It’s time for Karen’s Killer Fixin’s! Over the years, I’ve filled two 4-inch, 3-ring binders with my own creations as well as recipes my family and friends were willing to share with me. I simply love to cook and want to share that love with my readers. So every Friday, I share one recipe I think you and your family might enjoy. It might be a main course recipe. A cookie or baked item. Candy. Salads. Whatever strikes my eye and fancy…which today is HOMEMADE PEANUT BUTTER CUPS & REESE’S SQUARES!

I recently had a conversation on Facebook with Sam, a friend and reader, about a recipe I shared that essentially called for Peanut Butter Cups. I mentioned I had a homemade recipe to make my own and she pointed out that I’ve never shared it here. Mea culpa! She also shared her recipe for Reese’s Squares with me as an alternative to buying peanut butter cups. We decided to share them both. Easy to make Candy Heaven!

I hope you enjoy today’s Killer Fixin’s. Happy eating!

Karen

P.S. We’re at 374 recipes and counting with this posting. Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right-hand column menu, you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc. Continue reading Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Double Feature**: Homemade Peanut Butter Cups & Reese’s Squares →

It’s time for Karen’s Killer Fixin’s! Over the years, I’ve filled two 4-inch, 3-ring binders with my own creations as well as recipes my family and friends were willing to share with me. I simply love to cook and want to share that love with my readers. So every Friday, I share one recipe I think you and your family might enjoy. It might be a main course recipe. A cookie or baked item. Candy. Salads. Whatever strikes my eye and fancy…which today is DOUBLE-DECKER FUDGE!

When I think of Christmas recipes that get pulled out every year to share with my friends and family, candy tops the list. I have a LOT of wonderful candy recipes so let me share one of my favorite fudge recipes. This fudge doubles the fun!

I hope you enjoy today’s Killer Fixin’s. Happy eating!

Karen

P.S. We’re at 290 recipes and counting with this posting. Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right hand column menu, you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc. Continue reading Karen’s Killer Fixin’s #recipe ~ Double-Decker Fudge →

   It’s time for Karen’s Killer Fixin’s! Over the years, I’ve filled two 4-inch, 3-ring binders with my own creations as well as recipes my family and friends were willing to share with me. I simply love to cook and want to share that love with my readers. So every Friday, I share one recipe I think you and your family might enjoy. It might be a main course recipe. A cookie or baked item. Candy. Salads. Whatever strikes my eye and fancy…which today is GERMAN CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES!

Who loves chocolate truffles as much as I do? These might not be the typical candies you’d find in a candy store, but they’re easy to make and still delicious. Oh, man! My mouth is watering just posting this blog! 🙂

I hope you enjoy today’s Killer Fixin’s. Happy eating!

Karen

P.S. We’re at 139 recipes and counting with this posting. Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right hand column menu, you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc.

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GERMAN CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES
[Makes 6 dozen]

2 cups (12 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 (4-oz.) pkg. Sweet cooking chocolate
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 T. vanilla extract

Unsweetened cocoa, powdered sugar, finely chopped nuts, flaked coconut, or chocolate sprinkles

In heavy saucepan, over low heat, melt chips and cooking chocolate with sweetened condensed milk. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Chill two hours or until firm.

Shape into 1-inch balls; roll in any of the above coatings. Chill one hour, or until firm. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

It’s time for Karen’s Killer Fixin’s! Over the years, I’ve filled two 4-inch, 3-ring binders with my own creations as well as recipes my family and friends were willing to share with me. I simply love to cook and want to share that love with my readers. So every Friday, I share one recipe I think you and your family might enjoy. It might be a main course recipe. A cookie or baked item. Candy. Salads. Whatever strikes my eye and fancy…which today is TWO-TONE FUDGE!!

This is a fun recipe and an impressive gift for the holidays or that special occasion or just for the fun of it! I love the two flavors blended together.

I hope you enjoy today’s Killer Fixin’s. Happy eating! Karen P.S. We’re at 91 recipes and counting with this posting. Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right hand column menu, you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc.

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TWO-TONE FUDGE

1/2 cup softened butter (+ 1-1/2 Tbl. to grease pan)
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup sugar 1 cup evaporated milk
½ cup walnuts 1 jar marshmallow
1 tsp. vanilla 1 pkg. (6 oz.) butterscotch chips
1 pkg. (6 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips

Combine brown sugar, sugar, milk, and butter in pan.  Bring to full boil, over medium heat.  Stirring.  Boil 10 minutes over moderate heat.  Remove from heat.  Add marshmallow and vanilla.  Stir until smooth.  To 2 cups of hot mixture, add butterscotch and ½ of the walnuts.  Stir until smooth.  Pour into greased pan.  To remaining mixture, add chocolate pieces and the rest of the walnuts.  Stir until smooth.  Pour over butterscotch.  Chill.

  It’s time for Karen’s Killer Fixin’s!

Over the years, I’ve filled two 4-inch, 3-ring binders with my own creations as well as recipes my family and friends were willing to share with me.  I simply love to cook and want to share that love with my readers.

So every Friday, I share one recipe I think you and your family might enjoy.  It might be a main course recipe.  A cookie or baked item.  Candy.  Salads.  Whatever strikes my eye and fancy…which today is VANILLA [CHOCOLATE] CARAMELS

I love caramels.  Homemade caramels are the bomb…and so much easier to make than you would think. This makes a great Christmas gift for friends, family and neighbors. A special treat that only you will give them. Make several batches of each. Your family will snatch up quite a few before you get any into gift tins. 🙂 

I hope you enjoy today’s Killer Fixin’s.  Happy eating!

Karen

P.S.  We’re at 53 recipes and counting with this posting.  Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right hand column menu, you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc.

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VANILLA CARAMELS

[2 pounds]

2 cups sugar
1/3 cup butter
2 cups warm light cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup light corn syrup
½ cup nutmeats
½ tsp. salt

Mix sugar, 1 cup of the cream, corn syrup and salt in large saucepan.  Cook, stirring about 10 minutes.  Add remaining cream very slowly so mixture doesn’t stop boiling.  Cook 5 minutes longer.  Stir in butter, 1 tsp. at a time.  Cook slowly, stirring until 248 degrees registers on candy thermometer.  Remove from heat; add vanilla and nuts and mix gently.  Pour into buttered 8-inch square pan and cool.  Turn out on board, mark off ¾-inch squares and cut.  Wrap in wax paper.

CHOCOLATE CARAMELS

[2 pounds]

Follow recipe above, adding 3-4 oz. (squares) unsweetened chocolate to mixture before cooking.

It’s time for Karen’s Killer Fixin’s!  Over the years, I’ve filled two 4-inch, 3-ring binders with my own creations as well as recipes my family and friends were willing to share with me.  I simply love to cook and want to share that love with my readers here.

So every Friday, I share one recipe I think you and your family might enjoy.  It might be a main course recipe.  A cookie or baked item.  Candy.  Salads.  Whatever strikes my eye and fancy…which today is EASY CHOCOLATE “CHERRY” FUDGE.

This “cherry” fudge actually tricks your palate. What’s the trick? I tweaked the fudge recipe on the package of semi-sweet chocolate chips by using almond extract. Blended with the semi-sweet chocolate, it tastes like you’re eating cherry fudge. Although, if I want true chocolate cherry fudge, with yummy cherries inside, I can have that too.  It’s just another tweak to the recipe. I love experimenting!! The basic recipe is fast and easy and the flavor combinations are limited only by your creativity.

I hope you enjoy today’s Killer Fixin’s.

Happy eating!

Karen

P.S.  We’re at 4 recipes and counting with this posting!  Hope you find some recipes you like.  If you don’t want to miss any future recipes, be sure to return to my blog next Friday.  Even better, subscribe to my blog and the recipes will come directly to your email Inbox!  If this is your first visit, check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right hand column of my home page, you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, etc.

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EASY CHOCOLATE “CHERRY” FUDGE
[2 pounds]

18 oz. semisweet chocolate chips (@ 3 cups)
1 can sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)
dash salt
½ to 1 cup chopped nuts (optional, walnuts or pecans are favs)
1 tsp. almond extract

In saucepan over medium heat melt semi-sweet chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, and salt, stirring to prevent scorching.  When fudge is smooth, add extract and nuts and stir.  Pour into wax paper-lined pan.  Press the fudge flat in the pan using lightly-buttered spatula.  Chill in refrigerator until firm.  Pull fudge out of pan and peel off wax paper. Cut into squares and store in air-tight container in refrigerator.

For regular fudge: Add 1½ tsp. vanilla instead of almond extract. You can also use milk chocolate chips in lieu of semisweet chocolate chips.

For coconut fudge: Add 1 tsp. coconut extract instead of almond extract AND ¼ cup shredded, sweetened coconut instead of nuts.

For peppermint fudge: ½ to 1 tsp. peppermint extract instead of almond extract AND ¼ cup chopped peppermint candies or candycanes. Peppermint extract is stronger than many extracts so add extract to taste.