Desserts

Fudge

Original Hershey’s recipe

3 cups sugar
2/3 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa or HERSHEY’S SPECIAL DARK Cocoa
1/8 teaspoon salt (optional)
1-1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Line 8-or 9-inch square pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan. Butter foil.

2. Mix sugar, cocoa and salt in heavy 4-quart saucepan; stir in milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to full rolling boil. Boil, without stirring, until mixture reaches 234°F on candy thermometer or until small amount of mixture dropped into very cold water, forms a soft ball which flattens when removed from water. (Bulb of candy thermometer should not rest on bottom of saucepan.)

3. Remove from heat. Add butter and vanilla. DO NOT STIR. Cool at room temperature to 110°F (lukewarm). Beat with wooden spoon until fudge thickens and just begins to lose some of its gloss (about 7 minutes). Quickly spread in prepared pan; cool completely. Cut into squares. Store in tightly covered container at room temperature. About 64 pieces or 1-3/4 pounds.

NOTE: For best results, do not double this recipe. This is one of our most requested recipes, but also one of our most difficult. The directions must be followed exactly. Beat too little and the fudge is too soft. Beat too long and it becomes hard and sugary.

VARIATIONS:

NUTTY RICH COCOA FUDGE: Beat cooked fudge as directed. Immediately stir in 1 cup chopped almonds, pecans or walnuts and spread quickly in prepared pan.

MARSHMALLOW-NUT COCOA FUDGE: Increase cocoa to 3/4 cup. Cook fudge as directed. Add 1 cup marshmallow creme with butter and vanilla. DO NOT STIR. Cool to 110°F (lukewarm). Beat 8 minutes; stir in

1 cup chopped nuts. Pour into prepared pan. (Fudge does not set until poured into pan.)

 

Original recipe:
https://www.hersheys.com/recipes/recipe-details.aspx?id=5303

From AllRecipes: If you are not using a thermometer, then cook until a drop of this mixture in a cup of cold water forms a soft ball. Feel the ball with your fingers to make sure it is the right consistency. It should flatten when pressed between your fingers.

Use olive oil instead of butter

Butter

Olive Oil

Butter

Olive Oil

1 teaspoon

¾ teaspoon

5 mls

3 mls

2 teaspoons

1 ½ teaspoons

10 mls

7.5 mls

1 tablespoons

2 ½ teaspoons

15 mls

12.5 mls

2 tablespoons

1 ½ tablespoons

30 mls

22.5 mls

¼ cup

3 tablespoons

60 mls

45 mls

⅓ cup

¼ cup

80 mls

60 mls

½ cup

¼ cup + 2 tablespoons

125 mls

90 mls

⅔ cup

½ cup

160 mls

125 mls

¾ cup

½ cup + 1 tablespoon

185 mls

140 mls

1 cup

¾ cup

250 mls

175 mls

2 cups

1 ½ cups

500 mls

375 mls
Beef

Hamburger Casserole

2 lb browned ground beef
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 onions, sliced
4 potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 can peas, drained
2 stalks celery, diced
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can water

Place potatoes in bottom of crock-pot, and top with carrots and other vegetables. Place ground beef on top. Combine soup and water and pour over ground beef. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

 

Pork

Homemade Sausage with Cayenne and Cloves

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds of ground pork (or two pounds of Boston Butt, finely ground)
  • 1 tablespoon Himalayan Salt or Sea Salt (I like this brand)
  • 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage leaves or 1 teaspoon of dried ground sage
  • 1 teaspoon dried fennel, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
  • Optional: A dash of cayenne pepper and cloves (about ⅛ tsp of each)

Instructions

  1. Grind meat with the finest blade of the grinder (if grinding yourself).
  2. Combine ground pork with other ingredients and mix well.
  3. Form in to 16 one-inch patties.
  4. Store in the fridge or freezer until ready to use.
  5. To cook: Heat in skillet over medium heat for 5-7 minutes per side until cooked through.
Soup

French Onion Soup

4 large onions, sliced
1/4 cup butter1 tbsp flour
1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
6 cups (48 oz) beef broth
a few drops hot pepper sauce
6 slices French bread, toasted, or croutons

Cook onions in butter until transparent. Add flour; cook, stirring, until flour is well blended into the butter. Transfer onion mixture to slow cooker. Add beef broth and hot sauce. Cook on low for 6 to 8  hours or high 3 to 4 hours. Ladle soup into oven-proof bowls. Top with bread and some of the shredded cheese. Broil until cheese melts.

Serves 6.

 

Beef

Spaghetti Sauce

1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2 14-oz cans diced tomatoes, with juice
6-oz can tomato paste
8-oz can tomato sauce
1 bay leaf
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
2 tsp dried basil
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2-1 tsp dried thyme

Brown meat and onion in sauce pan. Drain well. Transfer to slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients. Cover. Cook on low 7 hours. If the sauce seems too runny, remove lid during last hour of cooking.

Serves 6-8.

 

Fish

Citrus Fish

1 1/2 lb. fish fillets
Salt and pepper to taste
1 med. onion, chopped
5 tbsp. chopped parsley
4 tsp. oil
2 tsp. grated lemon rind
2 tsp. grated orange rind
Orange and lemon slices

Butter slow cooker. Put salt and pepper on fish to taste. Place fish in pot. Put onion, parsley and grated rinds and oil over fish. Cover and cook on low for 1 1/2 hours.

Serve garnished with orange and lemon slices.

 

Side dishes

Macaroni and Cheese

8 ounces elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
4 cups(16 ounces) shredded sharp Chedder Cheese
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Place the cooked macaroni in crockpot that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Add the remaining ingredents, all except 1 cup of the cheese, mix well. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of cheese and then cover and cook on low setting for 5 to 6 hours or until the mixture is firm and golden around the edges. Do not remove the cover or stir until it has finished cooking.

 

Chicken

Sweet and Tangy Chicken

8 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, divided
2 (18 ounce) bottles prepared barbecue sauce
1 (15 ounce) can pineapple chunks, juice reserved
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced

Place 4 of the chicken breasts in the bottom of a slow cooker. In a large bowl, combine the barbecue sauce, pineapple, green bell pepper, onion and garlic. Mix well and pour half of this mixture over the chicken in the slow cooker. Place the remaining chicken in the slow cooker and top with the remaining sauce. Cook on low setting for 8 to 9 hours.