Janet's easy fudge

My sister Janet just gave me this easy fudge recipe.  Her husband grew up on fancy fudge, but this recipe is so much easier and just as good.

3 c. chocolate chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Melt in the microwave.  Mix in whatever you want.  Pour into a foil lined (butter the foil) 9x9 pan.

Sample mix ins:
Rocky Road, stir in marshmallows and chopped nuts.
Peanut butter
Caramel and nuts and sea salt (have you tried salted caramel hot chocolate???)
Mint extract

Mom's Orange Candy Cake

2 c. white sugar
1 c. butter
4     eggs
1 t.  baking soda
1/2 c. buttermilk (dissolve baking soda in it)

3 1/2 c. flour
1 lb. dates, diced
1 lb. orange gummy candy slices, diced (kitchen shears work well for this)
1 c.  coconut
2 c.  chopped pecans

1 c. orange juice
1 t.  grated orange rind
2 c. powdered sugar


Cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add buttermilk/baking soda mixture.

In large bowl, mix flour, dates, orange slices, coconut and nuts.  Add sugar and egg mixture and mix well.

Pour into greased and floured tube pan (or 4 loaf pans).  Bake at 250 for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until it springs back when touched.

Combine orange juice, rind and powdered sugar and pour over cake.  (If making loaf pans, 1 1/2 this part of the recipe to make a bit more juice mixture to cover all loafs).  Let stand in pan overnight. Before removing from pan, heat 10 minutes and cake will loosen from pan easily.

Mom's Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

Cream together:
2 c. sugar
2    eggs
2 t. lemon extract
2 c. sour cream
2 t. vanilla

In separate bowl, mix:
2 1/2 t. baking powder
1t.        salt
2 t.       baking soda
4-5 c.   flour

Mix together. Makes a soft dough. Refrigerate to firm dough.  Roll on lightly floured board, but not too thin--maybe 1/4 inch.  Cut out with cookie cutters.  Bake on greased pans at 375 for 8-10 minutes, or until very lightly browned.

Great with frosting or flavored powdered sugar icing and sprinkles.

Homemade mac & cheese

Johnny was in charge of dinner for Family Home Evening tonight. He wanted mac & cheese but we didn't have any Kraft so I went looking for a recipe.  What we made apparently was a hit because Courtney and Johnny both want a copy of the recipe.  :)   I had some zucchini that needed to be used so I added it to the recipe and I didn't get a single complaint about the veggies in the mac.  I do need to give my kids credit...they have been getting very adventurous in their eating.  I am so glad they are generally willing to try new foods.  This recipe was taken from The Ultimate Cooking Course and Kitchen Encyclopedia, and modified by me.


Creamy (Zucchini) Macaroni & Cheese

2 c. dry small shells or macaroni
5 c. cubed zucchini (optional, but yummy!)
1/2 c.  butter
1/2 c. flour
5 c. milk (I use skim because that is what we have and it turned out just fine)
3-4 c. shredded cheddar cheese
2 c. dry stuffing or bread crumbs, crushed
1 c. grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 13x9 pan.  Cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water until done, but not soft.  Drain.  Meanwhile, boil cubed zucchini about 6 minutes. Drain.
Melt the butter in a pot.  Add flour and cook 2 minutes, stirring.  Stir in milk. Bring to a boil over medium, (being careful not to scald the milk) stirring constantly, and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes.

Remove pan from heat.  Add the macaroni, zucchini and cheddar cheese and mix well.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Transfer to the prepared baking dish, spreading it out evenly.  Toss together the stuffing and parmesan cheese and sprinkle over the top of the macaroni.

Bake until the top is golden brown and the cheese sauce is bubbling, about 30 minutes.