As a child, my sisters and I knew Christmas was soon approaching when Momma made her famous Haystack candy. She would have the little clusters of candies covering every surface of the kitchen as they set, with a suspicious vacancy here and there from those Daddy would swipe as he strolled through the kitchen every 15 minutes to check her progress.
Haystacks were Daddy’s favorite Christmas candy. Even if no other candy was made during the season, Momma, and eventually my sister Deana, would always make a batch for him for Christmas Eve. For those of you who have never tried this simple sweet treat, haystacks are the perfect combination of salty and sweet, and are seriously addicting. One is never enough.
Momma’s Haystacks
1 (11-ounce) package butterscotch morsels
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 large cans fried potato sticks
Line baking sheets or trays with waxed paper.
Melt butterscotch morsels and peanut butter in a double boiler; stir until smooth. Stir in potato sticks. Spoon out clusters of mixture and place on wax paper and set until firm.
My father-in-law Boyd Ferguson will surprise me with homemade fudge throughout the year. He knows it is my very favorite homemade candy, and his is just scrumptious.
A few months ago, he sent Keith home from deer camp with a plastic container filled with homemade fudge and a message saying “it didn’t turn out and it probably wasn’t worth eating.” Totally not possible. I can’t imagine any culinary blunder that would make homemade fudge not worth eating, especially Mr. Boyd’s.
Funny thing, it might be my favorite homemade candy, but I cannot for the life of me get it to turnout like Mr. Boyd’s. His is smooth and creamy, and mine is grainy and crumbly (still edible though!).
This is a recipe I plan to try this year. Crossing my fingers, and if all else fails, I’m sure I can hunt down some Boyd Ferguson fudge at deer camp.
Homemade Fudge
3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup butter
4 ½ cups sugar
1 7-ounce jar marshmallow crème
1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
2 tablespoon vanilla
1-2 cups pecans
Put chocolate chips, butter, and marshmallow cream in a large bowl. Set aside.
In large (7-8 quart) stock pot, bring milk and sugar to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until mixture comes to a full rolling boil. Continue stirring frequently for exactly eight minutes. Pour hot mixture over ingredients in bowl.
Stir until well mixed, then beat with an electric mixer until fudge begins to hold its shape. Beat in vanilla. Stir in nuts if you like them.
Pour fudge into a buttered 13″ x 9″ pan and refrigerate until solid.
And of course, chocolate fudge’s first cousin, Peanut Butter Fudge. Delish!
Peanut Butter Fudge
1 cup butter
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Combine the peanut butter, butter and vanilla in a medium-size saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir to combine, it should come together very quickly and be smooth and creamy. Remove the pan from the heat and slowly add the powdered sugar a cup or so at a time. Stir to combine thoroughly.
Grease an 8-9" pan with butter or line with parchment. Transfer the fudge mixture to the pan and press into the pan. Chill for at least four hours before cutting.
A friend of mine made this Christmas Crunch Mix a few years ago, and it was fantastic. It does include Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, so you know it’s phenomenal.
Christmas Crunch Mix
4 cups Chex cereal, rice or corn is best
2 cups Pretzels, mini twists are best
1/2 cup Reese’s Mini Peanut Butter Cups, more if you like
1 cup M&M’s candy
1 cup White chocolate chips
Line a cookie sheet with foil or wax paper. Combine all ingredients except white chips in a large bowl and toss. Place chips in a microwave safe bowl and heat about 30-40 seconds, stir until smooth. Continue heating in 10 second intervals and stir, until completely melted. Pour melted chips over mixture and stir well until coated. Spread mixture onto cookie sheet and let se
