Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Mug Cake

 

I'm totally in this 2- minute, microwave cake stuff, right now and lovin' it!

This cake is over-the-top, good! It is filled with everything you'd ever want to cure that chocolate chip, cookie dough crave, all in one amazing mug. I'm serious, pour yourself a cup of hot coffee, get your other mug out of the microwave after it's kindly told you that your cake is done and put your feet up. Because...you deserve it! But wait, put a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top, first. Now, you can put your feet up and enjoy!

This is the start to a beautiful love affair...

Right before it's to be stirred and plopped in the microwave

The Steps:

Crack an egg into your mug

Add 3 tbsp. brown sugar

Add 1/3 cup flour and 1 tbsp. softened butter

Finally, add 3-4 tbsp. mini chocolate chips and stir everything together until all incorporated.

Put in the microwave for about 1 minute and 30 seconds and you've got yourself an amazing treat!

Enjoy my friends. Enjoy.

**Adapted from Babble.com 

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Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This cake is so good! It has the wonderful combined taste of two of my faves: banana bread and moist, white cake. SO good! And who can resist creamy, cream cheese frosting? Not me, I tell you. And either can the rest of my family. I think we wolfed down this whole sheet cake in one night! Pathetic, I know. You will love this recipe!

 Printable Recipe 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 medium ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)

FROSTING:

• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3-3/4 to 4 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, sour cream and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Stir in bananas.
• Spread into a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean (do not over bake). Cool.
• For frosting, in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until fluffy. Gradually beat in enough confectioners' sugar to achieve desired consistency. Frost bars. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 3-4 dozen.

Adapted from

Taste of Home

The 2-Minute Chocolate Fudge Cake

This is the most amazing dessert I've come across. You know why? Because this decadent personal size cake is ready in under 2 minutes from your microwave. 

It is moist, full of chocolate, loaded with flavor, and hits the spot, perfectly! The best part? All the ingredients are all found sitting in your pantry and takes just a minute to prepare.
I wish you could have seen my son, Gabe, and I fight over this cake once it came out the microwave. Our mouths were stuffed with this amazing concoction  and we didn't care who was around to witness...

Now you can cure a sweet tooth in 2 minutes, flat! 
Yes!

This is it for the ingredients...quickly give it a stir and pop in your microwave

Make sure you use a large coffee mug. It does puff up when in the microwave and will bubble over if your cup is too short.

Eat straight out of your mug or tip cup upside down on a plate for a party for one!

Garnish with a dollop of whipping cream or a small scoop of vanilla ice cream...

Ingredients:

Printable Recipe 

1 egg
1 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp chocolate fudge or peanut butter ( I used the fudge and it was amazing!)
1 Tbsp flour

1 Tbsp cocoa
1/4 tsp baking powder
a small handful of chocolate chips (I use Guitard chocolate, my personal favorite)

In a small bowl, stir the egg, brown sugar, peanut butter, flour, cocoa and baking powder with a fork. Stir in the chocolate chips and pour batter into a greased ramekin or mug. Microwave for 1 minute. Eat straight from the ramekin or mug, or invert onto a plate. Serves 1.

**I have just tried this with the peanut butter, too, and it is out of this world!!*** Have fun enjoying this cake!

**Adapted from Babble.com

The Best Lasagna

This is by far my best lasagna yet...

I've made quite a few lasagnas; I'm Italian, so this was definitely in my repertoire. But this one; this one is the best thus far. It's fabulous! Creamy, cheesy, the marinara sauce is bright and full tomato flavor and just enough Italian sausage throughout to give it bursts of flavor. Combined with all that cheesy goodness...equal magic. You must try my recipe!

Ingredients: 
Lasagna noodles
1 tub of whole milk ricotta (15 oz.)
24 oz. prepared marinara sauce or your favorite jarred tomato sauce (click here for my recipe...it is easy and absolutely delicious!) 
Fresh Italian parsley
1 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 
1/2 cup fresh basil
1 large egg
1 pound Italian sausage, removed from its casing
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 

***PPM Tip: Make a double recipe of the marinara sauce in advance, keep in your refrigerator to add to meals all week long, such as over warm pasta, your lasagna, for dipping mozzarella sticks...the possibilities are endless. 
You can also label and keep in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 6 months to pull out for a quick, delicious meal any day of the week!

Directions:

Cook your lasagna noodles according to directions/Drain, and drizzle olive oil over them in the colander so they don't stick while your preparing the lasagna ingredients

In a 9x13 baking dish, spread about one cup of your tomato sauce at the bottom of your pan spreading evenly. 



 

Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix

image source: Fete Fanatic

Host a hot chocolate party!

Wouldn't it be great if you could quickly make your hot chocolate mix to have on hand on a cold's winter day after the kids sled all afternoon, or better yet, for a hot chocolate party? 

It sounds fun to inviting a few friends over with their kids, building a snowman together and then coming in for some homemade hot chocolate!

That sounds like a fun afternoon...

Well, I must say, I've found a delicious recipe from Alton Brown (Food Network) and absolutely love it! It is creamy, chocolatey, and everything you'd want to have in your hot chocolate. Tell me what you think!

Ingredients

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup cocoa (Dutch-process preferred)
• 2 1/2 cups powdered milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or more to taste
• Hot water

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and incorporate evenly. In a small pot, heat 4 to 6 cups of water.

Fill your mug half full with the mixture and pour in hot water. Stir to combine. Seal the rest in an airtight container, keeps indefinitely. 


Enjoy homemade marshmallows on top of your homemade chocolate! Click, here for my recipe.

Enjoy!

Jenny 

Quick, Easy, Delicious Mozzarella Sticks

Mozzarella sticks you'll make again and again...

These mozzarella sticks are so easy and so delicious! I've made them before with Panko bread and this is easier and comes out better! Crispy and crunchy on the outside, creamy and cheesy melt-in-your-mouth delicious on the inside. Serve with my homemade marinara sauce as an appetizer and serve my homemade lasagna for dinner. You will get, the best mom in the world, award, guaranteed!

do you see the oozing cheesy goodness?

 

**adapted from Taste of Home

printable recipe

Ingredients:

Your favorite mozzarella cheese sticks

Egg roll wrappers

Vegetable oil

Quick marinara sauce for dipping

Directions:

Click here for my marinara sauce recipe

Get your oil hot in your pan for frying. (You don't need very much, about and inch.) Get temp. up to 360 degrees.

In the meantime, get your mozzarella sticks ready. 

Start by having a small baking sheet ready sprayed with a non-stick spray and have a small bowl with water to be used as the glue for your sticks. 

Lay one egg roll out at an angle on the counter, so the point of it is pointing at you. 

Place your mozzarella stick horizontally at the corner of the wrapper and begin to roll toward the middle. 

Once at the middle, fold over the ends, then continue folding until almost at the end. 

Here is where you dip your finger in your water bowl and dab it on your last corner of your wrapper before rolling it all up to complete. 

Place on the greased baking sheet and continue on until you've finished all the mozzarella sticks you want to make.

Test your oil with a thermometer and begin your frying. Once browned on all sides, take out and lay out on a paper towel lined plate. (Watch your oil, if your cheese sticks begin to brown to quickly, adjust your temperature. You don't want your outside to be too brown and your cheese not melted!)

Place on a nice serving platter with a nice little bowl, I love using ramekins for this, for your marinara sauce and ring the appetizer bell! I did this while our lasagna  was just pulled from the oven...those mozzarella sticks will be devoured!

Delicious!!

Enjoy friends...

Jenny

Quick, Easy, Amazing Marinara Sauce

This quick, easy and absolutely delicious marinara sauce will be your new go-to. I promise!

Ingredients:

 printable recipe

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes or petite diced ( liked the small little bites of tomatoes)
• 1 (28 ounce) can tomato puree
• 2 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 2 1/2 tablespoons dried parsley (I used fresh and it gives it a bright touch. Add toward the end of cooking time--same with the basil)
• 3 leaves fresh basil torn
• 1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon onion powder 

Directions:

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. 

Saute garlic until aromatic and tender. 

Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato puree, oregano, parsley, Romano cheese, Parmesan cheese, bay leaves and onion powder. 

Reduce heat to low and simmer for at least 40 minutes. 

click here for my homemade pasta recipe

Click here for my mozzarella sticks to die for...

Use this with these amazing mozzarella sticks or over your favorite pasta. I also use this in my lasagna and it is amazing! Keep this on hand...you whole family is going to love this!

**Adapted from Allrecipes