*i love you* Fudge

Barefoot Love!

*I Cook Barefooted!*

I'm not much of a chocolate fiend.

I wouldn't make a very convincing cookie monster. 
(Though I do like his style!)

And you pro-bab-ly won't see me high-tailin' it 
to catch up with the ice cream man on a hot day.

But wrap some homemade fudge up in a little blanket,

tie a love note to it,

and

address it to me...

and I will follow you around like a fat, sick puppy

because that is what I will be once I'm finished gorging on compliments and candy!

  

Collect.

Compose.

Seal and Deliver.

"I LOVE... 

That you can turn an off handed comment about broccoli 

into a three hour discussion about politics in organized sports."

A dear friend gave *i love you* jars as gifts to all us girls a few years ago for Christmas.

I fell in love with her idea and did the same for my Kentucky family.

After collecting mason jars of all sizes, shapes, and colors,

scouting out the best (and idiot proof) 
homemade fudge recipes I could find,

and hunkering down with pen and paper,

I continued the gift that kept on giving... 

I spread around the LOVE!

*I wonder if she knows just what she's started.*

"I LOVE...

That you get so excited about everything you do.

Nothing half ass for Scarlett."

       ~ A few of my favorites ~

S'more Fudge

 2 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup butter

2/3 cup evaporated milk

1 (7 oz. jar) marshmallow creme

2 cups chocolate chips

1 tsp. vanilla

Butter a small square pan.

In a large pot, combine sugar, butter and evaporated milk.

Bring to a boil over medium heat;

stirring constantly.

Boil 5 minutes and remove from heat.

Add marshmallow creme and chocolate chips.

Blend till smooth.

Stir in vanilla.

Pour into pan and cool to room temperature. 

Score the fudge into small square pieces.

Refrigerate till firm.

Remove fudge from pan and cut rest of way through.

Refrigerate.

"A piece for You. A piece for Me."

Chocolate Mint Fudge

1 (12 oz.) pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

6 oz. white chocolate

2 tsp. vanilla

1 Tbsp. peppermint extract

Add 1 cup milk to chocolate chips. Melt.

Add vanilla.

Pour half of the mixture into an 8x8 in. wax paper-lined pan.

Let cool for 10 minutes. 

Melt white chocolate with remaining milk.

Add peppermint and green food coloring.

(Mixture will be very thick.)

Spread on first layer.

Cool another 10 minutes.

Top with other half of chocolate mixture.

Cool.

Remove from pan, remove paper. Cut into squares.

Refrigerate.

"A piece for You. A piece for Me."

Maple Nut Fudge

1 cup maple syrup

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup cream

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup walnuts

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Boil sugar, cream, and butter until soft ball stage is reached.

Add nuts and vanilla.

Beat until ready to pour into wax paper-lined pan.

Cool.

Refrigerate.

"A piece for You. A piece for Me." 

***

You want reviews?
How 'bout,
"I Love... This!" ヅ





 How 'bout You?
Have a recipe you want to share on 
*I Cook Barefooted!*?
Show some Barefoot Love and...

Send it here:  scarlettcolleen@yahoo.com 
Want to include a photo? Fun!

What's on your table?

“Do not be too timid and squeamish about your actions.

All life is an experiment.”

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

 *Barefoot Love* Airbrush By, Colleen 
2012

*I Cook Barefooted!* ~ Pasta Con Broccoli

Barefoot Love!

 I love pasta!

 Noodles and sauce are my go-to comfort food,

all warm and garlicky and generously sprinkled with cheesy goodness!

I particularly love it served up in a wide, flat-rimmed bowl

with a nice crispy-on-the-outside, warm-and-soft-on-the-inside

  hunk of french bread and real butter on the side.

A glass of Merlot,

good company

and I'm feelin' right as rain!

Ahh, Pasta!

Spinach Lasagna,
Spaghetti and meatballs,
and my kids' favorite, Macaroni n' Cheese
have always been staples on our supper table.
Filling, affordable and healthy in moderation,
they are a mother's dream!

I'm not gonna lie.
Pleasing my family at the supper table
is among some of my more sought after goals in life. 
It is also, ironically, a look into my ever-growing madness. 


I fantasize often,
while hovering over a rainbow of color in the produce section, 
of strolling through a comfortably busy, preferably European outdoor market 
(Italy would be nice)
with my ECO-friendly shopping tote on one arm
and the hand of a small child clinging to the other, 
smiling and sharing giggles and kisses,
(picture slow motion action here ~ a gentle breeze in my hair)
as we lovingly fondle
the perfect ingredients for our family's evening meal!

Reality, sadly, often rears its ugly head here, 
leaping frantically
to some poor woman and her screaming toddler four aisles over! 
(PS: Been there. You have my pity.)
(PPS: "Never give in ~ never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, 
never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. 
Never yield to force; never yield to the  apparently overwhelming might of the enemy 
*ahem... precious child*.")

   ~Winston Churchill

 My lovely daydream has now morphed into, something along the lines of, 
Me ~ *Lost* in Italy,
just like Elizabeth Gilbert in, "Eat, Pray, Love" ~
only... happily married,
and *not* so miserable 
that I resort to sleeping on my bathroom floor, 
and living my day to days, unhappy and unsatisfied with my life.
Really ~  just the Eat, Pray and Love parts.
***

Ciao! Amico!

*Hey, Friend!*

Buongiorno! 

*Good Morning!*

Come stai?

 *How are you?*

Bene, grazie!

*I'm fine, thanks!*

 Potresti aiutarmi?

 *Can you help me?*

Sono Affamato!

*I'm hungry.*

Sei molto gentile!

 *You're very kind!*

Io amo la Pasta!

 *I love Pasta!*

*** 
 What can I say ~ It's my dream.
Pasta, just has a way of making you feel like all is right with the world. 
Isn't it lovely!



 ❤
 Happy Anniversary, Babe!
Here's a toast to Nineteen years of Bliss and Broccoli!

☮

Pasta con Broccoli

 1 lb. Frozen Broccoli
1lb. Medium-sized "Seashell" Pasta Shells

1 qt. Half n' Half

1 pt. Meatless Ragu Pasta Sauce

3/4 Stick Butter

1/4 lb. Parmesan Cheese, shredded

1 small package Mushrooms, sliced

Garlic Salt, to taste (OR  2 Tbsp. Minced Garlic)

Crushed Red Pepper, to taste

Add pasta to rapidly boiling water and cook till done.

Combine rest of ingredients on list, (except Parmesan) into a large pot.

Cook slowly on medium heat until broccoli thaws. 

Drain pasta, and add to large pot.

Remove from heat; add Parmesan cheese and stir. 

Buon gusto!

*Enjoy!*

You want reviews?
    How 'bout, 
    "BRAVISSIMO!" ヅ

 How 'bout You?
Have a recipe you want to share on 
*I Cook Barefooted!*?
Show some Barefoot Love and...

Send it here:  scarlettcolleen@yahoo.com 
Want to include a photo? Fun!

What's on your table?

“Do not be too timid and squeamish about your actions.

All life is an experiment.”

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

 *Barefoot Love*Airbrush By, Colleen 
2012