5 Things I'm Loving...

Alright y'all 5 things I'm loving right now...

Podcasts! Where have I been? I knew they were around but I've really never listened to them more than a month when we were living with my parents and my commute was OBNOXIOUS. But, I have found one that has grabbed me and I am hooked. I am loving The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey . I love it! I have followed her blog and have been friends with her on FB, IG and Twitter for years and just never listened until May and now I am happy to say I have listened to all of them. Its my ride home from work listen and my ride to work listen if Rick and Bubba are on vacation. Jamie has women who are doing so much with their lives! Women who are entrepreneurs, writers, foster parents, missionaries, pastors wives, and just every day moms. Some of her guests include Jen Hatmaker, Annie Downs, Melanie Shankle (Big Mama) and so many more! Its so fun! Go listen and see what you think.  

If you have seen me this summer, you have probably seen me in this top from Target! No, I am not that girl that posed in this picture for this post, this is my new staff photo. I obviously love this shirt if I am wearing it in a staff picture that will last for a while. I have one in green too. Its so comfortable! I wish I had the other colors too.

This song by Dara Maclean - so good! 

This cake recipe is so yum and its not hard to make. My next quest is to find a good buttercream icing recipe. If you have one share.

Timehop! I love this app! Its so fun to look back on your social media posts and remember where you were!

So, what are you loving right now?

Ooey Gooey Butter Cake

A few years ago I heard my friend, Stephanie, talking about making an ooey gooey butter cake.  I had no clue what she was talking about.  So, I looked it up and decided to make it - wow - that is a good cake!  Now, its a recipe from Paula Deen, so needless to say, its full of butter and calories - but its good.  That has become my go to dessert to make and I have requests from friends to make it all the time.  

I made it for our Handley Christmas - so I decided to document everything while I was making it and post it here...hope you enjoy!!

Ingredients needed - full recipe is below

Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. 

Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

In a large bowl (I always use the same bowl to save on dirtying up more bowls), beat the cream cheese until smooth.  Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter and beat together. 

Next, add the powdered sugar and mix well. 

Spread over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. 

Finished Product = yummo

Cake:
1 18 1/4-ounce package yellow cake mix
1 egg
8 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 tablespoons butter, melted
1 16-ounce box powdered sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer.  Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth.  Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter and beat together. 

Next, add the powdered sugar and mix well.  Spread over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes.  Make sure not to over bake as the center should be a little gooey.

Show Us Your Life Appetizers

I am linking up today with Kelly's Korner who does a "Show Us Your Life" segment every week - I always like going there to get ideas from other bloggers.  Today's SUYL is all about food and with Christmas parties happening (we have 2 this weekend) I thought I'd participate!  Here are two of my favorite appetizers to make...

Bacon Wrapped Smokies - so yummy!  I took them to our small group a few weeks ago and they were gone fast!

1 pound Li'l Smokies
12 ounces, weight Center-cut Bacon
FOR THE GLAZE:
⅓ cups Brown Sugar
¼ cups Maple Syrup (the Real Stuff)
1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard

The last time I did these I did not use toothpicks - but I have used them before - your preference.

Empty the smokies onto some paper towels and blot them dry. Dry smokies will allow the bacon to adhere better. Place the dried smokies in a single layer (keeping them separated) onto a small cookie sheet. Place in the freezer for 45 minutes.

While the smokies are in the freezer, cut the bacon into thirds. Separate each piece of bacon and place on a large cookie sheet in a single layer. Put the bacon in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. The well-chilled smokies and bacon will help to keep everything from getting too slippery when you wrap the smokies later.

When it is nearly time to take the smokies out of the freezer, preheat the oven to 350F. Line a rimmed sheet pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Make the glaze by whisking together the brown sugar, maple syrup, and mustard. Whisk the mixture well to ensure that the larger pieces of brown sugar have broken up.

Wrap a piece of bacon around each smokie, pressing firmly on the final edge of the bacon to better ensure it does not spring open during baking. Try not to stretch the bacon when wrapping the sausages. Place the bacon-wrapped smokies onto the foil-lined sheet pan, seam side down. Continue with the rest of the bacon and smokies. Using a spoon, put a little bit of the thick glaze on top of each bacon-wrapped smokie, trying to coat each one evenly. You should have just enough glaze to do the entire batch.

Bake the smokies for about 35 minutes or until they are lightly brown on top. Immediately transfer the smokies to a serving plate or a slow cooker set on low to keep warm. Its a sticky process to make them but they are soo good!!

Courtesy of Cooking Ventures

One of my other go to appetizers is Sweet and Sour Meatballs.  Another yummo recipe and so easy!  

Ingredients - 3 that's it!
1 - 16-18 oz Jar of Grape Jelly
1 -12 oz Jar of Chili Sauce (I use Heinz) - find this near the ketchup
2 lb Bag of frozen meatballs

Combine jelly and chili sauce in a crock pot and stir until smooth.  Add meatballs or cocktail sausages and set temperature to low.  Cook for 2-5 hours on low.  Serve with toothpicks.

Enjoy!

    

Pumpkin Bread

I love baking (although I am not always good at it). But, one recipe I have down pat is pumpkin bread. I found this on the internet a few years ago and have used it ever since. With the busyness of being a newlywed, I have been slow about baking my first fall batch of the bread. Saturday was a little slower for us - so I had the chance to make it - unfortunately, no photos...but here is the recipe. Thanks to You've Got Supper for the recipe! Enjoy!

 Super Moist Pumpkin Bread Servings: 2 loaves Prep Time: 15 min. Cook Time: 1 hour 15 min. This bread will fill your house with the smells of Autumn.

 INGREDIENTS
15 oz pumpkin (canned) • 3 egg(s) • 3/4 cup(s) vegetable oil • 2 1/2 cup(s) flour • 2 1/4 cup(s) sugar • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda • 1 tsp salt • 3/4 tsp cinnamon • 3/4 tsp cloves • 3/4 tsp nutmeg

DIRECTIONS
 1. Grease and flour 2 9" X 5" loaf pans. Combine and beat pumpkin, 1/2 cup water, eggs, and oil.
 2. Measure dry ingredients into a separate bowl; combine and mix with pumpkin, water, egg, and oil mixture.
 3. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour (or until knife inserted comes out clean).