Fudgsicles

I made these about a month ago, and it's kind of ridiculous that I haven't made them again. They are so yummy, and not that much work.

Our fancy-dancy popsicle molds.

The tongue is getting ready to taste.

In the heat, the best place to enjoy a popsicle.

This recipe is from the book On a Stick! by Matt Armendariz.  I found the recipe when Smitten Kitchen featured it.  (I doubled the recipe because... four kids in summer, duh! so if you want a single recipe, Smitten Kitchen's got it up here.)  I'd like to try other recipes from the book.  They look like a lot of fun, plus Evan bought 1000 Popsicle sticks in a crafting moment this spring.  They are going to be hanging around here until I am a grandmother if we don't get creative.

Fudgsicles

1.5 ounces (1/4 cup) choc. chips	2 ½ cups whole milk
2/3 cup sugar	Large pinch of salt
2 T cornstarch	1 tsp. vanilla
3 T unsweetened cocoa powder	1 T unsalted butter

In the bottom of a heavy saucepan, melt the chocolate chips over very low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth.  Stir in sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder, milk and salt and raise heat to medium.  Cook mixture, stirring frequently until it thickens, between 5 to 10 minutes (Smitten Kitchen said it took her five minutes-- I used all ten minutes, maybe because it's a doubled recipe).  Remove from heat, add vanilla and butter and stir until combined.

Set aside to cool slightly then pour into popsicle molds or Dixie cups.  Freeze 30 minutes, then insert popsicle sticks.  Freeze the rest of the way (several hours).

More Chocolate

These recipes are feeling left out, since they weren't included in my last post about chocolate. So, in the spirit of inclusion, here are two more yummy chocolate recipes.

The first recipe is chocolate dirt cake, which gets high marks from kids. I know dirt cake isn't exactly gourmet-- you usually throw some crumbled Oreos, chocolate pudding, and maybe Cool-Whip in and call it good. This recipe has some extras, like cream cheese, that make it yummy enough to serve to adults. You may, however, want to omit the gummy worms in the adult version. They're a little... different.

Marilla liked eating one of the extra Oreos while I made this. She did NOT, however, like me poking the camera in her face instead of getting her out of her high chair the minute she demanded it.

My other recipe is a fudge recipe. It was in our newspaper years ago, and I clipped it out, then didn't make it for three years. Part of the reason was that I had such an easy fudge recipe (Microwave fudge) that it seemed silly to look for another one. Wow, this is definitely worth the extra effort (and extra expense) to make it. It's called "Mamie's Fudge" (it was Mamie Eisenhower's favorite fudge recipe), but I think of it as "Moorish Fudge." One of our friends was here the first time I tried it back in April, and as she cut herself yet another little piece, she said, "This tastes like Moorish fudge." I was desperately trying to rack my brain, wondering if this was really an international delicacy, or whether "Moorish" was some sect like the Amish or something... Then I got that it was "More-ish" fudge because you always want a little more. I'm a little slow on the uptake sometimes. Even now, I picture it as "Moorish" in my head.

Chocolate Dirt Cake

• 1 (6 oz.) pkg. instant chocolate pudding
• 3 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
• 3 /4 cup butter, softened
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 12 oz. Cool-Whip, or 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, whipped
• 27 oz. (1 1/2 pkgs.) Oreos (Original or DoubleStuff)
  
• Gummy worms, optional

This is a great recipe to do in the food processor, ir you have one! (I've had mine for 14 months, and I'm still passionate about it!) Obviously, you can get by without one for this recipe. First, pulse (or crush) the Oreos into fine crumbs and set aside. Then, cut the butter and cream cheese into little chunks, and place in the food processor bowl with the pudding mix, sugar, vanilla, and 1 cup of the whole milk. Pulse until blended. Use a whisk to stir in the remaining 2 1/2 cups milk. Fold in the Cool-Whip or whipped cream. Spread 1/3 of the crumbs in a 13x9 pan, then top with half the pudding mixture. Sprinkle another third of the crumbs over that, pour on the remaining pudding mixture, and finish with the last of the cookie crumbs. If serving to kids, strew gummy worms all over the top!

Mamie's Fudge (Moorish Fudge)

• 4 1/2 cups sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1 can (13 1/2 oz.) evaporated milk
• 2 T butter
• 12 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
  
• 12 oz. German sweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 jar (7 or 8 oz.) marshmallow creme
• 2 cups nuts (if you like nuts in your fudge-- I usually don't!)

Combine sugar, salt, evaporated milk and butter in saucepan; boil 6 minutes. In a large bowl, combine the chocolates, marshmallow creme, and nuts. Pour boiling syrup over the chocolate mixture and stir until the chocolate is melted. Pour into a buttered 13x9 pan. Let stand a few hours before cutting. Makes about 40 (very rich!) pieces.

Chocolate, STAT!

I am starting a new blog for the simple reason that I am tired of lugging my recipe box around with me when I go places. (Philistines have suggested I just lose contact with my recipes while I am away-- I ignore them.) I thought if I post a recipe at least every other day, within a year or so I will have all my recipes available on the internet for use whenever I need them.

The more I thought about how I like new recipes, though, I realized I will probably never catch up with putting them all up on here. However, I love food, and talking about food, and occasionally cooking food, so this blog will be fun for me. I will only post recipes I have actually cooked, and if I'm feeling ambitious, there will even be pictures!

Without further ado, here is a very important recipe. Not that I need to write down this recipe-- this is all in the spirit of passing on some advice for fellow chocoholics.

Now, I do believe in the philosophy of "Moderation in all things." I try not to have lots of junk food around at all times, but there are times when I really NEED chocolate. Sure, I could just swipe a handful of chocolate chips out of my baking cupboard, but why do that when there could be so much more with one minute of effort?

This recipe was introduced to me in my high school French class. While I love to parle francais, this may be the thing that I remember most from that class! This is... a chocolate sandwich. There are probably numerous variations on this French snack, but us Vaughans figured out the quickest, yummiest way to have a chocolate sandwich.

Throw a handful of chocolate chips and a meager tablespoon of butter in a microwaveable bowl.

Microwave 30 to 40 seconds. See how the butter is bubbling nicely?

When you first start to stir, it won't look like much.

Keep going, and it all comes together in a creamy spread!

Then, spread it on bread and enjoy! I love whole grain bread for my tuna sandwiches, but this works better on a sweeter bread-- I like potato bread. (Or potato hamburger rolls, if that is all that is in the bread drawer.) From the time the intense craving first hits until you are sinking your teeth into its yumminess, is about 90 seconds, tops. And if you are lazy and use a knife both to stir the chocolate and stir it on bread, it's pretty minimal dishes!

Another quick and easy path to chocolate indulgence is microwave fudge. Mom gave me the recipe when I first got married. It is also something that can be thrown together in a minute. It does take a while to chill in the fridge, but by then you'll have been able to lick the mixing bowl so the cravings will have subsided!

Microwave Fudge

• 1 (12 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 (12 oz.) pkg. semisweet chocolate chips
• Grains of salt
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 tsp. vanilla

Dump sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, salt and butter in a microwaveable bowl. Microwave on "high" one minute. Stir until chips are melted and combined (you may have to microwave it another 30 seconds). Add the vanilla (the step I always forget), and pour into a buttered dish. Chill until set. In the meantime, grab a spoon, scrape out the mixing bowl, and enjoy!