#MEwx Mild temps, sun, clouds and Pecan Butter Fudge

Good Morning Augusta

This morning we have mostly sunny skies with highs in the lower 30s. Northwest winds  10 to 15 mph gusting to 30 mph.

Tonight we'll have partly cloudy conditions during evening hours, becoming mostly cloudy. Lows around 9°F. Northwest winds 10 to 15 mph gusting to 30 mph. Wind chill values as low as-3°F.

The readings from my weather instruments are:

Our outdoor temperature is 21.9°F, the humidity is 31%, the Dew point is -4.2°F with a wind chill of 21.9°F.

The wind direction is northwest between 0.0 MPH and 0.1 MPH.

The Relative pressure is 29.58, the Absolute pressure is 29.38 and rising with a weather graphic indicating sun and clouds.

If you want to see real-time instrument readings from my personal weather station in my North field click Here. That will take you directly to my weather station.

Visibility is 10.0 miles / 16.1 kilometers with sun and a few clouds.

The UV rating is 1 out of 16, The moon is  67.6% illuminated, the moon phase is Waning Gibbous, Sunrise is 6:10 am↑ 98° East, sunset is 5:31 pm↑ 262° West, Moonrise is XXX, Moonset is 9:09 am↑ 245° West and we'll have 11 ours 21 minutes of daylight today.

We didn't receive any rain, snow or melting here over the past 24 hours.

I hear on the news that virus cases are on the decline. Great news, so let's celebrate by having a batch of these on the table.

PECAN BUTTER FUDGE

By: Judith Olney (Yes, It's Chocolate)

INGREDIENTS:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

½ cup heavy cream

2 ½ cups granulated sugar

6 tablespoons cocoa powder

Pinch salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

2/3 cup pecans, broken roughly in half

1.      Butter a 9 or 10 inch square baking pan.

2.      Place the butter and cream in a saucepan over very low heat and stir until the butter has melted.

3.      Add the sugar, cocoa, and salt, and stir continuously until the mixture comes to a slow, rolling boil, then time the fudge for 8 minutes.  Stir occasionally and briefly while the fudge cooks.  Have a cup of cold water ready, and at the end of 8 minutes, drop a bit of fudge into the water.  It should form a medium-firm ball.  If too soft, continue cooking for another 2 minutes.  DO NOT OVERCOOK.

4.      Remove fudge from the heat and stir in the vanilla and pecans.  Continue beating the fudge until it has thickened to the consistency of sluggish molasses, the quickly turn into the buttered pan while still pourable.  The fudge should be glossy.  Chill until firm, cut into squares and serve.