Chocolate (And Peppermint Bark Fudge)

Yes, holiday happiness can include - and rightfully so - chocolate. I feel this is self-explanatory. So much can be done with chocolate, and one of my favorite things to do with chocolate is make peppermint bark fudge for Christmas. I'm fairly certain I've shared this recipe before, but here we go again, any way. Sorry, no pictures of this wondrous Christmas treat that is on my kids' Must Have Christmas Treats List.

What you'll need: 2 cans of sweetened condensed milk, 1 12 oz bag of white chocolate chips, 2 12 oz bags of semi-sweet chocolate chips, 5-8 peppermint candy canes, red food coloring (or green, I personally like the red because it's bright and cheerful - but the food coloring is OPTIONAL), 2 9x13 cake pans (can be foil, or you can use a foil Santa face shape - or any other holiday shape of foil pans you can find), non-stick cooking spray, vanilla and a teaspoon measuring spoon

Why do you need 2 pans? Because, this makes 2 batches, so you'll have 1 for yourself and 1 to give away or use at a party or keep for yourself.

Okay...Unwrap 5 candy canes (the big ones, not the cute baby ones), put them in a Ziploc bag, seal it without extra air...place candy cane bag between 2 kitchen towels and use a wooden spoon to beat on them until they are in small candy cane pieces. You don't need to pulverize them. Put the remaining candy canes (unwrapped) in another Ziploc and beat on them, too. Set aside to sprinkle on top of the fudge.

Next step: you're going to make 1 batch of semi-sweet chocolate fudge: over medium to medium-high heat, stir 1 can of sweetened condensed milk and 1 bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips together (stirring fairly constantly), until the chips are melted and the consistency is smooth. Stir in a teaspoon of vanilla, then pour into 1 of the pre-non-stick cooking spray sprayed pan. Refrigerate and repeat. Once both batches of chocolate fudge are set, it's time to make the white fudge layer.

1 can of sweetened condensed milk, the bag of white chips, and the bag of 5 crushed candy canes...Stir the chips together with the sweetened condensed milk on medium heat (or lower, depending on your patience level - the white chocolate can burn)...When the chips start melting, add the crushed candy canes. Continue to stir until the chips are totally melted and the consistency of the fudge is smooth (with candy cane lumps). You can add the food coloring at this point, then pour half of the white peppermint fudge over 1 of the chocolate fudges, then the other half over the other. Top with the other bag of crushed candy canes and refrigerate until firm.

The Peppermint Bark Fudge freezes well, so you can make it in advance.

Havin' Fun...

My oldest son, for a class assignment, must write 4 1-page reports. The subject: 4 different Olympian gods. AND, he then must create his own Olympian god: name him/her, write a background about him/her, and draw a picture. So, I thought I'd create my very own Olympian god. Havin' fun.

So, my created goddess is Adriandra, goddess of chocolate (SURPRISE!). She has hair of dark chocolate, a complexion of white chocolate, and eyes of liquid milk chocolate (in color).

Adriandra is the goddess of chocolate and PMSing women everywhere. There is no mood too snarly or snarky for the goddess of chocolate to overcome, as chocolate is always the answer.



Picture of Adriandra courtesy of DollieCrave.com.

The Pendant Series.... Webbie Info

Well, we're up to 16 of 101 reasons to eat chocolate. Fun, fun list. :D

I'm writing a paranormal-y series with friend and debut author Susan Atwood called The Pendant. We've started a webbie specifically catering to this series: The Pendant...Journeys Through Time. It's a work in progress, but we're getting there. Stop by and sign the guest book! And don't forget to check in from time to time as we'll be adding to the site all the time. If you have any ideas or suggestions for content for this new webbie, give me a buzz and let me know! I have a few ideas of my own, but am always interested in hearing suggestions.

I'm going to whisper this, in case the weather hears me and takes exception to what I have to say: I think Spring might actually be here. Finally. But shhhhh! We be quiet! We don't want to scare it away.