MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

My last post for the year for 2011 and it is to Wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Peaceful New Year.

Many thanks to you all for taking the time to pop by this Blog, read up and comment...it is all very much appreciated....by both myself and my little Tatty Button and her friends.

...and so, to end this post....I give you a little bit of general knowledge. Did you know that apparently most British Robins migrate to southern warmer climes at this time of year? they leave our Isles to escape what they believe is cold weather!...and the birds we see during winter and the Festive period are more than likely Robins that have migrated in from the Far Eastern countries such as Russia...to escape their very hostile cold temperatures....they must feel they are on a sunny holiday! So, if you see a little RedBreast on Christmas day, bid him a Merry Christmas in Russian lol! BTW - the photo I took of this little Robin above, was in the summer of 2009...so a very British little chap.

Takes cares and enjoy your holidays where ever you go, what ever you do!

xxx

Chocolate Marshmallow Fudge and Christmas favor name tags

Well, that certain festive day is drawing close. Have you got your presents all wrapped, sent your cards and iced that cake yet?

I have to admit I'm pretty organized this year...which is pretty scary for me! probably due to the fact that Christmas is being spent with my family, at home in Birmingham this year....no panic packing of bags and trying to get things done a week or so in advance in order to head off to Worcester to spend the holidays with Clives mom. The meal this year is being held at my sisters and so I'm not having to cook much so it's a pretty laid back affair for me. We do share the cooking responsibilities though and this year I've been given the task of providing the sweet course so that's all fine and prepared in advance. I also make a Christmas cake for them every year. In the past these have been unusual, unique and highly decorative but this year it's simple but classy.

So, Christmas day will be a lazy morning for Clive and I, smoked salmon and scrambled egg breakfast with Bucks Fizz, open our presents to each other then tootle off to sisters place early afternoon (thankfully she only lives around the corner) for the traditional mahoosive feast of turkey and beef.

There are eight of us sharing Christmas this year and my sister is really doing a grand job of a table setting so she asked if I could make some name tags for each place setting...

...and seeings as I am in charge of sweets I decided to incorporate some chocolate truffles as Xmas favors - Irish Cream flavoured for the adults, milk choc for the youngsters. All bagged up in silver and black to co-ordinate with her choice of colour scheme, tags formed using Spellbinders dies and each name cut out in fancy font in card using my good old Cricut Create and Gypsy. Pretty silver cord and a tiny silver bauble finished off each package. She's indicated a few things she's got planned for the design....so can't wait to see the table in all it's glory on the day!

Anyways...onto the main reason for my blog post. A few weeks ago I was given a recipe for easy cook fudge...one made with chocolate and marshmallow, that I was assured is yummy and takes minutes to make and no faffing about with sugar thermometers...so how could I not want to try that!

So today I did just that. Very sorry but I can't credit who's recipe this is...it was passed on from a friend...from her friend and we think it might be something off a tv cooking programme but can't be sure. I did a bit of googling to see if I could work out who...but no joy...so if anyone knows the answer, please let me know.

INGREDIENTS

70g   Butter

300g Soft Brown Sugar

125g Evaporated Milk

225g Marshmallows

300g Milk Chocolate (cut into small pieces)

75g   Dark Chocolate (cut into small pieces)

Prepare an 8inch cake tin by lining with greaseproof paper.

Place butter, sugar and evaporated milk into a large pan and melt gently over a low heat. When all has dissolved, stir in the Marshmallows. Boil for 5 mins, making sure the marshmallow has dissolved. Working quickly, take immediately off the heat and stir in the chocolate. Leave 1 minute then stir to completely combine and ensure the chocolate has melted (please note this mixture, at this moment is VERY hot so yes the gooey choccy mass looks so tempting that you want to stick your finger in to try some...PLEASE don't you'll burn yourself very badly).

Quickly pour into the prepared tin and allow to set for approximately 3 hours. Then remove from tin and paper, cut into approx 2cm squares and box/bag up as required.

And there you have it....soooo simple to make and I can honestly tell you it is ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS....smooth, velvety and squidgy (because I have relented and munched on some...but then I have to do this and taste it otherwise I wouldn't be able to give you the recipe if it was all horrible and nasty tasting lol!). A dusting of icing sugar was all that was left to make them a little festive.

 

Enjoy......now go finish that present wrapping!