The Mountain Kitchen: Sweet Treats Give Way to Simpler Foods

This confection is sure to be a hit on your holiday dessert table — sweet and tart, with plenty of walnut crunch. Add a few squares to your gift plates and folks will think you splurged at a bakeshop. The fudge freezes well, too.

White Chocolate-Cranberry-Walnut Fudge

Makes 1 (9 x 13) pan

• 4 cups sugar
• 9 oz. evaporated milk (about ¾ large can)
• 1 stick butter
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 7 oz. marshmallow cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 12 oz. package white chocolate chips
• 1 cup sweetened dried cranberries, roughly chopped
• 1 cup chopped, toasted walnuts

1. In a large heavy pot, bring sugar, milk, butter, and salt to a boil. Continue boiling, stirring often, until mixture reaches softball stage (235 degrees on a candy thermometer).
2. Remove from heat, and stir in remaining ingredients, beating with a wooden spoon until chocolate is melted and mixture is completely combined.
3. Pour into a buttered 9- x 13-inch pan. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Winter Warmup, Please!

January is usually a time to tone down the indulgent foods and focus on cozy, simpler dishes. And if they’re easy, that’s even better when you’ve had a busy holiday and have spent hours planning meals and tidying the kitchen. Soups are big in our house all year long. They’re kind of a reset food – one course, a few ingredients, and usually pretty economical.

New Year Roasted Pepper Soup

(Serves 4 to 6)

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped green onions, white and green parts
• 5 cups vegetable stock
• 2 cups jarred roasted red peppers, drained
• 2 (14.5 oz.) cans low-sodium whole stewed tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 2 tablespoons whipping cream
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Herbed croutons

1. Sauté onions in olive oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat, cooking until soft.
2. Stir in stock, peppers, tomatoes, sugar, and basil. Bring mixture to a boil.
3. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Use an immersion blender to purée soup, or remove the peppers and tomatoes and purée them in a stand blender, and return to the saucepan.
5. Stir in whipping cream until well combined to mellow the flavor.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste, and serve with croutons on top.