Cheesy Fudge

Who isn't intrigued about a fudge recipe made with Cheese!  Not just any cheese but processed Cheese...Preferably Velveeta. 

The recipe I have uses 3/4 lb of cheese.  I did but it think next time I will use 1/2 lb.  The fat content leaves a little moister in the fudge.  There were other circumstances that could have contributed to it.  Like Wade spilling a bottle of water on the coffee table that had one of a kind pictures under the glass...that leaks, just as the mixture is heating up on the stop. Needless to say, it was forgotten about and did get a little, um...stuck.  ~smile~

I think it turned out okay..although a little moist...I didn't use all the sugar since I didn't use all the mixture.  Also because I used bittersweet instead of unsweetened chocolate.

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Cheesy Fudge

1/2  pound Velveeta cheese, cubed

1 cup butter, 2 sticks

6 oz unsweetened chocolate, all I had was bittersweet so that is what I used one bag.  You may need to adjust sugar if you use bittersweet, as it is 40% sugar.

1 cup chopped nuts,  I used walnuts, optional

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 to 2 lbs confectioners sugar.

Line 8x8 pan with foil and spray with oil. I used a 9x13 and it was thin.  

Heat cheese, butter and chocolate in saucepan until just melted.  Stirring until smooth. 

Take off heat and Add vanilla.  Add Nuts also if using.

Beat in confectioner's sugar a little at the time, with mixer.

It should be stiff, if not..add more sugar.

Pour in pan and smooth.

Keep in refrigerator until set. 

I drizzled melted white chocolate on top.  Use whatever you have to give it a little something.  

Chocolate Covered Chocolate Cherry Cookies

I found a lot of old recipes I had forgotten about last week and hope to share them with you very soon!  This is a twist on a cookie one.  The cherry is supposed to be pushed in the  cookie dough some of it still shows and you cover it with chocolate.  I hid the cherry in my cookie.  The boys love it...hope you do too!  <3 and hUgs!

Chocolate Cherry Cookies

1 1/2 to 2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/4 tsp baking soda 

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup margarine (half a stick), room temp

1 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 to 2 tsp vanilla extract

1 10 oz jar small maraschino cherries

semi sweet chocolate, either chips or baking squares

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Stir dry ingredients and set aside.  

Beat margarine and sugar until light and fluffy.  

Beat in egg and vanilla.  

Beat in flour mixture a little at the time.  

It should be  a stiff dough, add more flour or cocoa, if you need to.  

Put in fridge to chill a bit.

Drain cherries, reserve liquid if you wish for a later use, and make certain they are dry.

Take cookie dough out of fridge.  

Put a light coating of oil on hands, or spray them, make a small ball...flatten with palm.  

Put cherry in middle of dough, fold over to seal.  

Roll into a ball and put on an ungreased cookie sheet.  

Bake for 8-10 minutes.  As always, my oven cooks different than yours.  Adjust time accordingly.  

Cool on rack.  While cooling...melt chocolate 2 squares or half cup at the time according to directions.   

Dip  cookies in or drizzle over.

 ENJOY!!!!  <3 and hUgs!

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Chocolate Candy Cane Fudge

My boys love this!  Really easy to make...I'm all for shortcuts anyway I can get them.  ~smiles~

Enjoy!  <3 and Hugs!

Chocolate Candy Cane Fudge

1 bag mini chocolate chips

1 can chocolate frosting

1/3 to 1/2 cup peppermint candy canes, crushed fine 8-10 small

4 small candy canes....crushed in little pieces for topping

Crush peppermint candy canes.

Line an 8x8 pan with foil, overlapping sides, and spray lightly.

Melt mini chocolate chips in microwave...I did this for 40 seconds, stirred and again for another 13 seconds.  Stirred until melted. Adjust time to the way your microwave cooks, being careful not to over cook.  

Open can of frosting and put in microwave for 10 seconds.  Add to chocolate chips.  Stir.

Add finely crushed candy canes to chocolate mixture and stir to incorporate.

Immediately pour in pan.  Top with larger pieces of candy canes.
Put in refrigerator for about 2 hours, or until set.

Take out and cut into pieces.  Makes 64 bite size or 48 larger pieces.

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Foodie Friday

WW Cranberry Orange Banana Nut Bread

Sick, Sick, Sick!  That's is what we have been, forever it seems, around here!  We get well and 5-10 days later, sick again.  A vicious cycle that I attribute to all the boys being in school this year.  Teachers are saying that this is what is happening with most of the children.   I'm not liking it.  No matter how much I wipe down, spray or douse everything, and everyone for that matter...the "sick", as Reid calls it, comes back to us.

I wanted to fix something for the boys and tried to do something a little healthier for them this time.  Sweet and a little tangy, nutty and yummy, with glaze or without out (my preference) it is a keeper here!  <3 and HUGs!

Whole Wheat Cranberry Orange Banana Nut Bread

1 cup all purpose flour 

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, use least amount and add more if desired

1 cup sugar, a little more if you need it

1/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and sliced

1 egg, beaten

frozen orange juice concentrate thawed and undiluted*...to use in bread, 3/4 cup and topping, 1/4- 1/2 cup

1 teaspoon vanilla

1-2 bananas, mashed

1/2 to 1 1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 1/2 to 2 cups chopped/sliced thin fresh cranberries

Directions 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray loaf pan or bundt...this will be shorter.

Sift first 6 ingredients together in bowl

Stir in sugar

Cut in butter....flour will turn into a little coarse, sandy looking

Mix in egg, vanilla and 3/4 cup orange juice

Fold in banana, sliced/chopped cranberries and pecans 

Pour into greased desired pan

Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.  

Rotate.

Cook another 10 minutes and check.  Checking every few minutes.

It is done when toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean and top is light brown.

Mine was done in 35 minutes.

As always, My oven cooks different than yours.  Check at earliest time and adjust cooking time accordingly.  

Let sit 10 minutes, run knife around edges to loosen and invert onto rack.

I like mine like this!  <3 and Hugs!

Cranberry Orange Drizzle

1/2 to 2/3 can whole cranberry sauce

1/4 to 1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate

1 cup confectioners sugar, adding more if you like it sweeter

Whisk all together and drizzle over individual pieces.   

You can also poke holes in the bread with a bamboo stick while bread is still warm.  Warm the glaze and drizzle over bread.  Make certain you have a plate underneath to catch the run off.  

*Note....I used frozen orange juice concentrate because that was what I had.  You can use 1 Tablespoon grated orange peel and 3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice for the bread, instead.

You can also substitute freshly squeezed orange juice with  1-2 teaspoons grated orange peel for the drizzle.

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Brined and Smoked Turkey

It's that time of year again.  Yep, Turkey Time!  (written a few weeks ago)

Getting ready for Turkey Day, I wanted to try different ways cook the big bird. I brined a turkey and my hubby, Ted, said he wants to smoke it. Being the considerate  person I am, I agreed! ~smiles~

Remember, turkey isn't just for the holidays.  This is perfect for a get together during the summer months, too.  We have done this many times.  <3 and hugs!

Make certain you have room in refrigerator to put the container you are brining your turkey in or enough ice to keep it COLD at all times.

Brine for Turkey


turkey..mine was 12 lbs
1  1/2 to 2 gallons water
1 cups coarse kosher salt
1 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup minced garlic
2 -3 stalks celery, cut in chunks
1 medium to large onion, cut in half
8 bay leaves..depending on size
1 stick of butter or margarine, cut in slices
turkey sized roasting bag
container to brine turkey in..I used a 5 gallon bucket, bleached.  The turkey was put in the roasting bag, inside the bucket, inside the fridge! ;D

Rinse bird and remove neck and giblets. Save these if you want to make gravy.
Mix 1 1/2 gallons water and remaining ingredients in a pitcher or container.
Stir to dissolve.
Put rinsed turkey in bag then in container.
Pour brine over turkey.
Add more water if needed.
Brine overnight.  If brining for a shorter amount of time, increase the sugar and salt by 1 cup each.

Take out of brine and rinse thoroughly, inside and out.  Pat dry and place slices of butter under the skin.  You can add the veggies to the cavity if you wish for added flavor,  but do not eat them.  They will be too salty.

While waiting for charcoal to get red...presoak hickory chips for 30 minutes or more.
Take chips out of water and put on hot coals.
When grill is between 250 and 275 degrees...put turkey off to the side, away from the coals, on grill.
Check in an hour.  Tent with foil if the breast is getting too brown.  Our turkey was done in 3 1/2 hours.  Internal temperature in leg should be 175 - 180 degrees and the breast should be 165 - 170 degrees.

Greens

With cooler weather come Greens!  I just love a big ole pot of greens, but no collards for me please,  that have been simmered with ham seasoning.  reid  I see someone was on my blog.... <3  I like to cook them while in season and put in freezer bags for later in the year.

A standby side dish, or just eaten as a meal with Corn Bread and Hoecakes...it's a Southern favorite.  I have to admit, I hated them as a youngun and didn't acquire a taste for them until I was in my late 20's.  My boys don't like them now but I am certain, when they get older, they will like them, too.

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Sweet Potato Chips

Another fast, easy, delicious, and nutritious snack for your family and friends, while they await the much desired Thanksgiving Dinner!  <3 and hUgs!

Sweet Potato Chips

3 - 6 sweet potatoes, sliced thin 

I used three medium to get about 4 cups

enough oil to lightly coat potatoes 

salt, pepper (black or cayenne, if you like a kick!) and cinnamon sugar* to taste

*Cinnamon Sugar

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon..or to your taste

 Place what you don't use in an airtight container for later use.

Preheat oven to 350 and spray cookie sheet(s)

I used 2.

Slice sweet potatoes in thin rounds, I ended up with bits and pieces and had to eat those.  You just don't want to send out a plate of little pieces.   ;D

Drizzle with oil and toss to lightly coat potatoes.  (You can skip this if you would rather....

Arrange slices on cookie sheets and spray with oil.)

Place potatoes on cookies sheets.

Sprinkle with desired amount of sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

Cook for 10 minutes and turn pans.

Cook an additional 5 minutes or so...checking every minute or two, until lightly brown.

If you slice them thick..just adjust the time. 

As always..My oven cooks different than yours.  Please adjust time accordingly.  Always start checking at earliest time.

I don't like these crunchy.  They still have texture to them.

Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar once out of the oven.  

Enjoy!  <3 and HUGs!