Cookbook Countdown #84

 

 

 

I've never taken part in a Bloggiesta  Weekend, but I probably should.   I have so many posts to clean up in my drafts....as you can tell by this Fall colored fudge.  Yes, I made this back in October and it has sat in my drafts ever since.

I thought I was so smart in making 2 recipes from The Pioneer Woman's newest cookbook the moment I bought it.  And I made the two easiest recipes, so what took me so long to post?

I don't know.

 

BUT here it is now....  Cookbook Number 84!

It's been a while since I've recorded a cookbook for my cookbook countdown.

I'm up to 84 and I've made the decision to clean out and get rid of some.  Since I'm well over 300 cookbooks now, it's okay, but I do feel a little guilty --I feel it's cheating to toss them before cooking.

The Handyman says it's okay.  What do you think?

 

Cookbook 84!

 

 

 The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime is a beloved collection of all the scrumptious supper recipes that make their way through my kitchen in regular rotation, from main dish salads to satisfying soups to hearty casseroles to comfort food classics . . . and everything in between. I lay out all the different ways I tackle dinner in my house, from super-quick 16-Minute Meals to make-ahead Freezer Food to irresistible pastas and a bundle of brand-new favorites of my crew.

 

To be honest, I love Ree Drummond's cookbooks most of all.  I love her photographs and how each one is kind of a mini memoir or mini auto-biography.

Plus she makes real people food.

 

Real people food that the Handyman likes.

Altho, he would have loved this fudge plain better. I sprinkled candy corn M&M's on it.

I would have liked to add some chopped walnuts to it, but he doesn't like nuts.

(weirdo)

 

 

Quick Fudge

 

3 cups good-quality chocolate chips

1 16oz can sweetened condensed milk

cooking spray--like pam

 

 

Before  you begin, line a square 8x8 pan with foil and spray with Pam.  In a medium saucepan or double boiler, over medium heat, melt the chocolate chips.

And pour in the condensed milk.  Stir them as they melt, taking care to scrap the bottom of the pan to avoid sticking or burning.

Once you can no longer see bits of chocolate chip, remove them from the heat.

Immediately transfer to the prepared pan, pressing it into a single layer.

Cover the pan with foil or plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Once it's all set, pull the edges of the foil to remove the whole thing from the pan and peel off foil.

Cut into 2-inch squares.

 

*you can add a variety of crushed candies or nuts top off the fudge.  Just sprinkle and press them lightly into the fudge.

Suggested toppings:

M&M's

crushed peppermint candies

nuts

sprinkles

And then...

there is  "The Bread"

It's so stinky unbelievably easy that I can' believe she put a recipe for it in her cookbook.

Except that then I would never have made bread this way and now I do and it's

DELICIOUS!! 

The Bread

1 loaf of French or Italian Bread

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

 

Put an oven rack on the lower level on the oven and preheat to 325F.

Slice your loaf in half lengthwise and lay them cut side up on a baking sheet.

Smear I stick of butter on each half.  Yes she said 1 stick of butter per half.

Cover every inch.

Bake for 5-10 minutes until the butter melts and the bread has a chance to warm up.

Then crank up the broiler and return the oven to the pan and let it broil until the bread is a deep golden brown and almost starts to blacken.

Immediately cut The Bread into strips

and enjoy every bite!

 

Ree says there is no variation.  That this recipe is as good as it gets,

BUT,  you can add a bit of garlic to make it garlic bread and it's good too.

 

These are 2 of the easiest recipes in the book, but they are both great and something I'd make again and again.

 

 

I am going to link up with Weekend Cooking at Beth Fish Reads!  YOU can too!

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend.