3 c. sugar
1/2 c. cocoa
1 1/4 c. milk
1/4 c. butter
Dash of salt
Optional: 2 tbsp. peanut butter, 1/2 c. nuts, 1/2 c. oatmeal (uncooked), 1/2 c. coconut

Butter 2 dinner plates (set aside). In large saucepan stir together sugar, cocoa and salt. Stir in milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly (add butter). Cook until full boil. Stop stirring, reduce heat slightly, continuous boil. Boil until 234 degrees or the syrup when dropped in cold water forms a soft ball, which flattens when removed from water. (Do not rest candy thermometer bulb on bottom of saucepan.) Remove from heat.

Add vanilla. Do not stir. Allow to cool to lukewarm. Beat with wooden spoon until fudge thickens and loses some gloss. Spread equally on plates. Cool and cut into squares. Too much stirring when syrup is boiling hot will make candy grainy.

Options using fudge recipe: Divide fudge before cooling, make 2 kinds at once.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge: Stir in 2 tablespoons peanut butter when vanilla is added.

Coconut Haystacks: Stir in 1/2 cup coconut when vanilla is added; drop by teaspoon onto wax paper.

Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies: (Like the no-bake kind only better) Stir in 1/2 cup oats, uncooked. Drop on wax paper, spread slightly to desired cookie size. Add nuts or other options after cooking and before cooling.