Peanut Butter Fudge

This is the easiest quickest recipe ever.  It only has 4 ingredients and takes about 5 minutes to put together.  It came from Alton Brown and his show Good Eats.  Can I just say that I love Alton Brown.  If I could meet any Food Network star it would be him.  He is a cross between Bill Nye the Science Guy and America's Test Kitchen.  I love his simple recipes and easy instructions.  Plus he always includes the science behind what his is doing.  I forgot to take pictures as I was making the fudge, but there is a great video of how to make it on the Food Network.  The recipe came from Peanut Butter Fudge on their website.  It is so easy that kids could make it with very little supervision.

Here are the ingredients:

8 ounces unsalted butter (2 sticks), plus more for greasing pan
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 pound powdered sugar

Directions:

1.  Combine the butter and peanut butter in a 4-quart microwave safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
2.  Microwave for 2 minutes on high.  Stir and microwave on high for 2 more minutes. (Use caution when removing this mixture from the microwave, it will be very hot.)
3.  Add the vanilla and powdered sugar to the peanut butter mixture and stir to combine with wooden spoon.  The mixture will become hard to stir and lose its sheen.
4.  Spread into a buttered 8 by 8 inch pan lined with parchment paper.  Fold excess parchment paper so it covers the surface of the fudge and refrigerate until cool, about 2 hours.
5.  Cut into 1-inch pieces and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

This recipe was so easy.  The hardest part was waiting for it to fully cool.  We did have to sneak a piece a little early to try it out.  My kids loved it and even took some for their lunch kit dessert.