Tuesday, December 21, 2021

Rocky Road Fudge
























I love Rocky Road!  I love Rocky Road ice cream, I make a mean Rocky Road Cheesecake, and my Rocky Road cupcakes are a best seller at the church bake sale!  So why not this old fashioned Rocky Road Fudge?  It is the easiest of all the fudge recipes to make and everyone loves it.  How could you not like chocolate and marshmallows and nuts, oh my!    The secret to making sure your marshmallows show in your finished fudge is to freeze them first because adding them. They won't melt so fast in the hot chocolate and you will see them peeking out at the end!  

Rocky Road Fudge

4 cups miniature marshmallows, frozen
4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk (NOT sweetened condensed milk)
20 large marshmallows
12 oz pkg. semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup butter
1-2 cups chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Freeze your mini marshmallows for about 3 hours before making your fudge. Do this only with your mini marshmallows and not the larger ones that are coming up.



























Combine the sugar, milk and larger marshmallows in a large saucepan and bring to boil over medium high heat. You want to allow the mixture to boil for about 5-6 minutes stirring the whole time so it doesn't burn on the bottom.  You may see some little brown bits come up in your mix, but no worries. Ignore those.


























Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in your chocolate chips and butter and vanilla. Set aside for about 10 minutes and then fold in your nuts if using.  I love walnuts but macadamia nuts are good too! Any kind of nuts will do or you can leave them out.

























Allow your fudge to sit for about 10 more minutes and then stir in your frozen marshmallows. Then pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan and refrigerate until completely set. Cut in squares and treat yourself to a piece of heavenly Rocky Road Fudge!  

NOTE:  I store my fudge in the refrigerator, but you can just keep in a dry cool place if you prefer.























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Saturday, December 18, 2021

Mini Pumpkin Pound Cakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

















 
 
 
 
I love these mini cakes to give as gifts during the holidays.  They are so moist and the frosting is so creamy, you will want to make them every year!  I use a mini loaf pan, but you can use a standard size loaf pan if you want to make a larger cake. 

Mini Pumpkin Pound Cakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 1 1/2 cup all Purpose Flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon Ground Cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
  • 1 1/2 cup Sugar
  • 1/2 cup c. Fat Free Vanilla Yogurt
  • 3 Egg Whites
  • 1 cup Canned Pumpkin

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan, set aside. Sift the flour, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cloves, and nutmeg, into a mixing bowl. Set aside.

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, yogurt, and egg whites. Whisk thoroughly until blended. Stir in the pumpkin. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture. Stir until completely incorporated.

  • Pour into regular loaf pan and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Or bake for only 25 minutes if you choose to use mini pans as I did.  Allow to cool on a wire rack before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1/4 cup butter
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
1 pound confectioners' sugar, about 3 3/4 cups before sifting
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Sprinkling of cinnamon


Using a mixer, combine all ingredients except for cinnamon and blend well.  You can spread on top of cooled cake or pipe on your frosting as I have done in the photo.  Follow with a light sprinkling of cinnamon.

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Red Velvet Cake Roll

 






















 



This is the perfect cake for the holidays and so easy to make.  It’s light and moist with that hint of chocolate that makes it perfect. Paired with luxurious cream cheese frosting, it is undeniably delicious. Just close your eyes and imagine a tender moist cake wrapped around a decadent, rich cream cheese filling – not only is it a beautiful presentation, it is utterly irresistible.
Red Velvet Cake Roll
3/4 cup cake flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 teaspoon vinegar
2 (or more) drops red food coloring
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the cream cheese filling
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
2-3 cups confectioners powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 10x15 inch jelly roll pan with nonstick cooking spray, line with wax paper, then generously spray again. On a flat surface, lay down a thin, clean kitchen towel and sprinkle with powdered sugar; set aside.




















In a medium sized bowl, sift together cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In another bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat eggs on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until frothy and pale yellow in color. Add sugar and oil beat until well- combined. Beat in buttermilk, vinegar, red food coloring, and vanilla.

Reduce hand mixer speed to low and slowly beat in dry ingredients until just combined.

Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly to the edges. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until cake springs back when lightly touched in the center.















 
 





Upon removal from the oven, immediately run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the cake. Swiftly invert the cake onto the kitchen towel that has been sprinkled with powdered sugar. Gently peel off the wax paper and discard. Then, starting at the short end, slowly roll up the cake and the towel together. Set aside on a wire rack to cool.
 


















In the meantime, prepare the cream cheese filling. In a medium sized bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth and well-combined. Beat in powdered sugar until well incorporated.

Once cake roll is completely cooled, carefully unroll. Evenly spread cream cheese filling over the surface of the roll. Then, roll the cake up again, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.













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Sunday, December 12, 2021

My Three Layer Peppermint Fudge




This fudge is so pretty and festive for the holidays. It's always my go to when I want to make a special gift from the heart for friends, family and neighbors.  It takes a few steps, but it is so simple and so fast and so pretty to give away. And it is heavenly!  A layer of rich chocolate fudge covered by a layer of peppermint fudge and topped with a layer of white chocolate fudge!  Then it’s all covered with that familiar peppermint candy crunch.  This fudge is so creamy and so decadent!  Each layer has a distinct flavor of its own and when you bite into it, it melts in your mouth! This is a keeper my friends! 

  My Three Layer Peppermint Fudge

   3 (14 ounce) cans of sweetened condensed milk
   3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
   6 cups chopped white chocolate melting wafers or white chocolate chips
   1 teaspoon peppermint extract
   3 drops red food coloring
   Crushed peppermint candy for topping 

Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with on stick spray and then line it  with parchment paper. Then spray the paper.  I like to let the excess paper hang over the sides to use later as handles to lift out the fudge.























 In a medium non-stick sauce pan, pour in the first can of sweetened condensed milk and set heat too low. Add the semisweet chocolate chips and stir until the chocolate has completely melted and the mixture is smooth.  Pour this bottom layer into the prepared dish and smooth out flat with spatula.


Clean that saucepan to use it again.  Pour the second can of sweetened condensed milk in the saucepan and place it over low heat again.  This time, add your white melting wafers or white chocolate chips and stir until white chocolate has melted and mixture is smooth. Mix in 1 teaspoon peppermint extract, 3 drops of red food coloring. Mixture should be pink.  Pour this on top of the bottom layer in your dish and smooth out to the edges with and off-set spatula.


 Clean the same saucepan a final time to use again.  Pour the last can of sweetened condensed milk in the saucepan and place it over low heat again. This time, add you’re the remaining 3 white melting wafers or white chocolate chips and stir until white chocolate has melted and mixture is smooth. Pour this on top of the peppermint fudge and smooth out to the edges with an off-set spatula.  Sprinkle your crushed peppermint candy all over the top.  I like to cover completely but you can use as much as you’d like.



Place the pan in the refrigerator and chill for about 2 hours. Lift the fudge out by the parchment paper and cut into squares or smaller pieces.


NOTE:  Clean your knife in between cuttings to make sure you don’t get chocolate on your white or pink layers. Store in air tight container or in refrigerator.



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Black Forest Chocolate Cheesecake



























I usually make plain or white chocolate cheesecakes but this past weekend I decided to do a chocolate one. A decadent, delightful, delicious, Black Forest Cheesecake that turned out to be one of my prettiest yet! Calling all chocolate lovers! I dare you to try this one! 

Black Forest Chocolate Cheesecake

Crust:
2 – 2-1/2 Cups Chocolate Cookie Crumbs?
1/2 cup (1 Stick) Butter melted
2 tablespoons Sugar

Mix the ingredients and then press them into the bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch spring form pan. Try to make an even thickness crust on all sides with your hands. Bake the crust for 15 minutes at 350 degrees and then let cool. Lower the oven to 325 degrees to bake the cheesecake.


























  • 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
  • 1 1/4 cups Sugar
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 4 eggs

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.1
  2. In a large bowl, mix chocolate cookie crumbs, butter, and sugar together. Press into bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.2
  3. Bake crust for five minutes until set. Set aside to cool while making cheesecake.3
  4. Prepare cheesecake: In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine milk and chocolate and heat in microwave 20-30 seconds at a time, stirring each time, whisk until mixture is completely smooth. Set aside.4
  5. In a large bowl, mix cream cheese, sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla using an electric mixer until smooth, scraping sides of bowl as needed.5
  6. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition until just mixed. Don’t overmix.6
  7. Mix in melted chocolate until combined. Pour cheesecake batter over crust and spread evenly.7
  8. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until center is almost set. The center will still jiggle while edges will be set.8
  9. Turn oven off and crack oven door to allow cheesecake to cool slowly for 10 minutes, then remove cheesecake and carefully run a sharp knife around rim of pan to loosen cake.
  10. Allow cheesecake to cool at room temperature for at least an hour, then cover and refrigerate for six hours or overnight.

Top cheesecake with cherry pie filling in center and then pipe whipped cream all around the outside. Top with shaved chocolate curls. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Cut with a sharp knife, and wipe off the knife with a moist/hot washcloth between cuts. 





















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Friday, December 10, 2021

My Ravioli Lasagna

 
















 
 
 
I have gotten lazy in my old age.  Or maybe I've gotten smarter.  I make a mean homemade Lasagna if I might say so myself, but it takes a lot of time and preparation and so many ingredients and when I make it my kitchen looks like a war zone. I love Lasagna but I have never like boiling those noodles and no matter what you do they stick in the pot.  Then you have to lay them all out on paper towels and try to lift them without tearing.  So, one day I decided to take a few shortcuts.  First, if I’m not making homemade tomato sauce, I only use Ragu Chunky Tomato, Onion and Garlic in a jar.  Next, I decided to get some frozen ravioli. They already have the ricotta cheese mix inside!  I knew it would be good before I put it in the oven. It smelled and looked perfect.  And it was!  This was even better than homemade Lasagna and so simple to make.

    My Ravioli Lasagna 
 
1 pound ground beef
1 small onion diced
24 ounces marinara
3 cloves garlic minced
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 large egg
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
¼ cup chopped parsley
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
25 ounces frozen cheese ravioli
3 cups shredded mozzarella, divided
minced parsley for garnish 
       

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13x9 baking dish with non-stick spray.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the ground beef and onion. Brown the beef, crumbling it as it cooks. Drain the grease from the pan.

 























Add the tomato sauce and garlic and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often, over low heat.

 
























While sauce is simmering, mix ricotta, 1 cup of mozzarella, egg, Parmesan, parsley, garlic powder, and onion powder in a small bowl. 


























Spoon 1/3 of the meat mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread across the bottom.

 









 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Top sauce with a single layer of ravioli, half the ricotta mixture, and 1/3 of the sauce. Then do the same layer again…. meat sauce, ravioli, ricotta.  Finish with the remaining tomato sauce.

 



















 
 
 
 
Sprinkle the top with the remaining 2 cups of shredded mozzarella. Spray a sheet of aluminum foil and cover dish tightly. Bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 10 minutes more until bubbly and golden.




























Remove from the oven and sprinkle with minced parsley.




























 Let set for at least 15 minutes before cutting and serving.
























Lots of cheese!  Yum!

 






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