Double Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake

I kept hearing about Paula Deen's Gooey Butter Cakes and when I saw the recipe for a Double Chocolate one I knew I had to try it.

Ingredients

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted, plus 8 more tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted, plus additional butter, for greasing pan
1 (18.25-ounce) package chocolate cake mix
1 egg, plus 2 eggs
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3 to 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped nuts (I omitted this)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly grease a 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, 1 egg, and 1 stick melted butter, and stir until well blended. Pat mixture into prepared pan and set aside.

In a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the remaining 2 eggs, and the cocoa powder. Lower the speed of the mixer, and add the powdered sugar. Continue beating until ingredients are well mixed. Slowly add the remaining 1 stick of melted butter, and the vanilla, continuing to beat the mixture until smooth. Stir in nuts with a rubber spatula. Spread filling over cake mixture in pan. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the cake; the center should still be a little gooey when finished baking. Let cake partially cool on a wire rack before cutting into pieces.

I baked it for 40 minutes and it came out wonderful. They are more like brownies than a cake, and the are gooey just like the name says!

Direct Link: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/cooking/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_24562,00.html

Mexican Mix Up

Ok....so I am pretty picky with comes to Mexican food because I don't like all the onions and peppers. I made my own mexican dish that used the basic concept of enchiladas, fajitas and burritos. Here is what I came up with.....and might I say, it was pretty darn good!

2 chicken breasts
1 can enchilada sauce (not the large can)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 package fajita seasoning
10 corn tortillas
Shredded pepper jack cheese
Sour cream
1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
2 cups chicken broth or stock


Cut up chicken and coat with half of fajita seasoning packet. Place chicken in a pan on the stove and added 1 can of cream of chicken soup and ¼ of a can of enchilada sauce. Cook on medium/high heat for a few minutes. Then turn down low and cover. Let the meat simmer, stir occasionally, until the meat is very tender.

While the chicken is cooking cook the rice in the chicken broth. Feel free to add extra seasoning of your choice to the rice.

Once the chicken and rice are done fill the corn tortillas with some rice and chicken mixture. ***NOTE: You may want to crisp up the tortillas in a pan with some cooking spray so they hold together better before you fill them.*** Secure the tortillas with toothpicks if necessary. Place filled tortillas in baking dish and pour over some enchilada sauce. Bake in dish until tortillas are nice and crispy. Add shredded cheese as soon as you take them out of the oven. Serve with extra enchilada sauce and sour cream if you choose.

Maggie's Decadent Brownies

The making of goodness:

The brownies waiting for the frosting:

Here they are in their glory:

If you are looking for sweet, sugary chocolate goodness you have got to try these brownies! I found them in my Paula Deen cookbook, "Paula Deen & Friends, Living it Up Southern Style"....you can also find this recipe on the Food Network website. Here is the recipe:

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
4 large eggs
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

Frosting:
4 ounces (4 squares) unsweetened chocolate
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2 cup pasteurized egg substitute (recommended: Egg Beaters)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (1-pound) box confectioners' sugar, sifted
4 cups mini marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a 2-quart bowl in the microwave on high for 3 minutes, stirring every 20 to 30 seconds until the chocolate is completely melted. Add the eggs, sugar, and vanilla and mix well with a spatula. Add the flour and stir to combine. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes.

While the brownies are baking, make the frosting. Melt the chocolate and butter in a medium bowl in the microwave on high for 3 minutes stirring every 20 to 30 seconds until the chocolate is completely melted. Add the egg substitute, vanilla, and sugar and stir with a spoon until smooth. Stir in the marshmallows; they will soften but not melt completely. Spread the frosting over the warm brownies. The frosting will set up when the brownies are completely cooled. When cool, cut into 1 1/2-inch squares and store in the refrigerator in a plastic container with a snap-on lid.

I tasted them after they had cooled down because I just could not wait...BUT they are even better if you wait to have one cold out of the frig. It is worth the wait! The bottom is almost fudge like. Jason is not a big fan of brownies.....but he loved these! Bring these to your next gathering and they will be a hit!