I make fudge every Christmas because, well, we all love it and I love giving it away. This year has been particularly busy AND as a result, I got this post out late, but you can make this fudge any time of year.

I wanted to find a way to streamline the the kitchen duties for making the fudge without giving up the yummy taste! With the help of Cook’s Illustrated, I modified a recipe they had tried out (15-minute Fudge) and came up with a winner both in taste and time-saving techniques.

I got the process down to 12 minutes, so here’s my take on it. Try out this 12-minute Christmas Fudge and see if you don’t agree. It’s truly fudgelicious!

What you’ll need:
- 12 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate, chopped up (see notes below)
- 2 ounces of unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon of salt
- 1 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
- 1 cup of walnuts, chopped

What to do:

1. Gather your ingredients (1 minute)
2. Line a 8-inch square pan with heavy duty foil and spray with non-fat cooking spray (or any cooking spray). (2 minutes)
3. Mix the chocolate with the baking soda and salt and put into a medium heatproof bowl or pot. Stir in the condensed milk. (3 minutes)
4. Put mixture in another pot with 2 cups of simmering water – use it like a dutch oven – and stir chocolate mixture until melted. (3 minutes)
5. Remove from heat and stir for another minute and then gently fold in the chopped walnuts (2 minutes)
6. Transfer fudge to your prepared pan and spread out evenly. Put the fudge in the fridge for a couple of hours before cutting up and giving it away. (1 minute)

Total prep time is 12 minutes! See the notes below to see how I cut time without cutting flavor!

I’m no photographer by any stretch of the imagination, but I have fun with my iPhone taking pics along the way to show you how easy it is to make this fudge! Top photo credit goes to NutsOnLine.com. Many thanks!

Chocolate pieces ready to be melted.

Add in the condensed milk and melt away.

Look how pretty that melted chocolate looks. Rich and creamy.

Add the nuts! Yum!

Christmas Fudge ready to be cut and devoured!

Notes:

1. Instead of buying the big bars of chocolate that you would need to chop up, buy sweetened and unsweetened chocolate chips. They melt faster and there’s no fussy mess to clean up after chopping chocolate.
2. Buy chopped walnuts instead of whole walnuts. Saves a minute or two and it adds up!
3. Don’t have vanilla extract handy? You can use hazelnut or almond extract instead. Adds a subtly different flavor to the fudge.
4. Use macadamia nuts instead of walnuts if you like.

It’s hard to go wrong with this fudge. Just don’t over cook it. It only takes a minute or two to melt it over simmering water. Enjoy!

For more great ideas for small bites, visit my site, Easy Appetizer Recipes.

Halloween is just around the corner, and I’m on the hunt for some fun recipes to make. Chocolate Pumpkin Brownies fits that bill completely.

And even though I am a big fan of packaged brownie mixes, this recipe just sounded so good with the aromatic and flavorful ingredients like cinnamon and nutmeg.

Obviously, this is not an appetizer recipe, but this blog IS about food that comes in small packages! So, thank you Martha Stewart, once again, for another over-the-top great brownie recipe that I grudgingly found too good to not try. 

What I like about this piece of deliciousness is the addition of cayenne pepper. Spiced up chocolate has always been a big winner for me. And it’s not too spicy, just enough of a kick that you take a bite and a couple of seconds later you think, “Hmmm. That’s good! What IS that flavor?” Try it. My kid loves these too. P.S. Don’t be intimidated by the length of the list of ingredients. It’s still easy to make.

What you’ll need:

Isn't this mixer pretty? Try this KitchenAid KSM150PSER Artisan Series 5-Quart Mixer. Comes in different colors too. Just click on the photo.

(Printable recipe)
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) of unsalted butter, plus a little more for the pan
- 6 ounces of bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 2 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1 3/4 cups of sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 Tablespoon of pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups of solid-packed pumpkin
- 1/4 cup of vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup of chopped hazelnuts or other nuts

What to do for Chocolate Pumpkin Brownies
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Then, butter a 9-inch square baking pan or dish. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and butter the lining.

2. Melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water and stir the mixture occasionally until smooth.

3. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cayenne, and salt in a large bowl and set aside. Put the sugar, eggs, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat until fluffy and well combined, 3 to 5 minutes. Then beat in the flour mixture.

4. Divide the batter between two medium bowls (about 2 cups per bowl). Stir the chocolate mixture into one bowl. In the other bowl, stir in the pumpkin, oil, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Transfer half of the chocolate batter to prepared pan while smoothing the top with a rubber spatula. Top with half of the pumpkin batter. Repeat to make one more chocolate layer and one more pumpkin layer. Work quickly so the batters don’t set.

5. With a small spatula or a table knife, gently swirl the two batters to create a marbled effect. Sprinkle with nuts.

6. Bake until the brownies are set, 40 to 45 minutes. Take the brownies out of the oven an let cool in the pan on a wire rack. Cut into 16 squares.

This delicious simple recipe for Chocolate Pumpkin Brownies makes 16 servings.

* Photo courtesy of Martha Stewart website. Thanks!

You COULD make this absolutely scrumptious Apple Pie Dip and use it in the usual fashion – as an appetizer. Why not? But, this “dip” works unbelievably well as a fun dessert. And guess what? The easy part of this chip dip recipe is: NO BAKING (well except for the chips!)

For those of you that just don’t want to turn on a hot oven, this simple recipe is for you*. Plus, it’s so good that IF there is any left over, you’ll love it for breakfast. So versitile!  Enjoy the sentimental flavor of a truly beloved classic holiday dessert with this tasty fruit dip.

What you’ll need for the “dip”:
(Printable Recipe)
- 1 1/3 cups peeled, cored, and diced apple
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons apricot preserves
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

* If you don’t want the heat of the oven when you make this recipe, don’t make the cinnamon chips. Just find some cinnamon pita chips or tortilla chips at a place like Whole Foods.

What you’ll need for the chips:
- 5 (6-inch) flour tortillas
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

What to do:
1. Turn on your oven to 350º F

2. Combine all the ingredients for the dip in a bowl and then cover and refrigerate the fruit mixture until chilled.

3. Next brush the tortillas with butter, then cut them into pie-like wedges.

4. Arrange the wedges on a greased baking sheet (all you need to use is a spray and spray lightly), sprinkle the tortilla wedges with cinnamon and sugar, and bake until golden brown for about 10 minutes. Check frequently to keep them from burning.

Let the chips cool before serving. this lovely recipe makes 4 to 6 servings. Enjoy!

Want more good ideas for chip dip recipes? Click on the link to the left immediately!

* As I am not a photographer by any stretch of the imagination, I am grateful to FamilyFun for the photo used at the top of this post.

Great Appetizers, Snacks and Man-food for Father’s Day

Dad’s Day is less than a week away. What are you going to do for the special Dad in your life? We’re going to our local airport (small airport) and watch a helicopter show. That’s what the Dad in our family wants to do so that’s what we’re doing. Can’t wait. (No, really!)

Actually, I saw the show last year and it was AMAZING to see the kinds of tricks helicopters can do! But, I’m getting off topic here. Let’s get back to great appetizers and recipes for your Father. Here are a few ideas to spark  your imagination. Even if Dad loves to cook, give him the day off and fill up his plate with some fun MAN-food. He works hard. He deserves it.

Starting with Breakfast:

Hashbrown Casserole
Oh yeah. This is a delicious small feast – bakes up like a dream.
The man in your life will love it!

Move on to lunch (here’s a few ideas to get the ball rolling):

Chicken Wings Recipes
What Dad doesn’t like good ol’ Buffalo Wings or other types of chicken wings.
Here’s a really nice variety of flavors.

Spicy Grilled Shrimp
You will probably need to make more than you think,
because it’s such a popular and tasty treat.

South of the Border Burger
is a perfect hamburger to serve to your friends and family on these well-celebrated holidays -
especially if you like your burgers on the spicy side.

How about some mid afternoon appetizers and snacks?

Chip Dip Recipes
Surprise Daddy-O with some homemade chips and fantastic dips.

Cowboy Kabobs
So tasty and so easy to make! This is a favorite around our household. And it’s definitely a Man-food!

Pepperoni Cheese Puffs
You will be amazed at how quickly they disappear and the clamoring for more will soon be heard.

Super Sausage Rolls
Easy to make and easy to eat, these yummy easy appetizers, sometimes called
“pigs-in-blanket”, are loved by everyone.

And if Dad and everyone else isn’t too full by now, try out this dinner idea:

Grilled Flank Steak with Basil Mustard Marinade
It’s easy to prepare and easy to BBQ. Everyone will love it!
To get your friends (and neighbors!) mouths watering – just start grilling!

Chile Lime Corn
Next time you want to jazz up your corn on the cob, try this simple recipe,
you’ll never go back to plain ol’ corn on the cob.

Summertime Sangria
Even though Dad might want a beer or a coke instead, he might decide this
drink concoction is pretty darn tasty, too!

And finally… what about Dessert to top off the day?

Mississippi Mud Cake
this dessert is to die for and if you love the flavors of chocolate and coffee…
well, then you will love this!

Have a wonderful day celebrating with the Dad in your family and eating up a storm! It’s all good!