OK, I know. The holidays are over and it’s time to honor all those New Year’s resolutions about cutting down on sugar, losing weight, working out more, ad nauseum. But I still have some amazing holiday recipes to share with you. And if I don’t get the sweet recipes on to my blog and out of my head, I am going to break my number one resolution for this year. And that is to stop eating sugar in the form of cookies, cake, candy, you know, the food that makes life worth living. I already gave up wine (I do still have a glass once in awhile) and beer (almost never) because of the sugars. (A good start!)
So, never having had a sweet tooth, I thought it would be easy to give up sweets altogether. Well, I’m finding it’s not as easy as I supposed it would be. Because I can’t treat myself with any of the leftover Christmas cookies and candy, they seem to be conspiring against me. I hear them calling my name both day and night. (Before I started my “stay off sugar and see what happens” gig, they could shout at me from their beautiful Christmas tins and I could ignore them. I knew I could always have one if I wished.) But now, because I can’t partake, they are calling louder than ever. (It’s as if they know I can’t eat sugar and they are terribly upset by my decision!) I’ve tried telling them it’s nothing personal. After all, aren’t I the one that brought them into this world in the first place? Shouldn’t they cut me some slack for that very fact alone? But somehow, they appear to feel that I have rejected them. And in their defense, it’s true. But gee whiz, don’t they realize I’m just trying to feel better and live longer?
My solution is to share a few of my favorite candy recipes with you. Perhaps if my leftover sweets (that are happily being reduced daily by my dear husband) know I am sharing my recipe for them with the world they will stop feeling so abused. Wish me luck on that one!
- 1 c. butter
- 1 lg. can (1 2/3 c.) evaporated milk
- 4 c. sugar
- 1 pt. (7-oz.) marshmallow crème
- 1 c. crunchy peanut butter
Combine butter, evaporated milk, and sugar in a heavy medium sized saucepan. Bring mixture to 240 degrees stirring continuously over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in marshmallow crème and peanut butter. Pour into a lightly buttered 9×13-inch pan. Refrigerate for a few minutes, then cut into 1-inch squares. Store in the refrigerator.