Rocky Road Fudge Bars

Mom makes these bars every year for Christmas and they are amazing! But you don't have to wait for the holidays to enjoy them!

Rocky Road Fudge Bars

Bar:
½ cup butter
1 square unsweetened chocolate
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
½ to 1 cup chopped nuts
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs

Filling:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened, reserve 2 ounces for frosting
½ cup sugar
2 Tablespoons flour
¼ cup butter
1 egg
½ teaspoon vanilla
¼ cup chopped nuts
6 ounces chocolate chips

Frosting:
2 cups miniature marshmallows
¼ cup butter
¼ cup milk
1 square unsweetened chocolate
2 ounces cream cheese
3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x13” baking pan.

In a large saucepan melt ½ cup butter and chocolate square. Add remaining bar ingredients. Mix well. Spread in prepared pan.

In a small bowl, combine 6 ounces cream cheese with the next 5 ingredients. Blend until smooth and fluffy. Stir in nuts. Spread over chocolate mixture. Sprinkle with chips.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Sprinkle with marshmallows and bake 2 minutes longer.

In a large saucepan, melt ¼ cup butter, 1 ounce chocolate, 2 ounces cream cheese and milk. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Immediately pour over marshmallows and swirl together. Let bars cool, then cut into squares.

Giant Ginger Spice Cookies

These cookies are our new favorite cookies and I have made them 3 times in the last two weeks. It is mandatory to have some stocked in the freezer at all times.

4-1/2 cups all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1-1/2 Tbsp ground ginger
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, slightly firm
3/4 cup vegetable shortening, at room temp.
3 cups sugar, divided
2 large eggs
1/2 cup dark molasses

Position the shelves in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Dab the corners of a 14"X 17" cookie sheet lightly with butter and line with baking parchment.

Sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter on medium-low speed until smooth, about 1 minute, then add the shortening and mix till creamy and light in color, about 1 minute longer. Add 2 cups of the sugar in 4 additions and continue to mix for another 2 minutes. Lightly beat the eggs and molasses together. Add to the butter-sugar mixture and mix on medium-low speed until well blended. Reduce mixer speed to low and add dry ingredients in three additions, mixing just until combined.

Chill dough for one hour.

Place the resereved 1 cup of sugar in a shallow dish. Using a dry 1/4 cup measure or large ice cream scoop to portion the dough, form a ball by rolling the dough in the palms of your hands. Roll the ball in the sugar and place it on the cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, placing the balls about 3" apart. Do not flatten! Bake for 7 minutes on the bottom rack and turn sheet around and place on top rack and bake for another 4 minutes. They will look crackled on top and soft. Let rest on cookie sheet for 3-5 minutes before loosening from the sheets and then transfer to a wire rack. Store in an airtight container, layer between sheets of wax paper, for up to 3 weeks. They freeze beautifully!

Enjoy!!