Starfish S'mores

Hey everyone! Long time, no read! Sunday Treats took a short hiatus this summer to celebrate the nuptials of Becky and the Music Man. And goodness, did we celebrate - don't we look happy?!?!

Photo by Cornelis Verwaal

Now, that doesn't mean we haven't been baking up a storm this summer. For sure, between Mama B, Katie, and Becky, over 800 cookies were baked for said special event above. And, since the wedding, Becky's been giving her new Kitchen Aid mixer and ice cream maker attachments a run for their money. More on that to come...

We've got new apartments and new kitchens to test out, and new recipes to share with you, Devoted Readers! To round out the summer, we thought we'd share a particularly summery-treat we just made for an outing to the beach. Hurry and make some, because (sniff, sniff, tear, tear), the summer is all but over.

These Starfish S'mores probably rank highest of all our treats on the cute-factor scale.

Then again, if you put edible googly eyes on any treat, how could it not look pretty darn cute? But these are tasty, too, and remind one of bonfires on the beach or in one's backyard (or over one's BBQ).

Suddenly I'm attempting to use correct grammar. One is improved by married life, is one not? :-)

If you make 'em and take 'em to the beach, we recommend packing them in a cooler. Regular starfish might enjoy the sun, but these little guys will soon transform into star-blobs without a little shade or ice. Of course, they're still just as tasty, if you don't mind getting your fingers a little sticky.

The recipe below looks complicated, but have no fear. It's really three simple steps - make star-shaped marshmallows, dip in chocolate, dip in graham crackers. If we can do it, you can, too!

So, enjoy, readers. It's good to see you again!

-Becky

Starfish S'mores
Adapted from Hungry Happenings
Makes about 13 s'mores

Ingredients:
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
40 oz. marshmallows
36 graham cracker squares, crushed into crumbs
16 oz. chocolate chips (milk or semi-sweet)
Approximately 1 tbsp coconut oil or vegetable shortening
edible candy eyes

Directions:

1. Pour crushed graham crackers into a shallow dish. I used an 8 x 8 inch baking pan. Set aside. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Combine the powdered sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl.
3. Use butter or non-stick cooking spray to coat the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13 inch baking pan, then sprinkle bottom and sides with powdered sugar and cornstarch mixture. Tap the pan to remove excess. Save remaining mixture for later.
4. Pour marshmallows into a large microwave-safe bowl. Heat at 30 second intervals, stirring each time, until marshmallows are melted to a sticky liquid consistency. If marshmallows start to brown, they are beginning to burn. Carefully pour melted marshmallows into prepared pan and smooth top with spatula. Spraying your spatula with non-stick cooking spray, or buttering it, will keep it from sticking to the marshmallows throughout this process. Dust the top of the marshmallow with enough of the remaining sugar and cornstarch mixture to lightly cover. Cover bowl of powdered sugar mixture for later use. Allow the marshmallow to sit uncovered for at least 4 hours and up to overnight. When ready to proceed to next steps, place marshmallow in the freezer for about 10 minutes.
5. Set a large cutting board on top of the pan of marshmallows. Turn both the board and the pan upside down and lightly tap the bottom of the pan. If the marshmallow doesn't fall right out, use a spatula to slowly pry it out of the pan. 
6. Dust a 3-inch star-shaped cookie cutter with the powdered sugar/cornstarch mixture. Press the cookie cutter into the marshmallow, remove, and press the marshmallow out onto one of the parchment-lined cookie sheets. Dust cutter again and repeat, cutting out stars until you can't cut out anymore. There will be a lot of marshmallow scraps. To make them into regular marshmallows, dust all sides with powdered sugar/cornstarch. Or, do whatever you wish with them! Place cookie sheet of marshmallow stars in the freezer.
7. Melt chocolate chips over a double boiler on the stove or in 30-second intervals in the microwave, stirring between each interval, until smooth. Let cool to room temperature, then stir in coconut oil or shortening to achieve thin, dip-able consistency.
8. Removing one star at a time from the freezer, use a fork to dip the marshmallow in the melted chocolate, coating all sides. Lift the marshmallow out with the fork, gently shake it from side to side to remove excess chocolate, then scrape the fork along the edge of the bowl to remove any excess from the bottom. Place chocolate-covered marshmallow in graham cracker crumbs. Allow to sit for 30 seconds, then use your fingers to sprinkle and gently toss the marshmallow in the crumbs so all sides are coated. Allow to dry in the crumbs for about a minute. Place graham cracker covered marshmallow on other parchment-lined cookie sheet.
9. Using a toothpick or the point of a sharp knife, make two small circular indentations on the marshmallow in the graham cracker crumbs where the eyes will go. Apply a tiny button of melted chocolate to the backs of the eyes and press into place.
10. Repeat steps 8 and 9 with remaining marshmallows. Place cookie sheet of finished marshmallows in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm up, then transfer to airtight containers. We recommend storing marshmallows in the fridge to prevent melting, but they can also be kept at room temperature. They will be good for up to one week. Use remaining graham cracker crumbs as "sand" on serving platter. 

Butterbeer, Chocolate Wands, and Pumpkin Pasties: Harry Potter treats for a fond farewell

Becky, the Music Man, and I gathered with a friend last night to watch Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 before we see Part 2 this evening. And what would a Harry Potter movie night be without Harry Potter themed snacks?

We made Chocolate Wands, Pumpkin Pasties, and Butterbeer. Of course, none of these things actually appear in Deathly Hallows. If we were truly sticking to the themes of Book 7, we'd be more likely to make edible Horcruxes.  I can see it now - Marvolo Gaunt Donut Rings, Gummi Worm Naginis, Chocolate Lockets, and Helga Hufflepuff-Pastry Cups.

But seriously - who wants to eat a part of Voldemort's soul?  So we'll stick to snacks from the earlier, happier installments, thank you very much!

All three of these recipes are incredibly easy. The only one that actually involves baking is the Pumpkin Pasties, and even those can be ultra-semi-homemade. 

So fear not, young witches, wizards, and Muggles. While we say goodbye to Harry and the gang on the big screen this weekend, we can always return to the kitchen (and the books!) to recreate the magic we have come to love so dearly.

-Katie

Butterbeer

Our version of Butterbeer is a cream soda float with butterscotch flavoring. Since all witches and wizards at our gathering were of age, we used butterscotch schnapps, but you could certainly stir in butterscotch sauce to get the same flavor for the underage wizards.

Per mug:

1 small scoop vanilla ice cream

1 oz butterscotch schnapps, or butterscotch ice cream topping or sauce

cream soda

Chill mugs in freezer. Scoop ice cream into mug. Pour schnapps and a small amount of cream soda into mug and stir to dissolve most of the ice cream and create the signature Butterbeer foam. Add cream soda to fill mug.

Chocolate Wands

1 package pretzel rods

1 cup chocolate chips

sprinkles

Melt chocolate chips in a mug in microwave on high in 30 second intervals. Dip pretzel rods in chocolate, sprinkle with sprinkles. Place wands in cups or mugs to harden.

Pumpkin Pasties

2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 15-ounce can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 2/3 cups evaporated milk (1 12-ounce can)
Pam or butter for greasing casserole dish
9-ounce pie crust pastry (enough for two single standard pie crusts) (our favorite recipe here)

Make filling*:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a 2-quart casserole dish with non-stick spray.

2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs and sugar together. Stir in pumpkin, salt, and spices. Add evaporated milk and mix well.

3. Pour filling into prepared casserole dish. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Keep oven door closed and reduce temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking for 45 minutes or until table knife inserted in center of dish comes out clean. Cool filling completely on a wire rack.

Make pasties:

4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment. 

5. Make or purchase pie crust pastry. Roll pastry thin and cut into circles approximately 4 inches in diameter. Put a spoonful of the cool pumpkin mixture towards one side of the center of the circle. Fold crust over filling and firmly crimp edges closed. With a paring knife, cut three small slits in the top for venting. Place on a greased cookie sheet.

6. Bake at 400 degrees only until crust is a light golden brown, approximately 10 minutes. Serve at room temperature.

*To make this recipe even easier, skip steps 1-3, instead purchasing a pumpkin pie from the grocery store. In step 5, simply scoop out filling from the pie onto the pastry circles.

Homemade Peppermint Patties

This weekend has been cold here in NYC. And by cold, I mean all you non-hat-wearing people had better suck it up, pack a comb, and cover your precious little heads. It's that cheek-stinging, ear-burning, eyes-watering, toe-numbing kind of cold that makes you tingle all over.

I'll tell you a secret: I kinda like it.

This kind of cold reminds me that I'm human, living on a planet with varying moods and tempers. It makes me marvel at the immense ability of nature to create beauty from extremes. And it inspires me to pause, breathe deeply, and take in the black-and-white landscape around me.

Well, not pause TOO long, or else my fingers will fall off.

To me, peppermint is the perfect flavor to capture the feeling of a day like today. It's crisp, refreshing, and stings your tastebuds with just the right amount of wake-me-up bite. It's not the same thing as stepping out the door into a winter wonderland, but it's pretty darn close!

So today's treat is for all you out there with the privilege of wearing hats as mere fashion accessories. Make a batch of these peppermint patties, pop one in your mouth, and stand in solidarity with those of us hoping (or not) that the snow melts faster than the chocolate.

-Becky


Peppermint Patties
Makes approximately 24 patties
Adapted from Blue Eyed Bakers

Approximately 2 3/4 cups confectioners sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 tablespoons water
1 1/4 teaspoons peppermint extract
1 tablespoon vegetable shortening
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 teaspoons coconut oil
Additional confectioners sugar for sprinkling

1. In a large bowl, beat confectioners sugar, corn syrup, water, peppermint extract, and vegetable shortening on low speed until smooth. If mixture does not hold shape, add confectioners sugar by tablespoon until mixture forms pliable dough. Shape into rough ball and sprinkle generously with confectioners sugar.
2. Roll or press dough between two sheets of parchment paper until 1/4 inch thick. Slide parchment onto cookie sheet and place in freezer until dough is very firm, about 20 minutes.
3. Using 1 1/2 inch circle cookie cutter or biscuit cutter, cut dough into rounds and place onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment or wax paper. Form scraps of dough into ball, sprinkle with confectioners sugar, and repeat steps 2 and 3 until all dough is used (you do not need to refreeze dough each time you roll it out). Freeze patties until firm, for at least 15 minutes.
4. While dough is chilling, melt chocolate chips in microwave safe bowl, stirring every 30 seconds. When chocolate is smooth, add coconut oil and stir until well combined.
5. Remove patties from freezer and quickly coat with chocolate using fork. Remove excess chocolate by shaking fork from side to side, then scraping bottom against side of bowl. Slide patty onto another cookie sheet lined with parchment or wax paper. (Patties melt quickly in the warm chocolate; dip each one as fast as possible. If patties begin to soften before dipping, place sheet of undipped patties back in freezer.)
6. Place cookie sheet of dipped patties in refrigerator and allow chocolate to set completely, about one hour. Store in fridge, between wax paper in an airtight container. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Toffee Almond Crunch

Over the next few weeks, Becky and I are sharing some of the holiday treats we traditionally make this time of year. Today's treat is Toffee Almond Crunch and is, in the grand scheme of things, a newer addition to the K&B holiday baking menu.

I am quite proud of this toffee, mainly because it is mine. I didn't read about it on a blog and get inspired. No one requested that I make it, which is often why I try new recipes. Last Christmas I simply said to myself "I wonder how you make toffee?", found a recipe, got up the courage to face my fear of molten sugar, and made some.

Then I made some more, and some more, and some more. I can't even count how many batches of this I made last Christmas.

But enough talking, right? Let's make some toffee!

First, the prep work:

Toast your almonds and set them out to cool.

Generously grease a large cookie sheet, and when I say generously, I mean a Pioneer Woman + Paula Dean amount of butter. If you're worried about using that much butter, you shouldn't be making toffee in the first place, but we will be getting rid of some of that butter later, so calm down.

While the almonds are still cooling, get distracted by the Cookie Pizza recipe from the Betty Crocker Cookbook circa 1991 currently sitting on your table. Notice how there are M&Ms on the pizza, but none of them are blue. Think about how in 1991, no one had even dreamed of blue M&Ms. Then remember how your Grandpa B - King of M&Ms - never got to taste blue M&Ms himself because he died right before they debuted, and how you and Beck went to the cemetery and shared a pack of M&Ms with Grandpa, eating all the normal colored ones but putting all the blue ones in the vase with his flowers so he could try them. When you're ready to leave that memory, come back to the toffee, which, by the way, Grandpa B would have loved.

Coarsely chop one cup of blanched almonds. These will be for the toffee itself.
Finely chop a different cup of almonds. These will be for sprinkling on top of the chocolate layer.
Put the coarsely chopped almonds in a bowl near the stove so you have them handy.

Okay! Prep work done. Well...almost. It's best to measure your sugar, corn syrup, and water out before you start melting the butter, so as not to stress once you get going. Did you measure out those three things? Yes? Good job! Now we're ready for the good part (also known as the dangerous part. If you are baking with small children, best to keep them out of the kitchen for this next part).

Melt 2 sticks salted butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat.

If you're like me and have a super weird thing about setting timers and dials and clocks on exact, obvious marks, set your dial to slightly more than medium. (For years I had a problem setting my alarm clock exactly on the hour, half-hour, or quarter hour, always setting it for 6:59 or 7:01. I'm over that now, but the oven dial thing remains. One thing at a time, right?) 

Once the butter is melted, pick up the pan and swirl the butter around so the butter goes up the sides of the pan. This will help the sugar not stick to the sides. Then add sugar, water, and corn syrup, and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Now put down the spoon, and DO NOT TOUCH IT AGAIN UNTIL I TELL YOU TO! You are going to want to pick it up, but you shall not, because you are stronger than the spoon.

Repeat after me: "I will swirl, not stir."

Good.

You've got your butter/sugar mixture on the stove over medium. Set your kitchen timer for three minutes. The sugar will foam up and start to bubble. You may also see some vapor as the water evaporates. After three minutes - and only after three minutes - pick up the pan with both hands and swirl the mixture around a few times. Put the pan back down and reset your timer for three more minutes. When the timer goes off, swirl again. Then reset your timer for...wait for it...three more minutes.

Personally, I cannot watch sugar boiling for three minutes without picking up a spoon and stirring. It's simply not possible. Are you like me and need a distraction to get through those 120 seconds? I suggest these activities:

- Washing all the silverware in the sink.

- Pre-empting the calories in the toffee by doing jumping jacks.

- Seeing if you can hold your Pilates plank for a whole three minutes (for me, not quite, but pretty close).

- Drinking a bunch of water, because water is good for you!

Whatever you do, don't ever go far from the stove, especially during the last couple sets of three minutes. You want to be able to check the sugar at a glance to make sure it isn't burning.

You want the sugar to be a deep amber color. If you start to smell even a hint of burned sugar, remove the pan from the heat right away. Mine was done after about 14 minutes.

When you have the right color, remove the pan from the heat and working quickly but carefully, PICK UP THE SPOON and stir in the coarsely chopped nuts. Immediately dump the hot, sugary, buttery glob onto the greased cookie sheet and use the spoon to spread it towards the edges of the pan.  Set the pan aside to cool completely.

Gently invert the toffee onto parchment or wax paper. Get rid of all that butter by wiping the toffee with a paper towel.

Melt 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips in the microwave and spread over the top.

Sprinkle 1/2 cup of finely chopped almonds on top. Put the toffee in the fridge for at least 20 minutes so the chocolate sets.

When the chocolate is set, lay parchment over the top, flip the toffee, and do it all over again - paper towel, chocolate, nuts.  Place back in fridge so the second side can set.

Take the toffee out of the fridge and let it warm up just a bit. Wash your hands real good, then break the toffee into pieces. My advice here: DON'T try to break it using just your fingertips (unless you have abnormally strong fingers), or by pulling up on a corner with one hand while the other holds the toffee on the countertop (you'll only smash your average fingers). DO firmly grab the toffee with both hands and commit to snapping it in two, like you do when you break a banana in half. Take charge, people. You can do it.

Note: you'll lose a lot of almonds in this process. This is okay. I like to think that some of the almonds are happy to be martyrs for the sake of the overall deliciousness of this toffee.

And you're done! I like to store the toffee in the fridge so the chocolate doesn't melt in our insanely hot apartment, but it should be fine at room temperature, especially for short periods of time like in a candy bowl during a holiday shindig. This toffee also makes an excellent gift all wrapped up in tissue paper in a pretty box or tin.

Consider this my holiday gift to you.  Enjoy!

- Katie

Toffee Almond Crunch

Recipe adapted from Christmas-Cookies.com

2 cups slivered, blanched almonds
1 cup (2 sticks) SALTED butter
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
3 tablespoons water

3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1.  Toast almonds on a cookie sheet in a 350 degree oven for 7-8 minutes, stirring at the 5 minute mark.  Set aside to cool. Generously grease a large cookie sheet or jelly roll pan with butter.

2. Coarsely chop 1 cup almonds and set aside near the stovetop. Finely chop remaining cup and set aside.

3. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, swirling the pan so the butter goes up the sides of the pan. Add sugar, corn syrup and water, and continue to cook over medium heat, swirling the pan every three minutes.


4.  When sugar is a deep amber color (hard-crack stage on a candy thermometer, approximately 300 F), remove from heat and quickly stir in coarsely chopped nuts. Spread mixture on greased cookie sheet. Let cool completely.

5. Invert toffee onto parchment or waxed paper and wipe with a paper towel to remove grease.


6. Melt 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second intervals, then spread chocolate over toffee. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup finely chopped nuts. Place in refrigerator to set.

7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 for other side.

8. Break toffee into pieces. Store in refrigerator.

White Chocolate Pumpkin Fudge

 

Ok, so I know I posted a pumpkin recipe last week - Aunt M's amazing Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies. But it's November, people! I'm in pumpkin paradise!

As the lovely Kate Jackson says on her blog Framed Cooks, this fudge is pretty much "pumpkin nirvana". I couldn't agree more.

In fact, this fudge takes me to such a happy place that I feel inspired to write poetry about it:

Oh, fudge!

Pumpkin fudge!

White chocolate pumpkin fudge!

So gooey and smooth and sweet!

 

You're all I want to eat.

Your sweetness can't be beat.

I try, but can't retreat

From your flavor most complete.

 

It draws me from my seat

To eat and eat and eat

And eat and eat and eat

And eat and then repeat.

 

Oh fudge,

pumpkin fudge,

white chocolate pumpkin fudge!

How glorious a treat!

 

I find the power of this fudge even more impressive given the fact that in general, I'm not a huge fan of fudge. Moreover, I tend to shy away from any and all things white chocolate. So why do I love white chocolate pumpkin fudge so much?

Well, let's see. We've had our poetry lesson for the day. How about some math?

What do you get when you subtract the fudge and white chocolate from white chocolate pumpkin fudge?

Oh, yeah! Pumpkin! (That was an easy one.)

 

The P-meister is definitely the key ingredient here. The savoriness of the pumpkin counteracts a bit of the sweetness in the chocolate, sugar, and fluff that come together in just about any fudge recipe. I'm not saying that this fudge isn't sweet - because oh man, it is - but the pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice make the resulting sweet headache more than worth it.

What I also love about this recipe is its color. As you make it, the mixture goes from a milky cream to a bright and frothy orange, then calms down to a silky and smooth pastel baby orange. So pretty, you almost don't want to eat it.

But then you do. And pumpkin paradise is had. You're welcome.

-Becky

 

White Chocolate Pumpkin Fudge

Adapted from Recipe Girl via Framed

3 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup melted butter
2/3 cup evaporated milk

1/2 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
2 tbs light corn syrup
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
12 oz package white chocolate morsels
7 oz jar marshmallow crème
1 cup chopped walnuts, plus another 1/2 cup for sprinkling on top
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Line 9″ square pan with aluminum foil. Spray with nonstick spray.

2. Stir together first 6 ingredients in a 3½ quart saucepan over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring constantly, about 12 minutes, or until a candy thermometer registers 234° (soft ball stage).

3. Remove from heat and quickly stir in remaining ingredients until well blended.

4. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining walnuts on top and press down slightly. Let stand 2 hours or until completely cool; cut fudge into squares.

Match Monday: Rice Krispy Peanut Butter Fudge Treats

PROFILE
In my own words: I'm intense - intensely sweet, that is! I always get reactions out of people. At first glance I might appear sophisticated and smooth, but underneath I'm still a kid at heart.
For fun: Hanging out with friends Snap, Crackle, and Pop.
Favorite things: Summers at the community pool, Reese's peanut butter cups

Today's Match Monday treat is yet another one suggested by Guy* and Gasp! it involves cereal, just like last week's treat.

Guy asked if I make Rice Krispy Treats. "Really?!" I thought, "Rice Krispy Treats? Aren't those for kids?" Then a little voice in my head that sounded not unlike our DaddyBob's answered, "No, Silly Rabbit, Trix Treats are for kids." Then that little voice laughed at its own joke, just like DaddyBob would have.

But I digress.

Guy made me think - have I ever made Rice Krispy Treats? I know I at least helped Mama B as she made them for every dance show, BBQ, birthday party, and camping trip of our childhood years.

I also remember that she made a batch and dropped them off at the dorms a month into my freshman year of college. For whatever reason - probably because we didn't have a real knife nor an air conditioner - cutting those bars made me really sweaty, which I announced to my still-new roommate, which was immediately awkward, then hilariously funny.

But I digress again.

My point is that I have definitely not made Rice Krispy Treats in my adult lifetime and didn't particularly care to. One, I overdosed as a kid. Two, no one in my life has requested them. Three, they pose absolutely no baking challenge. Four - RK Treats are for kids!

Enter Rice Krispy Peanut Butter Fudge Treats.

They're slick, they're sophisticated, they require the essential baking skill of patience (which I need lots of practice at), and they are certainly not for kids, unless you're prepared to deal with the sugar high and subsequent crash these babies cause.

And, they're moan-inducing delicious. Here's an exact quote from Mama B when she tasted these:

"Oh wow. Oh. Oh wow. Wow. Ooooohhhh Wooooooowwww."

It got slightly awkward. But then it was also quite funny.

So here's to our little Rice Krispy Treats all grown up. I look forward to making these again for birthday parties, and BBQs, and camping trips, and...and...


Rice Krispy Peanut Butter Fudge Treats

from Joy the Baker via Framed

PART 1
Rice Krispy Treats
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
4 cups miniature marshmallows
6 cups Rice Krispy Cereal (or any puffed rice cereal)

1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

2. Add Rice Krispies cereal. Stir until well coated.

3. Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray.

4. Cool. Make Peanut Butter Fudge.

PART 2
Peanut Butter Fudge (recipe from Alton Brown)
1 cup butter

1 cup smooth peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 pound confectioners (powdered) sugar

1. Microwave butter and peanut butter for 2 minutes on high.

2. Stir and microwave on high for 2 more minutes. Add vanilla and powdered sugar to peanut butter mixture and stir to combine with a wooden spoon.

3. Pour over the Rice Krispy Treats in the pan and spread evenly.

4. Let cool in the fridge while you make the Chocolate Fudge.

PART 3
Easy Chocolate Fudge
2 Tbsp butter

2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 2/3 cups sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla

1. Combine butter, milk, sugar, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil; cook 4 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

2. Stir in marshmallows, chocolate, and vanilla. Beat for about 1 minute, or until marshmallows melt and mixture is thoroughly combined.

3. Pour over peanut butter fudge, spread evenly and place in the fridge to harden and cool.

4. Cut into 1-inch pieces or smaller. Store in fridge for firmer fudge; on counter top for softer fudge.

*Nicknames are my own. I will never reveal usernames or any identifying information beyond what is already public on Match.com.