Creamy Salted Fudge

Over the past several months I've been an avid Weight Watchers follower.  The major flaw with me and any diet plan is my deep, unwavering love of chocolate.  It has been the wall between me and thinness forever.  Of course, the beauty of Weight Watchers is that it doesn't deny you the things you love, but teaches you to prepare them in a more healthful way.  This recipe is the perfect representation of that characteristic.  This fudge doesn't have any fake sugar or nasty aspartamey aftertaste.  In fact, nothing about it tastes "diet" or "healthy."  I love it and it is the perfect tamer of my chocolate cravings.

Divinity

Divinity is another incredible, high maintenance Christmas candy, but Mom loves it as much as I do, so she never complains about making it.  While we do have a traditional family recipe for this, Mom prefers the recipe that is included in her mixer's cookbook.

Fair warning - Mom considers divinity "high maintenance" because it's difficult to make.  It's very finicky.  The humidity has to be very low, you have to whip it just enough, you have to use a candy thermometer to get the temperature just right, and pastry chef terminology (hard ball, soft peaks, etc.) comes into play.  It's something I'm afraid to try to make.  Fortunately, I don't have to because I live with Paula the master chef.

Peanut Brittle

Traditional peanut brittle recipes are difficult to make, requiring constant vigilance, stirring, and precise temperatures that can only be maintained with a candy thermometer.  Mom's recipe is the complete opposite and requires only a microwave and a few minutes of your time.  That, of course, makes it both fabulous and easy.

Chocolate Turtles

Mom hates making turtles because, as she says, "They are a pain in the butt."  Sadly for her, they are my favorite Christmas candy and it doesn't seem like Christmas until she has made them.  Every year when I request them, she whines a bit and then declares that it's only fitting that her high maintenance daughter's favorite candy is the most complicated of her recipes.  Then I tape her mouth shut and lock her in the kitchen, forcing her to ransom herself with said turtles.  Because I'm such a good daughter (and because I want to learn how to make them myself), this year I offered to assist in the candy's preparation.  It's not even close to being as complicated as she said, so don't be intimidated.

Christmas Chocolate Candy Balls

Every Christmas that I can remember has involved mountains and mountains of Mom's (via her mom, my Mam-Maw) homemade Christmas candy.  The chocolate candy balls are my third favorite of her candy recipes.  Last night, for the first time ever, I was allowed to help make them.  Although there were hints of disaster and lots of Mom telling me I wasn't quite competent enough to know all the techniques involved, they turned out as well as could be expected when I am fiddling with a family tradition.