Chocolate Cookie Fudge

2 c. semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips (12 oz. bag) 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk (fat-free or regular are both fine) 1 tsp. vanilla 10 chocolate cream sandwich cookies like Oreos (gluten-free cookies work great)

Line an 8-inch baking dish with foil. Place six cookies in a sandwich-sized zip top bag, and seal the bag well. Crush the cookies in the bag. I did this by walking on them in my socks. It was as fun as it sounds. In a medium saucepan, stir together chocolate chips and condensed milk. Place pan over the lowest heat possible on the stovetop, and place a heat-proof trivet or pot holder on the counter near the stove. Stir chocolate chip mixture constantly, scraping the bottom and sides the whole time, until the chocolate chips are melted.

If you smell the slightest burning smell or think the chocolate might be getting too hot, move the pan to the trivet and stir it for about 10 seconds off the heat. Then, put it back on the burner and repeat. I moved it back and forth from the heat to the counter every 30 seconds or so once the chocolate started melting. When the chocolate is melted, the mixture will be very thick, springy, and shiny. Remove it from heat, and immediately stir in the vanilla and crushed cookies. (Don't delay because it sets up quickly.)

Evenly spread warm fudge in the foil-lined pan. Crumble the remaining four cookies with your hands over the fudge. With a piece of wax or parchment paper, press the crushed cookies into the fudge slightly. Place the pan in the refrigerator for at least two hours or until cool and set. Lift entire sheet of fudge with the foil out of the pan, and carefully peel away the foil. Place fudge on a cutting board, and cut into desired number of squares. This cookie fudge is quite rich, so small squares are best. Store in refrigerator.