Holiday Cheer - Fudge

The holidays just aren't the same without fudge.  From when I was a child, I can remember my daddy standing at the stove, for what seemed like forever, stirring the butter and sugar mix.  Fudge has been a holiday staple in my family for years. I made my first batch of 2011 the other day.  Here's my family's time-teasted recipe:

Fudge

Ingredients:

1 ½ stick butter
3 cups sugar
1 5-oz can evaporated milk
1 7-oz car marshmallow crème
1 12-oz bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Butter a 13x9 inch pan, set aside. In a heavy saucepan, melt butter, then add sugar and evaporated milk. Bring to a boil and boil, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes or until candy thermometer reaches 234°F. Remove from heat and add marshmallow crème, stir until melted. Add chocolate chips, stir until melted. Add chopped nuts and vanilla, stirring well.

Pour into prepared pan and cool.

The joy of brightening other lives, bearing each others' burdens, easing other's loads and supplanting empty hearts and lives with generous gifts becomes for us the magic of Christmas. ~W. C. Jones