Whole Chicken

I have always wanted to cook a "whole" chicken but just always found it easier to buy a rotisserie chicken already cooked from the grocery store...but now that I'm unemployed I've been trying to cook during the week. Last week when we were grocery shopping I saw the whole chickens were on sale...a 5lb chicken for like $5 bucks, I think. Being the tight wad frugal shopper that I am, I suggested we buy one! I searched the Internet yesterday afternoon for a recipe that sounded yummy - I found one and then changed it up a bit. I headed to the kitchen, gathered my spices, chopped my veggies, and then it happened...I saw all the "stuff" was still in the chicken. "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! I HAVE TO TAKE THAT OUT MYSELF?!" is what I shrieked to the husband. He continued playing his video game while laughing and said, "uh yeah, what'd you think?" Um, I certainly didn't think I had to removed GIZZARDS (whatever that is) and livers and hearts and ugggh whatever else was in that nasty looking chicken. I threw up in my mouth, a lot. I gagged. I choked. I turned the chicken upside down and shook it. And I vowed to NEVER buy another whole chicken. Buuut, omg, after an hour and 45 minutes of cooking...that chicken was soooo good and juicy! See for yourself....



I think I'll make another one...IF the husband "cleans" it out first!

Too Much Chocolate Cake

For real? Is there such a thing?! I didn't think so either! Here's the recipe for the chocolate cake I mentioned here. I got the recipe off of a message board on wilton.com so not sure who the author is!

Too Much Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

1 (18.25oz) package of Devil's Food Cake
1 (5.9oz) pack of INSTANT chocolate pudding mix
1 Cup (8 oz) sour cream
1 Cup vegetable oil
4 Eggs
1/2 Cup warm water
2 Cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

-Preheat over to 350 degrees
-In a large mixing bowl, mix together the cake, pudding mix, sour cream, oil, beaten egg (beat in a small bowl first), and warm water. Stir in the chocolate chips and pour batter into a well greased 12 Cup bundt pan.
-Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until top is springy to the touch and a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool cake thoroughly in pan for at least an hour before inverting onto a plate. If desired, dust cake with powdered sugar.

***For the Giant Cupcake Pan heat over to 325 degrees and pour mix evenly into each part of cupcake pan. Bake for 60-70 minutes. Cool cake in the pan for at least an hour before assembling on a plate or cake tray. Decorate as desired!***

Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Just because they're tasty!

Ingredients:

2 Cups all-purpose flour
1/4 Cup and 2 Tablespoons UNsweetened cocoa powder
2 Teaspoons baking powder
1 Teaspoon baking soda
1 Teaspoon salt (this looked like a lot to me...and hubs said he could taste a little salt so maybe half a teaspoon would do?)
1 Teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 Cup margarine
1 Cup brown sugar
1 Cup white sugar
2 Eggs
2 Teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 Cup semisweet chocolate chips (I used the mini chocolate chips b/c that's what I already had)

Directions:
Preheat over to 350 degrees. Grease cookie sheets (I used three).

In a medium size bowl Stir together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; set aside.

In a large bowl cream together margarine, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients from medium bowl using a wooden spoon (I used a plastic one ;) Mix in the oats and chocolate chips.

I added raisins to the last batch because I like raisins!

Drop by tablespoons onto cookie sheets, leaving 2 inches between cookies...they get wide.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes (I baked mine 12 mins) in the preheated over, or until lightly browned (hard to tell when brown b/c they're chocolate!)

Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!