Happy Friday!  This has been a whirlwind week to say the least.  The work week flew by and the weekend is upon us – Whoooo Hooooo.  It is the time of year where sweets, breads chocolates and yes…. fudge will be on our counters, in our fridges so get ready to eat them up.

As you pretty much know by now – I love eating!  This is an old family recipe that Mom usually makes around the holidays or whenever I time I ask for a piece of fudge.  This is relatively simple to make and tastes great.  A rich creamy  treat that will definitely bring memories of the holidays.

Refer to the original recipe for all the details

Ingredients

• 3 Cups Brown Sugar
• 2 Tbsp. Corn Syrup
• 3/4 Cup Evaporated milk
• 2/3 Cup White Sugar
• 2 Tbsp. Butter
• 1 Tsp. Vanilla
• 1 Cup of crushed peanuts (optional)

Method

1. Grease baking pan (size of your choice) with butter and set aside.
2. Combine all ingredients except the peanuts in a 3-quart heavy saucepan and bring just to a boil over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
3. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring frequently, until mixture registers 238°F on thermometer  (this will take about 30 minutes).
4. Transfer to a heatproof bowl. Stir in the peanuts and beat until fudge is thick and smooth, about 2 minutes.
5. Spread evenly in your greased baking pan.
6. Gently score the tops of the fudge in the sizes you want to cut.
7. Refrigerate, uncovered, until firm enough to cut, about 30 minutes.

Zesty Tip: If you do not have a candy thermometer – you can place a teaspoon of mixture dropped into a small bowl of cold water holds a soft ball when pressed between your fingers to determine that it is complete.

Have a super Friday and I will see you on Monday.  Let the weekend be action packed for you or relaxing ( whichever you prefer ).  I will share two exciting pieces of news with you on Monday.  Stay tuned for some zesty news.

Take care

zesty

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WOW!  I am exhausted!  That is official.  I just thought I would share that with you before we get on to a very exciting post.  If you are watching your waist line you may want to browse off this post but don’t leave zesty entirely.  As the holiday baking has begun I wanted to share with you yesterday’s results of some yummy brown sugar fudge.  You do not need anything fancy to pull this dish off – just a few simple ingredients and a bit of time.

As you will see in the zesty tip down below, you do not even need a candy thermometer.  There should be lots of fun more holiday baking recipes to come and if anyone wants to see something in particular just holler at me and let me know.

Ingredients

• 3 Cups Brown Sugar
• 2 Tbsp. Corn Syrup
• 3/4 Cup Evaporated milk
• 2/3 Cup White Sugar
• 2 Tbsp. Butter
• 1 Tsp. Vanilla
• 1 Cup of crushed peanuts (optional)

Method

1. Combine all ingredients except the peanuts in a 3-quart heavy saucepan and bring just to a boil over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
2. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring frequently, until mixture registers 238°F on thermometer  (this will take about 30 minutes).
3. Transfer to a heatproof bowl. Stir in the peanuts and beat until fudge is thick and smooth, about 2 minutes.
4. Spread evenly in an un greased 8-inch square baking pan.
5. Gently score the tops of the fudge in the sizes you want to cut.
6. Refrigerate, uncovered, until firm enough to cut, about 30 minutes.

Zesty Tip: If you do not have a candy thermometer – you can place a teaspoon of mixture dropped into a small bowl of cold water holds a soft ball when pressed between your fingers to determine that it is complete.

So there you have it!  I think you will enjoy this combination if you like fudge.  I myself prefer it without peanuts but they do give it a little crunch and flavor.  I am just going to head out to the grocery store and then to the house.  I hope you have a great day!  Hard to believe tomorrow is Thursday.

Take care

zesty

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Can you believe it is Thursday already? Crazy I know – the weeks seem to be all a blur.  September is upon us and it is that time of year when things start to get hectic for a lot of families and students.  With that being said, I want to share with you a super simple recipe to glaze a ham.

This is great for a hot meal paired with scalloped potatoes, a cold sandwich, or served chilled with potato salad.  The leftovers are great for a quiche as well as a topping for a quick salad. This ham is very straight forward to prepare and is great to do up in advance.  From a price perspective it is very economical and stays well in the fridge.

Ingredients

• 1 Ham
• 2 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
• 1 Can sliced pineapple
• 1 Tbsp. Maple Syrup
• 1 Tbsp. Mustard ( prepared )

Method

1. Boil ham for 20-30 minutes depending on the size
2. Remove from water and let rest
3. Place in roasting pan or on tin foil plate
4. Add remaining ingredients (except pineapple) in a bowl and mix thoroughly
5. Spoon sauce over ham saving some for basting
6. Take the slices of pineapple and place toothpicks through the ham to hold them in place
7. Bake at 325 degrees for 30-45 minutes.
8. Baste with remaining sauce halfway through



9. Remove from oven; let rest and carve once cooled slightly
10. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: For small hams, roasts or chickens, use tin foil plates or tin foil roasting pans to avoid the tough cleanup.  They are a great time saver and great for potlucks as well.

Have yourself a great day! Contact me if you have any questions or would like me to prepare a favorite recipe of yours.

Take care

zesty

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Holy Heat!  Last day of vacation was yesterday and the weather was a scorcher.  The humidity level was so high -  you would sweat standing still.  No complaints here except I would have loved some air conditioning in the house.

To combat the heat we were on the move looking for house fixtures.  We are having a hard time deciding on our flooring so hopefully we will make up our mind soon.  In addition to the flooring it is soon time to make some fixture decisions for the bathroom(s) and kitchens.

Heat up the Pan – It’s Salmon Time

I really love salmon!  It is so simple to cook and very quick when you are in a pinch and your stomach is growling.  For this dish, I was wandering around the kitchen and I noticed some nice navel oranges sitting out.  I thought that this would make the basis for a great sauce.  Add a little brown sugar, splash of water, some pepper and some corn starch and you have a 60 second sauce that will impress anyone.

To go with the salmon, I chose to steam some yellow beans.  One of my favorite summer vegetables when you pair them with a bit of butter and fresh ground pepper.

Ingredients

• Salmon
• Olive Oil
• 1/2 Cup fresh Orange Juice ( some zest as well )
• 2 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
• Black Pepper
• 1/2 Tsp. Corn Starch
• 1 Tbsp. Water

Method

1. Preheat pan over medium heat then add olive oil.



2. Season salmon with black pepper and add to pan; sear on one side ( About 3 minutes )



3. Once brown, flip over and cook for another two minutes.
4. Remove salmon from pan and add orange juice, brown sugar and bring to a slow boil



5. Add cornstarch/water mixture to thicken slightly and simmer
6. Add salmon back in the pan and serve.





7. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: The one common mistake with preparing salmon ( and other fish for that matter ) is that it is often overcooked.  Once the salmon turns opaque it is done.  Don’t forget that the salmon will continue to cook once you remove it from the heat.

I hope you enjoyed the salmon dish and that your Thursday is great.  Summer seems to be quickly coming to an end as you can see school flyers in the newspapers so make sure you enjoy it while you can!

Take care

zesty

Download my Free Recipe Book: Simply Zesty