By: Kimberly Boyd
Although this last day of “Oh Fudge” is coming to an end, I saved the best for last. This fudge has tons of flavor packed into one bite that you won’t want to stop at just one sample. It honestly tastes like a candy bar more than fudge.
In this last Boyd Christmas Memory, I bring you the epic Santa sleigh ride with the Boyds!
A few years ago, I happen to be scrolling on Facebook and saw the Santa sleigh rides in a near by town for only $10 a family. I am all for the bargain!! So, first let me just say, my kids loved every minute of it but the adventure is one my kids will never forget!
We typed the address to “Santa’s house” into the GPS and away we went. We arrived in a secluded place in the country and drove down a graveled lane. We pulled up to a trailer house that had a barn (shop) beside it. “Santa,” “Mrs. Claus,” and their two grandkids were all outside waiting for people to arrive . Santa was sitting in a wagon with two ponies with their antlers headbands on, and Mrs. Claus directed us where to park in their front yard. As soon as I got out of the van (I hadn’t even got my kids out), she awkwardly was standing at my door. She said, “So, what are we doing today? Santa rides or pony rides?”
I replied, “I think we are going to ride on the sleigh.” We started to walk over to the wagon and Mrs. Claus says, “Now, Mom and Dad, y’all riding too?” I told her politely that I didn’t think we would all fit and that my oldest daughter could hold our youngest son at the time who was almost a year old. She assured me with her toothless grin (yes–toothless–I think Mrs. Claus ate one too many candy canes) that we could all ride. So, one by one, we loaded up and once we were all in, Santa (we were waiting for him to holler-HO HO HO!) instead hollers “He-yah!”
Then, I couldn’t help but start laughing. I looked over at my husband and said, “Honey, I think we are too fat for them to move!” He started laughing. Then Olivia, my oldest daughter, started laughing. It was like we couldn’t keep it in.
I told him, “Think about it … These two poor ponies been pulling around little kids and here, our family gets on here. This pony is probably thinking what in the world!!” My husband tells me to shhhhhhssss! So, I try my best to settle down but the laughter was hard to contain the more Cowboy Santa tried to get his ponies (well his fake reindeer) to move.
In the mean time, Cowboy Santa has hollered “he-yah!” probably five more times while we have sat an awkward few minutes. Santa hasn’t said a word to the kids but it was fine because Bubba, my oldest son, acted in shock that he was really in Santa’s sleigh. He was grinning from ear to ear. My daughters are now giggling because Mom said we are too fat to move!
Finally, Cowboy Santa hollers to toothless Granny Claus, “MRS. CLAUS! I need your help! They are being stubborn!”
I politely asked her if me and my husband needed to get off and that it would be fine because I realized we were big people so it might be too much for the ponies to pull. However, Mrs. Clause gives me that beautiful toothless grin and says, “Oh no! It’s ok! I will get ’em going!”
Then, she leans down in the pony’s face and says, “Now listen here, Mercy! They need a ride!” And she tugs and pulls at their reigns.
Then cowboy Santa hollers, “Lets go! Mercy! Lets go Mandy!” Nope. there wasn’t a Rudolph, Donner, Cupid, or Blitzen attached to the wagon…I mean “sleigh.” Instead, Mercy and Mandy were guiding the way! Very very slowly these poor ponies start trotting off. It was like we were in slow motion. I was laughing so hard I was crying. But, still Cowboy Santa never said a word. It was if he was in his own world and he had forgot he had passengers in the back.
Away we went down their gravel path. Bubba, my son, was grinning from ear to ear. Abbi, my youngest daughter, was giggling. To them, this was the best thing ever! We were talking to Bubba, and then he asked, “Why aren’t we going in the air, Momma?”
So, I leaned over and tried to whisper to Cowboy Santa who couldn’t hear very well that Bubba keeps waiting for us to “blast off” into the air. Cowboy Santa chuckles and slaps the reigns and hollers, “Come on, Mercy!”
And all of a sudden, Lord, have Mercy we took off —fast! Mercy was like a race horse let out of the gate! Bubba’s eyes were huge. He really thought we were going to go in the air. Instead, they continued to pick up their speed. I was afraid we were going to go into the air and land on the ground. I guess the ponies got use to our fatness, and for some reason, Cowboy Santa thought Bubba’s blast off meant speed up as fast as you can with the ponies! The kids were having the time of their life, while we were holding on for dear life!
Finally, the ride, came to a sudden halt, and we all piled out. Mrs. Claus gave the kids her homemade chocolate chip cookies and hot chocolate. Then, the kids went inside their “Santa Shop,” and stood for a picture with Santa. None of them wanted to sit on Cowboy Santa’s lap; therefore, we didn’t push the issue. I decided that Mrs. Claus is for sure running this show and checking off who’s been naughty or nice. We thanked them for the wonderful adventures and Mrs. Claus replied, “OH! You’re welcome ! We just do this for the kids!” As we scrambled to get the kids in the van, Abbi turns around and says, “Hey! I didn’t get my hot chocolate!” I told her she would survive and it was time to load up and go. The kids waved goodbye to Cowboy Santa and toothless Mrs. Claus and slowly they disappeared as we drove off. We had a wonderful time with Cowboy Santa and toothless Mrs. Claus! It wasn’t much and it was cheap but the kids thought it was awesome. It created so many laughs and memories that I will never forget!
So, for Day #7 of “Oh Fudge,” I bring you “Cowboy Santa’s White Chocolate Carmel Fudge,” because sometimes if you throw a bunch of randomness on your fudge (or your sleigh), you may just be a little nutty!
White Chocolate Carmel Fudge
Ingredients:
3 cups of White Chocolate Chips
1 (14 oz) can of Sweetened Condensed Milk
4 Tablespoons of Butter
½ Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
1 Cup of Chopped Pecans (equals a 4 oz bag)
½ cup of room-temperature of Carmel Sauce
Instructions:
Line a 8×9 pan with foil or parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Set pan aside.
Combine white chocolate chips, milk and butter in a medium glass bowl. Heat in the microwave for 90 seconds. Remove and stir to combine. Heat for another 15 seconds only if needed. There will be a few pieces of unmelted chocolate.
Next, stir until mostly smooth with just a few flecks of unmelted chocolate. Add vanilla and pecans, and then stir. Scoop into lined pan.
Spread to 1-inch thickness. Drizzle with carmel sauce. Lightly swirl carmel into the fudge using a butter knife.
Chill until ready to serve. This fudge can be stored up to a week in the refrigerator.
