Photo by belchonock from depositphotos.com
My Accidental Fab-Favorite #Holiday Fudge #Recipe
by Rose Allister
I make no secret of the fact that I’m a die-hard chocolate fanatic. (Even if I did, I fear my waistline might give me away.) Although I sneak chocolaty treats into my diet all year long, there’s one mega-indulgence that I only bring out during the holidays. It’s a creamy, super easy fudge recipe that was elevated from great to fabulous one year by accident. I sent my husband to shop for the ingredients, and he came home with milk chocolate chips instead of my trusty old semi-sweet. I tried them out with a skeptical heart, and the results rocked our world.
This fudge comes as close as I’ve ever gotten to duplicating my absolute childhood favorite: the pan fudge sold at the candy stores at Disneyland. Yum. Even better, it only requires four ingredients and no candy thermometer.
Ingredients:
24 ounces (approx. 1 ½ bags) of milk chocolate chips
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
Directions:
In heavy saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate chips together with sweetened condensed milk and salt. Stir constantly to avoid scorching. As soon as chips are melted, remove from heat, stir in vanilla, and pour into a greased 8×8 inch pan. Chill until solid, cut into squares.
Makes about 24 squares (depending on the size of your cuts!)
Optional: add a handful of chopped nuts OR substitute the ½ bag of chocolate chips with flavored chips of your choice or about ½ cup nut butter.
Holidays Bite
By J. Rose Allister
An erotic paranormal holiday romance
What goes together more naturally than vampires and Christmas?
When an annual holiday tradition turns into a near-fatal accident, Stephanie regains consciousness to find herself alone in a cabin with her rescuer, Thomas—a man who is gorgeous, dangerously sexy…and undead.
Despite the winter storm and her injuries, she knows she should run. So why does she keep winding up in the powerful, seductive embrace of the vampire who has exiled himself from humans to avoid his worst time of year for temptation?
“…more than just a Christmas tale…this is a story that can be read multiple times because it has so many rich layers to be discovered.” –Happily Ever After Reviews
Get it now! Amazon, Apple iBooks, Nook/Barnes and Noble, and Bookstrand.
Excerpt:
Stephanie walked out of the bathroom with as little limp as she could muster, thankful when a flood of adrenaline aided the cause. She wanted to give the impression she was less helpless and pathetic than the picture she’d painted thus far. Thomas stood by a newly stoked fire, and she ignored his searing gaze while she headed for the couch. Her socks, boots, and parka lay nearby, tempting her. Donning the latter now would be too obvious, however. She’d have to make a grab for the coat on her way out.
“Brr,” she said, making a show of rubbing her arms. “Cold after that shower.” She sat on the couch and pulled a quilt around her shoulders to give the appearance of settling in while she tugged on her socks and footwear. “But hopefully I smell better now.”
“Stephanie.”
She went on ignoring him and laced her boots tight.
“Stephanie.” He moved toward her.
“Hmm?”
She threw him a quick glance and a smile, refusing to meet his eyes. Then he knelt in front of her and took hold of her chin so she couldn’t look away.
His eyes searched hers. “I know what you’re thinking.”
“What I’m thinking?” She tried to keep an innocent tone. “I don’t know what you mean.”
His arched brow told her he knew she was lying. “You think I’m a vampire.”
She laughed. “Vampires don’t exist.” Please, God, let him laugh along. Her smile faded when he didn’t. “So, it’s true then?”
He glanced away, his lack of response providing all the answer she needed and didn’t want.
She shook her head. “Guess I didn’t do a convincing job pretending I didn’t know.”
“We can sense those who see us for what we are. It’s a built-in survival trait.”
“Handy skill.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t want you to figure this out.”
She rubbed her arms again, this time against a true chill. “You’re a vampire. That just figures.”
“What does?”
She raised her arms. “Oh, just the old Stephanie Mars luck. I go for a simple outing and get dragged off by a raging creek. I meet the perfect guy, and he turns out to be an undead monster. No offense.”
His brow rose. “You think I’m the perfect guy?”
She shrugged. “What I think is that none of this is really happening. Maybe I bashed my skull so hard that this conversation is all going on in my head while I’m lying unconscious in a hospital somewhere. So yeah, if I have to be stuck in a concussive hallucination, why not include the perfect guy?”
A smile lit his dark expression out of nowhere and threatened to steal her breath. When white teeth flashed, she couldn’t help but look for sharp points. She saw none, and the smile vanished as fast as it had appeared. “So what if it turns out this isn’t a hallucination?” he said. “What if your so-called perfect guy is real, and he’s a vampire?”
About J. Rose Allister
I tend to dream up stories while either lying in bed at night, sitting at my desk at work, or anywhere I happen to be at the moment. It’s exciting to watch a story unfold, especially when my characters say or do something unexpected!
When I’m not busy playing chase-the-muse around my laptop, I enjoy spending time with my family, movies, and reading books. I rarely go anywhere without a reading device, even if it’s on my phone! I’m also a big fan of chocolate and coffee, even better together—and best alongside a book!
Author links:
Site: http://jroseallister.com
Blog: http://jroseallister.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/jroseallister
Facebook: http://facebook.com/JRoseAllisterBooks
