Warm Chocolate Pudding Cake

This is amazing! It's soooo easy and good hot or cold the next day. 

1 pkg. (2-layer size) devil's food chocolate cake mix

2 cups cold milk
1-1/4 cups water
2 pkg. (3.9 oz. each) Chocolate Instant Pudding
1/3 cup sugar
2 cups thawed Cool Whip

Heat oven to 350°F. Prepare cake batter as directed on package. Pour into greased 13x9-inch baking dish; set aside.

Pour milk and water into large bowl. Add pudding mixes and sugar. Beat with whisk 2 min. or until blended. Pour over batter.

Put baking dish on baking sheet to catch any sauce that bubbles over sides of dish as dessert bakes. Bake 55 min. to 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center of cake layer comes out clean. Cool 20 min. (Sauce will thicken slightly as it cools). Spoon into serving dishes; top with Cool Whip.

Delish Open-Faced Ciabatta Cheese Steak

Ok, so I know it's been awhile so I'm going to post another dinner tomorrow!

These are juicy and messy but so good. They have been requested by a couple of my peeps so I thought I'd post them for all. I got it from Rachael Ray's Express Lane Cookbook. So, this isn't an actual picture of this recipe but it's enough to get you interested in the meal! Makes 4 -6 Servings
1 1/2 lbs thick-cut steak (or pre-sliced steak to make it easy)
4 TB EVOO
salt and pepper
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 large onion, quartered and sliced
5 garlic cloves (3 for veggies, 2 for bread)
1 large ciabatta loaf or any chewy loaf, split down the middle
1/2 cup Parmesan Romano
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 cup beef stock
1 cup crushed tomatoes (can)
3 TB capers, drained and chopped
fist full of flat leafed- Italian parsley
8 oz chunk of provolone or slices

Slice the meat very thin against the grain.

Heat 2 TB of EVOO (twice around the pan) on high. When hot add meat and sear to caramelize. Keep them moving. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from pan and tent some foil to keep them warm but not overcooked. Add more EVOO and reduce to medium heat, add peppers, onions, and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Preheat broiler to high and place the rack on the 2nd highest spot.  Put the bread on the rack and toast until golden. Now rub the bread with garlic, drizzle with EVOO, and top with the Parmesan Romano and pepper.  Melt for a few seconds and remove.

Add wine and stock to the veggies and cook down for 1 minute. Then add tomatoes, capers, and parsley, bring to a boil.  Add meat to veggies with any juice from meat for 2-3 minutes.

Shred cheese or slice thin. Pile the meat and veggies over the entire loaf and cover in provolone.  Place it in the broiler to melt the cheese until bubbly. Cut each side into desired portions and enjoy!!!

Sorry my "followers"

So I have been super busy with redoing the house we just bought, moving out of our apartment, and now rooming with my parents... so all that so say sorry foodies. Well, I have a great recipe I adapted and made last night and I will be sharing it shortly.  That picture is of my future kitchen! I can't wait. If you want to check it out click here!
Swift Mamas House Remodel

Baker's Chocolate & Mocha Sweethearts from kraftfoods.com

These are a bit of a commitment but they are so worth it!! If you are on Weight Watchers, this is NOT recommended. For the rest of us without willpower...it's your normal delicious brownie with a twist and my 2 cents... Enjoy!

 4 squares BAKER'S Unsweetened Chocolate
3/4 cup  (1-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine
2 cups sugar
4   eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup  flour
1/2 cup Suisse Mocha Café, or any other flavor
6 squares  BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate
1-1/2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter
12 oz Cool Whip
HEAT oven to 350°F.
LINE 13x9-inch pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Spray foil with cooking spray.
MICROWAVE unsweetened chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until butter is melted; stir until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in sugar. Blend in eggs and vanilla. Add flour and flavored instant coffee; stir until well blended. Spread into prepared pan.
BAKE 30 to 35 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with fudgy crumbs. (Do not overbake.) Cool completely. Use foil handles to remove brownie from pan; cut into shapes with 1-1/2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter. (Reserve scraps for snacking or another use.) Melt semi-sweet chocolate as directed on package. Dip tops of brownie hearts in chocolate or get a spoon full and drizzle it on. That was easier for me. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm.
TOP with dollops of the Cool Whip to soften the sweetness of the brownie


Check out http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/dessert/chocolate-center/Pages/chocolate-center.aspx for more yummy chocolate things like the easy 


Warm Chocolate Pudding Cake! http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/warm-chocolate-pudding-cake-112458.aspx

Baked "Wally"

My hubby wants you to know that this is "Husband Approved..."  The pasta in this dish looks.. like Wally's eyes hence the name Baked "Wally" created by my 4 year old.  It's readlly good and bakes for 20 minutes so you have time to clean up the mess that you just made by cooking it!

Baked "Wally"
1 lb Mezzi Rigatoni (or whatever short pasta is in your cupboard at the time)
1 lb ground turkey (or whatever meat...)
2 big handfuls of Baby Spiniach (chopped)
1 package of mozzorella cheese shredded
1 jar store bought sauce (I used the 3 cheese Marinara from F and E )
1 can stewed tomatoes
1/2 - 1 cup Parmesan 
2 garlic cloves minced (I buy the pre-minced garlic at Costco in the jar)
salt and pepper
cayenne pepper-3-4 good shakes
a couple shakes of basil (I by the frozen basil at TJ that pops out like cubes and I used 3)
1. Heat oven to 375 and boil water for pasta and cook 1 min under recommended time. Put aside when cooked. 
2.Cook the ground turkey until browned with garlic, some pepper, cayenne, basil, salt. 
3. Turn to low heat and add chopped spinach to turkey and stir. 
4. Add stewed tomatoes and sauce and simmer for 2 minutes. 
5. Add cooked pasta and Parmesan. 
6. Put layer 1 of pasta mixture 1/3 cheese, repeat 2 more times topping with the cheese.
7. Cook for 20 minutes and enjoy!

Kielbasa-and-Onion Pizza

This is such a yummy and very quick homemade pizza! Serve with a mixed greens salad.

Kielbasa-and-Onion Pizza

 By: Sarah Zorn from Rachel Ray Magazine

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 

1/2 pound kielbasa, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise, use any smoked or precooked meat in place of the kielbasa.

2 onions, thinly sliced 

Salt and pepper 

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped (or dry if you don't want to buy it fresh)

1 pound refrigerated pizza dough (Fresh and Easy's whole wheat dough is SO good)

1 cup shredded gruyère cheese (about 4 ounces), or whatever cheese you want, I used mozz once and a Mexican blend another time

minced garlic

DIRECTIONS:

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 500°. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the kielbasa and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes; transfer to a medium bowl. Add the onions and garlic and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes. Lower the heat to medium-low, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden-brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the kielbasa and thyme and season with salt and pepper.

Stretch the pizza dough to fit a greased baking sheet. Arrange the kielbasa mixture evenly on top and sprinkle with the cheese. Bake until the crust is golden-brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Enjoy!

World Vision: Haiti Earthquake Relief

World Vision: Haiti Earthquake Relief

This is a really well know group to support the relief effort in Haiti!