Boston Cream Pie Poke Cake

Boston Cream Pie Poke Cake
Ingredients:
1 box yellow cake mix 
Ingredients called for on cake mix (eggs, oil and water) 
2 (3.4 oz) boxes instant Vanilla or French Vanilla pudding 
4 cups milk 
1 container chocolate frosting (or your favorite homemade chocolate frosting)

Directions:

Make cake mix according to directions and bake in a well-greased 9x13 pan. 
When cake is finished baking and is still warm, poke holes all over cake using a wooden spoon handle or other similar size object (you want those holes fairly big so the pudding has room to get in there and you need to poke straight through to the bottom of the cake).
In a medium bowl, add milk to pudding mixture and continue to whisk until most of the lumps are removed. Pour pudding on top of warm cake, making sure to pour straight into the holes in the cake.
Take a spoon and spread it evenly across the top of the cake (very gently press down pudding to ensure that pudding goes into the holes and spread it all the way to the sides).
Put cake in fridge and allow to cool completely before adding the frosting (about 2 hours). 
Remove the lid and foil covering from the tub of chocolate frosting and microwave for about 10-15 seconds. Stir frosting with a spoon- it should still be thick, but pourable. Pour chocolate frosting on top of pudding.
Spread frosting to evenly cover cake. Start in the middle and gently spread to the sides. Allow to cool on the counter for a few minutes, then put into the fridge to fully cool and set up.

Recipe courtesy sixsistersstuff.com

Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken

I'm always on the look out for fast weeknight meals.  This recipe is perfect for days that are crazy and I don't have much time in the kitchen.  The original recipe came from 365 Days of Slow Cooking, but I copied it from Six Sister's Stuff.  Both great food blogs.  Enjoy!

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thigh tenders or chicken breast tenders*

1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp canola oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 cup cashews

Directions:
Combine flour and pepper in large Ziploc bag. Add chicken. Shake to coat with flour mixture. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chicken about 2 minutes on each side. Place chicken in slow cooker. Combine soy sauce, vinegar, ketchup, sugar, garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes in small bowl; pour over chicken. Cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours. Add cashews and stir. Serve over rice. Makes 4-6 servings.
If you want like sauce and want to have some to pour over the chicken and the rice, double the sauce ingredients.

Recipe adapted from: 365 Days of Slow Cooking

*The original recipe said not to use chicken breasts, but I don't love chicken thighs, so I went ahead and used them and this dish turned out fine! So either kind of chicken will work great for this recipe.

Also, the red pepper flakes give this dish a little heat and a lot of flavor, so I highly recommend using them!

Garlic Parmesan Pull-Apart Bread

2 1/4 tsp instant yeast
1 1/3 cups warm water

2 T. olive oil

2 tsp. salt

3 1/2 cups flour

4 T. salter butter, melted

1 T. dried parsley

1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Mix first 5 ingredients to form a dough and let rise (about 1 hour).

Preheat oven to 350.  Melt butter and add parsley, Italian seasoning and garlic.  Tear off golf ball size pieces of dough and roll in butter mixture and then put in bunt pan.  Layer each row of dough with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese (about 2-3 layers).  

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and invert on plate.  Best served warm.

Sesame Edamame Rice

A great side dish for any Asian meal.

1 tsp. oil

1 cup cold sticky rice

1/3 cup edamame

1 scallion, chopped

1 T. soy sauce

2 tsp. sesame oil

Heat oil in walk over medium-high heat.  Crumble in cold rice and press down so the rice contacts the pan and begins to fry.  Continue frying for about five minutes, moving the rice around once a minute or so and then pressing down again.  Top with edamame and scallions.  Mix in soy sauce and sesame oil.  Enjoy!

Mongolian Chicken

A really simple and delicious Mongolian Chicken recipe.

2 boneless, chicken breasts

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup brown sugar

2-3 tsp. ginger

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 T. vegetable oil

1 T. cornstarch

1 T. water

Cut the chicken into thin slices (easiest to do when it's still slightly frozen).  Place in frying pan over low heat. 

While chicken is cooking, in a small saucepan combine oil ginger and garlic and cooke for 30-60 seconds.  Add soy sauce, water, and brown sugar.  Bring to a boil and then remove from heat.  Combine cornstarch and water to make a slurry and then add to sauce.  Add sauce mixture to cooked chicken and let simmer for 2-3 minutes, until sauce is thick.  Serve and enjoy!