A completely different marinade for Chuck Roast (when you don't want the same old roast.... again)

A Different Chuck Roast Marinade

1 chuck roast, thawed
1/4 c cider vinegar
1/4 c oil (your choice)
1/4 c soy sauce
1 t Worcestershire sauce
2 t garlic, minced
salt and pepper

later;
1/4 c soy sauce
seasoned salt
1 t ground ginger
2 T brown sugar

Place the roast in a crock pot.  Add the ingredients on it and place the lid on.  Cook on high or medium high for about 2- 4 hours depending on the size of your roast. You'll finish it in the oven.  At this point you probably have a lot of liquid.  If it is, pour off about 1/2 of it so there is about 1/2 - 3/4 inch liquid, but it's not 'boiling' in its own liquid.  If you have an oven safe dish that lifts out of the crock pot, keep it in, add the second list of ingredients, spread them around on the top with the back of a spoon, and transfer to the oven at 350 degrees.  If it isn't oven safe or is 1 piece, transfer it to a baking pan, pour the liquid over, top with the remaining ingredients and then place into the oven.   Bake until desired point of well-done-ness.  I baked about an hour.   Remove from heat.  Let set for at least 10 minutes, 15 or so if you can hold off that long.   Slice and then pour the cooking liquid over the meat, getting some on every piece so the meat soaks it up.  Serve.

White Funfetti Fudge

For someone who doesn't really like or crave sweets and doesn't like chocolate hardly at all, my family and friends are surprised by one of the sweets I do like. Fudge.  My husband just shakes his head and comments that for someone who doesn't like sugar, how can I like one of the most sugary candies there is!?

I don't know. But I do like vanilla fudge, peanut butter fudge, maple pecan fudge, cake batter fudge, marshmallow fudge.... I rarely eat it and never buy it, but I drool over it on vacation when we walk past the fudge shops!

This weekend we were at Bass Pro Shop and visited the old general store in the back of the building. I saw the array of fudge and wanted to purchase some, but I'm cheap. I never buy fudge. I just can't justify paying those prices!    So, this week I made fudge.  Three batches... because the humidity and rain was playing havoc with it and making it difficult!  When you are making the old fashioned fudge that involves cooking cream and sugar on the stove to soft ball stage, it can be persnickity. 

When you want simple, never fail fudge, you make the kind like this one below;  with chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk!

White Funfetti Fudge

1 can of sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 pkgs. (about 3 1/2 cups) white chocolate chips
3 t vanilla extract
1/2 t almond extract
1/4 c colored sprinkles or the sprinkle package from a Funfetti frosting can



Lightly spray/grease or line an 8X8" pan with foil or parchment. Microwave the sweetened condensed milk and white chocolate chips for about 2 minutes until the chips are melted, but do not over cook or they will seize and get hard. Add vanilla and almond and stir until completely smooth and melted. Just before pouring into your pan add 3/4 of the sprinkles to the fudge. Don't stir very much or they will melt. Barely stir them and quickly pour into the pan. Sprinkle the remaining on top. Let set to harden (or do it more quickly by placing the pan in the refrigerator). Cut into 1 inch pieces.

3 Layer Ho Ho Cake with Chocolate Fudge Frosting and Edible Fondant Glitter Stars

My father-in-law's birthday is coming up soon, but because we recently relocated 1,000 miles across the country we no longer live near family - neither mine nor my husbands.   This past weekend I was thinking about a gift to send him this year and was also recalling the various cakes I've made him.  The cake above is the one I made for his 81st birthday in 2008.  It was everyone's favorite as it was layers of chocolate cake with a creamy vanilla filling, smothered in chocolate frosting with a layer of dark chocolate icing and covered with homemade edible glitter stars forming a staircase of falling stars down the side of the cake.  When this photo was taken it had already traveled on a 3 hour car ride with three kids and it still held up well!

I had gotten the idea for this cake after making my Ho Ho cake for my son (the link to my Ho Ho cake) and then got creative and just dreamed up making this one for my FIL that year.   My favorite chocolate cake recipe is homemade with cocoa, flour, sugar and mayonnaise but here is the version using a store bought cake to start - which I know many people are more comfortable with.



This is the recipe for my original 2 layer Ho Ho Cake (link above) for my sons birthday.  To make the Glitter Star Cake you'll want to make 3 layers for the cake, double the filling recipe and use 2-3 containers of frosting - one milk chocolate for the base and then the dark fudge to pour over.  You'll also need fondant for the stars.  (White Rolled Fondant link )

Ho Ho Cake

1 dark chocolate devils food cake mix (brand name, not store brand)
1 1/4 c water
3 eggs
1/2 c canola oil

Make the cake according to directions and bake in (2) 8 or 9 inch round pans. Follow the timing on the box (averages 32 minutes). Let cool completely. Slice the tops off to make them completely flat and even.

Filling:

1 cup sugar
6 oz. evaporated milk
1/2 c butter
1 T vanilla
2/3 c shortening
1/8 t salt

Icing:
1 container dark fudge frosting

Beat the filling ingredients until light and fluffy. With a KitchenAid mixer this only takes about 3 minutes. With a handheld it may take up to 7-8 before it comes together. Spread the filling over the cooled cake and top with the second cake. Press down lightly to flatten and make even.

Microwave the frosting for about 20 seconds until it's pourable. Drizzle the frosting over the sides and then pour 1/2 - 3/4 on top. Smooth with a butter knife, spatula or frosting knife.

Cover loosely and refrigerate at least 24 hours.

To make it into the 3 layer cake I made for my father-in-law;

Chocolate cake layers;  I chose 3 and left them whole although you could split each and have a 6 layer cake if you prefer or make the cake into 2 layers, split them and have it be a four layer cake.

Freeze your cakes for easier handling.




I covered it all in a milk chocolate buttercreme icing with a dark chocolate fudge frosting layer drizzled down the sides and then used chocolate jimmies on the top of the cake with edible gold dusting power on the sprinkles.



I rolled out white fondant and cut star shapes for the trim.   Some of the stars I painted silver and gold with edible glitter dust - and left some white.  DIRECTIONS FOR FONDANT STARS WERE POSTED HERE.

I used a kitchen 'paint' brush that I use only for food products to paint the edible glitter on the fondant.  I used vodka with edible food dust as my 'paint'.  The alcohol evaporates and you are left with beautiful gold and silver stars.


I didn't have a plan in place when I started this cake.  I actually just baked 3 layer cakes and took it from there!  I love how it turned out though and so did my FIL.

Get creative!  Give it a try.



PRODUCTS I USED TO MAKE THE CAKE:

White Rolled Fondant
Wilton Gold Pearl Dust
Food-Grade Platinum Dust Edible Glitter, Silver
Wilton Set of 3 Star Cut Outs


                

   
   
  

Ras Al Hanout

I love learning about new spices and discovering something new.  This is new to me, and perhaps to some of my readers as well.  It's a spice mix that is distinctly North African.  Ground fresh is best but even a good quality ground spice will work!  (If you don't want to make it yourself, you can buy it; Ras El Hanout  )  Try it on lamb, beef or salmon!

Ras Al Hanout

1 T cinnamon
1 t ground cardamom
1 t ground nutmeg
1 t ground cumin
1/2 t freshly ground black pepper
1/4 t turmeric
1/4 t mace
1/4 t ground coriander
1 c ground, dried rose petals

Whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl.  Store in an airtight jar.  Be sure to only use roses you've grown yourself with no pesticides - do not use roses bought commercially for decorative purposes as they've been heavily sprayed and are not for human consumption.

Naan with Garlic and Parmesan

A quick and easy lunch - that's what I needed and as I opened the refrigerator door I saw Naan (Indian flatbread) just calling my name and asking to be 'dressed up' for lunch.  I grabbed the Naan, some fresh minced garlic and the Parmesan and set it on the counter.  I went to the cupboard to get the parsley and olive oil... and proceeded to make a yummy and easy garlic cheese bread starting with a plan, baked flatbread. 

I ate it as it was for lunch, but obviously this would go well with almost any dinner where you would typically serve garlic bread or bread sticks.  Flatbreads are a welcome change and oh-so good.



Naan with Garlic Parmesan

Naan (Flat Bread)
Fresh minced or pressed garlic
Olive Oil
Parmesan Cheese - grated or shredded
Parsley - fresh chopped or dried

Drizzle the Naan with olive oil and use a brush or the back of a spoon to spread evenly to cover.  Sprinkle parsley, garlic and parmesan on to cover.  Bake at 400 approximately 10 minutes until golden brown and starting to crisp on the edges.  You can brown under the broiler for 1-2 minutes if you wish to crisp the top a little more.  Serve warm.