Fudge

Man, these blog posts keep getting further and further apart..
Oh well!

I wanted to branch out and try something new, and somebody recommended that I try fudge.

I've always been a little intimidated by it.. I mean, it involves boiling something, stirring constantly, not burning it (burning stuff comes so naturally to me!)... it's a lot, right?

Ingredients before they're mixed

WRONG-O!

Because that's what microwaves were invented for!

I hadn't even thought to make this in the microwave until I asked my mom for advice, and she gave me the "Duh, Taylor, how did you not think of that?" tone.

Making fudge just got a whooole loooot easier!
I didn't have any square cake pans on hand, and mom had said that a 9x13 pan was too big, so I used a round cake pan instead. It made for thick pieces, but you can cut them small! But something slightly larger than a 9x9 pan is preferable.

And most importantly... my friends enjoyed it! Yay!
Fudge Recipe

• 1 1/2 sticks margarine (I'm sure butter would work too, we're just a margarine family)
• 3 c sugar
• 2/3 c (aka 5 oz aka 1 small can) evaporated milk
• 1 small (7 oz) jar marshmallow creme
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 12oz package chocolate chips
• Optional: 1 c chopped nuts
• Note: This recipe is on the back of the marshmallow creme container! But it calls for baking squares-- far more expensive than chocolate chips!

Preparation

• Melt margarine in microwave in a 2 qt, microwave safe dish.
• Add sugar and milk; mix well.
• Microwave for 3 minutes. Stir.
• Microwave for 2 minutes. Stir.
• Microwave for 5.5 minutes. Stir.
• Remove from microwave, and add marshmallow creme and vanilla.
• (Note: Running your spatula under hot water first will get the creme out easier!)
• Once that's mixed, add your chocolate chips.
• Mix until well combined and pour into a buttered pan.
• Place in fridge to set firmly, or leave at room temperature for a more gooey texture.

Cinnamon Apple Slices

Fall is here! It smacked me in the face last night when the temperature dropped to 36 and my room was freeeeezing. So what better day to celebrate autumn than with cinnamon sugar apples slices?I love apple pie, but I have one measly issue: I don't like the crust. I'm not a crust person! With french silk pie (my favorite!) I eat the chocolate and the whipped cream, and leave a triangle of crust sitting on my plate when I'm done. So I figured I'd make the cinnamon apples without that pesky crust getting in my way.

There were a lot of recipes online, but none were really what I was looking for. Several call for brown sugar, which I was going to try, but my brown sugar smelled weird, like it had gotten mixed in with allspice and ginger or something. And of course, when something smells weird it'll taste weird too, so I didn't want to risk it.
I wound up using three small Granny Smith apples (because the store only had small ones. Uh..okay?) and a simple cinnamon-sugar mixture. The brown sugar surely would've made it thicker, but this was still pretty tasty.

This recipe is the epitome of my "quick and easy" tag: Three ingredients, two and a half minutes in the microwave. The only thing that takes time is the peeling of the apples, but really, how much longer does that take?
Cinnamon Apple Slices Recipe

• 3 small Granny Smith apples
• 1/2 t cinnamon
• 1/3 c granulated sugar

Preparation

• Peel, quarter, and slice each apple.
• Cut each quarter into relatively thick slices.
• Mix cinnamon and sugar in a separate bowl. Slowly sprinkle over apple slices, stirring to ensure that it's evenly distributed.
• In a large, microwave safe bowl (I have a large ceramic dish that resembles-- or is?-- a giant ramekin) put the apples in layers, preferably as even as you can.
• Cook on high for 2-5 minutes (our microwave heats HOT)-- I did for 2.5 minutes-- until the apples are soft.
• Stir, then let sit so the apples absorb the liquid. Stir again, then enjoy!