Week Two of our December Random Acts of Kindness contest! You all had such good ideas last week and I’m looking forward to reading all of the ways that you found to bless others this week. Leave your RAK comment on today’s blog, and I’ll use the Random Number Generator to identify the winner of the prize (which you can see pictured in this previous post) and will post it on Monday.  That also means that if you haven’t had an opportunity to do a RAK this week yet, you have until I run the numbers and post on Monday to do one and comment on it. One of the things that I really love about RAKs is that often the people who are the recipients, then go on to do something nice for someone else – and so on, and so on, and so on.  We really have no idea where that chain of events will end. It’s nice to know you might really be starting something!

Have you seen the newest issue of Knit 1? I wanted to give a big congratulations to some of our wonderful Indie Dyers who are featured on the “Indie Spirit”. There are 10 different dyers listed and it says their yarns are “dyed in small batches, these yarns have heart, soul, and a whole lotta color”. (And the people behind the yarns are pretty special, too!)  So congratulations to: Georgia with Yarn Pirate, Claudia with Wollmeise, Marie with Brooklyn Handspun, Khris with Chewy Spaghetti, Jana with Hand Maiden, Jess with Yarntini, and Angela with Duets. (Rounding out the top ten list of indie dyers, you’ll also find Sundara with Sundara Yarn, Julia with Knitterly Things, and Tina with Blue Moon Fiber Arts.  And yes, I’d love to have all three of those lines here at Loopy, and yes, I’ve asked before!) Further congratulations to Cookie A and Wendy for being picked as wonderful knitting bloggers (who have both designed and shared a sock pattern in this issue.) If you haven’t picked up this magazine yet, you need to. There are lots of great patterns in there!

As promised, here is the recipe for Meg’s amazing Peppermint Pudge. And the name? When one of her sons was little, he was eating a piece and then asked for “more pudge please”. It has been known as Peppermint Pudge ever since.

Meg’s Peppermint Pudge

4 1/2 cups sugar
24 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
1/2 lb. (2 sticks) salted butter
1 jar (7 1/2 oz) marshmallow cream
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups (10 oz. bag) Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips (reserve 1/4 cup to sprinkle on top)

Butter or line a 9 x 13 pan.  Place chocolate, butter, marshmallow cream and salt in a large mixing bowl.  In a 3 qt. saucepan, combine sugar and evaporated milk and mix well. Place over low heat and stir until dissolved.  Increase heat to medium and cook, stirring mixure frequently, until candy thermometer reaches 234 degrees F. Remove pan from heat and pour hot mixture over contents in the mixing bowl. Beat on a low setting until all ingredients combine thoroughly.  Increase speed slightly and mix until fudge is thick and holds shape.  Stir in the Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips and vanilla.  Pour into prepared pan and let set.

Thanks for sharing the recipe (and sending us fudge!), Meg!

I’m off to the grocery store this afternoon.  College Guy and College Girl are arriving home today for the holidays, and I’m sure they need some Peppermint Pudge.  That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.

Sheri lookingforwardtoreadingyourRAKcommentsagaintoday!