No Fail (Really) Peanut Butter Fudge

This last weekend was a rush of holiday baking! Since the weekend before had been too warm to spend in a hot little kitchen, I put it off. This weekend was a blessing of cool, rainy, dreary days perfect for baking.

As promised, I have documented my holiday baking to let you all in on my super secret lucky successful ways to give cheap yummy gifts to your friends and family. Most of these items I bake year after year and my friends and family are probably tired of them. But I'm not...probably because I only make them once a year.

The first treat is one I adore any time I can get my sticky little hands on it. But I myself will only bake once a year (because otherwise I'd hoard it all and devour it in one day and have a terrible stomach ache). No Fail Peanut Butter Fudge. And when I say "no fail," I mean it. I cannot do candy. I can't even do anything that requires a candy thermometer. I've tried! The White Fruit & Nut Fudge Fiasco of 2010 is still vivid in my memory. Even the Rice Crispy Treats made with Karo and peanut butter NEVER turn out of me. I can make homemade soup and gravy and even homemade sugar free pudding! But I can't do candy!!! Except for this.

My Mom, who is cursed with a similar candy-cooking affliction, found this recipe and we both can attest, it always works. Even when I'm standing there cooking the milk and sugar on the stove and thinking "This isn't going to work. It's going to be grainy and runny then hard as a rock." But it always has. It's really THAT idiot proof! And, perhaps I failed to mention, it's yummy as hell!

Peanut Butter Fudge

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup milk

1 1/3 cup peanut butter

1 jar marshmallow cream

1 tsp vanilla

In sauce pan bring milk and sugar to a boil for 3 minutes. Take off heat and add peanut butter, vanilla and marshmallow cream. Pour into a greased or lined pan. Let cool then cut.

Other helpful hints: I didn't used to believe in the power of lining your pans with foil, but it has really saved me this year. No more prying cookie bars and fudge off the sides of the pan, no more messy clean up. I highly recommend it. Also, for this recipe you could use chunky peanut butter if you like. I don't see why it wouldn't work. I have nothing against chunky peanut butter but I just like the smooth texture of fudge.

Yes, it's okay to sneak a few pieces for yourself. But the people you give it too will be the most pleased. And honestly, it's just best to get it out of the house before you make yourself sick.