Tis the season for making fudge. And of course I could always prepare a few of the lovely fudge recipes that I already have in my arsenal. But what fun would that be? Where is the challenge of coming up with something new and different to send to my kids in their goody packages? And from my practical side – how can I put the bag of marshmallows that have been in my pantry since the beginning of last summer to good use? While at the same time answering the age old question of why did I think I needed peanut butter chips when I shopped at Winco a few days ago? (I already had about 4 cups worth in my freezer!) See where this is leading?

So, the result of all that I have candidly revealed above is a new recipe for a fudge that tastes at least to me, better than a Pay Day candy bar! No kidding. This fudge is truly that amazing. And it’s stinkin’ easy to make!

The recipe (with a couple minor changes) comes from the liluna.com site. Thank you Kristyn. And I’m not kidding when I say that you simply must make this fudge if you are like me and consider Pay Day candy bars to be a bit of heaven in a wrapper. Ahhh – just thinking about them makes me happy. But what makes me even happier is that I have some of this fudge in my very own refrigerator. And now that I think about it, I could use a little pick-me-up. So bye for now. Happy Holidays to all.

There are also several recipes for fudge on this site already. Just type FUDGE in the search box and you will be rewarded with more opportunities for adding unnecessary calories to your diet than you ever dreamed of. And watch for 2 more new fudge recipes to come. (Just keeps getting better, right!?!?) White Chocolate Fudge with Pistachios and Dried Cranberries and Salted Bourbon Chocolate Fudge with Pecans.

6 T. (¾ stick) unsalted butter

4 c. peanut butter chips

4 c. (8 oz.) mini marshmallows

2 (14-oz.) cans sweetened condensed milk

6 c. salted peanuts (no skins), divided

In a heavy medium-sized pan, melt butter and chips until well combined. Reduce heat and stir in the marshmallows and sweetened condensed milk until creamy and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in 4 cups of the peanuts.

Pour mixture into a lightly buttered 10×16-inch pan. Cover the top with the remaining 2 cups of peanuts. Gently press the peanuts into the fudge. Allow candy to cool completely before covering with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and storing in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, cut into squares and let come to room temperature.

Recipe can easily be halved, but why bother. You’ll just have to make more!

Note: Instead of buttering the pan, you can line it with parchment paper allowing for a bit to hang over all four sides of the pan. Then when you are ready to cut the fudge, just lift the whole mess onto a cutting board. Cut into whatever sized pieces you desire. Serve on a really pretty plate. This candy deserves only the best presentation.