Thank You, Plumbers!

Thank you, nice plumbers from Okey, for coming over twice today to get rid of the water in my basement. When you return for your pump I will have to remember to give you some of my peanut-and-popcorn fudge. Here is the recipe:

Crackerjack Fudge
Makes more than you will want to eat, so give some to a friend

I made this fudge while watching the water recede in my basement. Both activities cheered me up on a gloomy day.

16 oz. best-quality bittersweet chocolate (I used Ghirardelli 60% cacao from the IGA), finely chopped
One 7-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup salted dry roasted peanuts
1 cup unsalted, unbuttered popcorn
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with heavy duty foil, making sure the foil is tucked into all corners and there is at least 1 inch overhanging the sides.
2. Bring 2 inches of water to a bare simmer in a medium-size saucepan or double boiler. CCombine the chocolate, condensed milk, and butter in a bowl big enough to fit on top of the pan or in the top of the double boiler and set it over the pan, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water. Heat, whisking occasionally, until the chocolate and butter are just melted but still a little lumpy. Do not over heat.
3. Remove from the heat and stir in the peanuts, popcorn, and vanilla. Scrape the fudge into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Refrigerate until firm, 2 to 3 hours, then cut into small squares. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container, for up to 1 week.