Oh Fudge.

We (I) only make my gram's peanut butter fudge at Christmas time.  No better time than the dead of winter to pack on 5 (15) extra pounds in candy and sweets.  You need that extra layer of warmth.  Especially if you're too fit and are still going to the 6am gym classes that I go to.

Anyhow, this is my gram's recipe for peanut butter fudge.  I don't know if she got it from someone or someplace (I found "her" recipe for Fried Pecans in her Bell's Best cookbook!) but I attribute it to her.  Her chocolate fudge recipe is the same as on the small jar of fluff, so I'll just let you go to the Hannaford to get that recipe.

Peanut Butter Fudge
2 c. peanut butter
1 small jar fluff (7.5 oz)
2 c. brown sugar
2 c. white sugar
3/4 c. evaporated milk
2 sticks butter
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. vanilla

Empty the peanut butter and fluff into a large bowl and set aside.  In a saucepan, put the sugars and evaporated milk and slowly melt on low heat.  Once it's all melted, bring up to medium and once it starts to boil (not mistaking the bubbles for air bubbles) add the butter and return to a boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.  Take off the heat and pour over the peanut butter/fluff.  Add vanilla and salt.  Beat until it's all mixed together and pour into a greased 9x9 pan and cool.

No meat mallet  is needed for this recipe.  Mine was there to keep Andrew from eating the pan of fudge.  He was banished to the wooden spoon and glass bowl remnants.

Apple Raisin Stuffed Chicken

First thing's first:  you need to break your oven.  If you have Hellcats, ask them to take a break from ruining the Christmas tree to break your oven.  Or, you can be less dramatic (but what's the fun in that) and fire up your grill.  There's no snow on the ground, so there's still time to make this meal outside.

3 chicken breasts, pounded down so they're evenly thin (1/2 inch?  I'm bad with measurements...)
6 oz package of stuffing (I used Hannaford brand, cause it's only the best for my family)
1/2 stick of butter
1 1/2 c hot water
1/4 c raisins (or cranberries, if you mortally detest raisins.  Or no fruit if you're related to me)
1 apple, cut into small pieces
Small amount of oil (for oiling your cast iron skillet and to brush on the chicken)
Paprika (for making the chicken look not so pasty white)

Heat your grill to about 375.  You can also do this in the oven if you didn't have the heart to kill an appliance at Christmastime.  Pound the crap out of those chicken breasts, so they're even. 

Combine the stuffing, fruit, butter, and hot water and let sit for 5 minutes.  Spoon a small amount (maybe 1/4 c) on top of each chicken breast.  Roll up (they aren't gonna be eggroll small....they're gonna look like a fist.  But don't think about that when you're eating them.) Repeat with each breast and keep the remaining stuffing for the next step. 

Lightly oil your cast iron skillet.  Put the breasts, seam side down, into the skillet.  Lightly brush with oil and sprinkle with paprika.  Grill (or bake) for 20 minutes.  Add the remaining stuffing around the pan and cook for another 20 minutes or until the chicken is done.

The stuffing around the pan is crunchy on the bottom. The chicken is really moist.  This was a winner at the house.  You could add 1/2 c of walnuts or pecans, as the original recipe called for, but I forgot to add, and that would be super delicious as well.

I would be happy in a bed of stuffing

Peas.  Cause we needed more starch for this meal

Look at the stuffing!

Slow Cooker Stuffed Peppers

Like a Sandals vacation, this meal is all inclusive.  Two veggies, a starch, and yer meat.  All in a couple hours.  It's fantastic.  Plus, it's delicious!  This was the first time I'd ever made or eaten stuffed peppers.  It's not as if they're exotic or made with expensive, hard-to-find ingredients...it's just not something that was ever on the menu at our trailer growing up.

But times have changed, and times are strange (as my good friend Ozzy sings) and I am making stuffed peppers.  Here we go:

1 crockpot
4 green peppers (or try different colored peppers if you want.  Be jazzy)
1/2 lb ground meat (If you chose to use 1 lb of meat (like I did), you should buy another pepper and see if you can squeeze it into your crockpot.  One pound of meat would make enough for 5 peppers.  I didn't have 5 peppers.  Some filling was sacrificed.  I used hamburger.  The original recipe called for ground pork.  You could try ground chicken, turkey, moose...really, whatever ground meat you could get your hands on.)
1 c. instant white rice (uncooked)
1 c. frozen peas (uncooked)
3/4 c. bbq sauce, divided (I used Weber Kick'n Spicy...and it was!)
4 oz Velveeta, cubed (ok, so the Hannaford at the Mall only sells their brand of Velveeta in 32 oz logs...but it made more financial sense to buy their 32 oz log than Velveeta's little 12 oz log...so now I have 28 oz of Velveeta at my house.  Not that I'm complaining...)
1/2 c. water

Combine 1/4 c. bbq sauce and the water in the bottom of the crockpot.  Cut the tops off your peppers and take out all the seeds and the membrane (is that what it's called?  That's what I'm calling it.)  In a medium bowl, combine your meat, rice, peas, and 1/2 c. bbq sauce.  Stuff the peppers evenly with the meat mixture, and stand them up in the crockpot.  Put one cube of Velveeta on each pepper.  Cook on low 7 hours or high 2 1/2-3 hours (I went the quick route.) 

You guys!  These were so good.  Andrew said that this was up there as one of his favorites.  I asked him what his other favorites were, and he said he couldn't remember.  I'm so good at taking compliments.

The cheese disappears, which is good if you have a Velveetaphobe for a husband, as I do...

Try these peppers!  I have never been so excited about eating a non-corn vegetable in my life!