Chocolate Fudge like no other

I have always made fudge but let me tell you, I had to work at it. Either this recipe is really easy or maybe I have finally mastered my fudge making skills... Who knows, but this one is a definite winner. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today, and many days to follow in this busy Christmas Season. I am also going to give it a try with peanut butter chips.

Needed:

4 cups chocolate chips-I used semi sweet but any will do

2 cups white chips

1 can evaporated milk with 4 cups sugar or 1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 t Kahlua

1/2 t salt

Time

First you need to make your sweetened condensed milk (or buy a can of sweetened condensed milk). Over a low heat on top of the stove, mix one can of evaporated milk with 4 cups of sugar and cook for 1 hour. By this time it should be thick enough when stirred to divide in the pan.

In a heavy bottomed sauce pan place your chocolate chips with your homemade sweetened condensed milk (or your store bought sweetened condensed milk) and heat over low heat again. When chocolate starts to melt, stir gently. When all is melted, in about 20 minutes, remove from heat and add your Kahlua, salt, and white chips then stir quickly. Now pour into a parchment lined 8x8 pan and Cool completely. When cooled, remove from pan and cut into bite size squares.

Kanuchi

Kanuchi is a hickory nut soup with hominy that is eaten hot or cold and with sugar or honey, I like mine cold with sugar. My husband's Grandmother would make this every year and I have continued this tradition for our children. I believe most Cherokees make Kanuchi during the winter holiday season because the fall crop of hickory nuts are now seasoned and ready for use. Finding people who make the Kanuchi nut balls are getting harder and harder to find. We will most likely be making our own next year. Stay tuned. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

Kanuchi Ball

1 pound bag of dried hominy

1 quart of water

Take your nut ball and simmer it in a soup pan with about 2 cups of water. Now you will drain your nut mixture through a sieve several times. The Kanuchi ball has some of the nut shell along with the hickory nuts and you don't want shells in your finished product. Meanwhile take a quart of water and pour over your hominy in a large soup pot. You will cook this for 1 hour. Watch it because you will have to add about 1 more quart of water to the hominy as it cooks. Once hominy is cooked, pour your sieved nut mixture in and stir. Continue to cook for about 1 more hour.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

I love cheesecake of any sort. The problem with that is I am not close to a Cheesecake Factory or a bakery that makes cheesecake. I had to become my own best friend and make a good cheese cake. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons melted margarine or butter
Mix ingredients, and press into a 9-inch springform pan.

Filling:

3 packages cream cheese-softened to room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
5 eggs
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1 can pumpkin
1 t cinnamon

Beat cream cheese, sugar, and brown sugar; mix until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, add remaining ingredients on medium speed, mixing well. Pour batter into prepared crust, bake for 1 hour at 350'.

Topping:

6 teaspoons butter-melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans

Mix melted butter, brown sugar, and pecans. Sprinkle topping on cheesecake and bake 15 minutes longer. Cool cheesecake and run knife around edge of pan. When cheescake has completely cooled, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate

Turkey Noodle Soup

Here is an idea for what is left of your turkey. Make soup..... I make mine like I do my chicken noodle soup but use your leftover turkey carcass. I boil the carcass for a couple of hours and then strain all of the bones out. It is really good. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Pumpkin Pie

Nothing too different or special about my pumpkin pie. I use cream instead of evaporated milk and only use cinnamon for seasoning. Try this recipe, you will like it! This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t salt
2 large eggs (again I use free range eggs)
1 can pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 1/2 cups of heavy cream
1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell
Whipped cream or Cool Whip


Mix sugar, cinnamon, and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in heavy whipping cream.

POUR into pie shell.

BAKE in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream or Cool Whip before serving.

Apple Butter Donuts

These are so good on a cold Fall day. Great to feed a hungry crowd on Turkey Day morning too. The kiddos love these with hot tea. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek.

Needed:

2 quarts oil for frying

2 cups sugar

2 tablespoons butter -melted

2 Large eggs

3/4 cup apple butter

1 t cinnamon

4 cups sifted all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 cup powder sugar -- for dusting

Heat oil over medium heat. I fry mine in a cast iron pot but any heavy bottom pan will do. In a large bowl, beat together white sugar, butter, eggs and apple butter. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Stir flour mixture into the egg mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Mix until a stiff dough is formed. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick piece of dough. Make sure to roll the dough to an even thickness. Cut out doughnuts with a doughnut cutter. I used a upside down jar and a small leaf cookie cutter for the middle. Carefully slide doughnuts into hot oil. Turn doughnuts as soon as they rise to the surface. Fry until golden brown on both sides. Drain above oil with a spatula and then drop into powdered sugar. Serve hot.

Gooey Pumpkin Butter Cake

I really like gooey butter cake so why not add a little pumpkin? Now you have Gooey Pumpkin Butter Cake! This would be a great addition to your Thanksgiving buffet. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

1 yellow cake mix
2 eggs-I use free range
1 stick of butter-melted

Filling:
1 package cream cheese-softened
1 can pumpkin puree
3 eggs
1 t vanilla
1 stick butter-melted
4 cups powder sugar
1 t cinnamon


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix cake mix, eggs, and butter very well in your Kitchen Aid Mixer. Smooth the mixture into a lightly greased 9x13 pan.

For the filling in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Now add eggs, vanilla, and butter. Beat together. Next, add in the powder sugar, cinnamon, and mix well. Pour pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake at 350' for 40 to 50 minutes. Don't over bake, the middle should still be gooey when done. Serve with Cool Whip.