Tis the Season...

Divinity fudge
(recipe below)

It that time of year again when we all go so deeply in debt that we spend most (if not ALL) of our income taxes or the better part of the following year paying it off. And for what? Some trinkets and baubles and shiny new things that we don't really need anyway. What compels us to  so completely lose sight of reality when November 25th rolls around? I for one will not be jumping on the band wagon this year. Our family will be concentrating on the real meaning of Christmas and yes, of course Santa will come and leave a few things for the children but we have asked that he not be too over zealous in his gifting since  their are others in need all over the world and we don't wanna be greedy. This year we are going to break out all my grandma's recipes and and every teensy tiny crafting supply and we are going to give hand made gifts from the heart. Gifts designed just for that special person and loving, painstakingly fashioned  to show how much you really care. below is my Grandmother's Divinity recipe. It is heavenly and melts on your tongue and every time I make it, it reminds me of her and the pain she must have endured whipping that sugar syrup for 20-30 minutes at time by hand with her arthritis , but she never complained . She only made it at Christmas,then I thought this torturous and begged by June for her to make more-she always said ,"no you'll have to wait for Christmastime", and now I know why. It is labor intensive and fickle. The slightest change in humidity can ruin a whole batch and you are left with an ice cream topping at best. But each year as I savor that 1st fluffy nugget of sugary bliss I can see my Grandmother standing at the kitchen counter, testing the first few drops of lava hot syrup in a saucer of cold water to see if it had reached "hard ball" stage yet, knowing the second it did, we were almost there. I can hear her voice telling me exactly what to look for and how to swirl the syrup into the egg whites while rotating the bowl. Stand mixer? electric mixer? P-shaw! she was still using a hand held wisk or antique rotary crank hand mixer back then(making that particular recipe even more daunting) her words guide me even now and though I still get a flat batch occasionally I think she would be pretty proud of todays divinity. I know I am.

INGREDIENTS
2 2/3 cup white sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup1/2 cup water (minus 1 teaspoon on humid days)
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract ( I use pure madagascar vanilla)
... 2/3 cup chopped walnuts/pecans(optional)
hand mixer and whisk (on stand by)
wax paper
 tupperware (any air tight) container
DIRECTIONS
cook suagr,corn syrup, and water in 2 qt pot over low heat, stirring CONSTANTLY, UNTIL SUGAR IS DISSOLVED. continue to cook without stirring until the mixture reaches 260 degrees F on a candy thermometer or "the hard ball stage".
beat egg whites in a 1 1/2 qt bowl until stiff peaks form, continue to beat egg whites while slowly pouring hot syrup into bowl in a thin stream.add vanilla & beat until mixture hold sit's shape and becomes slightly "dull" or less glossy looking. THIS TAKES A LONG TIME-approx 6-10 minutes. Mixture may become too stiff for electric beater-continue to beat by hand,I use a fork. when mixture stands in peaks when beater is removed fold in nuts gently(optional)
drop from a buttered spoon onto waxed paper. let stand at room temp , turning ONCE until outside of candy is firm-at least 12 hours. store in air tight container.