Wild Animal ~ Salted Caramel Fudge

Good morning y'all!  It's a frigid 17°F here this morning.  It looks like we got about 3-4 inches of snow last night, and taking the dogs out this morning was not exactly peachy. 

First, they were so excited to play it in, they kept forgetting what they were out there to do.  Second, traffic is traveling at about the speed of a turtle.  Roads look terrible from what I can see, and those slow vehicles kept distracting the dogs.  Once that task was completed, I had hungry barn cats and indoor cats to feed, a fire to stoke and coffee to brew.  School is delayed two hours for now.  I wouldn't be surprised if they canceled it.

I took this through the door from the inside last night.  What in the world makes long, wide drag marks?  About two hours prior to this photo, there were two very long ones to the right of it coming up to the cat food and then leaving. I wish I took a photo then, as the marks were better to see.  What do you think left this drag mark?  A weasel?  Fox?  Coyote?  It's much wider than a cat tail dragging, and cats don't drag their tail like that.  

                                      

Yesterday I dug my way through the pantry.  Guess what?  I had the ingredients to make Salted Caramel Fudge!

Here is the recipe.  It really tastes like caramel too.  I use organic ingredients, and the organic sweetened condensed milk is never sold in stores around here, only about 3 hours south of us in large health stores (or online).

Salted Caramel Fudge

1/2 cup butter

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk*

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

2 Tbsp. light corn syrup

1 cup white baking chips

1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt

Line an 8 x 8 baking dish with foil and light spray with organic non-stick spray or lightly coat with organic olive oil.  

I did not have spray, so I used my olive oil.

In a medium sauce pan, melt butter.

Add the condensed milk, brown sugar and corn syrup.

On medium high heat bring to a simmer, until sugar is dissolved and mixture starts to bubble.  Reduce to low, and stir constantly as it cooks 10 more minutes.

Remove from heat, wait a few seconds for the bubbles to stop, toss in the white baking chips, stir and then wait 2 minutes.  Stir again until the chips are melted, and pour the mixture into the prepared pan.  Sprinkle the top with coarse salt, and refrigerate 2 hours before cutting.

I store mine in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container.

*You can also make your sweetened condensed milk from scratch vs. buying it organic.  It just takes (all organic ingredients, and homemade vanilla) whole milk, sugar, butter and vanilla to make it.  There are many recipes available online.

I'm still working on "Vet Tech" Daughter's scarf.  It was cold enough to wrap my legs with an afghan yesterday too.  I'm whipping up some new items for the next craft show too.  The next one, if they hold it, won't be until sometime in February.

Dog duty is on me today.  My "Grad" daughter stayed overnight at Gram's house to avoid driving home in the snow storm.  She is still driving my car, and said in-town driving was terrible. She delivered Jesse his doggie scarf and I am told it fits him perfectly.  He's going to need it today. 

Speaking of Jesse.  "Vet Tech" daughter now has her dog registered as an "emotional support" dog.  I asked her what was wrong with her, and why she needed to do that.  She answered, "I'm a college student."  Either way, now she can rent any apartment with him.

Hostess with the most-est. . .

...with the most-est headache.  I got a text asking for us to once again change the time of the Christmas party.  I've already sent out invitations to people and it's getting out of control.  Hubby wasn't happy either.  He has to work the next day.  

My 19 year old came out to help with the candy making.  We had issues of course.  I wasn't running on all "cylinders" and she hadn't worked with candy for a year.  We were a bit rusty at it, but after one batch, turned on a Christmas movie to take a break.

We made buckeyes, mint chocolate covered crackers (mock mint girl scout cookies) and I made another batch of salted caramel fudge. The guys at Hubby's work were begging for the fudge.

A plate of goodies went to work with Hubby this morning.

It rained all day Thursday.  Cloudy, dreary, and cold.  It's wet and cold today, and I have no plans to bake one iota.  It's a house cleaning day.

You may see a blurp or two in my posts from now on.  It'll start to get crazy busy.

Making Dirty Dishes....and then some....

Wednesday the weather was just about the same - high of about 44°F.  I woke up super exhausted, so I took my time early on (again).  

Here's why.

The night prior, Hubby and I drove to the other "Big City" to pick up some last minute baking supplies for the holiday baking.  However, there were zero half-pint canning jars anywhere.  Sigh.  Literally.  Even sugar in the smaller bags, and toothpicks were sold out.  Frustrated and beyond tired, we returned home to crash.  Someone please, please (I beg you) remind me to buy my holiday supplies in September.  I even stopped at the dollar store for parchment paper - zero in stock and lines so long I would've walked out anyway perhaps.  At the craft store, the lines were long, and one cashier.  I almost fell asleep in line.  Nope,  not doing it next year.  I'll order online if I have to.  It's crazy out in the people-y world.

The only reason you all get to read another post, is because I was once again downing coffee just to wake up and start the day.  Not to mention a bit of procrastination.

More baking went on at the homestead . . .

Salted Caramel Fudge, Peanut butter blossoms, more candy apple jelly, and one last batch of cashew brittle.  

I spoiled tater tot with some homemade dog food - organic oats, chicken, peas and a bit of bacon grease.  My original recipe calls for a "human" vitamin, but I did not add that.  I don't even take them, except for raw Vitamin C.  I didn't add the salt substitute either.  I figure the bacon grease is salty enough.  He devoured it of course.

The only bad thing about a gathering at our place, is we get pantry pirates.  I won't name names, but it's not my side of the family. Sigh.  Seriously, they open pantries and take canned goods.  They have no idea what work goes into a canned item - work the garden, plant the garden, weed the garden, pick the garden, can the garden....a LOT of work, and for organic food for the family of my own.  We had a terrible garden year this year, so it's slim pickin's in the stock-age here as well.  Not to mention the cost of organic seed/plant and the cost of canning supplies, double with the time involved in all of it.  I just find it downright disrespectful and rude.  I am not going to let it continue.  Okay, off my soapbox....I'm just going to put a few kids on guard this time.