Chocolate Chip Snack Cake

Pull up a chair and pour yourself some coffee, this Chocolate Chip Snack Cake is a keeper recipe. 

With the start of a new year, and following my 2015 word and declaration to blog, live and do life in general with more Intention I’ve sort of struggled with what to post. We’re nearly through an entire week of January and I’ve stared at my computer and planner more times than I’d like to admit drawing a complete and absolute blank. It’s not for the lack of ideas. It’s more a lack of direction and an awful case of blogging ADD.

I took a bit of a break from the blog to enjoy the holidays, clean up and pack away Christmas and really just focus on the goals I set during a recent Goal Planning Workshop. If you are serious about making things happen this year, I cannot stress the importance of enlisting a mentor to hold you accountable and joining a group of other like-minded people who can encourage and support you when you find yourself in a rut.

The group has been really inspiring for me and what I discovered during our session this past Saturday and as we feverishly jotted down our goals for this year, next year, the next five years….is that I am really guilty of posting to post rather than posting to inspire. I am really guilty of doing what I “think” I should be doing rather than what my heart may be leading me towards doing.

If someone asked you what your goals looked like if finances and experience were of no matter, how would you answer that question?

I was incredibly taken back by my answers and one day, when I’m brave enough to share, I’ll share them with you.

 But the bottom line is that I want to post more of what YOU want to read, otherwise this blog is worthless.

It’s a fine balance between supporting yourself and the blog, and cluttering the space you’ve claimed as your own with a lot of….well, noise.

I made a comment to my in-laws sort of making an excuse for how much sponsored content I had over the Christmas season, which wasn’t that much compared to some and my father in law’s response has stuck with me like glue in hair. He said “yeah, you don’t want to be a commercial”.

I know what I do during commercials. I turn the channel or I DVR a show so that I can zoom right through the commercials.

I don’t want to write that type of blog.

I don’t want you having to zoom through for the good stuff.

So enough of my recent awakening and onto the good stuff, okay?

Like this page torn from Debbie Jones’ Cookbook.

 

This little lovely landed itself into my inbox a few weeks ago and I’m not sure what warmed my heart more- the fact that Debbie’s cookbook is called “Good Things to Eat”, or that the pages are torn and tattered with more love than a giant sized inflatable heart can ever hold.

I became friends with Debbie’s daughter Katie when I was working in insurance and a zillion miles away from home eating sandwiches in a hotel room. I know her life and I know that 1. it’s virtually impossible to include her in the traveling apron recipe swap because it’s unlikely where she will be at any given time, and 2. she’s not cooking a whole heck of a lot bouncing from hotel to hotel and from state to state. So while the traveling apron binder didn’t travel to her, her mama’s recipe for this Chocolate Chip Snack Cake (which she says is the best ever) made it to me nevertheless. Thank you, Internet. And thank you Katie and Debbie for introducing me to this “Snack Cake” hereby to be known in my house as Debbie’s Chocolate Chip Snack Cake.

 

With an ingredient list that is uncomplicated yet intriguing, I was more than happy to oblige in giving the Chocolate Chip Snack Cake a whirl. Cooked oatmeal and an entire bag of semi-sweet chocolate morsels? An entire cup of butter??? How on earth could it possibly be undesirable?

Since I had a bag of mini semi-sweet morsels on hand, those are what I used. The recipe calls for chopped nuts but because I was bringing the cake to a meeting, I didn’t want to eliminate anyone with nut allergies. I bet the cake is really great with the nuts, though. The recipe also calls for 2 extra-large or 3 small eggs.  I had 2 large eggs and decided to wing it and my cake turned out just fine.

Serve with an ice cold glass of milk and ooooh laaaaa la.

 The addition of the cooked oatmeal makes for a super moist, ooey gooey cake.

I cut in really small squares to serve, and I’m guessing that the richness of the chocolate and the gooey-ness of the oatmeal is what lent itself to the name “snack cake”. Too large of a piece and you might as well call it a meal. 

 So, raise your hand if you’re envious of Ms. Debbie’s “Good Things to Eat” cookbook.

(raising both hands over here)

And Katie, if you’re reading, THANK YOU for sharing a bit of your mama with us and take my advice….the next time she mentions whipping out the Chocolate Chip Snack Cake get yourself to her house. And make sure you send an invitation my way, too.

Do you have a favorite heirloom recipe? Email it to me if it’s not top secret. I’d love to recreate and feature it!

Other favorites from The Traveling Apron Cookbook:

Banana Nut Bread

 Strawberry Cheesecake Trifles

Parmesan Lime Corn