Food for Thought - Fudge

I’m sure you won’t believe this about me, because I am so incredibly cool now, but in a former life I was actually a Tupperware lady…and not just an I-collect-catalog-orders-once-a-month-do-you-want-anything Tupperware lady. I was a super-overachiever Tupperware lady who won several regional awards and a van! So I will tell you more about all that tomorrow, but I’m sure you are anxious to know why I started my Food for Thought Friday like that.

Well, back in the 80s we were selling tons of Tupperware when they introduced their microwave cookware line. So along with the microwave stuff, they gave us a bunch of fun and easy recipes to share with customers. This fudge recipe happens to be one of them. I swear it is the easiest fudge on the face of the planet and yet I get more compliments on it than almost any other thing I make. At Christmas time we give tons of it away and I made a huge batch for Teach to sell at her Relay bake sale and NONE of it came home. For the last two years we have used it to make our own Advent calendars at Christmas time. It’s much better than those tiny cheap chocolates that you get from the store. I just wrap it up in 3 x 3-inch squares and then cut it into small pieces for everyone to sample each night. I’m not sure it’s cheaper, but it is a fun new tradition for us. Give this recipe a try and leave me a comment and let me know what you think!

Microwave Fudge

1 and one-half bags (approx. 18 oz) of milk chocolate chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla
chopped walnuts if desired

Dump all of the chocolate chips into a microwave-safe bowl.

Pour sweetened condensed milk over the top. Put in the microwave for three minutes.

Take it out and stir. If all chips are not melted, return to microwave for an additional minute or two. Add vanilla. Mix well and quickly because it will start to set up right away. Add walnuts.

Spread into a 8 x 8 pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Two batches will make a 9 x 13 pan, but make them separately so that your chips melt evenly.

You can substitute semi-sweet for some or all of the chips, but your fudge will be a darker, heavier fudge. Put it in the fridge for an hour or so to make cutting easier. Enjoy!