Super Easy Chocolate-Walnut Fudge

This really is a delicious fudge recipe to make for Christmas or for someone special on Valentine's Day.  Joy 1996 posted this recipe on another website quite a few years ago, and I'm so glad she did.  Everyone whose made this fudge, always seems to enjoy it.  I double the recipe, except for the walnuts (or pecans), and only add 1-1/4 cups of chopped walnuts. 

Super Easy Chocolate-Walnut Fudge

Prep Time: 5 Minutes 

Cooking Time: About 10 Minutes


2 (12 ounce) pkgs. real semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 (14 oz.) cans sweetened condensed milk
1-1/4 cups chopped walnuts (or pecans)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1.)  In top of double boiler, melt chocolate chips and condensed milk together; stir until smooth.

2.)  Remove from heat, and stir in the walnuts and vanilla extract; blend well.

3.)  Pour into a buttered 13x9x2-inch baking pan.

4.)  Refrigerate until fudge is slightly firm.

5.)  With a buttered knife, cut the fudge into 48 (1-1/4 inch) pieces.

6.)  Refrigerate again, until the fudge has firmed up completely.

7.)  Yields: 3-1/2 lbs. (or) 48 (1-1/4-inch) pieces each.

Super Easy Chocolate Fudge | Just A Pinch Recipes

Cinnamon-Sugar Pretzels

These delicious cinnamon-sugar coated pretzels, are a quick, easy, inexpensive snack to make.



Cinnamon-Sugar Pretzels

Prep Time: 2 Minutes
Bake Time: 30 Minutes

1 (16 oz.) pkg. small pretzels (use mini pretzel twists)
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1.)  Preheat the oven to 300ºF.

2.)  In a large roasting pan add the pretzels, and spread the pretzels out evenly in the pan.

3.)  In a small bowl add the oil, sugar, and cinnamon; stir thoroughly to blend ingredients together.

4.)  Pour the oil-cinnamon-sugar mixture over the pretzels; toss well to coat the pretzels with the mixture.

5.)  Place roasting pan in oven, bake uncovered for 30 minutes, and stirring twice during baking time (every 10 minutes).

6.)  Place baked pretzels onto a baking sheet that has been lined with wax paper.

7.)  Spread pretzels out as evenly as you can, to allow them to cool before serving.

8.)  Store pretzels in an airtight container.

9.)  Yields: 16 ounces of cinnamon-sugar flavored pretzels

Cinnamon-Sugar Pretzels 2 | Just A Pinch Recipes

Beef Stew (or) Venison Stew

I've been making this stew for over 30 years. It can be made with either beef or venison. A friend of my daughter's really likes this stew. He even told me... "It's the best stew he's ever had!"




Beef Stew (or) Venison Stew 

1-1/2 lbs. beef or venison stew meat, cut into 3/4" pcs.
1/2 cup flour
2-3 tablespoons shortening (add more if need be)
salt and pepper, season according to taste
1 medium onion, chopped fine
several large dashes of Worcestershire sauce
6 cups hot water
2 teaspoons beef bouillon granules
pinch of dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp. lemon juice (This tenderizes the meat while cooking)
4 whole cloves
5 carrots, sliced thin
4 medium-sized potatoes, cubed small
1/2 to 1 green, or yellow bell pepper, chopped fine
1 stalk celery, sliced thin
1 (4 oz.) can mushroom stems & pieces, drained
1 (14.5 oz.) can whole tomatoes, cut up
1/2 cup frozen peas, optional (See *Note)
4 tablespoons flour (I use cornstarch)
1/2 cup cold water
1 tsp. Kitchen Bouquet Browning & Seasoning Sauce (opt.)

1)  Coat beef stew meat (or venison stew meat) with flour.

2.)  In a large skillet, melt the shortening.

3.)  Add the flour coated meat; season with salt and pepper.

4.)  When the meat is almost browned, add onions, and finish browning.

5.)  Add the Worcestershire sauce, and stir for another minute.

6.)  Transfer to a 5-quart Dutch Oven, or a large soup kettle.

7.)  Add the hot water, bouillon granules, thyme, bay leaf, lemon juice, and whole cloves.

8.)  Bring to a boil, cover, then reduce heat to a simmer, and cook for 2 hours.

9.)  Add the carrots, potatoes, green peppers, celery, mushrooms and tomatoes. 

10.)  Cover, and simmer 1-1/2 hours.

11.)  Remove the bay leaf and whole cloves at this point, then bring back to a boil.

12.)  Combine the flour and cold water, and add this to the boiling stew; stirring constantly.

13.)  Finally add the Kitchen Bouquet, and thoroughly mix through.

14.)  Yields: 8 to 10 servings.

*Note: Sometimes you'll only need 3 tablespoons of flour, mixed with 1/3 cup cold water to thicken the stew.  Also, if wanting to add peas to the stew, add the frozen peas within the last 20 minutes of cooking time (while the vegetables are simmering).

I thought I'd add another photo of the stew.

Beef Stew or Venison Stew | Just A Pinch Recipes

Basic Pancakes

I've always made my pancakes pretty much from scratch,
and this is the recipe I've been using for many years.



Basic Pancakes

2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk (See *Note below)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

1.)  Heat griddle to medium-high heat (400º F).
(I use a non-stick Teflon frying pan; spayed with Pam).

2.)  In a large bowl, beat eggs, stir in buttermilk and oil.  Add remaining ingredients; beat (or stir) just until large lumps disappear.

3.)  Lightly grease heated griddle. Pour batter, (about 1/4 cup at a time) onto hot griddle.  Bake until bubbles form, and edges start to dry; turn and bake other side.

4.)  Makes 16 (4-inch) pancakes, or 32 (3-inch) pancakes.

5.)  Serve pancakes with either pure maple syrup, store-bought pancake syrup, or with your favorite jam or preserves.

6.) *Note: If you don't have buttermilk, then add either 2 Tablespoons of 5% white vinegar, or 2 Tablespoons of bottled lemon juice (from concentrate), into a 2 cup measuring bowl (or measuring cup).  Fill the measuring bowl or cup up to the 2 cup mark with milk. (I use 2% milk).  Let set for 5 minutes before using.


I topped these pancakes with a no-cooked strawberry jam,
that I make and keep in the freezer.  

Basic Pancakes | Just A Pinch Recipes

Pumpkin Pancakes

I thoroughly enjoyed these pancakes! I added some pumpkin spice liquid coffee creamer to the batter, to give the pancakes a bit more spice.



Pumpkin Pancakes

1 cup Bisquick Original Pancake and Baking Mix
2 Tablespoons of the Bisquick Pancake and Baking Mix
3/4's of one Tablespoon of Bisquick Pancake and Baking Mix

-
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Dash of salt

1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree 

1 Tablespoon of sugar

1 large egg, beaten 

1/2 cup 2% milk

-

2 Tablespoons Nestle's Sugar Free Pumpkin Spice Liquid Coffee Mate

-
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

Non-stick vegetable cooking spray

Additional vegetable oil

Butter, to spread on the pancakes

Maple syrup, to pour over the pancakes

1.)  In a bowl mix together, 1 cup of Bisquick Pancake Mix, plus the
2 Tablespoons, and the 3/4's of one tablespoon of the pancake mix. Add the pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt; stir to mix.

2.)  In another bowl mix together, the pumpkin, sugar, egg, milk, pumpkin pie spice coffee creamer, and the tablespoon of vegetable oil.

3.)  Add pancake mixture into the pumpkin mixture, stir ingredients until all is blended.

4.)  Spray the inside of a 10 or 12-inch skillet with the vegetable cooking spray.

5.)  Place skillet over medium heat, then add slightly less than 1/4 cupful of pancake batter into the skillet.  Cook the first pancake about 3 minutes.  (The cooked side should be light golden brown in color.) Turn pancake over, and cook the other side about 1-2 minutes, until it too is light golden brown in color.

6.)  I noticed after I poured the 2nd cupful of batter into the skillet, it took less time to cook the pancake (about 1 minute & 30 seconds) as the skillet is now heated even more so than before.  Be sure to turn the pancake over as soon as you notice it's light golden brown in color.

7.)  When adding the 3rd cupful of batter to the skillet, be sure to add
a 1/4 teaspoon of vegetable oil as well.  (Do this every time before adding batter to the skillet.)  I also noticed when cooking my 3rd pancake, I needed to reduce the cooking time of the pancakes.
(I cooked the remaining pancakes for about 45 seconds on each side, as they started to brown up quickly.)

8.)  Top cooked pancakes with a bit of butter, and pour on some maple syrup.

9.)  Yields: 10 pancakes (Each about 3-1/4" to 3-1/2" in size)

Photo of Original Bisquick Panake & Baking Mix, and Nestle's Sugar Free Pumpkin Spice Liquid Coffee Mate.

Pumpkin Pancakes | Just A Pinch Recipes