**Crazy Cooking Challenge!!** The other "F" word

I would like to start off this post by saying that I started out ahead of the game for this Crazy Cooking Challenge. I found my fudge recipe before my mashed potato recipe was even in the pot. However, after an epic fail to end all other epic fails, I had to abandon my original choice, which I'm okay with because I think what I did end up making is pretty fantastic.

This challenge was definitely stretching for me. Once I found a new recipe after the first fudge failure, I was thrilled! I came across this recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Fudge from Bridget at Bake at 350 on Pinterest. Now I usually detest chocolate chips unless they're completely melted into my cookie (I have a tendency to eat around them when chowing down on raw cookie dough); I must say, though, that in this recipe, the chips help keep the fudge from being overly sweet. However, once I printed out the instructions and started to get everything around, I noticed that in my haste to rescue this post, I had ignored to key elements of this recipe. 1) A candy thermometer was called for and 2) so was a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Other "f" word!

After two phone calls to the Maternal Unit, a trip to the kitchen store (which is luckily right across the sidewalk from job #2) and some tequila (okay no tequila as I had to go to work but on my next day off I'm making up for it with a pitcher of pomegranate margaritas), I was able to get to work.

Behold! My candy thermometer. Oh and everything stirred together, nice and smooth.

Just keep stirring. Just keep stirring. Holy crap is it supposed to look like that?!

Cooling down (note: there is no olive oil in this recipe, I just needed something for the thermometer to lean against).

So this is the point where it calls for a paddle attachment. Well I've got your paddle attachments right here. *holds up both hands*

Above all else, IT TURNED OUT! Perfect.

My kitchen, on the other hand, is a whole other story.

 So that's it, my first time making fudge without Maternal Unit and marshmallow creme. I can safely say it will be at least another year before I feel the need to recreate the process. Next month for the Crazy Cooking Challenge is Chicken Noodle Soup so stay tuned for whatever I come up with and don't forget to vote for me #35! Or don't. I won't know if you don't. But there's someone who will. *reverently looks up*