3-Minute Chocolate Mug Cake from the Microwave

This is a dangerous recipe. Because it's SO easy. And because you make it with things that are probably always in stock on your pantry shelves. And it only takes 3 minutes. And it's single serve so you don't feel as guilty about it. Oh - and it's rich & Yummy! Last night I had just got the kids into bed & sat in the couch to watch some of my shows before bed. The craving hit me - I wanted some baked sweets. Not ice cream, not store-bought cookies, not a pudding cup.... baked goods. But seriously - who has the energy to do all that at 9:00 at night!!? Not this girl (usually!). Then I remembered this recipe! Woo hoo - craving satisfied. It's not as light & fluffy & moist as what you'd get from Ms. Crocker's boxes but, in a pinch, it'll surely get the job done!

Step 1:

Mix your dry ingredients in a coffee mug (not a small one, please!)


Stir in the egg...


Stir in the milk, oil & vanilla. Then stir in the chips.


Put it in the microwave for 3 minutes. It'll grow up over the brim of your mug - don't worry!! It's OK! It'll go back down.

Can you see that in there!? It's kinda tough to take a picture through the microwave door.

See? It settled down.


Now just dump it out onto a plate/bowl & drizzle with a little chocolate syrup - or maybe some powdered sugar - or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Whatever sounds good!

This definitely makes enough to share with a 2nd person so don't feel like you have to make 2 if you & the spouse both want some.

3-Minute Chocolate Mug Cake (in the microwave):

4 TBsp flour
4 TBsp sugar
2 TBsp cocoa powder
1 egg
3 TBsp milk
3 TBsp oil
a small splash of vanilla
3 TBsp chocolate chips

Mix the dry ingredients in a large mug. Add the egg & stir thoroughly. Stir in the milk, oil & vanilla. Mix in the chocolate chips.

Microwave for 3 minutes (1000 watt microwave). Dump out onto plate & top with whatever sounds good!

Peanut Butter Cups

Reece's kind of has the market cornered on peanut butter cups. Any way they make them equals something wonderful - mini cups, original sized, shaped as Easter eggs, Christmas trees, little bells, bats for Halloween... you name it, they're great! But did you know you can get a similarly wonderful flavor on your own? Its true. These little nuggets taste a lot like those orange wrapped gems but they're solid chocolate - no PB middles - the peanut butter flavor runs through the whole candy so you get that deliciousness in every bite! You know what else it awesome about these? You can have a pan of 40 made in about 10 minutes! That makes them great to throw on a goodie plate for your friends or as a last minute idea to take to a holiday get together!

Here's the ingredient list:


Semi-sweet baking chocolate, white baking chocolate, creamy peanut butter, powdered sugar & vanilla. Also in the picture I've included mini-cup wrappers. Make sure those make it onto your grocery list! They sell them right beside the standard cupcake wrappers.

First step is to melt your chocolate. Melt the semi-sweet & white in separate bowls and then mix them together, just incase they melt at different rates. You don't want scorched chocolate!


You'll notice there are chocolate chips in the bowl, too - that's because a box of baking chocolate (except white) generally has 8 oz - I wanted 9 so instead of buying another whole box of squares I added in 1/3 cup of s-s chips. 1/3 cup of chips = 1oz = 1 square of baking chocolate!

Once your chocolates are melted mix them in a bowl with the peanut butter, powdered sugar & vanilla. Start out mixing by hand - if you get tired feel free to finish with an electric. I just don't recommend starting with one because the powdered sugar will poof a giant cloud into the air! So incorporate it into the wet stuff before you bring out the power tools!


Now that it's all mixed up get your paper cups all laid out. Then grab a zip lock baggie (or pastry bag if you prefer) and load it with all the chocolate goodness! Snip a tiny bit off the corner & get to work!


Fill - fill - fill - FILL!! Don't go all the way to the top - only about half full.


A big AH-HA!! moment I had once I got to this point was "Hmmm.... how am I gonna move these!!?" So I stopped & slid them all onto a cookie sheet.


Then pop the pan into the fridge for a little bit & call yourself done! Once the chocolate has set back up you can just store them out on the counter. No need to refrigerate.

If my camera was better you could see them better, but these even turn out with the fun little ridges around the edges - just like the real ones!

ENJOY!

Peanut Butter Cups:

9-oz semi-sweet baking chocolate
3-oz white baking chocolate
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

Melt the chocolates (separately) in the microwave, according to package directions. Once melted mix together and add in all remaining ingredients until well blended.

Transfer mixture into a large zip-lock baggie. Prep all your paper baking cups. Snip the corner of the baggie & squeeze to fill each cup half full. Put into the fridge to set up for an hour.

These may be stored on the counter in an air-tight container.

Source: http://www.melskitchencafe.com

Grilled Chicken Penne al Fresco

That's one fancy-schmancy sounding title, isn't it!!? But you know what? This dish is worthy of a 5-star name like that because it is so, so, so, so, SO (that's 5 so's, right!!? LOL) delicious! However, now that I have dangled that carrot in front of you, I have to say this is a Pampered Chef recipe that needs a PC item to make it that awesome. You could probably use any old kitchen tools for the prep but the one essential tool is 100% Pampered Chef... the Deep Covered Baker. (As long as I'm on the topic, in case any of you reading didn't know, I sell PC - so if you ever want anything just let me know & we'll get it for you!) With the well-loved DCB you can make this in the microwave!

Here is today's cast of characters:

Mezze Penne, chicken broth, white cooking wine (optional, not pictured), fresh basil, garlic, cooked, diced chicken, Parmesan cheese and grape (or cherry) tomatoes.

Step 1: Slice up 4 cloves of garlic (at least! The Gilroy in me insists you use more!) and throw a container of grape tomatoes into the baker with the sliced garlic. Pop it into the microwave for 4-5 minutes.

It's kinda fun to listen to it cook because as it gets hot the tomatoes explode! POP-POP-POP!! When it come out mash it all up - I use my Mix-n-Chop, you could probably use a potato masher.

You're essentially making your own sauce for the pasta dish right now so give it a good, thorough mashing. Once you've done that, throw in the chicken broth, wine, salt, pepper and pasta - DRY pasta. Yep! Straight from the box! How fantastic is THAT!!?


Then it goes back into the microwave for another 16-18 minutes. Stir it once after about 10. When it comes out for good add in the chicken, basil & cheese. Give it a good stir & put the lid back on. Let it sit for about 5 minutes so the pasta can finish cooking/absorbing the liquid & the chicken/basil/cheese can heat/wilt/melt. This baker is stoneware so it retails the heat & redistributes it evenly. With the lid on it works like a convection oven & heats everything/keeps it hot.

I was making this to take to a pot luck so I had to run out the door with it - so I didn't get a pic of it after sitting for 5 minutes... thus the liquid still in the pot. Cut me some slack! I'm not a hoity-toity (how on Earth would you spell that!!?) compensated food blogger - I"m just a mom/housewife with a busy, busy life! Sometime you get amazing - sometimes you get reality!! LOL

This picture may bot speak to you but let me tell you, if you could smell it you would make this weekly! It is DELICIOUS!!! And SO easy. A great way to use up leftover chicken. And it makes a ton so you can send leftover to work with Hubby for lunch - or just hide them in the back of the fridge so you can have it all to yourself!

Grilled Chicken Penne al Fresco
(this recipe uses a ton of PC tools - you can make due with just about anything else - I'll offer suggestions in parenthesis.)

4 garlic cloves, peeled
2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes
3 cups uncooked mezze penne pasta
3 cups chicken broth
3/4 cups white cooking wine
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 1/4 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (NOT the powdery kind!)
2 cups diced grilled chicken breast

Spray baker with olive oil using kitchen spritzer (or brush using a basting brush). Slice garlic into baker using garlic slicer (or thinly slice with knife). Add tomatoes. Cover; microwave on high for 4-5 minutes. Stir after 2 m inutes. Crush tomatoes using mix-n-chop (or potato masher). Add dry pasta, wine, broth, salt & pepper.

Cover & return to microwave on high for 16-18 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes. Meanwhile, coarsely chop basil.

Carefully remove baker from microwave (it will be hot!). Remove lid & add basil, chicken & cheese. Stir well & cover. Let it sit for about 5 minutes. Stir again & enjoy!!