December 6, 2010

Chocolate Memories!

The Maine House continues to decorate.....between Miss Mae Mobley planting herself in the wrapping paper and ribbons and then demanding kisses on her tiny face, we are slowly making our way into the living room to decorate the tree. We managed to get our new 9 foot tree in the front window and the candle lights are in the windows, but the ornaments remain in the boxes! The weekend has been planned to complete the decorations! In the meantime, we are baking and joyfully anticipating the arrival of the children! Darling has asked me every night, after dinner...."where is the chocolate? We need to have something chocolate and sweet in the kitchen!" So......

Estelle's has made this candy since 1972. Darling and I were first married and we would go every weekend to visit Mother and Daddy and my grandmother, Miss Grace. Miss Grace and I would make these in Miss Helen's kitchen and her job was to tediously prepare the candies for chocolate dipping with the toothpicks....all the while telling me funny stories and laughing uproariously....gosh I miss that! These are Darling's favorites!

Martha Washington Balls
2 cups coconut
2 cups chopped pecans
1 can condensed milk

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 60z package chocolate chips 
1/2 bar paraffin


Mix all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Chill this mixture for about one hour. After the mixture has been chilled, remove from refrigerator and roll mixture into balls about the size of quarters... not to small but not too big...rechill. While the candy mixture is chilling, begin to melt chocolate chips and paraffin in double boiler..over low to medium heat. When the candy mixture has been chilled again, begin to dip each round ball into melted and warmed chocolate and set on wax paper to harden. We take a toothpick and stick in balls to dip, then place each candy piece onto a large piece of parchment paper to harden.

Daddy was a graduate of Ohio State University....home of The Buckeyes! So it seemed so appropriate that these were HIS favorites! Little Gregory must have inherited his love for these gems as they are now his requested Christmas treat every year! Merry Christmas precious!!

Buckeyes
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 cups confectioners' sugar
4 cups semisweet chocolate chips


In a large bowl, mix together the peanut butter, butter, vanilla and confectioners' sugar. The dough will look dry. Roll into 1 inch balls and place on a waxed paper-lined cookie sheet.
Press a toothpick into the top of each ball (to be used later as the handle for dipping) and chill in freezer until firm, about 30 minutes.
Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler or in a bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir frequently until smooth.
Dip frozen peanut butter balls in chocolate holding onto the toothpick. Leave a small portion of peanut butter showing at the top to make them look like Buckeyes. Put back on the cookie sheet and refrigerate until serving.

When I was a child in the 50's and 60's, Miss Helen never missed a year making Mamie's fudge recipe. It simply would not be the holidays without this fudge. And of course, I was so excited thinking that MY mother was the ONLY one in the entire world who actually knew Miss Mamie personally (at the time The First Lady) and thinking that they had exchanged recipes. When Judith Ann was learning to make this fudge, she came across the term "dash salt" and was in a panic that she could not find "dash salt" in Mother's pantry! We laughed about that for years!!

Mamie Eisenhower's Million Dollar Fudge
4 1/2 cups sugar
Dash salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
2 cups coarsely chopped pecans
1 pint (1 jar) marshmallow cream
12 ounces semisweet chocolate
12 ounces German's sweet chocolate


In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, bring the sugar, salt, butter and evaporated milk to a boil. Boil for 6 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the pecans, marshmallow fluff and chocolate in a large bowl. Pour the boiled syrup over the chocolate mixture. Beat until chocolate is all melted.


Spray a 15 1/2 by 10 1/2 by 1-inch jelly-roll pan with a nonstick cooking spray and pour fudge into pan. Let harden at room temperature before cutting into 1-inch squares (can be placed in the refrigerator or freezer to speed hardening process).


Mae Mo Thinking She is "Miss Christmas Kitty"

"This, the spirit of Christmas, that forever and ever endures.
 May it leave its richest blessing in the hearts of you and yours."
 Author Unknown


1 comment:

I so love receiving your thoughts and comments. I also hope you found something that made you smile.