Here's a Valentine's Day gift idea from the kitchen. I like putting fudge in cookie cutters. Just make a batch of your favorite recipe and pour it into cookie cutters. Put each cookie cutter in a decorative bag, tie it on top, and you've got a nice little gift. But not for teachers.I used to make fudge in cookie cutters for my sons' teachers, but then I found out that many teachers don't eat gifts from other people's kitchens, so I don't do teacher gifts from my kitchen any more. It's sad, if you ask me, that home cooking has become suspect.
This Kahlua Fudge recipe is taboo not only from the home cooking standpoint, but also from the standpoint of nuts and booze. Nuts, because so many kids are allergic these days, and teachers are wary of any nuts in the classroom. And booze, because it just wouldn't seem appropriate to send something boozy into school.
Which is funny, because every year my mom's Christmas gifts for my teachers were loaf of banana bread and a bottle of bubbly, like Cold Duck. Even the thought of me sending my kids into school with a bottle of booze makes me laugh out loud. How times have changed.
So anyway, make this easy and delicious fudge - for yourself, for your sweetie, but not for your kids' teachers!
Kahlua Fudge1 1/3 cup sugar
1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow creme
2/3 cup evaporated milk (5 oz can)
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup Kahlua
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate pieces
1 cup milk chocolate chips
2/3 cup chopped nuts (I like walnuts)
1 teaspoon vanilla
Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil. In a 2-quart saucepan, combine sugar, marshmallow creme, evaporated milk, butter, Kahlua, and salt. Bring to a rapid boil, stirring constantly for five minutes. Remove from heat. Add all chocolate. Stir until melted. Add nuts and vanilla. Turn into prepared pan. Refrigerate until firm. To serve, cut into squares. Makes about 2 3/4 pounds.