Fantasy Fudge Tutorial

Hello, everybody! I hope your Christmas season has been full of family and friends and maybe even a little bit of snow.
                                                    
I've only made a fudge a few times before and I always manage to mess it up somehow. I decided this was the year that I would make perfect fudge!
So, following the directions on the back, I needed:
1 jar of marshmallow fluff
2 cans evap milk
1 1/2 cups butter
24 oz chocolate chips
6 cups sugar

                                              
But before that happened, we spent several days like this. The kids were felled by a mid-winter cold. So far, I haven't gotten it. (But now that I've written that, I'm doomed.)
                                                    
And this.
                                      

And this.
                                                               
Finally, everyone seemed to recover in time for one last party!
                                          
Someone tasted marshmallow fluff for the first time. YUMMY!!!
Bring the milk, sugar, and butter to a rolling boil. I let it boil over on the stove and once I got the mess cleaned up, I figured that was the mistake of the day and I should keep going towards success! I boiled (watching more closely) 4 more minutes, stirring constantly.
                                                  
Add chocolate chips and marshmallow fluff.

                                     
Stir until incorporated until everything is smooth.

We had some who wanted nuts, and some who did not, so we made several batches.

 I also made a small batch with espresso added, and a tin batch with Kahlua liqueur for a friend. MMMMM.

 It set up perfectly and was ready in time to cut for the party. I think they key to success was to get the mistake part out of the way early. LOL

I hope your New Year's end was a blast!. Wishing you all the very best this year! 

                                                   
One more picture of a cozy kitty. I don't like pets on the furniture but I hardly had the heart to shoo this kitty from the bed. He's such a goofball.
                                               

Copycat Starbucks Fudge Mudslide Milkshake

I don't remember which cookbook this is from (I read it sometime in 2012 and I think it was a new book) so let me know if you recognize it! It did change it up, but I'd love to give the author the credit. Drop me a line with her name!

 

 

 The next recipe was Mocha Fudge Mudslide Milkshake. This took a few ingredients I didn't have but I think I can use the sliced almonds in another batch of granola, so I figured it wouldn't be too expensive to try. If it didn't work out, I'd just stick to regular milkshakes!

2 tsp sugar free hot fudge topping
2/3 cup low fat milk
1 tbs vanilla sugar free instant pudding mix
2 tsp instant coffee
2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup no sugar addeded or light ice cream
2/3 cup ice

 First, wipe the hot fudge up the inside of the glasses. Put them in the fridge to chill.
Combine the milk and the pudding mix, blend, and then let it sit for 1 minute.
Add all other ingredients and then blend until thick and creamy. Carefully pour into the glasses and top with whipped topping and almonds if desired.

 These definitely were tasty-looking. But would they pass the Munoz taste-test??

Apparently, the answer is YES. They were devoured, and I had to make more. My kids decided that this was the best dinner they'd ever had and they wanted it to be 109F every single DAY. (Forgive them, they know not what they wish for.)

Nutritonal info: calories 205, carbs 35, fat 4.5, protein 8, fiber 4, sodium 480mg

Now, before I go, I thought I'd share a few pics of my kids. Every year on their birthday (which most were born in the summer- no cracks about keeping warm, I've heard them all, haha) we open their baby boxes.

 My soon-to-be 13 year old's Sunday dress might not fit her anymore.
                                                         
Just for giggles, here's her birth announcement in the paper. Yikes.

 The four year old's foot is still chubby, but these shoes aren't going to fit at all.

 My 11 year old's first tshirt is wayyyy too tiny.

My nine year old says, "Ugh, do I have to?"

But I think my fourteen year old wins. She was a preemie who had colic and screamed for the first three months of her life. She weighed 5 lbs 11 oz and was 18 inches long, now she's taller than I am.

And here are her size 11 feet and her baby booties. That's my baby! Time does fly... and I'm so very grateful for the health and well-being of all my children. 

Now, if they'd just clean their rooms...