Holiday Peppermint Fudge

        Remember when you were in grade school and time went by so slowly? Christmas break and summer vacation seemed to go on forever!  Well, not anymore, folks!  Christmas is almost here!!!  I can hardly believe there's only about a week left until the big day!

    The tree is up and the house is decorated, but the real baking has yet to begin.  I've just started with a couple of candy treats.  My well-loved, Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls, have already made their way back home with our oldest son, visiting from Seattle.  More are to be made and, hopefully, sent off to another son in Sarasota.

    Now, I've shared with you my family's love of anything containing peanut butter and chocolate, but ........have I mentioned that I also have a bit of "a thing" for the combination of chocolate and mint??  So, you'll understand my desire to share this rich and yummy Holiday Peppermint Fudge!!

    This is a super simple recipe with a pretty short list of ingredients.......a perfect holiday treat to give to a neighbor, the mailman, the babysitter, or any other chocolate and mint lover you know!

    This is what you'll need:

Holiday Peppermint Fudge    (makes 5-6 dozen pieces)
4 cups sugar
2 (5 oz.) cans evaporated milk
1 cup butter
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
7 oz. jar marshmallow creme
1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
2/3 cup peppermint candies, coarsely broken

Combine the sugar, milk, and butter in a 3-quart saucepan.  Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly.  Then, reduce the heat to medium and stir for 10 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and add the chocolate chips, marshmallow creme, and peppermint extract.  

Stir until mixture is melted and smooth and then pour into a buttered and foil-lined 13x9" pan.  Sprinkle the peppermint candy over the top.  Cover and refrigerate until set.  

Now......all that's left to do is cut it up into squares and pack it up for some lucky recipients, but not before you set a few squares aside for yourself!

For printable recipe, click here.

Recipe from Gooseberry Patch Cookie Swap booklet.