Chocolate Truffle Cake (mmmmmm…….)

Thank you to my wonderful sister-in-law Laura for sharing this recipe with me. It is truly amazing! LOVE YOU!

Ingredients:

1 Chocolate cake mix
2 small boxes of chocolate pudding mix
5 eggs
1 stick of butter, melted
1 – 16 oz container of sour cream
1 bag of chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Combine cake and pudding mixes and then create a well in the middle of a large bowl. Dump the sour cream, melted butter, and eggs in the well.

Using a large spoon (trust me, your mixer will fry because this is so thick) mix all of the ingredients together. Don’t be alarmed on how thick the batter is. That is normal.

Then pour the entire bag of chocolate chips in and mix it again.

Spray your Bundt pan with some pam and put the batter in it.

Bake 50-55 minutes. Once it is done baking let it cool for 10 minutes and then flip it. This cake does not need any frosting, but some fresh whipped cream or ice cream is yummy! You can eat it right away, but again, I highly suggest waiting a day. I promise it is well worth the wait!

*This is THE BEST cake ever. I am not really a cake fan, but this cake is so delicious that I can’t help but love it! I haven’t tried making it in a Bundt pan yet, but I can say it works great in a spring form pan.

(Sorry to the Whitaker’s for not getting this up when I said I would. I hope you enjoy it!)

Menu for May 9 - 15

So our grocery budget this week and for a few weeks is pretty much non-existent. I know that some people out there have extremely limited funds. I figured that I could use myself as an example and give some good ideas on what to eat for cheap in a week.

During this current week there is a huge sale on pasta at Smith's going on. I'm thinking we are going to have pasta pretty much every day. Here is why.... IT'S FREE!!!

Here is a complete list of what is on sale for the next 2 days at Smith's. If you will notice there are a few pasta options that are listed as FREE. Follow the links it gives next to each and print each of the coupons twice (this is all that you are allowed to print for each). Then make sure you stock up on the pasta ASAP. If they don't have any left at your store make sure to ask for a raincheck and go back and get it before your coupons expire. There is no reason for you to not buy/get this pasta.

Anyway, here is what we are having for our meals this week.

Monday - Spaghetti
I'll be using whatever pasta I have (probably curly or elbow noodles) with some homemade sauce that I have on hand. I've got some hamburger in my freezer that I've been building up a storage of. I'll also be heating up some bottled green beens. We have tons of canned peaches so we will have some of them as a side.

Tuesday - Tuna Fish Casserole
Again, more pasta. I have a lot of tuna around so I'll be using some of that along with some cans of cream of mushroom soup. I might experiment and add a little velveeta that I have on hand. I'll throw in some frozen peas and call it good.

Wednesday - Hot Dogs and Pasta Salad
Pasta salad will be random pasta mixed with some Italian dressing, cheese, olives, water chestnuts, and I'll probably pick up some cherry tomatoes at the store to throw in.

Thursday - Breakfast
We'll most likely have waffles or pancakes along with some eggs. I might pull out the bacon in our freezer for a treat.

Friday - Pizza!
We'll probably end up with Hawaiian. Possibly just cheese. Lately I've been into using Ranch Dressing as my sauce. It means that I don't have to buy tomato paste and I ALWAYS have some in my fridge.

Saturday - NA
We are in a community play that will be having a pot luck this day. I'll probably have some sandwiches for us to eat for lunch, but our dinner will be taken care of. I get to bring treats so I guess technically I could put 'cookies' here or something.

Sunday - Creamy Crock-Pot Chicken
I think I have this recipe up. Pretty much it is NOODLES, soup, chicken, dry Italian dressing, and sour cream.

Anyway, there is a look into what we are eating this week. If things are a little tight at your house take a look at what you already have and get creative. Good luck!

Ham Soup!

Spiral Ham = Ham Soup!

I kind of just made this up, so bare with me.

Ingredients
1 ham bone
leftover ham
3ish Potatoes
Carrots
Rice (I used a Rice Sides packet)
Green Beans

1. Put your left over ham bone into a pot and fill the pot with water until bone is mostly covered with water. Put on heat to boil.
2. Meanwhile start cutting up your potatoes, leftover ham, and carrots. After the water has begun to boil you can add the potatoes and carrots (they take longer to cook). Your rice made need to go in towards the beginning depending on how long it needs to cook. The rice packet I used was Butter & Herb so I didn't really need to add any other seasonings Also, don't forget to add whatever leftover ham you feel like.
3. Feel free to play around with the vegetables you add. Pick and choose your favorites. You can even add some of your favorite beans (kidney, black, etc.). Your main concern is letting your bone boil long enough to really season the water and veggies. Once you've let it boil long enough (I boiled mine for about a half an hour) you can remove the bone and let the soup simmer until you are ready to eat.

Free Food Storage Cook Book

There is this great website out there called “Food Storage Made Easy”. They have got a great e-book that helps you get on the road to being prepared for a disaster (i.e. food storage, water storage, 72 hour kits, etc.). They also have great tips each week on different subjects that fall under these categories.

They have recently been having a Spring Party. The best part, the Party Favor! They have compiled a recipe book with TONS of good recipes that include ingredients right from your pantry. Not only that, but it is free! Here is a link to their blog and the free download!

http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/2011/04/25/surprise-3-shelf-stable-cookbook/

Make sure to take a look around their website and see all of the great things that they have to offer!

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

THANKS MOM!!!!

Ingredients

2 lbs lean ground beef

2 eggs

1 cup dry bread crumbs

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp seasoning salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp granulated sugar

Sauce Ingredients

1 (20 oz) can pineapple chunks, drained with juice reserved

1/3 cup water

3 Tbs distilled white vinegar

1 Tbs soy sauce

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

3 Tbs cornstarch

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp seasoning salt

1 large carrot, diced

1 large green bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a large, shallow baking sheet.

2. In a large bowl, thoroughly mix the ground beef, eggs, bread crumbs and onion. Sprinkle with ginger, seasoning salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce and sugar. Shape into one inch balls.

3. Place meatballs in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes; set aside.

4. To make the sauce, mix enough water with the reserved pineapple juice to make 1 cup. In a large pot over medium heat, combine the juice mixture, 1/3 cup water, vinegar, soy sauce, and brown sugar. Stir in cornstarch, ginger and seasoning salt, until smooth. Cover and cook until thickened.

5. Stir pineapple chunks, carrot, green pepper and meatballs into the sauce. Gently stir to coat the meatballs with the sauce. Simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, or until meatballs are thoroughly cooked.

Classic Burger

Ingredients

1 medium onion

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

1 1/2 lb lean ground beef

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1 tsp salt

Finely chop onion and parsley. Combine beef, onion, parsley, pressed garlic, and salt. Mix well. Separate into patties and grill!

Jerk Chicken Nachos

Pampered Chef

Ingredients

6 cups tortilla chips

3 cups diced or shredded cooked chicken

2 cups (8 oz) shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

2 Tbsp Jamaican Jerk Rub, divided

1 small yellow or red bell pepper or combination

1 lime

2 Tbsp snipped fresh cilantro

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Arrange tortilla chips in an overlapping layer on pan.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine chicken, cheese, and 1 tbsp of the rub; mix gently. Sprinkle chicken mixture evenly over tortilla chips. Bake 5-7 minutes or until cheese is melted; remove from oven.

3. Meanwhile, dice bell pepper. Cut lime in half crosswise. Juice half of the lime into a small bowl. Add bell pepper and remaining rub and mix well.

4. Snip cilantro and set aside. Slice remaining lime half thinly and cut slices in half.

5. Spoon bell pepper mixture over nachos; sprinkle evenly with cilantro. Serve with sour cream and garnish with the lime slices.

Jamaican Jerk Rub is available through Pampered Chef. It is amazing!!!! If you want to make this without the rub I’m sure it will still be super yummy!