My oven and mixer have been working overtime this past week, so I thought I would give them a break and share my mom’s peanut butter fudge recipe.  Brian, Kelly and I are getting ready to go visit my sister, Jenna and her husband Justin in Dallas for the Christmas holiday.  Jenna and I have been talking a lot over the past few months not only about Suzanne’s Table but also about what we wanted to do for Christmas.  Our mom passed on right before Christmas last year so neither of us really celebrated anything and we decided it was time to start our own holiday traditions.

We have been reminiscing while making plans for our upcoming Christmas dinner, about Suzanne’s tomato pudding and my favorite, her cheesy jalapeno grits.  Jenna was the one who remembered mom’s peanut butter fudge.  I could remember pan after pan of the chocolate fudge, but not this one. For most my life I was not a fan of anything peanut butter, so I think that is why I must have blocked it out, it is only recently I have acquired the taste for peanut butter.

I decided to wait till day 12 to make the peanut butter fudge so I could take it to my sister, however, after tasting it, I am not sure if it will make it there, we may eat it all on the drive down.

Peanut Butter Fudge

You will need a candy thermometer for this recipe

1 cup granulated sugar

½ cup half and half

¼ cup butter or margarine

½ cup marshmallow cream

1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

2 tbsp light corn syrup

½ cup peanut butter

2 tsp vanilla

Before starting to cook, butter an 8-inch square pan.  In a large pot, combine sugars, half and half and corn syrup. Cook over low heat, stirring gently until sugar dissolves.  Raise to medium heat and cover pot fo 3 minutes to wash sugar crystals down from the side of the pot.  Uncover and place the candy thermometer in the pot, and cook to soft ball stage (235 degrees), stirring occasionally.

When mixture reaches 235, remove from heat and add in butter, peanut butter, marshmallow cream and vanilla.  Stir until smooth. Pour into your prepared square pan. When cool cut into squares.  Makes about 1 ½ pounds.