4-1/2 cups sugar
1 tall can evaporated milk
Pinch of salt
1/2 pound (2 cubes) butter
3 cups chocolate chips
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 cups chopped nuts

Combine sugar, milk and salt in large saucepan. Cook over medium heat 14 minutes, start timing after mixture comes to a full boil. Stir occasionally and don't let it burn! While syrup is cooking, place butter and chocolate chips in large mixer bowl. Add hot syrup when it finishes the timed cooking. Blend at low speed, then beat at high speed 10 minutes. Add vanilla and nuts; stir to blend. Pour into buttered 13x9x2 inch pan and chill in refrigerator until candy is firm. Cut into squares.

Makes about 4 pounds of fudge.

Recipe from Bobbye Caudill--1977. This is the very best fudge I have ever eaten--really creamy. It's also the easiest to make--no thermometers or soft ball stages--just timing.

THEO’S BUTTER CRUNCH

2 cubes butter (not margarine)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon corn syrup
4 squares milk or semi-sweet chocolate
3/4 cup finely chopped nuts

Melt butter in 2-quart saucepan; remove from heat and add sugar. Stir with wooden spoon until well-blended. Return to low heat--stir rapidly until thoroughly mixed and begins to bubble. Add water and corn syrup. Mix well and put in candy thermometer--

keep heat low. Stirring frequently, cook to 290 degrees. Pour out on lightly greased cookie sheet and spread to 1/2 inch thickness with spatula. Cool to room temperature. As it cools, loosen from sheet with spatula two or three times. Spread with melted chocolate and sprinkle with nuts.
Recipe from Theo Williams--1960. This is like English Toffee.

WALNUT BOURBON BALLS

2-1/2 cups finely crushed vanilla wafers
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
3 tablespoons corn syrup
1/4 cup bourbon
Powdered sugar

Mix first four ingredients well; add syrup and bourbon and mix well. Roll into 1” balls, then roll in powdered sugar. Store in airtight container and allow to ripen a few days.
3-1/2 dozen balls

COCOA RUMMIES

2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs
1 cup finely chopped nuts
1 cup sifted powdered sugar>br> 2 tablespoons cocoa
1/4 cup light corn syrup
6 tablespoons cream
1/2 teaspoon rum flavoring

Mix together crumbs, nuts, powdered sugar and cocoa. Combine corn syrup, cream and flavoring; add to first mixture and mix well. Roll into 1 inch diameter balls. Roll some in powdered sugar and the rest in a mixture of powdered sugar and cocoa. Chill. Makes 3-4 dozen rum balls.
(Real rum can be used in these cookies--substitute rum for the cream and omit the rum flavoring.) The rum balls are at their best if stored several days in a tightly closed container before using--this allows the flavors to ripen.

COCONUT CANDY

3-1/2 cups sugar
4-serving size package of butterscotch pudding 'n' pie mix (not instant)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups canned evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup butter
1-1/3 cups coconut

COMBINE sugar, pudding mix and salt in heavy 2-1/2 quart saucepan. Add milk; cook and stir over low heat until mixture comes to a boil. Continue boiling, stirring occasionally, until a small amount forms a soft ball in cold water. Remove from heat.
ADD vanilla and butter; beat until candy loses gloss and thickens (5 to 7 minutes).
ADD coconut and drop by teaspoons onto waxed paper. Makes 2-1/2 pounds

Recipe from Mavis Thomas--1964. Basil loves coconut candy.

BUTTERSCOTCH FUDGE

1 cup finely chopped nuts, divided
12 ounces (2 cups) butterscotch chips
7 ounce jar marshmallow cream
1-1/3 cups sugar
2/3 cup canned evaporated milk
2 ounces (half a cube) butter>br> 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon orange extract
1 teaspoon grated orange peel

Line 8” square pan with foil. Spread 1/2 cup nuts evenly on bottom of pan; set aside.
In heavy saucepan, combine marshmallow cream, sugar, milk, butter and salt; bring to a full rolling boil over moderate heat, stirring constantly. BOIL 5 MINUTES, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat; add butterscotch chips; stir until chips melt and mixture is smooth. Stir in orange extract and peel. Pour into prepared pan; sprinkle remainder of nuts on top and chill until firm--about two hours.
2-1/3 pounds

BOBBYE’S PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE

2 tablespoons butter
1 small (5.3 ounce) can evaporated milk
1-2/3 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1-1/2 cups peanut butter chips
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips

Combine butter, milk, sugar and salt in heavy saucepan. Bring to a full boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cook and stir 4-5 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in marshmallows, peanut butter chips and vanilla. Stir vigorously one minute to melt and blend marshmallows and chips. Pour into buttered foil-lined 8” square pan. Cool. Melt chocolate chips and spread over fudge. Chill and cut into squares.
Makes 2 pounds

Recipe from Bobbye Caudill--1984

SOUR CREAM FUDGE

4 cups sugar
4 ounces butter (1 cube)
1 pint sour cream
2 cups chopped nuts
7 ounce jar marshmallow cream
28 ounces white chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix sugar, butter and sour cream in a heavy saucepan; bring to a boil and boil steadily for 5 MINUTES, stirring constantly. Combine remaining ingredients; pour boiling mixture over all. Stir until chocolate melts; pour into buttered foil lined 11x9x2 inch pan. Chill completely in refrigerator, then cut into squares.

Recipe from Crystal Mack--1990

SOUR CREAM COVERED NUTS

1/2 cup sour cream
1-1/2 cups sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
13 ounces walnut or pecan halves

Mix sour cream and sugar; heat to 223 degrees, stirring constantly. Add vanilla and nuts; stir rapidly until nuts are coated and sugared. Spread and separate on buttered cookie sheet. Cool. Store in an airtight container.

Recipe from Mavis Thomas--1964. These nuts are delicious--canÂ’t get enough of them!

PEANUT PATTIES

2-1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup white Karo syrup
1 cup milk
3 cups raw peanuts
A few drops of red food color--to tint candy pink

Mix together all ingredients except peanuts; place on medium heat. Stir until dissolved; add peanuts. Stir often, and cook to firm ball stage. Remove from heat; ad 1 tablespoon butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat util ready to drop off tablespoon onto waxed paper.

Recipe from Pauline Lynch Harlan (LaDelle's sister)--1983

PEANUT BUTTER SQUARES

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup margarine, melted
1 pound box powdered sugar
12 ounce package chocolate chips (2 cups)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix first four ingredients together and press firmly into 13x9x2 inch foil lined pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over top and place in oven. TURN OVEN OFF. Leave in oven 5 minutes.
Remove and smooth chocolate over top with spatula. Let cool a few minutes and cut into 1 inch squares. Cool completely in the refrigerator. These will remind you of Reese's Pieces.

Recipe from Neda Teichman--1986

PRALINES

2 cups heavy cream
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 cups coarsely chopped pecans
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Combine cream and sugar in medium-size heavy saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture becomes golden brown and reaches soft ball stage (238 degrees). Immediately add pecans and lemon juice.
Continue to cook until mixture again reaches soft ball stage. Drop praline mixture from large kitchen spoon onto oiled cookie sheet into mounds, spreading each into a cake 1/4 inch thick and 4 inch in diameter.
Let harden. Gently lift each praline with a spatula. Store in an airtight container with waxed paper in between.
Pralines are extremely fragile--handle with care. Do not attempt to make pralines on a rainy, damp or foggy day.

TRUFFLES

1/2 cup nuts
1 cup powdered sugar
1 egg white
12 ounces chocolate chips (2 cups)
1/4 cup warm cream

Toast nuts in oven; grate after they are cool. Blend grated nuts with sugar. Add just enough egg white to make a firm paste. Melt chocolate chips over hot water and add warm cream. Temperatures of the cream and chocolate must me the same.
Mix the chocolate with the nut paste. Put mixture into a waxed paper lined pan and set in a cool place. Cut into pieces when the candy is hard.
Makes 1 pound

MICROWAVE PEANUT BRITTLE

1-1/2 cups raw peanuts
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup white corn syrup
1 teaspoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon soda

Grease a baking sheet. Mix peanuts, sugar and syrup in large glass microwave-safe bowl or measure. Cook on high 7-9 minutes (we cook 9). Mixture should be bubbling and peanuts browned.
Quickly stir in butter and vanilla. Cook 2-3 minutes longer. Add baking soda and stir quickly until mixture is foamy.
Pour immediately onto the greased baking sheet. Let cool 15 minutes or longer; break into pieces and store in an airtight container.

TRUFFLES-2

6 ounces (6 squares) bittersweet chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate
1/4 cup butter
Ground nuts, powdered sugar or unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons coffee liqueur or brandy (optional)

In medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate and butter at HIGH, about 1 minute; stir until smooth. If desired, stir in 2 tablespoons coffee liqueur or brandy. Chill 1 hour or until firm.

Scoop mixture by level tablespoonfuls; roll into balls. Roll in nuts, sugar or cocoa. Store in airtight container in a cool place or refrigerate. Or, freeze up to 2 weeks.

16 Truffles