Festive Fudge

I copied this recipe from my Family Fun magazine, but it turned out super cute so I had to share.

Ingredients

• 3 cups semisweet- or milk-chocolate chips
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Assorted sprinkles, sugars, and candy decorations

Instructions

1. Place the chocolate chips in a 2-quart bowl and microwave for 1 minute, then stir them with a wooden spoon. If the chips are not completely melted, microwave them again for 30 seconds, then stir until they're smooth.

2. Stir in the condensed milk, salt, and vanilla extract.

3. Line a 9-inch square pan with aluminum foil, extending it about 2 inches beyond each side. (This makes it easy to remove the fudge later.) Lightly spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray.

4. Spread the mixture evenly in the pan.

5. Chill the candy until firm, about 30 minutes in the freezer or 1 hour in the refrigerator.

6. Lift the foil from the pan and place it on a flat work area. Use 1-inch cookie cutters to cut out the fudge, then lightly press decorations onto each piece. Makes about 50 pieces. (Note: mine recipe didn't make 50 pieces, but I didn't use very small cookie cutters)
   

Sorry, Another Sugar Cookie Recipe

Sorry I'm doing another Sugar Cookie recipe, but I'd planned on submitting this for a few days and I made cookies with the girls last night so I would have some pictures to post. They are just too cute! =) Growing up we always made sugar cookies out of the dough you buy at the store and the few times since then I've tried making dough from scratch, I've always thought the end product tasted too floury. I got this recipe from a friend and I really like it. It has a great almond taste!

1 C. Butter (softened)
1 1/2 C. Sugar
2 Eggs
1 t. Vanilla
1 t. Almond
4 C. Flour
1/4 t. Salt
1 t. Baking Powder
4 t. Milk

Cream the shortening and sugar together. Add eggs and flavorings. Mix together dry ingredients and add alternately with milk to creamed mixture. Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes, roll and cut out. Cook at 375 degrees on a greased cookie sheet for 8-10 minutes.

Frosting

1/4 C. butter (softened)
2 C. Powder Sugar
1 t. Almond flavoring
Milk

Cream butter and sugar together. Add Almond, mix in. Add milk just a little at a time until the desired consistency. Frost your cookies, then decorate.

The decorating part was what my girls enjoyed the most!

She would have kept going with the sprinkles if we hadn't stopped her.

Sugar Cookies

What are the holidays without Sugar Cookies! This is the best sugar cookie recipe I have come across. We love it!

1 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
4 tsp baking powder
4 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt

Cream shortening, sugar, and eggs. Add sour cream. Add vanilla. Add soda, salt, baking powder, and flour. Mix to a stiff dough. If too sticky, you can chill before rolling. Roll out 1/4 inch think and cut in desired shapes.
Bake on greased cookie sheet for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool and frost with butter cream frosting.

Vanilla Butter Frosting

3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
about 2-3 Tbsp milk

Special K Cookies

1 cup sugar

1 ½ cups peanut butter

1 cup karo syrup

5 ½ cups Special K cereal

1 cup (6 oz.) butterscotch chips

1 cup (6 oz.) chocolate chips

Bring sugar and syrup to boil, JUST until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, stir in peanut butter until well mixed. Add cereal and stir until well coated. Pat out on large cookie sheet or a smaller one if you want thick squares. Melt chips and spread over top of cookies. Set in refrigerator a short time to harden frosting. Cut into 1 ½ inch squares.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

I found this soup recipe on Doug's cousin's blog. I decided to give it a try, and LOVE it. In fact I am having a bowl right now for lunch while I type this!

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

4 chicken breast halves

1 box Long Grain and Wild Rice Mix (Near East brand is best, but Uncle Ben's is easier to find.)

1 quart chicken stock or broth

1 quart milk or evaporated milk

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup flour

1 1/2 Tbs. cornstarch

1/2 tsp poultry seasoning

2 carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

salt and pepper

• Sprinkle the chicken with 1/2 of the poultry seasoning and salt. Cook it in a tiny bit of olive oil over medium heat. Cover to avoid drying out.
• At the same time, cook the rice according to the directions on the box.
• In a large pot, melt butter. Add chopped carrots and celery and pepper to taste, and saute for about 10 minutes until tender. Add flour, cornstarch and the rest of the poultry seasoning, and whisk together quickly.
• Add stock and milk, whisking quickly as you pour. Cook over medium-low heat stirring often.
• When the chicken and rice are finished, cut chicken into bite-size pieces and add both to the soup.