Hot Fudge Sauce (Nana's...)

I love this recipe! The funny thing is, I think it's better the next day . . . somehow there's a sugary/chewy quality to it when it's a day old.

Need to feed a crowd? Scoop the ice cream into balls (make sure you wear rubber gloves - this is a cold proposition) and roll them in coconut, toasted coconut or chopped almonds. Freeze on a cookie sheet until ready to serve. Cover in hot fudge and heavy whipping cream flavored with a little vanilla.

No crowd? Pour it over peppermint stick ice cream. Vanilla bean? Delicious either way...

1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 square chocolate
1/4 cup cocoa
3/4 cup granulated sugar
dash salt
1/2 cup cream
1 t. vanilla

Melt together over low heat butter and chocolate. Mix sugar, cocoa and salt and add to chocolate mixture stirring until smooth. Add cream slowly and bring to boil. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Whoopie Pies (redux...)

I'm re-posting this recipe after my daughter suggested a modification. She was so right. Increase the baking powder to 1 teaspoon vs. the original recipe calling for 1/2 teaspoon. The end result avoids that occasional flat whoopie pie . . . they are nice and consistently round after adding that additional baking powder.

There were two bakery boxes full of these yesterday. My definition of fun.

1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 t. baking powder
1.5 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 cup milk
1 t. vanilla
1/2 cup cocoa

Filling: 1 cup crisco, 1 cup sugar, 1.5 cups Marshamallow Fluff, 1 t. vanilla

Bake at 425 for 7-8 minutes.

P.S. There are some members of my family who beg for double cream filling...

Caramel Brownies

This recipe just won't go away . . . for good reason. I love it that the Kraft caramels come unwrapped now. That was always a "keep a boy busy" job in my house.

1 package swiss chocolate cake mix
3/4 cup melted butter
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 14 oz. Kraft caramels
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Combine cake mix, melted butter and 1/3 cup evaporated milk. Layer 1/2 mixture on bottom of 9 x 13 pan and bake for 6 minutes only. Melt caramels in heavy saucepan with 1/3 cup evaporated milk. Sprinkle chocolate chips over baked layer and drizzle caramel mixture over top. Top with remaining batter. Bake 15-18 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting into squares.

Jam Thumbprints . . .

I like these. My spouse does not. They look pretty in a bakery box all wrapped up for Christmas. Thank you, Ina.

3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
7 ounces sweetened flaked coconut
Raspberry and/or apricot jam

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until they are just combined and then add the vanilla. Separately, sift together the flour and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar. Mix until the dough starts to come together. Dump on a floured board and roll together into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

Roll the dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Dip each ball into the egg wash and then roll it in coconut. Place the balls on an ungreased cookie sheet and press a light indentation into the top of each with your finger. Drop 1/4 teaspoon of jam into each indentation. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the coconut is a golden brown. Cool and serve.

Peanut Butter Bon Bons

It doesn't get any easier than this. These fall in the "family favorites" category at my house.

1 cup finely chopped nuts
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 t. vanilla
1/4 cup butter
6 oz. chocolate chips

Combine nuts, sugar and peanut butter. Add butter and vanilla and process. Shape into 1" balls and chill. Dip in chocolate and place on wax paper to solidify.

Mexican Wedding Cookies

This recipe is from the Proud Italian Cook . . . I like her version simply because it makes so many. This is one of my favorite cookies. This version is also terrific. Perfect for a Christmas bakery box...

1 lb. unsalted butter at room temperature
4 cups of un-bleached flour
2 t. vanilla
8 t. granulated sugar (just 8)
3/4 cup of ground pecans (optional, and I prefer almonds)
Bowl of powdered sugar

Cream butter, add sugar and mix until light and fluffy. Next, add the flour and mix until all incorporated. Roll in balls and place on cookie sheet, making a thumbprint in each one. Bake at 350 for 20 min. Immediately roll in powdered sugar.

Penuche

My grandmother could really make candy. It's an art, I think. She had a repertoire full of different kinds of candy... butterscotch, fudge, coconut chocolates made with mashed potato. I was happy to find this recipe (in her own handwriting) for the fudge I like the most, penuche.

2 cups brown sugar
1 cup cream
2 T. butter
2 T. marshmallow
Nuts (optional)

Cook brown sugar and cream to soft ball stage and add butter and marshmallow.

I'm posting this recipe exactly as written. Consider yourselves lucky - this has more detail than most of her recipes.

Cinnamon Christmas Ornaments

1 cup cinnamon
1 T. ground cloves
1 T. nutmeg
2 T. white glue
3/4 cup applesauce

Roll between waxed paper and cut out with cookie cutters. Let ornaments dry overnight. Use straw to poke hole to hang ornaments.

Pan Fried Onion Dip

I'm going to re-post this one because there are holiday party needs. And this, well this dip is pretty spectacular. If you neeed to bring something to a holiday party, Ina's pan fried onion dip will make you a star. This is delicious.

2 large yellow onions
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup good mayonnaise

Cut the onions in half and then slice them into 1/8-inch thick half-rounds. (You will have about 3 cups of onions.) Heat the butter and oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions, cayenne, salt, and pepper and saute for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 more minutes until the onions are browned and caramelized. Allow the onions to cool.

Place the cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until smooth. Add the onions and mix well. Taste for seasonings. Serve at room temperature.