Monday, December 15, 2008

The Most Dangerous Cake in the World...HONEST!!!

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

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 or night!




Thursday, December 11, 2008

Our egos

This has nothing to do with caffeine but makes perfect sense:

Our egos tell us we're the only ones that have any kind of feelings.
We're the only ones with a relationship.
We're the only ones with family.
You know, I think that if you kill a spider, there is a relationship that you're ruining.
There's a conversation going on outside with the other spiders.
'Did you hear about Chris?....Killed yeah....Sneaker.
And now Stephanie has nine hundred babies to raise all alone.
Well, she's got her legs full I'll tell you that right now.
Chris was so kind, wouldn't hurt a fly. It's just been tough for them lately.
They just lost their web last week.
Those humans think they're so smart. Let them try shooting silk out of their butt and see what they can make.' ~ Ellen Degeneres

Friday, December 5, 2008

Have something yummy with your tea


Hazelnut Tea Cookies


Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon table salt

2 sticks butter, softened

1 cup powdered sugar, plus additional for coating

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups hazelnuts, toasted and finely chopped

Directions

Heat oven to 325 degrees F and arrange racks in upper and lower third.


Combine flour and salt in a medium bowl and whisk until aerated and evenly combined; set aside.
Place butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add sugar and vanilla and continue to mix until whipped and light, about 2 more minutes.

Add half of the nuts and mix until evenly incorporated and nuts are broken up, about 1 minute. Add flour and mix until well combined, about 1 minute. Remove bowl from mixer and stir in remaining nuts.

Shape dough into 1 tablespoon balls and place on baking sheets, spaced at least 1 inch apart. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until underside of cookies are brown, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes on baking sheets.

Meanwhile, place some powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Once the cookies have cooled, roll them in the powdered sugar until just coated and tap off excess. Let cool completely and recoat in powdered sugar, tapping off excess sugar, before serving.

Monday, December 1, 2008

"How sweet coffee tastes! Lovlier than a thousand kisses, sweeter than Muscatel wine!"

Johann Sebastian Bach (Coffee Cantata)

Coffee Grog

Coffee Grog
Serves 6

A rich, spicy, sweet coffee delight. It's a bit elaborate for a coffee recipe, but if you are serving a group of people, it's worth the extra effort to make such a special drink.

Ingredients:
3 cups coffee
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup brown sugar
2 tbs butter, softened
1/4 tsp cloves, ground
1/4 tsp nutmeg, ground
1/4 tsp cinnamon, ground
Peel of 1 orange
Peel of 1 lemon

Preparation:
Break fruit peels into 6 pieces, each. Place one piece of each into cups. Blend butter, sugar, cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon in a small bowl. Mix coffee and cream together with the spice mixture. Serve into 6 cups.