Chocolate Chip Gooey Butter Cake

I love Gooey Butter Cake! There's not a lot of things better than gooey butter cake for breakfast with a cup of coffee Until...you add chocolate to gooey butter cake and the whole ballgame changes. Oh my word this is some yummy-ness! I would recommend running a marathon before...and maybe after you consume this goodness but oh it's totally worth it!!:)

Cake

1 box butter-recipe cake mix

1 egg

1/2 c (1 stick) butter, melted

Filling

1 8 oz. pkg cream cheese, softened

2 eggs

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 16 oz. box powdered sugar

1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, melted

1 c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Light grease a 9x13 in. baking pan.

In a bowl, combine cake mix, egg, and butter with an electric mixer. Mix well. Pat into the bottom of prepared pan and set aside. Still using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth; add eggs and vanilla. Dump powdered sugar and beat very well. Reduce the speed of mixer and slowly pour in melted butter. Mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour filling onto cake mixture and spread evenly. Bake for 40-50 minutes (it took me closer to 50 minutes). You want to center to be a little gooey, so don't bake it past that point! Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. If you want to drizzle melted chocolate over the top allow it to cool for at least 15 minutes and then drizzle over. Allow to cool for at least another hour and then cut into bars. Enjoy!

Our School Girl...

I can't even begin to tell you how quick Alyssa has grown up. On one hand it feels like I JUST had her..but then it seems she has been in our lives forever. We are soooo proud of her! She is such a kind hearted little girl. She loves Jesus, others and has such a tender heart. She is smart and wise and so creative. She loves to draw and create anything! She is NOT a morning person. She prefers to lay around and not have to get in a hurry to get around in the mornings! She's decided getting to school early for early morning recess is not something she is interested in. She prefers to lounge at home!! I'm totally ok with that! She has done great, though! She loves school, but "it's pretty boring" right now! She is ready to learn!!:)

Here are a few pictures of our little sweetie this past week as she began her first week of Kindergarten!!

We love you sweet girl! We are so incredibly proud of you and the little girl God has created in you! What a gift we have been given!

James 1:17

Every GOOD and PERFECT gift comes from the Lord....

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Cajun Chicken Pasta Recipe

I really enjoyed the sundried tomatoes, but they can be left out if you choose. For the chicken, you can season the breasts, fry them whole and then slice them instead if you choose. This chicken pasta dish is sure to please almost everyone. Enjoy.

Ingredients:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into small strips)

4 ounces linguini (cooked all dente)

2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning

2 tablespoons butter

1 green onion (thinly sliced)

2 cups heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes (chopped)

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon dried basil

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

¼ cup parmesan cheese

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: Place chicken strips and Cajun seasoning in a bowl, toss the chicken with the seasoning until the chicken strips evenly coated with the seasoning.

Step 2: In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add chicken and sauté the chicken for 5 to 7 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked (the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees).

Step 3: Reduce heat to low. Add green onions, heavy cream, tomatoes, basil, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. Cook until heated through. Pour over hot linguini and toss with parmesan cheese.

Kung Pao Chicken

Kung Pao Chicken

Ingredients:

1lb boneless-skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1” pieces)

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 teaspoons sesame oil

3 tablespoons green onions (chopped)

3 garlic cloves (minced)

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon powdered ginger

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons sugar

1/3 cup dry roasted peanuts

Step 1: combine chicken and cornstarch in a small bowl and toss to coat. Heat sesame oil in wok over medium heat, add chicken and stir fry 5-7 minutes or until no longer pink inside. Remove chicken from wok.

Step 2: Add green onions, garlic, red pepper flakes and powdered ginger to the wok and stir fry for 15 seconds.

Step 3: Combine vinegar, soy sauce and sugar in a small bowl. Mix well and add the sauce to the wok.

Step 4: Return chicken to the wok and coat with sauce. Stir in roasted peanuts. Heat thoroughly.

*Top with additional green onions if desired and serve over white or brown rice.

I also made some homemade wontons with a chili sauce and they were a great addition to this meal!

Enjoy!!

Chicken Pecan Salad

Chicken Pecan Salad

I Love A Chicken Salad Sandwich and I can't wait to try this recipe! It sounds so light and yummy!!

Chicken Pecan Salad

1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/3 c. mayo
1/2 c. chopped celery
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. chicken, chopped
1/4 c. toasted pecans, chopped
1/4 c. dried cranberries

Mix the mayo, lemon juice and salt. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir well.

Cinnamon Roll Cake..In the oven now!!

Cake:
3 c. flour
1/4 tsp.salt
1 c. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 c. milk
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. butter, melted

Topping:
1 c. butter, softened
1 c. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Mix everything together except for the butter. Slowly stir in the melted butter and pour into a greased 9x13 pan. For the topping, mix all the ingredients together until well combined. Drop evenly over the batter and swirl with a knife. Bake at 350 for 28-32 minutes.

Glaze:
2 c. powdered sugar
5 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla


While warm drizzle the glaze over the cake.

On top of things..

I love to feel like I am on top of things around my house. there is nothing more gratifying as a stay at home mom and wife to have our home and our life in order! I love the house picked up, the laundry done (doesn't always make the top of the priority list), and I LOVE to have my meals planned out! I was really feeling on top of the world a couple of weeks ago! I got on the ball and made a dinner menu for 3 weeks. Yes you read that right!! I planned 5 meals a week for 3 weeks and I bought all my groceries for those 3 weeks. All totaling a whopping $130. But that's another post!

I just feel like my life is a whole lot less stressful when I don't have to think about the dreaded question of, "What sounds good for dinner?" Quite frankly, Matt never cares. He thinks I am a fabulous cook and would eat anything I make (good man). So he is not much help when I ask that question. So instead of stressing about it, I plan ahead and man it makes things go so smooth!

I write down each day and I include all sides as well. If my menu calls for something that doesn't sound the greatest, I just flip flop my menu around! It really works great.

I thought I would share my menu for this week! I know I get in a rut with cooking and it's nice to have someone else's menu to give me ideas. I am always asking my friends what they are cooking for the week. It just helps having fresh ideas.

Monday: I am throwing in a pork butt in the morning. Check out the recipe HERE. I add about half a bottle of liquid smoke to give it a little more smoky flavor. This will be accompanied by small yeast rolls with coleslaw for Pulled Pork Sandwiches.

Tuesday: We will use the pork (I do not add bbq sauce to the pork so I can reuse it) for pork tacos. They are sooo yummy! I throw the meat in a saucepan, add in some cumin, salt, pepper, some green chilies, and anything else you may want to make your pork a little more mexican. I throw some meat on a tortilla, add some cheese, lettuce, salsa and guacamole and it is a flavor of fun in your mouth! Oh yum!!

Wednesday: Chicken Alfredo. Recipe HERE.

Thursday: Kung Pao Chicken with peanuts and scallions. Served with homemade wontons and brown rice.

Friday: Steak night!! Then I will use the left over steak for steak fajitas!!

I hope this has helped you this week! I love new recipes so if you have anything you just love..send it my way!!

Check out this awesome blog for some great recipes! Chrissy is an awesome cook and we are equally on top of things (haha..jk) when it comes to meal planning! We brainstorm together most weeks on what we will cook!!:)