Around the holidays our recipe section gets oodles of hits.  Since this gives me a wee bit of a hint into what readers are seeking, it seems fitting to post up recipes and recipe ideas for feature on the front page during this festive season. Today, I found myself seeking out some "gifts from the kitchen" recipes to use for this particularly frugal gift-giving time, and was amazed at all of the wonderful creations I discovered. One that is tops on my list is the Peppermint Fudge (recipe below) adapted from My Sweet Vegan.  It can easily be made soy-free with the use of coconut oil, and can be thrown together in minutes (hence the original name "Five-Minute Fudge"). Of course, I can't help but mention a few others that really caught my eye ...

Peppermint Fudge

Recipe adapted from the Five-Minute Coconut Fudge Recipe in My Sweet Vegan 

• 1 Cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 3½ Cups Confectioner’s Sugar
• ½ Cup Dutch Process Cocoa Powder
• 2 Tablespoons Margarine (or coconut oil)
• ½ Cup Regular Coconut Milk
• ½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 Teaspoon Peppermint Extract
• 9 Crushed Candy Canes, Divided

Lightly grease an 8 x 8 inch square baking pan.
 
In a large bowl, combine the chocolate chips, sugar, and cocoa. Separately, place the margarine (or oil) and coconut milk in a small saucepan, and stir together over medium heat. Cook the mixture until the margarine has melted, and bubbles just begin to break at the surface. Remove it from the stove, and immediately pour over the chocolate mixture. Let everything sit for a couple of minutes, and then stir vigorously to melt the chocolate and incorporate the dry ingredients. Continue stirring until a completely smooth mixture forms. Mix in the extracts and roughly 4 of the crushed candy canes, and quickly pour everything into your prepared pan. Smooth out the top and sprinkle the remaining crushed candy canes evenly over the entire exposed surface. Press the candy gently into the fudge with the palm of your hand. Let cool completely before cutting into squares.
 
Makes 32 Small Squares

More Great "Gifts from the Kitchen"

• Christmas Tree Cupcakes (pictured above) from Bittersweet
• Snappy Molasses Cookies from One Frugal Foodie
• Chocolate-Dipped Macaroons from Allergic Living
• Marzipan-Topped Shortbread Cookies from Diet, Dessert, and Dogs
• Christmas Orange and Cinnamon Cookies from Canary Girl
• Classic Gingerbread Cookies from Vegan Visitor
• Brandied Apricot Ginger Spread from Diet, Dessert, and Dogs
• Maple Pumpkin Butter from Vegan Visitor