Recipe: "Winter Edition" Oreo Fudge

Ever fascinated by seasonal products, I picked up a package of "Winter Edition" Oreos ($2.99) at the supermarket. It seems Nabisco has become sufficiently PC as not to call them "Christmas" Oreos, though they don't exactly scream Hanukkah.

Like other seasonal Oreos, this variety is similar to the regular Double Stuf cookies in terms of proportions, but the vanilla cream is red, and the chocolate cookies are imprinted with four (very secular) cold-weather images: ice skates, a gingerbread man, a snowflake, and a snowman. I guess eating a sandwich cookie engraved with the swaddled Son of God does not appeal to the average consumer.

Rather than eating these cookies for the next week, I decided use them to make fudge. Here is the recipe:

"Winter Edition" Oreo Fudge

• 16 "Winter Edition" Oreos, broken into chunks
• 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 12-ounce package vanilla chips
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Handful of red, green, and white nonpareil decorations

Line an eight-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil and lightly grease with nonstick cooking spray or butter.

Place half of the broken Oreos in the pan.

In a heavy saucepan, combine milk, butter, and chips.

Cook over low heat until chips are melted, stirring constantly.

Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla.

Pour over cookies in pan. Sprinkle remaining cookies over pan mixture and garnish with a handful of nonpareils.

Refrigerate for at least one hour. Cut into squares.

Tip: Serve at room temperature with hot peppermint tea.