Cinnamon Marble Cake

This cinnamon marble cake is so yummy and so easy! If you're in need of a quick cake for a book party or shower but don't have time to make one from scratch, don't fear. This is your answer! And shhh... I won't tell them you used a box!


Ingredients
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 box Golden Butter Cake mix
1 box instant vanilla pudding
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 eggs
1/4 cup cooking oil
3/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a separate bowl, combine 1/3 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon. Mix well.

Grease pan and "flour" with 1/2 of the cinnamon/sugar mixture. To do this, you will spray the pan and sprinkle half of the mixture in the pan. Then, while gently tapping the pan (which helps loosen any excess), rotate the cinnamon/sugar mixture around the pan until it all sticks.


In a mixer, combine cake mix, vanilla pudding, sour cream, vanilla, eggs, and oil. Add water a little at a time until it's all mixed well.

Pour half of the cake batter into the pan. Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon/sugar mixture on top of the cake batter and top it off with the remaining batter.


Using a knife, swirl through the cake mixture. (I only go around the cake one or two times. Too many and you'll lose the "swirl" and have a blob.)


Bake for 30 to 40 minutes at 350 degrees F until cake is set. Allow cake to cool in pan for 20 minutes. Then, flip it onto a cooling rack lined with wax paper. Allow to cool for 30 minutes.


If you like, gently sift powdered sugar on top of the cake.


Cut and serve. It's an incredibly moist, dense cake. It's perfect by itself or served with some berries and whipped cream.

Free Valentine's Fun

Taking another quick break from Foodie February (did you see how I totally cheated on those buckeyes in yesterday's post?)... for some FREE Valentine's Fun!

Click on over to Current for some great activity sheets, bookmarks, lollipop ideas, and candy bar wrappers!

I ♥ free. Don't you?

Don't miss the lollipop valentines and the lollipop bugs. They're so adorable and so great for kids! Just print them, cut them out, insert lollipops, and away you go!

Buckeye Fun

Most people think of buckeye balls as a Christmas food, I've heard. And while it certainly deserves to be eaten during the holidays, come on... it's peanut butter and chocolate! Can I please eat it year 'round???

I'd never made a single buckeye ball until recently. And I totally cheated when I did. Make your own (and cheat) like me!

Ingredients
1 can (16 ounces) creamy peanut butter
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
1 1/2 (1 pound) boxes powdered sugar
2 containers Baker's Dipping Semi-Sweet Chocolate

How I Cheat:

Directions
Beat peanut butter and butter with an electric mixer. (There's just no way to get it done by hand.) Gradually add powdered sugar, and beat until completely blended.

Get ready to get your hands dirty! -- Shape peanut butter mixture into 1-inch balls. Place on wax paper-lined cookie sheets.


Chill for at least 10 minutes.

Following instructions on packaging, melt chocolate.

Dip* each ball in chocolate until partially covered. Placed back on wax-paper lined cookie sheets to harden. Refrigerate if they're not hardening.


*How you dip the peanut butter ball is up to you. You can use a spoon, your fingers, magic. I take a toothpick, pierce the center and dip. When I place the chocolate-dipped peanut butter ball on the wax paper, I remove the toothpick and gently cover the hole. It really takes figuring out what works best for you.

Enjoy!


I'm linking up to these blog parties...

Chicken Pot Pie, Please

In full disclosure, I should say up front -- I have had a life-long aversion to chicken pot pie. I can't trace it back to any traumatic experience, but I see it, and I just run.

So, in all efforts of being an adult and expanding my horizons, I made my very first chicken pot pie.

And it was good!!! I mean, it's not my most favorite thing I've ever eaten, but I'm not scared anymore. And the best part - it was easy!

So here, for you, Papaw Jimmy and Nanny Linda's Chicken Pot Pie...

Ingredients
6 chicken breasts
1 can peas and carrots, drained
4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup

Topping:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
3/4 cup mayonnaise


Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Boil chicken; save broth. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces and layer in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with peas, carrots, eggs, and onion. Mis oup and about 1/2 cup chicken broth to thin soup a little (enough to pour). Pour over chicken mixture.

Mix well flour, milk, and mayonnaise for topping. Mixture will be thin. (That's okay.) Pour over casserole. Bake for 1 hour.


Note: I put a cookie sheet on the oven rack below the casserole dish in the event any spilled over.

Let cool just a bit before serving. Enjoy!

Get This Sale!

Can I say that I'm over the moon for Night Owl Paper Goods? They're a local (read: Birmingham, AL-based) duo who have created some of the most beautiful handmade letterpress cards and wooden goodies (so eco!) I've ever seen. Their works are available in over 700 stores world-wide. They're all over the place!

And right now: They're on sale! (Well, their goods, not the creators themselves, obviously.)

Get this - from now until February 9, all their Love Cards are 20% off, and shipping is only $5 for all U.S. orders! Get out! I know, right?

Here are my favorites...

Honey Bunny

Latte Love

Owl Lovers

Be sure to follow them on twitter for updates on new items and their awesome one-day sales! @nightowlpaper

And while you're following, follow me! I'm not sure where we're going, but join along. @attemptcreative

West African Peanut Stew

The recipe's name may seem weird, but I promise - this is so delicious! I tried it for the first time a few years ago, and it's become one of my favorites. It's very unique, so try it with your family, and let me know what they think!


Ingredients
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 tablespoon paprika
1/2 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 box Zatarain's New Orelans Style Jambalaya Mix
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with onion and pepper, undrained
1/2 pound sliced fully-cooked Polish or kielbasa sausage (if you like it)
2 tablespoons peanut butter
Salted peanuts for garnish


Directions
Cut chicken into large bite-size pieces. Combine all-purpose flour, paprika, onion powder, and salt. Roll pieces of chicken in flour mixture.

In a large saucepan, cook chicken pieces in vegetable oil until done; about 8 minutes. Be sure to flip chicken after about 5 minutes.


Stir in hot water, jambalaya mix, tomatoes and sausage. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally.


Reduce heat; cover and simmer about 25 minutes, stirring once.

When rice is tender, stir in peanut butter. Cook about 2 minutes longer, mixing peanut butter well.

Cover; let stand about 5 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Serve in a bowl and top with peanuts.

Foodie February

Can you believe it's February 1st already? Have you seen all the fun things you can make for Valentine's Day? Have you been busy crafting for your sweetheart?

I have decided to dedicate [most of] February to... Food! I'm sure I'll pop up here and there with some other posts, but I have a few food ideas in my bag o' tricks, so I wanted to share those this month.

I hope you enjoy, and I can't wait to hear what you guys think!

So to start things off, one of my most favorite dishes... Poppy Seed Chicken!

It's super easy and total yum! It's a total crowd pleaser.

(Props to MyRecipes where I found this recipe online.)

Ingredients
3 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 (16-ounce) container sour cream
3 teaspoons poppy seeds
1 pack round buttery crackers (about 40 crackers), crushed
1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions
Cut raw chicken into bite-size pieces and cook.


Combine first four ingredients. Spoon mixture into lightly greased 11- by 7-inch baking dish.


Stir together crushed crackers and melted butter; sprinkle evenly over casserole.


Bake at 350° for 35 to 40 minutes or until hot and bubbly.


I'm joining these blog parties today...