It's A Marshmallow World!

The Maine House is hanging our stockings in Atlanta!

"The little red stockings he silently fills, Till the stockings will hold no more; The bright little sleds for the great snow hills Are quickly set down on the floor. Then Santa Claus mounts to the roof like a bird, And glides to his seat in the sleigh; Not a sound of a bugle or drum is heard As he noiselessly gallops away..." by Rosie Winters (Excerpt from Christmas Poems and Stories)

As this is our final posting for the Christmas season, I find it is the perfect time to share the best recipe from Mother's archives! Miss Mamie's Marshmallow Fudge. We have made this every year since I was a small child. Mother never failed to make Christmas extraordinary for each of us. If I could twitch my nose, I would wish for her to be here, sharing our holiday once again. I treasure my parents and they are with me in memory, especially at Christmas. Darling and I are so looking forward to Christmas Eve festivities with The Divine Miss M and her family. Little Luke should provide plenty of joy and laughter...Christmas through the eyes of a three year old.....just magical! Wishing a very blessed and merry Christmas to you all!

Mamie Eisenhower's Fudge

1/4 cup Butter (1/2 stick, chilled)

4 3/4 cup Sugar

12 oz Evaporated Milk (one large can)

12 oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (one bag)

11.5 oz Milk Chocolate Chips (one bag)

13-14 oz Marshmallow Creme or Marshmallow Fluff
(two 7 oz. jars)(may substitute 4 cups of mini-marshmallows)

2 cup Nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds, chopped -or- 8 oz. bag)

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1 tsp Butter Flavor Extract

Line a 13" x 9" pan with aluminum foil, butter the insides, and set aside. Place chips, vanilla & butter flavor, about half the marshmallow creme, and nuts into a LARGE saucepan or Pyrex glass dish and set aside. Use Medium heat to bring the milk and sugar to a rolling boil while stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or single stem hand mixer. Add half the marshmallow creme (or 2 cups of mini-marshmallows) - fold in - the boil will stop. Bring back to a rolling boil and continue to boil for [8] full minutes by the clock (start timing once the marshmallows have melted and the boil has resumed). The mixture will expand and start to turn brown during the boil. If you get brown flakes in the mixture then turn down the heat a little and continue stirring. Remove from heat, mix in the butter, and pour hot mixture over chips, vanilla, and nuts without scraping the sides of the hot saucepan. Mix thoroughly and pour into prepared pan. Cool 2-3 hours at room temperature. Remove from pan, remove foil, cut into squares. Store in an airtight container with wax paper dividers for up to 2 weeks. Makes about 4 pounds of fudge. This is simply divine!

May your stockings be full and your

memories many!