3 Ingredient Red Hot Fudge

This simple, easy to make 3 Ingredient Red Hot Fudge is the perfect last minute sweet treat for Valentine's Day...

Just so you all know- I am not a fudge maker. That is exactly why is there has been only one other lonely fudge recipe posted to my blog in the almost 3 years that I have called myself a food blogger.  

Quite frankly, I suck at making fudge. Yes, I am here to tell you all that food bloggers cannot indeed cook and bake everything perfectly. We do possess food nemeses, and homemade fudge happens to be one of mine.  

I had given up on ever making homemade fudge again, leaving any fudge that I may receive and consume in the near future up to my sister and mother who have both seemed to pretty much master that culinary skill. 

That is until now, my friends. I recently discovered a super simple trick to making quick, stress free, foolproof fudge.  And forgive me if you are already aware of this one ingredient that has made all the difference for this fudge making challenged mama, but it is a tub of store bought frosting!

Okay, some may call it cheating a little, but I call it "homemade" fudge success at last! ;)

No candy thermometers required, no constant mixing needed. 

Just 3 simple ingredients, a couple of zaps in your microwave, and a few minutes of your time are needed to make this 3 Ingredient Red Hot Fudge making it the perfect last minute sweet treat for your favorite Valentine...

Cookie Butter Pecan Fudge

With just 3 simple ingredients, this buttery & rich Cookie Butter Pecan Fudge is going to quickly become your new go-to holiday fudge recipe...

It's December, folks and that means one thing- the holiday season is upon us, you all. When I think of the holidays, my mind naturally turns to the tastes and flavors of the season. Frosted sugar cookies, gingerbread, hot cocoa, and of course, fudge. 

I mean, homemade fudge cut into perfect little squares tucked away into tins is just classic Christmas to me. My mother is the fudge maker in our family. 

She always whips up a batch of peanut butter and then a batch of chocolate fudge with walnuts almost every single December. She makes it from scratch and gets it perfect just about every single time. 

Me? Not so much. I was not blessed with her fudge making skills. ;)

But I discovered one secret ingredient last year that helped me finally overcome my fudge making handicap- a tub of store-bought frosting. 

Yes, some may call it cheating, but I just like to call it genius and pretty much foolproof. It has allowed me to finally make a delicious contribution to the family holiday fudge making each December.

I let my mama handle the classic fudges while I branch out and experiment with new flavors using my easy method for making fudge. My latest fudge creation is buttery and rich, made with creamy cookie butter and crunchy pecans. A perfectly decadent & easy to make treat for the holidays...

Mud Pie MoJoe Fudge

Rich chocolate, peanut butter, Oreos, toasted almonds, & a little Kahlua come together to make this Mud Pie MoJoe Fudge. It is sure to become a new holiday fudge favorite...

Fudge is just one of those goodies that is always associated with the holidays, right?  It is a staple on the holiday treat platters at family gatherings and office parties.  It is a sinful indulgence that we seem to let slide when the Christmas Carols start playing and the holiday lights begin twinkling. 

But fudge is also one of those very temperamental kinds of recipes.  Boil it too long and you get dry, flaky fudge.  Don't boil it long enough and it just never sets up quite right.

Fudge is one of my culinary nemeses.  

You may (or may not have) noticed that until this very day I have never posted a homemade fudge recipe to this blog. 

Chocolate Nutella Fudge

This two ingredient Chocolate Nutella Fudge has a rich chocolate taste with just a touch of hazelnut goodness...

Happy February, folks! Did you know that February happens to be National Chocolate Lovers month? I mean, it totally makes sense with Valentine's Day being less than a couple of weeks away. And chocolate definitely speaks the language of love, am I right? ;)

And then we have World Nutella Day on the 5th! An entire day dedicated to celebrating that creamy, chocolaty goodness that is Nutella hazelnut spread. Other than maybe cookie butter, Nutella has be one of the best things ever to come out of a jar. 

I can't think of a better way to celebrate the intersection of National Chocolate Lovers Month with World Nutella Day than with this super easy to make, two ingredient Chocolate Nutella Fudge...

Gingerbread Oreo Fudge

Requiring just 4 simple ingredients & your microwave to make, this Gingerbread Oreo Fudge is the perfect last minute holiday treat...

Gingerbread happens to be one of my favorite flavors of the holiday season. And surprisingly up until last week, I didn't have a single gingerbread recipe on the blog. But I am working quick to catch up by sharing my second gingerbread recipe with you all in less than a week- this easy-to-make and festive Gingerbread Oreo Fudge.

The inspiration for this fudge started in the holiday aisle of my local Target. Isn't that where all food bloggers find recipe inspiration? ;) I first spied the Gingerbread Oreos on an end cap, and I knew I had to grab a pack to take home. Then I saw a pack of the cutest gingerbread men icing decorations from Wilton, and the wheels began to turn very quickly. 

Why not make a fudge chock full of my favorite Christmas flavor & decorate it with these tiny gingerbread men? 

Requiring just 4 simple ingredients & your microwave to make, this Gingerbread Oreo Fudge is the perfect last-minute holiday treat...

10 Easy Microwave Fudge Recipes

These 10 Easy Microwave Fudge Recipes are the ultimate collection of easy, fuss free, practically foolproof fudge recipes perfect for celebrating the holidays (or any day!) with...

Today's post is for the last-minute holiday fudge maker. For the person who just can't seem to ever get fudge to set right (this is SO me, by the way)- it either doesn't set up at all or it ends up being dry and crumbly. 

This post is for the Christmas procrastinator... the mama (or dad) short on time this Christmas weekend... the wife who just now found out that her husband needs to bring in a dessert for the office holiday party... the person who always craves fudge during the holiday season, but doesn't want to mess with a double boiler and a candy thermometer. 

Today's post is the ultimate collection of easy, fuss-free, practically foolproof fudge recipes perfect for celebrating the holidays with.

Each of these fudge recipes require just a few simple ingredients and a microwave oven. No stove top, no pots or double boilers, no thermometers, no fretting over whether you have cooked it too long or not long enough. 

They are simple, easy, & most importantly- no one will be able to tell that you didn't stress over a stove, constantly stirring a pot to make one of these homemade fudge recipes. 

Shhhhhhhh... Don't worry. I won't tell anyone. It will be our little secret, k? ;)

So whip up a batch of one of these 10 Easy Microwave Fudge Recipes this weekend & put the time that you will save towards the tedious task of wrapping those oddly shaped boxes that toy manufacturers insist on packaging every. single. toy. in instead. ;) (Yes. This would be my current holiday frustration, lol.)

Chocolate Fudge Football Brownie

This easy to make & fudgy Chocolate Fudge Football Brownie is the perfect family friendly sweet treat for the big game... 

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of The J.M. Smucker Company. The opinions and text are all mine.

Game day happens to be family time in our home. It doesn't matter which teams are playing or who wins or loses (okay, my husband just may disagree with me on that one depending on who is playing exactly ;) ), the big game is always the perfect opportunity to invite family over and to hang out. 

It also happens to be the perfect excuse to whip up a tasty game day menu, and what game day menu is complete without a sweet treat to share like this very appropriate Chocolate Fudge Football Brownie?

Not only is this fudgy football brownie the perfect dessert for your game day party, it is also crazy easy to make thanks to a little help from Pillsbury™'s Chocolate Fudge Brownie Mix & Creamy Supreme® Frostings! :) 

So easy in fact, that I got my husband and daughter in on the brownie making fun. Usually it is just me in the kitchen prepping the game day menu, but we thought why not mix it up a little & start the game day fun a little early with a family baking session?

~Trail Mix Cookie Fudge~ from Melissa at Treats With a Twist

Happy Wednesday, friends! :)  Today I am so happy to have my bloggy friend, Melissa from Treats With a Twist here to share her recipe for what looks like an AH-MAZING fudge.  Fudge just screams the holidays to me.  Am I the only one??  And with the holidays fast approaching, this recipe is begging to be pinned!
Melissa has a special talent for taking some of your favorite special treats and giving them a little healthy twist.  Her Trail Mix Cookie Fudge is a prime example... ;)

Don’t strike me down, but I never liked fudge. I didn’t like how rich it was and never felt a need to feel that sick after eating a treat. But, lately, certain aspects of fudge have started appealing to me. I don’t want the kind that is so sugary that you drop into a coma, but a small, satisfying piece of chocolate sounds quite nice. Instead of the usual mix-in suspects (peanut butter, walnuts, etc), I decided to make mine sing of the flavors of trail mix cookies! Plus, with the easy method I’ve used to make the fudge (no tempering, candy thermometers, or hassle here!), you will want to make up a batch for your next get-together!

Trail Mix Cookie Fudge

(makes 32 pieces)

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate (I use Scharffen Berger 62%)

7 ounces sweetened condensed milk, fat free

3 Tbs. old fashioned oats, toasted*

¼ cup toasted almonds, roughly chopped

2 Tbs. dry roasted peanuts

3 Tbs. craisins

2 Tbs. unsweetened coconut flakes, toasted

*toasting the oats is optional, but it adds more depth of flavor and it gives a subtle “baked cookie” taste to the finished fudge. Turn your oven on broil, sprinkle the oats on a foil-lined cookie sheet, and toast the oats, watching constantly, until they begin to smell slightly nutty. TIP: after the oats are toasted, pour them into a bowl to cool, and then put the coconut on the same baking sheet and toast it next. Then all of your toasting is done!

~Line an 8x8” baking dish with parchment or foil and spray with nonstick spray.

~In a medium-sized microwave safe bowl, microwave the chocolate at half-power until melted (about 2 min, stirring intermittently; *feel free to melt the chocolate over a double-boiler if you prefer). When the chocolate is melted, stir in the sweetened condensed milk. Then, quickly stir in all of your mix-ins. Use a silicone spatula to help pour all of the fudge mixture into your prepared baking dish, smoothing the top and making sure the fudge is even.

~Let set in the fridge for a couple hours before cutting. Use the parchment or foil to lift the block of fudge out of the dish, then cut into 32 equal pieces (I cut mine into 16 squares then cut each square into two triangle pieces, but you can cut yours however you please). Share with all of your friends! 

Strike up a conversation: What would you put into your ideal batch of fudge?

5 Reasons to Plan a Family Vacation to Amelia Island

Located on the northeast coast of Florida, Amelia Island is the perfect family friendly travel destination brimming with historic charm & miles of pristine beaches...

This post was created in partnership with Amelia Island tourism. As always, all opinions & thoughts expressed below are 100% my own.

Last month I had the pleasure of spending 4 amazing days exploring Amelia Island on the northeast coast of Florida. In addition to discovering the amazing beaches, the fresh from the sea local food scene, & the historic charm of this seaside destination, I also had the chance to stay at not one but two of the island's premier family friendly resorts. 

To say that I was utterly impressed by what all Amelia Island has to offer as a family vacation spot would definitely be an understatement. 

Amelia Island quite literally has something to offer every member of your family- from the foodie to the history buff to the outdoor enthusiast. And many of the resorts on the island offer programs and perks specifically tailored to the kiddos in your family whether they are 3 years old or in their teens. 

While I could probably rattle off at least 100 reasons why you should plan your next family vacation to Amelia Island, here are my top 5... ;)

Peanut M&M's Buckeye Bars

Peanut butter and chocolate is just one of those baking flavor combos that is perfect any time of the year.  Throw in some Peanut M&M's?  And oh yeah!  You have yourself a crowd pleaser for sure. :)

As some of you may have seen me mention before, I lived about 8 years in the scarlet & gray city of Columbus, Ohio.  I embraced the Buckeyes culture after a couple of years of living there.  It was difficult to not get caught up in it all, especially on a game day Saturday (and even more so if that game happened to be against the Wolverines ;) ).  

Buckeye candies were the signature candy of the city.  You could find them in every store there.  For those of you not familiar with a Buckeye candy, it is basically a peanut butter fudge ball that is dipped into chocolate leaving a small circle of the peanut butter candy open at the top thus resembling a Buckeye nut.

Ohio State fan or not, Buckeye candies are amazing! 

Chocolate Covered Pumpkin Pie Fudge {A Guest Recipe from Love in the Kitchen}

I am sad that HalloWonderful Week is coming to a close, but so excited for this Chocolate Covered Pumpkin Pie Fudge Recipe from Love in the Kitchen!  It looks absolutely amazing...

Happy Hallowonderful Week Frugal Foodie Mama readers!  I'm Susan from Love in the Kitchen where I share my passion for cooking easy and tasty homemade food with fresh ingredients with you.  

Conversation Heart Frosted Brookies

Fudgy & chewy brownie cookies are topped with an easy to make conversation heart frosting in these Conversation Heart Frosted Brookies...

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of The J.M. Smucker Company. The opinions and text are all mine.

I know that when most people think of Valentine's Day that they think of it as a romantic holiday filled with roses and fancy dinners out with your significant other. But Valentine's Day has always been more of a family holiday to me. 

When I was growing up, my parents always made sure that my younger sister and I were included. We always received a card, a little red foil heart filled with chocolates, and other little goodies from them. And this is a tradition that I have continued on with my kiddos as well. 

In fact, I have already went out and bought all their Valentine's Day goodies for next Sunday. ;)

My youngest is now finally old enough to give her mama a helping hand in the kitchen, so this Valentine's Day we decided to whip up some special cookies for our family and her preschool classmates. 

At first we were thinking brownies, but then she suggested cookies. I happened to have a box of our favorite Pillsbury™ Chocolate Fudge Brownie Mix in the pantry, so I thought why couldn't we have both? 

With just a few simple ingredient tweaks, you can turn your favorite Pillsbury™ boxed brownie mix into fudgy & chewy cookies or what I like to call brookies (Get it? Brownies + cookies = brookies). ;) 

And to make these brookies perfectly festive for the Valentine's Day holiday, we topped them with a simple frosting made from Pillsbury™ Creamy Supreme® Frosting in Vanilla & crushed conversation hearts. I mean, what says Happy Valentine's Day better than pastel colored candy conversation hearts?