Easy Dessert- Best.Cake.Ever!!

I came by this recipe from a co-worker a few years ago. You can find it on the internet called "chocolate cavity maker" cake. This is my go-to cake when I need to bring something for brunches/birthdays/holidays but don't have time to spend on an involved dessert. This is so easy that you practically don't need anything but the pictures below. The best thing is that you toss everything in one bowl so easy cleanup! The recipe is more of a method, you can play around with the flavor profiles and make a whole different cake. The chocolate is my personal favorite-people go nuts for it!

The girls and I made the classic chocolate Kahlua and a vanilla white chocolate version for the Christmas bake sale this year and they were both gone in an instant. What will be your favorite combo?!

The recipe below is for the original chocolate version,  with the vanilla version in parenthesis
If you want to change things up do so by changing the pudding, cake, alcohol and mix ins.

You Will Need:
18.2 oz box of dark chocolate or chocolate fudge cake mix (butter cake mix)
16 oz sour cream
3.9 oz instant chocolate pudding mix (white chocolate pudding)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1/2 cup Kahlua liquor or strong brewed coffee (Godiva white chocolate liquor)
1 1/2-2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (butterscotch chips)

First step- gather your ingredients, a large bowl, hand mixer  and a bundt pan.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  

Next literally take all ingredients with the exception of chocolate chips and dump them into the bowl

Next using hand mixer blend well then fold in chocolate chips (the girls got in on some spatula action)

Spread into greased and floured bundt pan and bake for 1 hour until cake springs back when touched.

Let cool in pan for 10 minutes then turn out to cool completely on wire rack.....

and Voila!!!!!

I dusted these with just a little powdered sugar because they are plenty sweet without frosting but hey- its' ups to you!!

Be sure to share your flavor combos with me!!!

Easy Entertaining- Chicken with Mustard Marscapone Marsala

This is my favorite glammed up version of chicken Marsala. It's a Giada De Laurentis recipe that I came across a couple of years ago and it has become my go-to meal for entertaining since it tastes gourmet but comes together quick and it is very easy to double or triple the recipe for entertaining.  I play around with the mix-ins to give it a twist. Yum!

Total cooking time: 30 minutes
What you'll need:

1- 1 1/2 lbs chicken breast or tenderloins cut into chunks
1/4 lb proscuitto (optional)

1 box fettuccine

3/4 cup marscapone cheese

1-2 tablespoons dijon mustard

1 cup dry Marsala wine (the REAL stuff, not supermarket kind)

1 cup chopped onion
16 oz package baby bella or cremini mushrooms

Garlic
Butter

Olive oil 

First off get your pot of water on to boil and get everything nice and chopped up uniformly...

Next season the chicken with salt and pepper and add to heated oil in pan over medium-high heat. Cook until slightly brown and cooked thorough. Then transfer to plate.

Then melt a few pats of butter in the same pan and throw in your garlic, onions, proscuitto (if using), and mushrooms. Saute them together until softened, about 10 minutes.

Hit that pan with the Marsala wine and scrape up any brown pieces from the bottom. Let it simmer for 5 minutes or so.  

Next stir in the dijon mustard to taste- I like about 1 tablespoon of the grainy Grey Poupon kind.  Also stir in the Marascapone, and pop the chicken back into the pan.  Mix it all around to coat chicken and let the sauce thicken up a bit. Season with more salt and pepper. If you want here you can even wilt in a few handfuls of baby spinach to boost up the veggie component.

When the pasta is cooked, add some butter or olive oil to it and then top each serving with the marsala mixture and there you have it!

Oh- don't forget to serve with some good vino!!

Enjoy!