Five Minute Chocolate Cake

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE

4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
A small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug (MicroSafe)

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly.
Pour in the milk and oil and mix well..
Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again.
Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts.
The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!
Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.
EAT ! (this can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous).

And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world?
Because now we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day!

Eggcellent Eggs

I love these. Love. Lovey, dovey, smovey, wovey. True love. It's just a good thing they only sell these once a year. I know they have the cup thingies, but they're not the same. These are fresh. Unadulterated. Only on the shelf since Valentine's Day. And because they are eggs you can eat them for breakfast. Because they have peanut butter in them, they are protein. But the day after Easter they go on sale for 50% off and they disappear for another year. But you are left with the memories, the little extra pudge on the bottom which is why everything I love has the word "butt" in it. Butt-ered popcorn. Butt-er Toffee. Peanut Butt-er. Nutty Butt-y Ice Cream Cones. Why can't they change the words to like "worth it." Worth it popcorn. Worth it toffee. Peanut worth it eggs. Well, I'm going to go and OD on something that's worth it.

A Very Yummy Stir Fry

I used to get together with some friends for "themed" dinner nights once a month. We did a fondue night, Chinese Food, Japanese Food, Thai, Comfort Foods, Soups, Barbeque. It was fun stepping out of our comfort zones and discovering new recipes and trying others cooking too. The laughter and conversation was the best part of it.

When we had a Japanese night, one couple had lived in Japan for 1 1/2 years and they made some great cabbage pancake kind of stuff. This recipe was a big hit that I got from "About.com."

Pork and Vegetables Stir-Fry
3 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp mirin (I got this from an Asian grocery store. "Kikkoman Aji-Mirin" sweet cooking rice seasoning.)
2 Tbsp white sesame seeds (I leave these out because I'm allergic to them)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp finely chopped ginger (I buy minced garlic & ginger in jars)
4 thin boneless pork chops, cut into strips
1 carrot, cut into strips
1 negi, or 1/2 leek, sliced diagonally (I couldn't find these so I used an Asian cabbage like Napa)
salt & pepper to season

Mix mirin, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and sesame seeds in a bowl. Marinate pork in sauce for 15 minutes. Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in the skillet and fry pork on medium heat. When pork is cooked, remove from the skillet to a plate.

Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in the skillet and stir-fry carrot and negi/cabbage until softened. Season with salt & pepper and vegetable for a minute. Serves 4. Serve with rice.

The great thing with stir fries is you can exchange vegetables or meats. I'm not a huge fan of pork so when I find a good recipe like this one it's a good change from chicken and beef. The marinade is very yummy. I think you could almost classify this as a healthy dinner. Just make sure you have dessert ready or your family might think something is up.

Clam Chowder

I got this recipe from a church cookbook, which you should know by now that church cookbooks always have the best recipes in them. I modified this by taking out the green bell pepper because I hate bell peppers of any color.

Clam Chowder

4 slices bacon, cut in small pieces

3 chopped green onions with tops

5-6 medium potatoes cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 stalk celery, sliced fine (I grate them)

1 clove fresh garlic or minced garlic

2 Cups water

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp *Worcestershire sauce

4 drops Tabasco sauce

3 cans chopped clams (with juice)

1 pt (2 cups) light cream

Saute bacon until crisp, drain. Add vegetables and garlic. Pour in water and seasonings. Cover and simmer until done (about 15-20 minutes - when potatoes are done). Heat clams separately until warm and add Pour in cream and heat until piping hot but don't boil.

*pronounced "werster-sher" Don't argue - it's British and that's how they say it. So stop trying to say it "wer-chester-shy-ird"

I'm still thinking about how awful "clam juice" sounds. Ew.

I didn't take a picture of this because it looks like a bowl of - never mind.

Cheesecake!

I made my brother and his family dinner for his "Big 40" birthday. He loves cheesecake - actually he loves anything - for dessert. Notice the bony fingers? Yeah. Why do the guys always get the skinny genes? This is a great recipe that I got from a friend about ten years ago. It is always a winner!

Crust

12 Graham crackers - blend in food processor. Then pour in

1/3 Cup melted butter

Put in a pie plate and smash the crust around sides and bottom. Or you can buy a crust - but this one is better.

Cheesecake

2 x 8 oz. cream cheese softened

3/4 Cup sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Mix until smooth. Gently spread in crust. Bake at 350° for 18 minutes.

Cream Topping:

16 oz. sour cream

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/4 Cup sugar

Fold together and smooth over cheesecake. Bake for another five minutes. Eat with or without fruit toppings. I love blueberry best so I used that. Just use your favorite or not. Tastes best in the closet with the door locked.

Chicken Enchiladas

This is one of my family's favorite meals:

3 chicken breast halves cooked shredded or cubed (boiled, fried, whatever you have time for)
2 Cans Cream of Chicken soup
8 oz. sour cream

Mix and divide among ten burrito style tortillas:
Cover the bottom of your pans with a little sauce. Roll the enchiladas up and place seam side down in either a large baking pan or I use a 9x13 and a 9X9 - six in one, four in the other. Then pour equally:

One can of enchilada sauce (I use Rosarita)

Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350° for 35 minutes. Cover with grated cheese (as much as you like). Put back in the oven uncovered for another 5 minutes until cheese is melted. So genius. So easy. Serve with a salad so you can get some veggies into those kids!

Marvelous Muffins

This is the best ever muffins you'll ever make.

In case you don't know the difference between muffins and cupcakes I better explain that cupcakes are made with a cake batter. Muffin batter is much thicker. The trick to making good muffins is mixing all the dry ingredients together and mix all the wet ingredients together and combine the two mixing gently - stir these by hand. Over mixed muffin mix makes your muffins a rubbery texture.

So here's the recipe:

In a large mixing bowl mix:

2 Cups flour

1/3 Cup sugar

2/3 Cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. Baking powder

1 tsp. baking soday

In another bowl whisk together:

1 egg

1/2 cup Milk

1 cup sour cream (I use fat free)

1/2 cup melted Butter (the real stuff)

1 tsp vanilla

Gently mix the wet into the dry and fold in 1 cup Milk Chocolate chips. This makes 20 muffins. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes. This is a great recipe for anytime and neighbors especially like getting them as a treat.

Straight-to-My-Thighs Thursday

This is my most requested recipe. Whenever we have get togethers with other people I'm always asked to bring these Peanut Butter Bars. People go crazy for them - like vultures on a carcass! My secret is in the peanut butter - I only use Adams Natural No-Stir.

My World Famous Peanut Butter Bars

1 Cup Margarine (not butter - butter makes them crunchy)
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Cup Sugar

Mix with mixer until mixed. Then add:

1 Cup Peanut Butter (crunchy or creamy)
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs

Then add:

2 Cups Flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Cup Quick Rolled Oats

Don't burn out your mixer motor mixing this! Then spread in a jelly roll pan (12" x 16") and bake at 350° F for 20 minutes. If you use a different size pan you will have to adjust the time. They should be lightly browned on top. Cool for ten minutes and then spread peanut butter all over it (no need to measure but approximately 1 cup.)

Frosting

1 Cup sugar
4 Tbsp. marg or butter
5 Tbsp. milk

On medium heat bring to boil for one minute and add:

1/2 C. marshmallows

Stir until dissolved. Then add:

1/2 C. Milk Chocolate Chips

When almost dissolved pour on one end of bars - it will be runny - work quickly. Then tip the pan so it will spread all over. Be careful, I got so excited making these once I didn't notice the frosting oozing over the side and I burnt myself. If your family really likes frosting you can double the recipe.

I did that once and it made Little Miss throw up at school. She blamed my Peanut Butter Bars and added that she liked them better the other way. That's just the way Little Misses can be. So I don't recommend eating them for breakfast even though they have oatmeal, eggs and peanut butter which are all acceptable foods to eat for breakfast.