Here's a couple of quick candies: Diane's Home Cookin Chapter: Candy & other confections Double Chocolate Orange Nut Fudge( Microwave) ============================================= 1 14 can sweetened condensed milk, divided 1 8 package semisweet baking chocolate square 1 tsp. vanilla 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts 1 6 package white baking chocolate square 1 grated fresh orange zest (thinnest colored part of peel only) . Line an 8-inch square metal or glass pan with aluminum foil; set aside. Place ¾ cup milk in a 4-cup glass measure. Add semisweet chocolate and microwave on high 1½ minutes. Stir and microwave on high 1 to 1½ minutes. Stir until chocolate melts completely. Add vanilla, then pecans, and pour into prepared pan. Place in refrigerator. Place remaining milk and white chocolate in a medium glass bowl. Stirring midway through cooking, microwave on high 1½ to 2 minutes or until chocolate melts. Stir in zest and spread evenly over chocolate layer in pan. Return to refrigerator about 2 hours, or until firm +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Microwave Caramels ================== Nonstick foil 1 cup butter (no substitutions) 2-1/2 cups packed brown sugar 1 cup light-colored corn syrup One 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk 1 teaspoon vanilla (* my notes: for chocolate hazelnut flavor add 2 pkgs each of Tasters Choice single cup size instant Chocolate coffee & Hazelnut coffee-- the dry granules-- just mix in with butter,b sugar etc.Keep in refrig --they go quite soft at rm temp) . 1. Line a 9x9-inch baking pan with nonstick foil or buttered foil, allowing edges to hang over sides of pan; set aside. 2. In a large microwave-safe bowl combine butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and condensed milk; cover loosely with parchment paper. Microwave on 100% power (high) for 4 or 5 minutes* or until butter starts to melt. Whisk to combine mixture. Microwave on high for 4 or 5 minutes* more. Whisk well. Microwave an additional 4 or 5 minutes*. Whisk gently. Add vanilla. (Note: Bowl may get hot as mixture cooks; use hot pads to handle.) 3. Pour caramel mixture into the prepared pan. Chill for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until just firm. Using foil, lift block of caramel from the pan. Use a buttered knife to cut into 1-inch squares. Try the topping variations below, if desired, making several of the variations with 1 batch of caramels. Wrap individually with plastic wrap or waxed paper or place in candy cups in a covered gift tin or container. Store in an airtight container either chilled or at room temperature (we prefer chilled) for up to 2 weeks. Makes 2 3/4 pounds (81 pieces) *Note: Use the 4-minute timings for higher wattage microwave ovens (1,100 to 1,200 watts) and 5-minute timings for lower wattage ovens. Orange-Cranberry Drizzles: In a custard cup combine 1 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel and 2 tablespoons snipped dried cranberries; set aside. When caramel is just set, sprinkle orange mixture atop one-quarter of the pan (or desired portion); press lightly. Cut caramels as directed. Melt 1/4 cup white baking pieces as directed above. Place melted pieces in a small plastic bag; snip a small hole in the corner of the bag. Place caramels on cooling rack over parchment paper. Drizzle with melted pieces by squeezing from bag over caramels. Enough for 20 caramels.

EASY SWEET TANGY MUSTARD 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk 1 (8 ounce) bottle prepared mustard 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce Stir together all ingredients until blended. Store in refrigerator up to 3 months. Serve with pretzels or egg rolls or as a sandwich spread. Makes about 3 cups Source: Southern Living, November 2001

Colleen, my secretary used to bake me lemon bars every year, I liked them better than cake. Now, unfortunately, I'm retired and have no secretary and so I have to bake my own. Enjoy your prospective birthday cake, I remember you share a birthday with my youngest daughter, only a couple of days away. Bragu, I'll bake another one in November, don't be late or we'll eat it all without you. Again. Edie, those biscuits are already in the freezer, great minds think alike, LOL. Sooz, you said have said something earlier, I'd have saved you a piece. Yeah, sure, I would have. Really... Nancy, I remember now that you reminded me, that I can make cake flour with cornstarch. Happy Birthday to you too, PLUS a laptop? Good for DH!! Zoom is better than nothing, but I know I'm lucky to have everyone close. I hated those first couple of months when I didn't get to see anyone and I'm still sad that we missed our Easter dinner as a family, that's never happened before. Our Governor is now slowly lifting restrictions and cases are going down, but I'm being pretty careful because of Mother. Sorry about your glamping trip, but I know that we old people have to be careful. (grin) 2many, hurry up here, I have ice cream left, even if all the cake is gone, and I'd share! "Went rogue". LOL, I like that. And I seem to do it regularly... plllog, I only saw one single recipe that used the dulce de leche, and that was only in the remarks about the recipe. I thought it sounded pretty good, so I did it. Of course, most of the recipes were very similar so after I looked at 3 or 4 they all started looking pretty much the same which is probably why the dulce de leche kind of "jumped out" at me. Carol, I agree about the whipped cream, except I don't even need cake sometimes! How could whipped cream possibly be bad? So, now back to my healthy eating, at least for now. I have mizuna and baby bok choi ready to use, and I'm picking asparagus daily, so I have no excuse to not eat my vegetables. I'll be thinking of cake, though. Annie

405, check your numbers! 10 FLUID ounces oz (American) of sweetened condensed milk WEIGHS 14 solid ounces. The measure form might be the difference. There is a lot of yield shaving—give ’em less rather than raising the price, no matter how much the consumers hate it. But then they have to buy two in order to make the old recipes which were optimized to use whole packages. The contents need to be used before they go off, so get thrown out, meaning people have to buy even more next time. There's no incentive for the makers to go back to the originaal size when they do adjust the prices. There isn't much standarization of milk can sizes, other thaan newer players mimicking Carnation and Pet. Evaporated in my pantry are fluid 5oz and 12oz (Carbation), Evaporated Mayenberg Goat is also 12 Fluid oz. Sweetened Condensed WF 365 is net weight 14 oz. This can size chart has different sizes: https://www.recipetips.com/kitchen-tips/t--656/can-equivalents.asp There's more of the same, with all kinds of sizing.