Classic Christmas Recipes Made Simple in the Microwave!

Thirty years ago, when my son was small and I seemed to have more hours in the day, the Christmas season included traditions like making fudge and helping my child decorate sugar cookies for the holidays.

Not only were these recipes good enough to make for the family, they were also delicious enough to give as gifts. I remember that, each year, we would receive a gift of a batch of delicious homemade peanut brittle from my brother-in-law. It was one of my favorite gifts.

Today, we not only struggle with finding the time to recreate those classic holiday recipes, but also with the guilt trip that comes from consuming recipes containing real butter and cups of sugar! The recipes below won't do anything to help you with that guilt trip, but they are quick and easy recipes that you can start and finish .... from pulling those bowls out of the cabinet to cleanup and hitting the dishwasher button ... in less than a half hour! If you don't have time to make these recipes ... well, you don't have time for the holidays!!

Microwave Fudge

1/2 cup of stick butter (I sometimes reduce this by a Tablespoon or two)
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup cocoa
1 - 1 lb. box of confectioners sugar
1/4 t. salt
1 T. vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts (if you like nuts in your fudge!)

In a microwave-proof bowl (at least 1-1/2 qt. size), blend together the sugar, milk, vanilla, salt and cocoa. There is not enough liquid to allow you to thoroughly blend these ingredients - just get them partially blended. Cut the butter into small pats and place them over the top of the mixed ingredients.

Put the bowl in the microwave and cook on High for 2 minutes. Take bowl out of microwave and immediately start vigorously stirring the ingredients until well blended and smooth. Don't worry if some of the butter has not yet melted - it will as you stir the ingredients together.

If you want to add nuts, now is the time to stir them into the mixture. Then pour the mixture into a wax-paper lined dish (I usually use an 8x4 pan), and put in the refrigerator for at least an hour before cutting into squares.

Option: If you like peanut-butter fudge, substitute 1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter for the cocoa, or use 1/4 cup of each for a chocolate peanut-butter fudge.

Microwave Peanut Brittle

Note: this recipe is not recommended to allow children to make. The ingredients and the bowl get very hot!!!!

1 cup roasted and salted peanuts
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup white corn syrup
1 t. butter
1 t. vanilla
1 t. baking soda

Stir the sugar and the corn syrup together in a 1-1/2 qt. microwave-proof bowl and microwave for 4 minutes.

Remove bowl from microwave and stir in peanuts. Return bowl to microwave for 3-5 minutes (until mixture browns lightly).

Remove bowl from microwave again and stir in butter and vanilla, blending well. Return to microwave for 1-2 minutes, until peanuts are lightly browned . The syrup will be very hot .

Remove bowl again and add baking soda, stirring gently until the mixture becomes light and foamy.

Pour the mixture onto an ungreased non-stick cookie sheet or a lightly greased cookie sheet, and let cool 1/2 hour to 1 hour before breaking into small pieces and storing in an air-tight container. This recipe makes about 1 pound of peanut brittle.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!! And by the way, if you are still into sugar cookies, check out Tsu Dho Nimh's recipe in her article "Sugar Cookies - They Aren't Just for Christmas Anymore.")