Rocky Road Fudge

Rocky Road Fudge
(Vicki Cardwell/Janet Haskins)


26 oz. chocolate chips (semi-sweet) 2 cups chopped walnuts
½ lb. butter (unsalted) 10-15 large marshmallows
4 cups sugar (cut into 1/4ths and put
1 ½ cup evaporated milk in freezer)
20 large marshmallows


In a large bowl, cut butter into chocolate chips and set aside. Bring to boil sugar, evaporated milk, and 20 marshmallows. Boil 5 minutes stirring constantly. Pour over chocolate chips and butter. Stir until mixture starts to thicken and then add nuts, vanilla and frozen marshmallows. Pour into buttered 9x13 and place in refrigerator until set up.

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Cookie Exchange: Chocolate Chip Treasure Cookies

The real recipe:
Chocolate Chip Treasure Cookies
1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
½ cup all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 can sweetened condensed milk
½ cup butter (softened)
1 3 ½ oz can flaked coconut (1 ½ cups)*
1 12 oz package semi-sweet chocolate chips (2 cups)
1 cup chopped walnuts*


Preheat oven to 375°. Mix crumbs, flour, baking powder in bowl. Then in mixing bowl beat milk and margarine. Add crumbs mixture. Stir in coconut, chips, and nuts. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto baking sheet. Bake for 9-10 minutes.


*What I substituted and brought today:
1 ½ cups cocoa krispies for the flaked coconut

½ package of caramel bits for the chopped walnuts (although it was really sticky and hard to get off the pan...so maybe I don't recommend this one!)


Candy Cane Sprinkled
No-Roll Sugar Cookies
Prep Time: 50 min
Total Time: 3 hours 5 min
Makes: About 5 dozen medium sized cookies

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
¾ cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 eggs
4 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup crushed candy canes

1. In large bowl, beat 1 cup granulated sugar, the powdered sugar, butter, oil, milk, vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in remaining ingredients except ½ cup crushed candy canes. Cover; refrigerate about 2 hours or until firm.
2. Heat oven to 350°F. Place ½ cup crushed candy canes in small bowl. Shape dough into 1 ½ -inch balls. Roll balls crushed candy canes. On ungreased cookie sheet, place balls about 3 inches apart. Flatten to ¼ -inch thickness with bottom of glass. Sprinkle cookies with a little additional sugar.
3. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until set and edges just begin to brown. Cool for one minute on pan then move to cooling rack.

Lemon Pudding - Jello

Make one pkg Lemon pudding (the cooking kind) according to the package directions, however I use one whole egg instead of 2 egg yokes and it works fine.

Dissolve 2 pkg. of jello in 2 cups of boiling water. After dissolved add 1 1/3 cups cold water (NOT 2 cups as with normal jello directions)

Mix together the jello and lemon pudding and then refrigerate.

* Takes a while to set up so it's best to make it the day before you need it.

I have used apricot, peach, lime and now raspberry jellos - they all work great. The one at our November lunch bunch was with raspberry jello.

October-- Soups and Breads

The Month of October, we decided to do Soups and Breads in anticipation for the fall weather. It is a great time for simple warm meals. Here is what we brought.

Corn Bread
1 cup butter, melted
1 1/3 cup sugar
4 eggs, beaten
1 tsp salt
2 cup buttermilk (If no buttermilk -- take 1/2 tbsp vinegar to 2 cup milk)
1 tsp baking soda
2 cup flour
2 cup cornmeal

Combine buttermilk and soda. Stir together butter and sugar. Beat eggs, salt, and milk mixture. Add flour and cornmeal, stir. Pour into greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for 40 minutes or until pulls from side of pan.

Cheese Soup
2 cup diced potatoes
1 cup diced onions
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup diced celery
6 chicken bullion cubes
1/4 cup butter
4 cup water
Cook until vegetables are tender.

Add:
2 cup milk
1/2 cup flour (dissolved in milk)
1 cup cheese (or more to taste)
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/3 tsp ground pepper
Ham or chicken (Optional)

Pumpkin Soup
1 cup Pumpkin puree
1 1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
1/4 tsp ginger or nutmeg
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/8 tsp salt
dash pepper
1 cup milk or cream

1. Combine first two ingredients until smooth, set aside.
2. Melt butter in saucepan. Add flour and seasonings and stir till combined. Add Milk. Cook and stir till boiling plus one minute more.
3. Stir in pumpkin mixture. Heat through.

Dinner Rolls (White or Wheat)
1 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
Yeast -- 3 pkg for wheat , 2 pkg for white
1/2 cup potato flakes
2 3/4 cup warm water
1/2 cup melted butter (1 stick)
2 eggs slightly beaten
6-7 cups of flour or right consistency

Mix all ingredients together. Allow dough to rise 1-1 1/2 hours until doubles in size.
For crescent rolls-- divide dough in to 3 parts. Roll out like thin round pizza circle. Cut dough with pizza cutter and then roll each piece from wide end to narrow. Or roll into round rolls. Allow to rise 1- 1 1/2 hours.

Spray round pizza pan with cooking spray to roll out three balls: flour hands

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Makes 3 dozen

Chunky Potato Soup
3 medium red potatoes
2 cups water
1 small onion
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp all- purpose flour
crushed red pepper flakes
ground black pepper
3 cups milk
1/2 tsp sugar
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup cubed ham

1. Peel potatoes and cut into 1 -inch cubes.
2. bring water to a boil in large saucepan. Add potatoes and cook until tender. Drain, reserving liquid. Set aside potatoes. Measure 1 cup cooking liquid, adding water, if necessary; set aside.
3. Peel and finely chop onion. Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion to saucepan; cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent and tender, but brown.
4. Add flour to saucepan; season with pepper flakes and black pepper to taste. Cook 3-4 minutes.
5. Gradually add potatoes, reserved 1 cup liquid, milk and sugar to onion mixture in saucepan. Stir well. Add cheese and ham. Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Store leftovers,covered, in refrigerator.


In November we are sampling Thanksgiving sides-- Yummy!