Why is it that, while our appetite for trying new foods never dulls, there is something so comforting and satisfying about making and eating some of the recipes that were favorites when we were kids? As a child, I grew up spending all my summers in the Colorado mountains, where there was never a shortage of things to do during the day, from finding flowers to press or scavenging for wild strawberries, to rummaging old mine tailings for interesting rocks or old square nails. But on rainy days, we were cooped up inside and often resorted to hunting through my mom’s collection of recipe clippings for something tasty to make.
One of the most memorable of these is a recipe from the magazine section of the newspaper for Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge. It was so simple, even my younger brother could whip up a batch on the stove to satisfy his sweet tooth without much trouble. The hardest part about it was the waiting around while it cooled enough so that we could dig into it!
I was thinking about that recipe the other day, and it’s been ages since I made a batch, so I decided to try it again, just to see if it still tasted good to me. The result was delicious!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge
12 ounces chocolate chips
½ cup hot milk
3 cups sifted powdered sugar
½ cup smooth or crunchy peanut butter
Melt chocolate chips over hot water in a double boiler. Add hot milk and mix well. Add powdered sugar and peanut butter and mix until smooth. Spread in a lightly greased 8” square baking pan. Chill until firm. Cut in squares. This also may be served as a hot fudge sauce for ice cream or cake. In this case, do not chill. Enjoy!
What are some of your favorite childhood recipes?