Oh yes, you read that correctly.

Dark, Rich, Deep, Fudgey Chocolate Bundt Cake topped with a deliciously decadent and simple Kahlua Glaze.

When this month’s Crazy Cooking Challenge
was announced as the search for the ULTIMATE Chocolate Cake recipe, I immediately did 2 things:  1) Groaned (remember? 17 Day Diet) 2) jumped on the internet and started searching.

I am a complete and total chocolate snob and any old chocolate cake just doesn’t get my taste buds dancing – up to this point in life, the only two chocolate cakes that have earned my love and passion are the German Chocolate Cake and Texas Sheet Cake.

It took me a couple of days to find a cake recipe that got me excited.  I don’t know WHY I didn’t immediately go to Bree’s blog ~ she is after all, fairly amazing and I’m so excited to meet her and be a Food Community Leader with her in a few weeks at Blissdom.

I was immediately drawn to this recipe by the combination of chocolate and Kahlua – I have fond memories of late nights on my apartment patio with my roommate (and pledge class sorority sister, Nicole) that involve kahlua and cream and laughing until we cried.  I honestly couldn’t tell y’all the last time that I had Kahlua – so off I went to the liquor store and then the grocery store for cake mix and pudding (yes, cake mix – deal with it)

The only changes that I made to Bree’s Recipe were to use Dark Chocolate Fudge cake mix, Dark Chocolate Chips and a Fudge Pudding (why yes, I am a Dark Chocolate lover, why do you ask?)

I made this cake for Nathan’s birthday party (along with non-alcoholic cupcakes for the kids) and I would have taken beautiful pictures of a slice of cake accompanied by the Kahlua bottle and some dark chocolate chips – if the cake hadn’t been positively inhaled and devoured.  There were actual, honest to goodness moans of delight from everyone who tasted the cake.

Wickedly – sinfully – amazingly tonguegasmic, that is what this cake is.

This beautiful, buttery, cinnamon and brown sugar filled Southern Classic – Sock It To Me Cake – is Nathan’s favorite cake.

It is the one he requests for every birthday.

This year, Monkey and Princess helped me make Nathan’s birthday cake.

I love passing family recipes on to my kids, watching their eyes take in the tattered and stained recipe cards, the smells the same ones that I remember from my own childhood.

With this cake, we even had a milestone reached.

Monkey finally mastered cracking eggs into the bowl without getting eggshells in the bowl!!!

Look! Even the eggs were happy!

This cake is so simple to make – it starts with a boxed cake mix – as so many delicious Southern recipes do and the rich buttery flavor is enhanced by cinnamon, brown sugar, walnuts and even sour cream.  Y’all should have seen Princess’ face when I told her there was sour cream in this cake

Oh.. Wait..

Here it is -

After the gifts were presented and a few tears shed by a very touched and proud Daddy,  the cake was served and declared the best one yet – which is saying A LOT – as I’ve been making this cake for Nathan for over 13 years.

I hope y’all try out this southern and family favorite recipe!

A few favorites from last week’s linky

• Chickpea Salad with Grilled Pita Bread
• Cinnamon Raisin Oatcakes
• Tamale Cups
• Fried Green Beans
• Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

Thank y’all for linking up your amazing recipes every week.  I love seeing what y’all are serving your friends and families!  You often inspire my own table and definitely leave me hungry!

Don’t forget to visit and comment on a few other participants, link back to A Southern Fairytale and Mouthwatering Mondays in your recipe post and leave a comment after you link up, I love hearing from y’all!

Happy Monday!

Ground Turkey.  Homemade Taco Seasoning.  Spinach Salad Mix.  Pico De Gallo.

This is the Cycle 1 recipe of the The 17 Day Diet  that won my husband over.  This is the recipe that lock, stock and barrel sold him on the diet and kept him going through the 1st cycle.

I’ll admit it, taking a steak and potatoes and beer boy and saying – “Oh, by the way for 17 days – it’s nothing but veggies, protein and low carb fruits… oh, did I mention you are only supposed to drink water and green tea” it’s sort of like waving raw meat in front of a crocodile — dangerous.

Here’s the thing.  This diet, it’s worked for us.

Nathan has lost and maintained the loss of 40 pounds.  I have lost and maintained the loss of 30 pounds.

This isn’t so much a recipe, as a suggestion.

It’s more a … here’s how we put this together.

.

It may not work for y’all.  Do the research give it a chance, it might work for you.

Favorites from Last Week:

• Turkey and Apple Panini
• Sweet and Spicy Pepitas
• Cajun Chicken Pasta
• Lighter Southwestern Salad

I know, it wasn’t a *real* recipe, but it’s one that has proved invaluable to us.  It’s one of our favorites.

I can’t wait to see what y’all have to share this week!

Remember to visit others, leave comments, link back and share the love!

and a giveaway!

That’s right -

Dark Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies

Nathan and I aren’t really sweets people, please try to contain your shock

We would much rather eat something savory or spicy (as I’m sure y’all have noticed, given the recipes that I post here).

There is however, one sweet combo that both Nathan and Monkey will never turn down – the combination of Peanut Butter and Chocolate.  Whether it’s cookies, cakes, cupcakes, ice cream — if it’s peanut butter and chocolate, my boys are all over it.

When I saw the White Lily Flour Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Cookie recipe in the goodie basket that I received, I knew it was the perfect recipe to test and share with y’all alongside today’s giveaway.

These cookies are super easy to make and delicious!  They are rich and fluffy and definitely peanut buttery (is peanut buttery even a word?) without being overwhelmingly stick to the roof of the mouth peanut buttery and when they’re combined with the dark chocolate dip… oooh baby .

Now on to the giveaway – I teased y’all about it when I shared the Caramel Pecan Biscuit Bake Recipe and now it’s here.  This is a truly delicious giveaway.

Not only will you get a basket with White Lily flour, recipes, a pastry cutter, measuring cup, White Lily bread towel and spatula

You will also get this Cuisinart Power Advantage Plus 7-Speed Hand Mixer!

I can’t even tell y’all how much I love this mixer:  from the digital display, to the awesome snap on storage case for all the goodies that come with it: beater’s, chef’s whisk, dough hook and even a spatula.  I love, love, love this little baby – however I have to admit, my favorite part of it is the eject button.  You know how with some mixers you push the eject button and the beaters just release and you pull them out?

Oh no.. not with this baby.  The Cuisinart Power Advantage Plus doesn’t mess around.  It has a release trigger and when you pull the trigger – those babies SHOOT out.  I may or may not have played with this feature for 5 minutes or so – what can I say? I’m easily entertained by kitchen gadgets.

Would you like to win this?

Mandatory Entry: What’s your favorite treat to make for (or with) your family?

Bonus Entry:  Tweet this giveaway and leave your tweet url in the comments

Bonus Entry:  Check out White Lily Flour’s Recipes and tell me which one you’d most like to try

That’s 3 entries per person! Good luck, y’all!
This giveaway is open from Friday January 20, 2012 to Sunday January 22, 2012 at 10:00 PM CST. Once the winner has been contacted, they will have 24 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen

This recipe and giveaway are part of a partnership with White Lily flour. I have received product compensation for my time and talents.

This Giveaway is now closed:

Congratulations to our winner:

Mocha Momma

I know.

I KNOW.

But come on y’all, how could I resists that title? I mean really y’all , I resisted adding Con Cebolla… so really, I deserve some slack

This is such an easy and fun twist on the traditional cheesy chicken and rice (aka arroz con pollo) with such an amazing flavor profile that I just had to name it Arroz Con Pollo Con Queso Con Ro*Tel®

The inspiration for this month’s VELVEETA® and Ro*Tel® recipe was the delicious combination of VELVEETA® Mexican Cheese and Ro*Tel® Mexican with Lime and Cilantro

After spending a wonderful, if somewhat exhausting Christmas with sick family, coming home to a ton of laundry, crazy weather and broken fences… I was in the mood for something simple, delicious and most of all comforting.

I don’t know anyone who didn’t grown up eating chicken and rice, it’s one of those ultimate comfort foods. This is chicken and rice taken to the next level — still simple, still delicious, just a bit more Southern, a bit zingier and a bit more grown up.

VELVEETA® and RO*TEL® are hosting an amazing sweepstakes to encourage simple, easy weeknight family meals and entertainment ideas. Winners will be picked each week, and the more points you collect the more chances you have of winning! Grand prize winner will receive $15,000!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of VELVEETA/RO*TEL. The opinions and text are all mine.

Dear Ones,

I’d like y’all to say hello to someone.

It’s time y’all say Hello to a new kind of Breakfast Dish – That little beauty dripping with caramelized sugars and pecans is White Lily Flour’s Caramel Pecan Biscuit Bake

Would y’all like another introduction?

You’re welcome.

This isn’t your typical Breakfast Bake, it doesn’t have a cake base – this little beauty has a Southern Biscuit base made with White Lily’s Self Rising Flour

This recipe intrigued me.

White Lily Flour is the ONLY flour that my Dad uses to make his Beaten Biscuits – a Southern delicacy unlike any other.

However.  HOWEVER.

Biscuits at breakfast, not something unusual in the South.  However… biscuits in the South not topped with gravy, biscuits in the south not stuffed with Country Ham or slathered with homemade jam …. what is this Southern blasphemy you speak of? {wink, wink}
Well let me tell y’all, my biscuits and gravy loving’ Southern husband – devoured two pieces of this and declared it ‘damn good’.

Monkey and Princess both had two pieces and when I came back to cover the baking dish after breakfast, it was fairly evident some little fingers had been helping themselves to more.

This dish is messy and gooey and crunchy and sweet and downright yummy. The biscuit base is a bit of a surprise if you’re expecting a sweet cake style base, and I have to admit – we really liked it.

This recipe today is in conjunction with a giveaway that I partnered with White Lily flour to bring y’all.  I have received product compensation for my time and talents.

Stay Tuned!  I have a Giveaway that involves White Lily Flour – a Cuisinart Hand Mixer – and yumminess on Thursday! Make sure that you’re a subscriber to my blog and following me on Twitter so you don’t miss out!

Favorites From Last Week

• Amy’s Roasted Shrimp with Rosemary and Thyme
• Elsa’s Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Cranberries and Balsamic Reduction
• Mary’s Cake Batter Bark
• Michelle’s Tomato Avocado Salad

Thank y’all for linking up every Monday and sharing the fun of Mouthwatering Mondays with others through your comments, linking back in your posts and visiting each other! Can’t wait to see what y’all have in store for us this week!

We’re kicking 2012 off the right way!

Bacon & Asparagus

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

Y’all, these bacon wrapped asparagus bundles are so simple to make and so delicious!

I made these several times at my parents house over Christmas break and my goodness, all y’all on Instar.gram just went gaga over it.  We ate them hot. warm and even cold and they were delicious every single time!

These are so simple, yet impressive.

Take a bundle of asparagus, rinse it well and lay it on a paper towel.

Take each piece of asparagus one hand on each end and bend, the asparagus will snap at it’s natural breaking point – toss the bottom, tough piece and set the top aside.  Repeat with each spear.

Pre-heat oven to 400 F

Lay all the snapped spears on a cutting board and dish and drizzle with olive oil and top with your favorite seasoning.  I prefer Zatarain’s Big & Zesty Garlic & Herb Creole Seasoning.  At my parent’s house I used a Southwest Seasoning and a Season Salt – you really can’t go wrong.  Toss the asparagus around in the olive oil and seasoning until all the spears are well coated

Count out the spears into bundles of 10 – 12 spears.  I can get 4 bundles out of each bunch of asparagus.

Starting at the bottom of a bundle, wrap tightly all the way up with a thick piece of bacon

Place the bacon wrapped spears on a broiler pan over another tray, once they’re all done, place them in the 400 F oven and cook about 20 minutes – or until the asparagus is cooked to your liking. (the cooking time will depend upon the thickness of the spears)
Serve with whatever you like, or these would even make fun snacks for a party, maybe even with this chili garlic dipping sauce – YUM!

Here’s the printable, save-able version – thanks to the wonderful ZipList plug-in!

if you like this recipe, you’ll love these bacon wrapped roasted green beans from Karly

Happy first Mouthwatering Monday of 2012, y’all! Thank you for linking up your recipes every week! I get so much inspiration and joy from seeing what y’all are sharing with your friends and family each week.

Whenever we go out to eat and a bread basket is placed on the table, I will inevitably grab the baguette.

The crispy on the outside, soft, warm, and yeasty on the inside baguette – baguettes are one of the few breads whose siren song I am simply unable to resist.

When the wonderful people at Sister Schubert’s contacted me about sampling two of their new products – The Soft Pretzel Rolls and ding ding ding! their new Mini Baguettes well, let’s just say I was more than a bit delighted.  I’ve been a Sister Schubert’s fan for years.
I have talked about them quite a bit in the past, both sponsored and not.

I received bags of both the Soft Pretzel Rolls and the Mini Baguettes to sample, use in recipes or as accents to recipes and well… ummm… they were so good that I had to ask them to send me another bag of each because we kind of devoured them before I had time to y’know — create recipes around them or photograph them. (oops).

I did finally manage to use some and get photographic evidence of them before they hit our tummies! Find out how I use the Pretzel rolls to make Turkey Salad Stuffed Soft Pretzel Rolls

For the Baguettes – which honestly are perfect completely all on their own, torn and swirled in roasted garlic olive oil dipping sauce or pretty much any way you like – I decided that they would make the most wonderful toasted sandwiches, and I was right!

Let me introduce y’all to these delightfully simple to make, yet wonderfully delicious

Sweet Caramelized Onion, Turkey, & Swiss on Toasted Baguette Sandwiches

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In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, I melted 4 Tbsp (1/4 C) butter and added one sliced medium sweet yellow onion.

While the butter and heat worked their magic on the onion, I heated up the Mini Baguettes (2) and sliced some of our leftover Turkey – I used my Poblano and Citrus Roasted Turkey recipe.

When the baguettes and the onions were ready I got a slice of Swiss Cheese and laid it out with the rest of the ingredients

I sliced open both baguettes and drizzled the delicious butter and onion sauce from the pan onto the bread

After I drizzled the inside of both the top and bottom of each baguette, I placed sliced turkey on the bottom half of the baguette and topped the turkey with caramelized onions and placed a slice of swiss cheese on the other piece of mini baguette.

I placed these sandwich halves on a cookie sheet facing up and placed them in a 375 F oven for about 7 minutes – until the cheese was melted

I added fresh sliced avocado to my sandwich

YUM YUM YUM

and left Nathan’s as it was.

The resulting sandwiches were…

Well – in a word – Tonguegasmic.

Sadly, the mini baguettes are not available near me yet, however I can order them online from Sister Schubert’s and you can bet your sweet bippy that I’m going to be ordering several bags.

I am one of eight bloggers selected by Sister Schubert’s Homemade Rolls to review their products.  I have been compensated for my time commitment to the program as well as my writing about my experience.  I have also been provided products for review.  However, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments.

Stay tuned, y’all!  I have a delicious Sister Schubert’s Giveaway coming on Friday!

Pepperjack, Cilantro, Green Chilies, Tomatoes, Lime Juice and sweet corn.

On the day that I was deciding what to make for this month’s VELVEETA® and Ro*Tel® recipe, a crazy cold front blew in to South Texas.  It dropped 15 degrees in an hour and we actually had to put on {gasp} long sleeves!

That solidified it, it was time for something hearty, filling and easy.   I went to my pantry and found that I had a can of Mexican Style Ro*Tel® with Cilantro and Lime Juice and a couple of cans of cream style corn.  Done.  No brainer.  I decided to do a twist on a Southern Classic – Corn Chowder.  I sauteed sweet red bell peppers, green bell peppers and yellow onion in butter until slightly soft

Then I added in cream cheese, cream style corn, milk, pepperjack VELVEETA® and Mexican Style Ro*Tel® with Cilantro and lime juice and simmered and stirred until everything was melted and creamy.  Poured everyone a bowl and we devoured it.  Nathan, who doesn’t eat corn unless it is grilled corn on the cob – asked for seconds.  My kids (I fainted) loved it.  This was quick, delicious, filling, satisfying and yummy… did I mention that it was delicious?  I’m so excited to share this yummy meal with y’all and I hope that y’all, in turn, share it with your friends and family!

VELVEETA® and RO*TEL® are hosting an amazing sweepstakes to encourage simple, easy weeknight family meals and entertainment ideas. Winners will be picked each week, and the more points you collect the more chances you have of winning! Grand prize winner will receive $15,000!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of VELVEETA/RO*TEL. The opinions and text are all mine.

It’s that time of the month again, time for the Crazy Cooking Challenge.
This month’s challenge: Fudge

While searching the blogosphere for a recipe that piqued my interest and tempted my tastebuds, I came across this Nutty Fudge Day recipe on my friend Cindy’s blog – Skip To My Lou. If Cindy endorses it – I’m in. I, of course, tweaked the recipe a tad.

This fudge recipe is delicious, decadent, easy, rich and not overly sweet – which for me, is key, I don’t like super sweet fudge.

Butter – Dark Chocolate Chips – Sweetened Condensed Milk – Vanilla Bean Paste – Salt & Walnuts – that’s it.

In a large microwave safe bowl – I used my 8 C glass measuring cup – put the chocolate chips, butter, condensed milk, salt and vanilla bean paste

I love the pretty specks of vanilla bean in those vanilla bean paste drizzles

Microwave on half power about 2-5 minutes – I microwaved for 1 1/2 minutes on half power, stirred. Microwave another 1 1/2 minutes – stirred again. Just keep doing this until everything is melted – this is not a creamy smooth melted mixture – it’s thick.
Stir in the walnuts

Pour all of this into a foil lined and sprayed 8X8 glass dish – I cover my dish with foil going horizontally and vertically – that way when the fudge is done chilling, I just lift the foil out of the dish and peel it off the bottom of the fudge – easy peasy!

Refrigerate until the fudge is set, remove from the dish, slice and enjoy! This is perfect cut into bite size pieces with a cold glass of milk.

Visit the other participants and feel free to vote for this Dark Chocolate Walnut Fudge if it calls to your tastebuds