Oh Fudge!

The last Christmas present I let you guys see was a failure.  Complete and total failure.  It's currently in the box to go to goodwill when I stop being a lazy bum.  Maybe someone else can figure out how to salvage it.  Now that that idea has been scrapped, I've been doing practice runs of some kitchen stuff for Christmas presents.  I fail far less in the kitchen than at the decoupage table :)  Well except for the shortbread fiasco, but that's not what we're talking about here.

So I've been making fudge.  Not fancy fudge with chocolate and sugar and a candy thermometer, but super duper easy fudge courtesy of my best friend's fudge recipe.

All it calls for is one can of sweetened condensed milk, one bag of chocolate chips, and one teaspoon of vanilla extract.  Her original recipe didn't call for the vanilla, but I think it makes for a smoother flavor.  You can also add in mix-ins as you see fit.  My first batch had coconut shreds and walnuts in it (and no vanilla).  The second batch I made included the vanilla and left out the walnuts.

Here's how you make it: (no pics because I flaked and forgot to take some)

1.  Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave.  I don't have a double boiler or the fixins to make an ad hoc double boiler (which is a metal mixing bowl on top of a pot with some water in it) so I used the microwave.  I used a glass bowl and melted the chocolate at half power in two spurts of 1 minute and a few more of 30 seconds, stirring in between until it was melted smooth.

2.  Stir in the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla.

3.  Add in any mix-ins like nuts.

4.  Spread in a foil lined and greased 9x9 or 8x8 baking dish.

5.  Chill for at least 1 hour.

And voila!  You have delicious ridiculously easy fudge!