Minestrone with Hot Italian Sausage

This is a great spicy soup for a cold day.  It is very hearty and filled with vegetables.  It makes a ton so that you can freeze some for later.  Thanks to my mother-in-law for the delicious recipe!

Minestrone with Hot Italian Sausage

5 links hot Italian sausage
6 oz elbow macaroni
onion, diced
2 tsp minced garlic
1 can Italian style diced tomatoes, drained
1 can small lima beans, drained
1 can chickpeas, drained
1 bag frozen corn
1 can green beans, drained
1 red pepper, diced
1 zucchini, peeled and diced
3 cups cabbage, chopped and cooked
1 large carton beef broth (don't use low-sodium, I made that mistake and had to add salt later)
4 cups water
1 tbsp thyme
1 tbsp basil
1 tbsp oregano
2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Remove sausage from casing.  Brown with onion and garlic in large skillet, drain.  Cook pasta according to package directions.  Combine all ingredients in large stockpot, bring to boil.  Simmer for at least 30 minutes.  Serve with shaved parmesan cheese.

Pumpkin Coffee Cake

I love finding new pumpkin recipes for fall!  This is a delicious take on coffee cake that would be great for breakfast or dessert.

Pumpkin Coffee Cake

1 2/3 c flour
1 1/4 c brown sugar, divided
2 tsp baking powder
4 tsp cinnamon, divided
1/4 tsp allspice
1/2 c canned pumpkin
1/3 c milk
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 c butter, melted
powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 8 or 9 in square, glass baking dish with butter.  Combine flour, 1/2 c brown sugar, baking powder, 2 tsp cinnamon, and allspice in a bowl.  Beat pumpkin puree, milk, egg, and vanilla in another bowl until well blended.  Stir into flour mixture until batter is smooth.  Spread batter into dish.  Stir 3/4 c brown sugar, 2 tsp cinnamon, and melted butter in a small bowl until combined.  Pour over cake batter.  Bake 20-25 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar to serve.

Tortellini Pasta Salad

A friend of mine gave me this recipe and it is such a good one!  It can feed a crowd pretty easily, so it's great for tailgating or parties.  It's a little different take on pasta salad.

Tortellini Pasta Salad

1 16oz pkg refrigerated cheese filled tortellini
8 oz pepperoni, quartered
2 green onions, diced
1 small can sliced black olives, drained
1 small jar sliced mushrooms, drained
1 7oz jar artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
8 oz mozzarella cheese, diced
1/3 c olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp white vinegar
2 tsp Italian seasoning
Cook tortellini according to package directions.  Drain and rinse with cold water.  Place tortellini, pepperoni, green onion, olives, artichokes, mushrooms, and mozzarella in a large bowl.  Whisk together the oil and vinegar and pour over pasta mixture.  Toss to coat and refrigerate at least two hours before serving.

Jalapeno Popper Chicken

We love jalapenos around our house, so when I saw this recipe, I just had to try it!  It was a pretty quick, easy dinner for a weeknight.

Jalapeno Popper Chicken

1/2 c panko bread crumbs
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp taco seasoning
1 egg
2 oz reduced fat cream cheese, softened
1/4 c shredded cheddar cheese
2 jalapenos, minced
2 chicken breasts
salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 375 and place an ovenproof rack onto a rimmed baking dish.  Spray with cooking oil.  In a small skillet, combine panko and oil.  Cook over medium heat until panko is golden brown and crispy.  Remove to a shallow bowl, stir in taco seasoning.  In another shallow bowl, beat the egg.  Cut a pocket into the side of each chicken breast, not quite cutting through.  Season the chicken lightly with salt and pepper.  In a bowl, combine softened cream cheese, cheddar, and minced jalapenos.  Stuff each chicken breast with the cream cheese mixture, using toothpicks to secure if needed.  Dip the chicken in the egg, then in the panko mixture.  Place the chicken on the rack and cook 25-30 minutes.

Pecan Pie Bars

I love fall!  Football, food, and time with family through the holidays makes it one of the best times of the year.  This is a great fall recipe that will get you ready for Thanksgiving!  Thanks to Amy for the recipe!

Pecan Pie Bars

Crust
1/2 pkg pecan sandies cookies, finely crushed (about 2 cups)
6 tbsp melted butter, cooled
1/4 c sugar

Filling
3 eggs
1/2 c white sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1 c light corn syrup
5 tbsp melted butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 c chopped pecans

Mix crust ingredients and pat firmly into a lined and greased 9x13 baking pan.  Bake crust at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes until light brown in color.  Mix filling ingredients, except nutes in a large bowl.  Stir in nuts.  Pour over hot crust and bake 30-40 minutes until set.  Let cool completely before cutting.  Store in refrigerator.

Greek Fish with Gremolata

School started back a couple of weeks ago and in all of the craziness, Brent took time to cook dinner for me one night.  It was a delicious fish dish, so I hope you enjoy!

Greek Fish with Gremolata

2 fish filets (snapper, tilapia, whatever you prefer)
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 bunch fresh Italian parsley, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 c Italian style panko
1 tsp chipotle hot pepper sauce
5 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp Greek seasoning
Combine lemon zest, parsley, garlic, panko, pepper sauce, and 2 tbsp olive oil.  Mix well, set aside.  Brush both sides of fish with 1 tbsp olive oil, then sprinkle with pepper and Greek seasoning.  Place a small amount of olive oil in large skillet, cook fish until opaque.  When fish is done, remove from heat and add bread crumb mixture over top of fish in skillet.  Serve with salad.

Creamy Spicy Sausage Pasta

This is a quick easy meal for a busy weeknight.  You can change a few things in the recipe to make it more/less spicy.  I used freshly made pasta from our local farmer's market, but feel free to use whatever pasta you like.

Creamy Spicy Sausage Pasta

1 lb smoked sausage, sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 large onion, diced
2 cloves minced garlic
1 can (or 2 c) low-sodium chicken broth
1 can RoTel (or I used diced tomatoes w/ jalapenos)
1/2 c heavy cream
8 oz pasta
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 c monterey jack cheese
Place olive oil in large skillet; brown sausage, onion, and garlic.  Add broth, tomatoes, cream, pasta, salt, and pepper.  Bring to boil, cover.  Reduce heat and simmer about 15 minutes or until pasta is tender.  Remove from heat and stir in cheese.



Slow Cooker Fiesta Chicken

This is such an easy weeknight meal!  Often when we have busy nights with softball games and Bible studies, this is a good meal to cook all day and enjoy when we can.  You can serve it with tortillas, tortilla chips, or on its own.

Slow Cooker Fiesta Chicken

2 frozen chicken breasts
1 can corn
1 can black beans, drained
1 can Rotel (I use the hot version with habaneros)
1 8oz pkg cream cheese (I usually use Neufchatel cheese to save a few calories)
1 packet dry ranch dressing mix
1/2 cup water
Tostitos Baked Scoops
Fat free sour cream
Place first 6 ingredients in a slow cooker.  Cook on low all day (about 8 hours).  Serve with tortillas or tortilla chips and top with sour cream.

Sundried Tomato Dip

This is a great dip to serve at a party.  It can easily be doubled, but the version below serves a crowd.  I served it with Wheat Thins.

Sundried Tomato Dip

1 pkg cream cheese, softened
1 c mayo
1/4 c onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves
1/2 jar sundried tomatoes, drained & chopped
1/3 c roasted red peppers, drained & chopped
1 c shredded mozzarella cheese
1 c shredded Italian cheese blend
1/2 c shredded parmesan cheese
Combine 1st four ingredients.  Stir in tomatoes & red peppers.  Stir in mozzarella, Italian cheese, and 1/4 c parmesan.  Spread in greased 8x8 square baking dish.  Sprinkle with remaining parmesan.  Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 18-22 minutes.  Serve with crackers.

Homemade Meat Lover's Pizza

We are big fans of pizza in our house!  Take-out pizza can often be greasy and expensive.  This is a simple pizza that you can adapt to what you like.

Homemade Meat Lover's Pizza

bakery pizza dough (in the refrigerated area of the bakery)
pizza sauce
2 c shredded Italian blend cheese
sliced pepperoni
hot Italian sausage
3 tbsp butter
2 tsp pizza seasoning (or you can sub Italian seasoning)
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp garlic salt
Drizzle olive oil in medium skillet.  Brown Italian sausage links for about 5-10 minutes, until browned on each side.  Add water to skillet and boil Italian sausage links for 15-20 more minutes until cooked through.  Remove from water and slice thin.  Prepare pizza dough by rolling with a floured rolling pin to desired thickness.  (You can also try tossing it if you want!)  Spread pizza sauce over pizza dough, sprinkle with pizza seasoning.  Top with cheese and desired toppings.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes (or until dough has browned).  While pizza is cooking, place butter in bowl and top with garlic salt and Italian seasoning.  Melt butter in microwave.  Brush over crust immediately after removing from oven.  Allow pizza to sit 5 minutes before cutting.

Italian Shepherd's Pie

I've never had shepherd's pie before.  It never really sounded appetizing to me, but after seeing this Italian-style recipe on Rachael Ray a couple of weeks ago, I knew I had to try it.  I changed the recipe some to make it a little easier.  You must try this one!

Italian Shepherd's Pie

3 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 c milk
3 tbsp butter
1 large egg, beaten
1 1/2 c grated parmesan cheese (I bought the real stuff...Parmigiano-Reggiano)
1 lb ground sirloin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tsp dried rosemary
1 lb hot Italian sausage (I bought links, removed the casing, then broke it up as I was cooking)
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
5 tsp minced garlic, divided
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 c dry red wine
1 1/2 c beef broth
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cover potatoes with water, bring to boil.  Salt water and cook potatoes for 12-15 minutes, or until tender.  Drain potatoes and return to warm pot.  Add 3 tsp minced garlic and 1/2 c milk.  Add butter and mash with a potato masher.  Stir in beaten egg and half of the parmesan cheese.  Mash until smooth, adding more milk if needed.  Cover until meat mixture is prepared.
Brown ground sirloin in large skillet.  Once brown, season with salt, pepper, and rosemary.  Add sausage and brown, breaking up into small pieces as cooking.  Add onion, red pepper, and 2 tsp minced garlic.  Stir in tomato paste, cook 1-2 minutes, mixing well.  Add 1 cup of red wine and reduce by half.  Add stock and simmer for about 10-15 minutes until most liquid has boiled out.
Transfer meat to large casserole dish, top with potatoes and remaining cheese.  Bake 20-25 minutes until potatoes are brown and crispy on the edges.

Peach Crisp A La Mode

Here's another great fresh peach recipe for those of you enjoying the fruitfulness of the southeast right now.  It is so great served right out of the oven with a little vanilla ice cream on the side.  This original blueberry crisp recipe comes courtesy of my mother-in-law.  This version serves 3, maybe 4, but can easily be doubled.

Peach Crisp A La Mode

3-4 large peaches, peeled and cut into 1-2 inch pieces
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c flour
1/2 stick butter
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
Stir dry ingredients together.  Cut in cold butter (I usually use a potato masher or you can use 2 knives).  Place diced peaches into bottom of a 8x8 baking dish.  Dash with lemon juice.  Sprinkle crumb mixture over top of peaches.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  Serve with ice cream.

Fresh Peach Cobbler Bread

Many of you may not know that the state that ships out the most fresh peaches each year is not the Peach State but...South Carolina!  It's so great to be able to buy fresh peaches right down the road.  This is a delicious recipe for a fresh peach bread that really tastes a lot like peach cobbler!  You can serve as breakfast or dessert.  It smells amazing while baking!

Fresh Peach Cobbler Bread

1/4 c butter, softened
3/4 c sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 c vanilla yogurt (I used Dannon Light & Fit)
2-3 peaches, peeled and diced
1 peach, peeled and thinly sliced
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Soften butter, then add sugar.  Beat with hand mixer.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well.  Stir in yogurt and diced peaches.  In a separate large bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, nutmeg, and cinnamon.  Add the wet mixture, stirring until blended.  Pour batter into greased loaf pan.  Place peach slices across the top of the batter.  Bake for 40 minutes.  Cool completely before slicing.

Chicken and Black Bean Enchilada Casserole

I've had this recipe for a while and have been wanting to try it.  That's one of the reasons I love my summers off...having the time and energy to try these new recipes!  This was a really good casserole, it was fairly easy to put together, and we had plenty of left-overs.  I think this is a recipe that you could really adapt to fit your own likes...add jalapenos, green enchilada sauce, etc.  Enjoy!

Chicken and Black Bean Enchilada Casserole

3-4 chicken breasts, boiled and shredded
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/2 packet taco seasoning
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can red enchilada sauce (I used medium to give it a little spice)
1 4-oz can diced green chiles
8 6-in corn tortillas
16 oz sour cream
2 cups Mexican style shredded cheese
In a large skillet, heat cooked chicken, cumin, coriander, garlic, and taco seasoning with 1/4-1/2 cup of water.  Allow to simmer 5-10 minutes.  Add black beans, chiles, and cilantro to chicken; mix well.  Grease a 11x7 baking dish, spread 1/2 can of enchilada sauce in bottom of dish.  Place 4 tortillas over the sauce, overlapping if necessary.  Spoon half of the chicken mixture over the tortillas, and sprinkle 1 cup of cheese over the top.  Top with half of the sour cream, spreading evenly over the cheese.  Layer 4 more tortillas, then top with remaining enchilada sauce.  Spoon remaining chicken into dish.  Cover and bake for 30 minutes on 375 degrees.  After 30 minutes, remove the cover, sprinkle with remaining cheese and top with dollops of sour cream.  Bake an additional 5-10 minutes until cheese is melted.  Allow casserole to sit 10 minutes before serving.



From the Sea to the Table

This past week, my husband and I were on vacation at the beach with my parents.  Brent wanted to go deep sea fishing, which I was a little worried about, since I often deal with motion sickness.  But, since I'm such a good wife, I went with him ;)  We had so much fun!  I did not get sick at all (although I would recommend taking Dramamine one hour before leaving just in case) and I caught 6 fish!  Unfortunately, you could only keep certain fish, but we ended up with 3 nice fish (1 seabass, 2 porgies) to bring home.  The fish were delicious!  I have posted this recipe before, but it makes a great Cajun style seasoning for fish.  Hope you enjoy seeing pictures from our adventure!

Cajun Seasoning for Fish

1 tbsp paprika
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp butter
lemon juice
parsley

Mix first five ingredients.  Pat onto fish.  Over medium-high heat, add oil and 2 tbsp butter to skillet; melt.  Add fish, cooking on first side for about 4 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fish).  Add 1 tbsp butter to skillet, flip fish to continue cooking on other side.  Cook an additional 4 minutes.  Top with lemon juice and parsley.

White Chicken & Artichoke Lasagna

I've always wanted to try a white lasagna recipe and when I found this one with artichokes and sun-dried tomatoes, I just had to make it!  It has a great flavor and makes enough for a crowd!  I froze at least half of it and we'll still have left-overs this week.  I listed the spinach as optional because I honestly forgot it when I made it.  The dish was great without it, but I do think the spinach would go well, so feel free to add it if you want.

White Chicken & Artichoke Lasagna

3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
2 c mozzarella cheese
1/2 c grated parmesan
1/2 c sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
2 pkg cream cheese, softened (I used Neufchatel)
1 c milk
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp garlic salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 lasagna noodles, cooked (I always use whole grain noodles if available)
spinach, drained (optional)
Heat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese, milk, garlic salt, and garlic until well blended.  Stir in basil.  Set aside.  In a large bowl, combine shredded chicken, chopped artichokes, 1 c mozzarella, parmesan, tomatoes, and drained spinach.  Mix half of cream cheese mixture into the chicken mixture.  Spread 1/2 of the remaining cream cheese mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 dish.  Cover with 3 noodles and 1/3 of the chicken mixture.  Repeat twice.  Top with remaining noodles and cream cheese mixture.  Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese.  Cover and bake for 25 minutes.  Uncover and bake an additional 5 minutes.  Allow to stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Spicy Chicken Roll-Ups

I made these for a party recently.  They are super easy and very tasty!  Feel free to play around with the ingredients too.

Spicy Chicken Roll-Ups

2 chicken breasts
1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles
12 oz cream cheese, softened
1 c shredded Mexican blend cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 c fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 c green onion, chopped
6 flour tortillas (I used sundried tomato)
Boil chicken until done.  Shred into fine pieces.  Whisk softened cream cheese until smooth.  Add dry seasonings and garlic, mix well.  Stir in shredded cheese, diced tomatoes, cilantro, and green onion.  Finally, stir in chicken until mixed well.  Spread mixture over 6 tortillas leaving about 1/2 inch around the edges.  Roll up tortillas tightly.  Cut with a serrated knife into bize-size roll-ups.

Honey Chipotle Turkey Meatballs

I have never used ground turkey before, and although others had told me that it really wasn't that bad, I was still a little scared of it.  This recipe turned out to be great though.  It has a really spicy sauce that keeps the meatballs really moist.  Hope you enjoy!

Honey Chipotle Turkey Meatballs

1 1/2 lbs ground turkey

1 small onion, diced very small

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

4 tbsp honey

2-4 tbsp chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, chopped (depending on how hot you want it)

4 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a mixing bowl, stir the onion, garlic, salt, and pepper together.  Add the ground turkey and use your hands to mix until combined (do not overhandle the meat).  Form into meatballs about the size of a golfball (made about 16-17 meatballs).  In a small bowl, stir together the honey, chopped chipotle chiles, and vinegar.

Put a greased cast-iron skillet in the oven to preheat.  Heat oil in another large skillet over medium heat.  Once it is shimmering, add the meatballs.  Cook until browned, flipping meatballs onto all sides to brown evenly (about 10 minutes).  Pour the meatballs and the drippings into a preheated cast-iron skillet and place in oven.  Bake for 5 minutes.  Remove pan from oven (it will be hot!) and pour sauce over meatballs.  Bake for another 5-7 minutes, swirling the pan once or twice while cooking).  When the meatballs are cooked through, serve with pasta or rice.  (I did not have an oven proof skillet that could be used on my glass cooktop, so I used the method above.  If you have a skillet that you can move from your stove to the oven, then you can use one less pan!)

Adapted from http://traceysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com/

Snickerdoodle Bread

This bread is SO good!  If you like snickerdoodle cookies, you'll love this bread.  It's full of cinnamon and I think it would be great with a little cream cheese on top.  Enjoy!  (The original recipe called for a package of cinnamon chips, but I could not find these and have heard that they are seasonal.  I modified the amount of cinnamon in the recipe to make up for this.) Try serving this with spreadable cream cheese.

Snickerdoodle Bread

2 1/2 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
5 tsp cinnamon
1 c butter, softened
2 c sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 c sour cream
3 tbsp sugar
3 tsp cinnamon
Cream softened butter, sugar, salt, and 3 tsp cinnamon until creamy.  Add eggs and mix well.  Add vanilla and sour cream and mix well.  Mix flour, baking powder, and 2 tsp cinnamon in a separate bowl.  Add to wet ingredients and mix until all combined.  Grease 2 regular loaf pans or 4 mini loaf pans with cooking spray.  Pour batter into pans until about 2/3 full.  Mix 3 tbsp sugar and 3 tsp cinnamon.  Sprinkle over top of batter until covered (you will probably not use all of the cinnamon sugar, put the rest in a ziploc bag and save it for later).  Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes for 2 regular loaf pans or 30-35 minutes for 4 mini loaf pans or until a toothpick comes out almost clean.  You may have to adjust cooking time based on your oven.  Cool completely before removing from pan.
Adapted from http://lilluna.com/



Strawberry Banana Bread

This is a moist bread that could be served as breakfast or dessert.  The sliced fruit on top makes it look so nice!

Strawberry Banana Bread

1 1/4 c flour
1/2 c white sugar
1/4 c light brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 c canola oil
1 egg white, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup diced strawberries
2-3 strawberries, thinly sliced
1 banana
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a regular loaf pan with cooking spray.  In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, and cinnamon.  Stir to combine.  Mash 1/2 of the banana and add to the dry ingredients.  Thinly slice the remaining 1/2 banana.  Add the oil, beaten egg white, and vanilla, stir until just combined.  Gently fold in 1 cup diced strawberries.  Thinly slice a few more remaining strawberries for topping.  Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and top with thinly sliced bananas and strawberries.  Press them gently into the surface of the batter.  Bake for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick comes out almost clean (cook time can vary depending on moisture of fruit and different ovens).  Allow bread to cool completely before removing from pan.
Adapted from http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/

"Orange" You Glad I Didn't Say Flaxseed... Smoothie

Brent and I have been trying to eat healthier and drop a few pounds lately.  We have committed to working out at least 30 minutes every single day (except for our day off on Fridays).  We also have made some changes in our diet, including changing our Sunday pizza nights into Sunday smoothie nights!  We have been experimenting with some smoothie recipes and this one was a hit!  Brent came up with the name since this was the first time we'd added flaxseed!  If you haven't tried flaxseed before, it really doesn't add any taste, but the health benefits are worth it.  So, give it a try!

"Orange" You Glad I Didn't Say Flaxseed... Smoothie

2 1/2 c frozen peach slices
3/4 c frozen raspberries
1/3 c nonfat vanilla yogurt (I use Dannon light & fit)
1 c 100% carrot juice (no sugar added)
1 c 100% tangerine juice (no sugar added)
2 tbsp ground flaxseed
Blend all ingredients until smooth.  Makes 2 large smoothies.

Oreo Pudding Poke Cake

This is such a light and refreshing cake.  I made this for my mom on Mother's Day and it was a hit!  It would be a great cake to take to a cookout while it's hot this summer...just keep it in a cooler until it's time to serve it.  I've also read other recipes using this same "poke cake" idea.  I'll be trying some out soon!

Oreo Pudding Poke Cake

1 box chocolate fudge cake mix
2 boxes (4oz) Oreo instant pudding
Oreos (I used 1 1/2 rows from a normal package)
3 eggs
water
oil
Bake cake in a 9x13 pan according to package directions.  When cake is finished, sit on counter while mixing pudding.  Sit pudding aside while you use the end of a wooden spoon to poke holes in the cake, about 1 inch apart.  Poke holes so that you do not go all the way down to the bottom of the pan.

Immediately after poking holes, pour pudding mixture over top of cake.  Spread out so that pudding goes down into the holes and covers the top of the cake.  Allow cake to sit on counter about 5 more minutes to cool, then place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to set (I made mine the day before I was serving it).

When ready to serve, remove cake from refrigerator and crumble Oreos over top of the cake.  Serve while still cold.
Adapted from www.thecountrycook.net