Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.  That is, that I like the actual day of Thanksgiving more than any other holiday.  Christmas, Easter, Valentine’s Day, my birthday.  Thanksgiving wins.  It wins because its only goal is food.  The only point is to come together with people you love and enjoy delicious food.  That being said, there are few times of year I love more than the stretch between Thanksgiving and New Year.

I love singing Christmas carols.  I love decorating my house.  I love baking, I love shopping for the people I love.  I love giving presents, even if waiting to give someone something special kills me.  I love going to church on Christmas eve and watching my dad try to stifle giggles everytime the preacher references the sweet baby Jesus.

I love that when we celebrate with my grandfather’s family my great Aunt Beth puts a flashing Christmas light in her belly button.  I love that growing up, my Uncle Ron used to make us wait on the steps Christmas morning for what seemed like hours while he got showered and shaved and dressed.  I love that on Christmas day, after the presents and before the family dinner, my sisters and I lay around and eat.  I love that my husband can barely contain himself after buying something for me, but swears up and down that he won’t tell me what it is until Christmas.  I love this season.  And to kick it off this weekend I listened to Christmas music, I watched Love Actually, I decorated our tiny apartment, and I made fudge.  Peppermint fudge with an chocolate creme cookie base and candy cane sprinkles.

Peppermint Fudge

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 1/2 cups sugar

3 tbsp butter

4-6 oz. chocolate

1 tsp peppermint extract

10 chocolate creme cookies

2-3 candy canes

In a heavy pan, combine milk, cream, chocolate, sugar, and half of the butter.  Cook over medium heat until everything has melted.  Bring to a boil.  Insert a candy thermometer and allow to boil, stirring occasionally, until the temperature reaches 240.  Cut the heat.  Add the remaining butter and let sit for 10-12 minutes.

While your fudge is cooling, line a small cake pan with wax paper.  Crumble cookies and spread over the bottom of the pan.

Now comes the hard part.  With a spoon, beat the fudge for at least 7 minutes.  This is going to make your arm feel like it will fall off, but keep beating to incorporate air into the fudge.

After 7 minutes (good job!) pour the fudge over the cookies, spreading evenly.  Let sit overnight to cool.  The next day, use a cookie cutter (or just cut squares) to cut out pieces.  Crush candy canes and sprinkle on top.

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