Explanation

I do believe I owe the world an explanation as to my absent-ness. It has now been over a month since I have posted and I must be a 100% honest with you. I was captured...by a group of vandals...who... wouldn't let me go until I created 100 new recipes for them. And so there I was, in a cabin, somewhere in the woods, terrified, working my chubby little fingers to the bone, thinking only of how I was letting all of my [now 15] readers down. All the while I was only wishing I could some how reach out to them, let them know I still care, that I didn't get run over by a bus or something. And so I cooked and baked and basted and stirred and whipped and then they finally let me go. My only hope once I was free was that there'd still be someone out there willing to read my words and listen to my ideas (and put up with my really bad grammar).

Although there is one other thing I fear: I shall warn you they may come back for me, I may disappear again hopefully not for any longer than this time but I don't know if I can help it; my knowledge is more valuable than I could have ever foreseen.

OKAY, OKAY, I'M A COMPULSIVE LIAR. There I said it I know my story, while being very convincing, is a harsh fallacy I have concocted because I was embarrassed by the truth, which is: life happened, like it always does. I got a new job last month, school got really busy, and I couldn't find enough extra time on my hands. But break has come along and therefore I feel I owe you some new recipes. So prepare yourself I have returned, and while I am not sure for how long, I will return, I will always return.

Next Week

Seeing as last week was Mardi Gras, and this weekend I have spent in bed, covered in vapor rub, being buried alive by my own tissues, wishing I wasn't the only person in this household who likes to make sick people chicken noodle soup, I have accepted the fact that getting around to a recipe Monday was not going to happen. However, while I have spent a bit too much time flipping through daytime television today and the vapor rub may be going to my head it has given time to think. Next Monday is gonna be the day I feeling it.

Technical difficulties, and by technical I mean procrastination.... work is in progress... tomorrow maybe?

Praline Rolls

Ya see I know what you're thinking: "Aw look she made cinnamon rolls this week! I should make those too, because they look delicious, and because I just need to dwell in her awesomeness by making everything she makes." And I must say its really cool of you to think such marvelous things of me, I really appreciate it, I do, but I'm going to stop you right there. These are NOT cinnamon rolls, because well, they lack the key ingredient of, yeah ya guessed it, cinnamon. So because of my southern background, and my strong desire to have candy for breakfast this morning I have dubbed them: Praline Rolls. And although it may be hard to believe because of my beautiful photography I promise they taste better than they look.  Now not that I like to toot my own horn or anything like that (actually many people tell me I am an extremely humble person) I am simply stating a fact: THEY ARE AWESOME.

P.S. I feel the need to inform you I have officially changed post day to Mondays until further notice.

INGREDIENTS: (makes about 10 rolls, feeds about 4)

DOUGH:

1/3 cup milk

2 TBS butter, softened

¼ tsp vanilla extract

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ tsp active dry yeast (about ½ of a .25 ounce package)

2 TBS white sugar

¼  tsp salt

2 TBS water

2 TBS oil

FILLING:

½ cup brown sugar, packed

¼ cup (= 4 TBS) butter, softened (+ more for toasting)

½ cup toasted pecans

ICING:

½ cup powder sugar

2 TBS milk

2 TBS melted butter

more pecans

DIRECTIONS: (takes about 2 hours but I promise its worth it)

First thing we want to do is scald the milk. Heat the milk in a small pan stirring continuously until tiny bubbles start to appear around the edges. Once the bubbles appear take off heat immediately. 

Once off of the heat, melt the 2 TBS of butter in the milk stirring occasionally  While letting the butter melt, in a separate bowl mix together 1 cup flour, yeast, sugar, and salt with a fork. 

Once butter is melted mix in vanilla extract and pour the mixture into the dry flour mixture. Add water and oil and mix until it just comes together.

Add the other 1/2 cup of flour mix in, and just when the dough starts to come together toss it onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for about 3 min, just until the dough begins to form one big piece. If its a little dry add a bit of water.

Cover with a warm damp cloth or some cling wrap, and let rest in a warm place for 10 min.

Chop up the pecans fairly fine. Melt some margarine or butter in a pan and toss in chopped pecans just until you can start to smell them: about 5 minutes.

Next in a bowl mix butter and toasted pecans so the pecans can melt the butter.

Roll out the rested dough and spread the pecan butter mixture over all of the dough. Make sure to get the edges.

Sprinkle the brown sugar on top and....

roll it up.

Cut it up into about 1 inch thick pieces, or a bit larger if you'd like. Place in a 9 inch round greased cake pan, or whatever pan they fit in. Cover with a damp cloth, set in warm place and let rest for 30 min. They should get larger in size......

Like this. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for 20 min, or until brown.

While rolls are in the oven melt the 2 TBS of butter in the microwave and whisk in the powder sugar gradually (about a TBS at a time). Add the milk after about a TBS or two. It may be a bit thin, if so you can always add a bit of powder sugar and/or place in the freezer so it can firm up a bit.

After 20 min take them out and......

...drown them in icing add more chopped, toasted pecans.

oh and enjoy!

Don't forget your apple I mean we are trying to be healthy, are we not?

everything in short...or slightly short-er....


INGREDIENTS: (makes about 10 rolls, feeds about 4)
DOUGH:
1/3 cup milk
2 TBS butter, softened
¼ tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp active dry yeast (about ½ of a .25 ounce package)
2 TBS white sugar
¼  tsp salt
2 TBS water
2 TBS oil

FILLING:
½ cup brown sugar, packed
¼ cup (= 4 TBS) butter, softened (+ more for toasting)
½ cup toasted pecans

ICING:
½ cup powder sugar
2 TBS milk
2 TBS melted butter
more pecans

DIRECTIONS: (takes about 2 hours but I promise its worth it)
First thing we want to do is scald the milk. Heat the milk in a small pan stirring continuously until tiny bubbles start to appear around the edges. Once the bubbles appear take off heat immediately.

Once off the heat, melt the 2 TBS of butter in the milk stirring occasionally  While letting the butter melt, in a separate bowl mix together 1 cup flour, yeast, sugar, and salt with a fork.

Once butter is melted mix in vanilla extract and pour the mixture into the dry flour mixture. Add water and oil and mix until it just comes together.

Add the other 1/2 cup of flour mix in, and just when the dough starts to come together toss it onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for about 3 min, just until the dough begins to form one big piece. If its a little dry add a bit of water.

Cover with a warm damp cloth or some cling wrap, and let rest in a warm place for 10 min.

Chop up the pecans fairly fine. Melt some margarine or butter in a pan and toss in chopped pecans just until you can start to smell them: about 5 minutes.

Next in a bowl mix butter and toasted pecans so the pecans can melt the butter.

Roll out the rested dough and spread the pecan butter mixture over all of the dough. Make sure to get the edges. Sprinkle the brown sugar on top and roll it up.

Cut it up into about 1 inch thick pieces, or a bit larger if you'd like. Place in a greased 9 inch round cake pan, or whatever they fit in. Cover with a damp cloth, set in warm place and let rest for 30 min. They should get larger in size. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for 20 min, or until brown.

While rolls are in the oven melt the 2 TBS of butter in the microwave and whisk in the powder sugar gradually (about a TBS at a time). Add the milk after about a TBS or two of powder sugar has been whisked in. It may be a bit thin, if so you can always add a bit of powder sugar and/or place in the freezer so it can firm up a bit.

After 20 min take the rolls out and drown them in icing add more chopped, toasted pecans and enjoy!

Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate Cake

I am a terrible person, and by terrible I mean horrible, and by horrible I mean I am a horrid person because: I haven't cooked this week for you. Deplorable, yes I know, however bad a person I may be I still promised a recipe for this week and I will not fail to deliver on that account.  This is one of my mom's recipes, and I am hoping to eventually add a tutorial to go along with the recipe. this is one of those cakes that only gets made on special occasions because I swear that by the time you take it out of the oven it literally weighs 5 lbs. ok maybe I might be exaggerating a little but it is gooey and chocolate-y and decadent enough for a royal I swear. 

Death by Chocolate (AKA) Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Cake

  

Ingredients for cake:

1        18.25oz.* Devils Food cake mix [make sure cake mix does not contain pudding]

1            3.90oz.* Instant chocolate pudding mix

1        (slightly heaping) cup of sour cream

1        cup of milk

½   cup of water

½   cup of oil

4        large eggs

1½ cups of chocolate chips

1    TBS flour (for the pan)

*sizes are rough the cake mix is usually smaller but that's ok 

Ingredients for glaze:

      ¾ cup of chocolate chips

      3  TBS of unsalted butter

      ½ TBS vegetable oil (to make it shiny I promise you won't taste it)

Directions for CAKE:

      1 set oven to 350° then grease and flour 10in. bundt pan (make sure to get rid of all excess flour or it will make the outside of the cake dry)

      2 in a large bowl combine cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, milk, oil, water, and eggs beat until well blended (an electric hand mixer works best)

      3 next mix in chocolate chips and then pour batter into pan

      4 bake for 40-50 minutes or more depending on oven

      5 cool in pan for 15 minutes then turn out onto wire rack

Directions for GLAZE:

      1 put all ingredients in microwave safe bowl in microwave set on high for 30 second intervals mix in-between till completely melted smooth

      2 drizzle over cake

Enjoy!

 I'm still alive I promise! No, I have not gone into the void of bloggers that never return I have plans for Next Friday if all works out I shall see you then!

banana pancakes!

banana pancakes!
Sooo I've been taking a break this week and never got around to getting pictures for this one yet! keyword being yet, but I feel I need to put out a recipe for this week regardless hence I'm giving you my ever so secret recipe for banana pancakes. But yes this recipe deserves a good edit which should be coming soon!

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 nutmeg
1/4 cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla
mashed ripe bananas = little more than 3/4 cup[2 medium bananas]
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 1/4 cups milk
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter, melted

DIRECTIONS:
Mash up the bananas first and set aside.
Mix flour, baking soda, salt and sugar. Then add egg milk and butter, get rid of most of the lumps.
Add mashed bananas, stir in it will be slightly lumpy. Stir in nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla.

Heat griddle and pour about 1/4 cup of batter, once bubbles appear all over check to see if ready to flip. Once they are brown on both sides they should be ready to eat!

My New Years Resolution

        Today I did something slightly uncharacteristic of me. I made a new year’s resolution. I know lots of people make these things and say they are going to follow through on them but I never do. Well I use to, until I decided to stop making these resolutions because frankly I NEVER kept a single one, but then again I have really bad work ethic. 

           

        Now don't get too excited although my name may be Julie I am no Julie Powell. But getting back on topic this all started after watching Julie & Julia yesterday, [you know the movie, based off the book, which is based off the true story of Julie Powell, who started a food blog (about cooking her way through Julia Child's cookbook)] and well it got me thinking. Now this is not just because I write a food blog, nor because of the fact that my name is also Julie, which I love but also hate how others love to point this fact out, but then I realized that although I knew this was going to be hard to follow through on and despite my history of a "lack of commitment" on things I have officially decided to not give up.  At least not for this year so whether ya love me, you hate me, haven't a clue of who I am, or just don't give a care either way, this world is going to be stuck with me for another year. Whether I have 2 readers or 10 I love having this chance to share my ideas with others and this itself is the only validation I will ever need. At least that’s what I tell myself when I lie awake at night. 

           So as I like to say "in short" my new year’s resolution is 365 days 52 new recipes. Yes maybe I'm not as ambitious as the great Julie Powell, but with all due respect, its more for the hopes of keeping my sanity intact.  I'll attempt to aim a bit higher come 2014. If I may so graciously part I wish all a happy New Year and may cooking bring you joy in the New Year!

Chicken Artichoke Flatbread Pizza

This is one of those ideas that comes to you in the middle of the night, so you shoot out of bed and write down every word as it comes flooding into your head before you forget something, because this kind of genius does not come around very often (ask anyone I know).  After I was awake and coherent I usually tend to reexamine these late night thoughts and quantify their worth and this one was a ten, a definite 10. Only problem left was the execution and welll... I'll let you be the judge of that.

INGREDIENTS: [feeds about 4 or 3 really hungry people]

Crust: [uses HC’s flat bread recipe complete tutorial here but cut in half with these alterations]

1 ½ cups flour and ½ cup extra for kneading and rolling

1 tsp. salt

1 TBS extra virgin olive oil

½ cup of water                   

Pizza toppings:

½ large red onion

1 TBS minced garlic

3 TBS tomato basil pesto (or 3TBS of minced dried tomatoes mixed with 1 tsp dried basil)

2-4 oz crumbled feta

14 oz can of artichoke hearts

1 cup shredded mozzarella

1 large chicken breast cooked (or about 1 cup shredded/cut up chicken)

*all toppings subjective to taste

White Sauce:

1 TBS flour

1 TBS butter or margarine

1 cup of milk

4-5 TBS grated Parmesan 

DIRECTIONS:

After bread is made let bread rest for 15 min. Chop up onion and rest of ingredients and set aside.  After bread is rested roll out as one whole piece.

My perfect circle I swear I passed kindergarten.

Bake on cookie sheet at 350 F for about ten minutes take out of oven and flip this process can be slightly daunting I use a large spatula and a pair of tongs to carefully flip then I stick it back in the oven for about 5-7 more minutes to tell when done it should be stiff but slightly flexible and maybe have a couple brown spots.  If any parts are still a little opaque  it's ok but those should be minimal.

 After the flat bread is done you can start the white sauce. We start with a rue, which is really just a means to thicken our sauce. Add the butter and flour at med-low and as the butter melts whisk together until there are no lumps.

Like so then you can slowly add the milk while whisking to prevent lumps, and then add parmesan one TBS at a time, if your likely to lose count like I do I suggest measuring it out before hand and then sprinkle in 1 TBS at a time while whisking. 

 After all the parmesan is added keep whisking at med-low for another 5 min then turn to low and stir occasionally  It should soon thicken, if it becomes to thick whisk in a bit more milk.

Next add some butter to a pan and saute onions, once onions start to become opaque add garlic, drain artichoke hearts and toss in after about 5 min. just until artichoke hearts have enough time to warm up a bit [a min or 2].

Next add the toppings: the tomato basil pesto, chicken, feta, onions and artichokes mixture, white sauce, and last but not least mozzarella.

Bake at 350 F for 7-10 min until cheese melts and starts to bubble. Cut, serve, maybe top with fresh basil and some cajun seasoning and enjoy!

everything in short...... or shorter...


INGREDIENTS: [feeds about 4 or 3 really hungry people]

Crust: [uses HC’s flat bread recipe complete tutorial here but cut in half with these alterations]
1 ½ cups flour and ½ cup extra for kneading and rolling
1 tsp. salt
1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
½ cup of water                  

Pizza toppings:
½ large red onion
1 TBS minced garlic
3 TBS tomato basil pesto (or 3TBS of minced dried tomatoes mixed with 1 tsp dried basil)
2-4 oz crumbled feta
14 oz can of artichoke hearts
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 large chicken breast cooked (or about 1 cup shredded/cut up chicken)

*all toppings subjective to taste

White Sauce:
1 TBS flour
1 TBS butter or margarine
1 cup of milk
4-5 TBS grated Parmesan

DIRECTIONS:
Mix flour, salt, olive oil and water. After mixed let bread rest for 15 min. Chop up onion and rest of ingredients and set aside.  After bread is rested roll out as one whole piece.

Bake on cookie sheet at 350 F for about ten minutes.  Take out of oven and flip over [this process can be tricky I use a large spatula and a pair of tongs to carefully flip].  Then stick it back in the oven for about 5-7 more minutes.  It should be stiff but slightly flexible and maybe have a couple brown spots when done.  If any parts are still a little opaque  it's ok but those should be minimal.

After the flat bread is done start the white sauce. Start with a rue add the butter and flour at med-low and as the butter melts whisk together until there are no lumps. Then slowly add the milk while whisking and then add parmesan one TBS at a time, while whisking.

After all the parmesan is added keep whisking at med-low for another 5 min then turn to low and stir occasionally.  It should soon thicken, if it becomes to thick whisk in a bit more milk.

Next add some butter to a pan and saute onions, once onions start to become opaque add garlic, drain artichoke hearts and toss in after about 5 min. cook just until artichoke hearts have enough time to warm up a bit [a min or 2].

Next add the toppings: the tomato basil pesto, chicken, feta, onions and artichokes mixture, white sauce, and last but not least mozzarella.

Bake at 350 F for 7-10 min until cheese melts and starts to bubble. Cut, serve, maybe top with fresh basil and some cajun seasoning and enjoy!

Merry Christmas to all and to all...

A good night...

Umm so I kinda sorta may have believed the whole Mayan Apocalypse story hence the reason why I didn't quite plan a recipe for you today. Sooo now that we can all enjoy life again I need to catch up on my Christmas shopping. And in the hopes that we all will survive the rest of this day I'll have a recipe for you next week. Stay safe in your bunkers, only 11 more hours to go people! I'm gonna get some wrapping done I'll see ya next week.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Recently, I realized homemade chicken noodle soup is suprisingly easy to make.  Last month being sick and really wanting chicken noodle soup, but having a slight aversion to the kind in the can, as in it induces a gag reflex in me, I decided to make my own. Whether it's the mushy  noodles or the mushy vegetables that induce the churning of my stomach, or the idea of canned meat (yeah who ever decided that canned meat was a good idea no, no I don't think so), it is now my great pleasure today to present to you the delicious, tolerable, delectable, no more mushy noodles or canned meat, chicken noodle soup, and yes that is its full title. Oh and please forgive me for the sub-par photos this week, next week will be better I promise, eh who am I kidding, next week I will attempt to do better. Yeah, I can keep that promise.

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups chicken broth low sodium (=24 oz.)

2 cups egg noodles (16oz.)

1 cup water

½ large yellow onion chopped (= 1cup)

1 cup chopped carrots (=8oz.)

½ cup chopped celery (about 1-2 stalks)

1 TBS minced garlic (3-4 cloves)

1 large chicken breast (enough to = 1 cup chopped up) [P.S. you can use pre cooked chicken too]

About a tsp. of butter or margarine

Salt and pepper to taste

*Ingredient amounts are always adjustable (I usually add a cup of chopped celery but if you’re not a big fan of celery like some people I know, those who shall not be named [roommates], you can always cut it down to ½ a cup as in here, or add a little bit more if ya love the stuff. The same goes for the garlic, carrots, and onions.)

DIRECTIONS:

 First thing you want to do chop up the carrots into bite size pieces. I like to use baby carrots because you only really have to cut them in direction; however, they do sometimes tend to shoot across the room when cutting so be wary of that.

Next dice up onions and....

Dice up the celery.  To get a good size for the celery I just chop off the top and the bottom, cut it into fourths the long way, and then just chop the whole thing up.

Toss chopped carrots into pot and pour in just enough broth to cover the tops completely. Bring to a boil and then simmer uncovered for 10-15 min. or until tender when stabbed with a fork.  [Just keep in mind we are only adding to this pot so the carrots will continue to cook as we add the other ingredients.] When done take off heat and set aside.

Next melt some butter in a saute pan and toss in the celery with a little salt and pepper, after about 2-3 min toss in the onions wait another 2-3 min until the onions become slightly opaque, and throw in the minced garlic. Take the sauteed mixture off the heat and set aside.

Next grab a new pot fill with water and bring to a boil.  Then once boiling put in the chicken breast, it should cook in about 20 min [keeping it at a low boil] depending on the size, and if you grab it with a pair of tongs it should seem pretty firm. If you're worried about the middle taking longer to cook than the outer skinnier parts you can always cut it up into somewhat equal sizes and put it back into the pot.

After about 10-15 min check your chicken by cutting into the thickest part if there is no pink whatsoever it should be done, which is not always likely at this point, cut up the rest of the chicken and also make sure there are no pink spots.

While the chicken is cooking take back the pot with the partially cooked carrots, and pour in the rest of the chicken broth and the 1 cup of water.  Toss in the egg noodles bring to a roaring boil then turn it down to a slight boil and cook noodles for about 6-8 min stirring occasionally or until a slightly al dente [slightly under cooked]  texture is reached. 

yes I hate florescent lights too

Once the chicken is cooked and cut up and the noodles are al dente throw the cooked chicken and sauteed celery, onions, and garlic, into the pot simmer for about 5 min salt and pepper to taste, serve, then eat!

One of the roomies eating some soup

everything in short...

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups chicken broth low sodium (24 oz.)

2 cups egg noodles

1 cup water

½ large yellow onion chopped (= 1cup)

1 cup chopped carrots (=8oz.)

½ cup chopped celery (about 1-2 stalks)

1 TBS minced garlic (3-4 cloves)

1 large chicken breast (enough to = cup chopped up)

About a tsp. of butter or margarine

Salt and pepper to taste

*Ingredient amounts are always adjustable (I usually add a cup of chopped celery but if you’re not a big fan of celery like some people I know, those who shall not be named [roommates], you can always cut it down to ½ a cup as in here, or add a little bit more if ya love the stuff. The same goes for the garlic, carrots, and onions.)

DIRECTIONS:

First thing you want to do chop up the carrots into bite size pieces, chop up the onions and the celery.

Next toss chopped carrots into pot and pour in just enough broth to cover the tops completely. Bring to a boil and then simmer uncovered for 10-15 min. or until tender when stabbed with a fork.  [Just keep in mind we are only adding to this pot so the carrots will continue to cook as we add the other ingredients.] 

Melt some butter in a sauté pan and toss in the celery, after about 2-3 min toss in the onions wait another 2-3 min until the onions become slightly opaque, and throw in the minced garlic. Take the sautéed mixture off the heat and set aside.

Next grab a new pot and fill with water, bring to a boil and then put in the chicken breast. It should cook in about 20 min depending on the size and if you grab it with a pair of tongs it should seem pretty firm when done. If you're worried about the middle taking longer to cook than the outer skinnier parts you can always cut it up into somewhat equal sizes and put it back into the pot. After about 10 min check your chicken by cutting into the thickest part if there is no pink whatsoever it should be done, cut up the rest of the chicken and also make sure there are no pink spots.

While the chicken is cooking take back the pot with the partially cooked carrots, and pour in the rest of the chicken broth and the 1 cup of water.  Toss in the egg noodles bring to a roaring boil then turn it down to a slight boil and cook noodles for about 6-8 min stirring occasionally or until slightly al dente.

Once the chicken is cooked and cut up and the noodles are done throw the cooked chicken and sauteed celery, onions, and garlic, into the pot simmer for about 5 min salt and pepper to taste, serve, then eat!

Whipped Cream from Scratch

I feel as though people overestimate the difficulty of some things, whipped cream for instance. I love this stuff, it's supper easy, a kindergartner could do it, no joke I swear. Although I haven't tested this theory I have a good bit of faith in that statement. It doesn't take long at all (about 20 min. tops) and it taste a WHOLE lot better, especially since you get to control the sugar content. Added bonus you cut out those hydrogenated oils that are found in most of those whip creams. (Insert rant about hydrogenated oils and trans fats here.)

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1-2 TBS granulated sugar
= 2 cups of whipped cream


First things first, make sure your heavy whipping cream is fairly fresh, if not it will have a slight bitter hint to it, kind of like butter milk, and that is not tasty. If you opened it a week ago and you keep your fridge relatively colder than average it should be okay, any longer and you may be risking it.

Next get a bowl preferably metal, but it doesn't have to be, and the whisks to your electric mixer and shove those in the freezer for at least 10 min.

Once your bowl and whisks are relatively cold take 'em out and measure out and pour in the heavy whipping cream.

Start to mix the heavy whipping cream on the lowest setting; however, if you have a kitchen aid stand mixer the second lowest setting is better. If no change is noticeable after the first five minutes knock the speed up by one setting.

Once you start to see firm ridges [like below] starting to form in the cream start to add the sugar SLOWLY while mixing. SLOWLY add 1 TBS first, and check for taste, if you'd like it sweeter add a bit more.

Soon firmer ridges will start to form, a little less than a minute later, like so [below]. 

Turn off mixer and check for a stiff peak: which is when you lift your mixer out of the cream it should hold its shape. If it holds its shape you are done, and if you're feeling really fancy fold in some melted chocolate and you have chocolate mousse!

Enjoy!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Mug Cake

Everyone knows about mug cakes right? Pinterest is the main cause of that, along with making every woman in the world believe she should make wreathes out of household items and start working out a whole lot more. Okay, okay, I’ll admit it I’m a pinterest addict too, I tried going to PA anonymous but I keep relapsing, and I still have this unquenchable urge to decorate my house with mason jars. So yes I'm a pinterest addict but for now I’ll embrace it and go look at pictures of cats with funny captions to go along with them and tell myself I’m gonna start working out tomorrow, ya know or next Tuesday, actually Friday sounds better, hmmm maybe not I do have that thing on Friday.

So right the recipe that thing...

INGREDIENTS:      (can serve 2)
¼ cup plain flour (do not use self-rising)
¼ cup sugar
¼ tsp baking powder
3 TBS milk
3 TBS oil
2 TBS whisked egg
3 TBS of nutella
1 TBS of peanut butter
3 TBS chocolate chips (optional-for when you want that chocolate comma)
Small drop or two of vanilla  
Extra large mug (should hold about 16 oz.)

DIRECTIONS:
First measure out flour, sugar, and baking powder. 

Make sure to level out all the dry ingredients, try to get it exact as you can. Add straight to the mug and stir all ingredients together with a fork.

Next add the 3 TBS milk, 3 TBS oil, and 2 TBS egg and stir right in. If the egg isn't completely whisked and it's hard to get a full TBS just pour the egg into the measuring spoon, over a sink in case it overflows. 

*** Also note one egg = about 3 TBS

Next add the 3 TBS nutella and 1 TBS peanut butter these can definitely over flow and note if you spray your measuring spoon with a little bit of cooking spray before measuring each out the nutella and peanut butter come out more easily.

Stir together until fully incorporated and there are almost no clumps.

Once it looks like this, pop it into the microwave for 2-2½ min at 1,000 watts keep in mind depends on your microwave.

On a plate of course, in case of accidental spillage. 

Cool in the fridge for 10-15 min and be careful cause it will still be hot.

Top with powder sugar or whip cream etc. Enjoy!

P.S. Monday is whip cream from scratch.

everything in short...

INGREDIENTS:     (can serve 2)

¼ cup plain flour (do not use self-rising)

¼ cup sugar

¼ tsp baking powder

3 TBS milk

3 TBS oil

2 TBS whisked egg

3 TBS of nutella

1 TBS of peanut butter

3 TBS chocolate chips (optional)

Small drop or two of vanilla  

Extra-large mug (should hold about 16oz. at least)

DIRECTIONS:

Add the flour, baking powder, and sugar to mug, stir well with a fork.

Next add egg, oil, and milk and mix again until fully incorporated.

Toss in the nutella and peanut butter, mix again.

Place mug in microwave (if you’re worried about the size of your mug place a saucer underneath to prevent spillage) and cook for 2-2½ min at 1,000 watts depends on your microwave.

Cake may rise slightly over the top of the mug but should not over flow.

Once cooked take out of microwave and place in refrigerator to cool for about 10-15 min even so it will still be burn your mouth hot. Top with powder sugar, whip cream, fudge, caramel (ya know if you’re feeling really crazy). 

Enjoy!