste
ground nutmeg to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add potatoes and boil until slightly underdone, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool and peel.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine margarine, brown sugar, 2 cups marshmallows, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cook, stirring occasionally, until marshmallows are melted.

Stir potatoes into marshmallow sauce. While stirring mash about half of the potatoes, and break the others into bite-sized chunks. Transfer to prepared dish.

Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cover top evenly with remaining marshmallows. Return to oven and bake until marshmallows are golden brown.

Nutrition Information

Servings Per Recipe: 12

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 430 cal Total Fat: 18.9 g Cholesterol: 0 mg

Sodium: 255 mg Carbohydrates: 64.1 g Fiber: 4.5 g

Protein: 3.3 g

Traditional Green Bean Casserole

2 (15 ounce) cans cut green beans, drained
3/4 cup milk
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (2.8 ounce) can French fried onions
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a medium casserole dish mix together green beans, milk, cream of mushroom soup, and 1/2 of the can of onions. Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until heated through and bubbly. Sprinkle remaining onions over the top, and return to the oven for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Nutrition Information

Servings Per Recipe: 6

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 177 cal Total Fat: 11.1 g Cholesterol: 3 mg

Sodium: 943 mg Carbohydrates: 15.6 g Fiber: 2.5 g

Protein: 3 g

Bacon Rosemary Mashed Potatoes

3 potatoes, cubed
1/4 cup butter
4 slices bacon
1 small red onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1/2 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste

Place the cubed potatoes in a pot with enough salted water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender, about 30 minutes; drain. Add butter to drained potatoes to melt; set aside.

While the potatoes are cooking, place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until very crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove bacon to paper towels to drain; allow to cool and crumble. Leave 2 tablespoons bacon drippings in skillet and return it to the heat.

Cook the onion and garlic in the bacon drippings until tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in the rosemary and cook for 1 minute more.

Mash the potatoes with the melted butter. Mix in the crumbled bacon, the onion mixture, and milk; season with salt and pepper.

Corn Salad

1-1/4 (16 ounce) packages frozen corn kernels, thawed
1-1/4 small zucchini, diced
5/8 (2 ounce) jar chopped pimento peppers
1/4 cup and 2 teaspoons chopped red onion
5/8 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers, drained
1/3 cup and 1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons and 1-1/4 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon and 1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar
1-1/4 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

In a large bowl, toss together the corn, zucchini, pimentos, red onion, and green chile peppers.

In a jar with a lid, mix the olive oil, lime juice, cider vinegar, cumin, salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Seal, and shake well.

Pour the oil mixture over the corn mixture, and gently stir to coat all ingredients. Cover, and chill at least 3 hours in the refrigerator before serving.

Cranberry Carrots

2 pounds fresh baby carrots
1/2 cup jellied cranberry sauce
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Place 1 in. of water in a large saucepan; add carrots. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside.

In the same pan, combine the cranberry sauce, butter, brown sugar, lemon juice and salt. Cook and stir until cranberry sauce is melted and mixture is smooth. Add carrots; stir to coat. Heat through

Rum Balls

3 (12 ounce) packages vanilla wafers, crushed
4 cups flaked coconut
3 cups finely chopped walnuts
3 (14 ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup rum
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

In a large bowl, combine crumbs, coconut, & nuts. Add sweetened condensed milk & rum; mix well. Chill 4 hours.

Shape into 1- inch balls. Roll in sugar. Store in covered container in refrigerator 24 hours before serving.

Fudge Pie

1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch single crust pie
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Unfold piecrust; fit into 9 inch pie pan. Prebake crust according to package directions. Remove from oven.

Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

Beat together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, butter or margarine, eggs and vanilla in a medium-size bowl. Spoon into pie shell.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until set. Allow to cool to room temperature. Serve with whipped topping or a scoop of vanilla ice cream