Do not let your wives see this article. They think we are a bunch of dumb bunnies and can’t cook our way out of a Kroger’s grocery bag. We’ll show ‘em.
About this time every year, ladies go into the kitchen to make special holiday stuff – jellies, cookies, cakes, candy and even fruit cake. They take out every possible pot and pan along with every spice in the rack to create their concoctions. We, of course, are thankful and duly impressed.
But this year, let’s show them we can make stuff, too. Like fudge. If you can operate a microwave oven, you can make fudge and impress the lady folks. Here’s how.
Go to the store and buy one 18-oz. package of dark chocolate morsels or chips. It’s over near the baking stuff. Doesn’t make any difference what brand, just buy a pack. In that same area, find a 14-oz. can of sweetened condensed milk. Eagle Brand is good, but it can be any brand. Not evaporated milk, though, it must be sweetened condensed milk. Now let’s get fancy and buy a small bag of macadamia nuts, about a cup full. They will be in the same general area of baking stuff. If you can’t find macadamias, buy a small package of walnuts. Check and see if your wife has any vanilla extract in the cabinet. They always do, but if you can’t find it, buy a small bottle at the store.
That’s it. Now go home, pour yourself some eggnog and let’s get to baking. Microwaving, actually.
Put the chocolate and the condensed milk in a bowl that won’t melt or explode in the microwave. Turn the oven on for 30 seconds, stir up the stuff and put it back in for another 30 seconds and repeat every half-minute until the chocolate chips and condensed milk have joined forces. Now add 1 ½ teaspoons of vanilla (the really little spoons, not the big tablespoons), whatever nuts you picked out, a little salt (3 or 4 shakes) and mix.
Now, find an 8 x 8 baking dish (9 x 9 works too), and pour the chocolate stuff in, spread it evenly and put it in the refrigerator. In about 2 hours, take it out and ask anybody if they want any homemade fudge. The women will be amazed. This is really good fudge, really easy and even us dumb bunnies can make a batch.