Microwave Chocolate Cake Recipe – Delicious Cake in 5 Minutes!

April 14, 2011 by 2 Comments

First of all, let me just say that this picture does not do this recipe justice!!!  It tastes soooo much better than this picture looks.

This recipe is courtesy of my friend Janet. It is the perfect solution for those times you are craving a sweet baked dessert and are short on time! It’s also nice on hot summer days when you don’t want to heat your oven or in instances when you don’t have access to an oven – i.e. college dorm, extended stay hotel suite, camper, etc.

¼ C. flour
¼ C. sugar
2 Tbsp.cocoa
Dash of salt
1 egg
3 Tbsp. milk
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 Tbsp. chocolate chips
Dash vanilla extract

Whisk dry ingredients in a large mug with a fork. Add egg, milk, oil and vanilla and mix well with a spoon. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Microwave mug for approximately 4 minutes for a 600 watt microwave or 3 minutes for a 1000 watt microwave – adjust time as necessary for other sizes. Let cool slightly before eating either straight out of the mug or dumped out onto a plate. (It makes a BIG serving, so you may want to divide it on plates for two to share.)

Also tastes great if you add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to mug on top of finished cake and top with chocolate syrup/hot fudge.

Filed Under: Dessert

Easy Pad Thai (Peanut Noodles) Recipe – Healthy Style!

April 13, 2011 by 3 Comments

 

Pad Thai can be absolutely delicious, but the traditional version is a bit tricky to make and can also be VERY fatty.  This is a vegetarian version, but feel free to add precooked chicken during the final mix.  As you can see from the picture, I also like to add veggies to my recipe.  This is even farther from traditional, but it makes a nice balanced meal.  (I simply stir fry a package of pre-cut stir-fry veggies in a bit of oil and add them in at the end.)

  • 1 tsp oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced (substitute powdered if needed)
  • 1/4 cup chunky peanut butter
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp water
  • crushed red pepper flakes to taste
  • 8 oz. fine spaghetti (or thai rice noodles if available)

Cook pasta to package directions.  Meanwhile heat oil over medium heat in a saucepan.  Sautee garlic and ginger for about 30 seconds.  Add in peanut butter, soy sauce, sugar and water.  Cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes or until mixture is heated through.   Add to pasta and toss to coat, adding red pepper flakes to taste.  (Another option is to add chopped peanuts and or/finely sliced scallions at the end.)

Filed Under: Vegetarian

National Eggs Benedict Day is April 16 – Celebrate with an Easy Light and Healthy Recipe

April 11, 2011 by Leave a Comment
This Saturday, April 16th, is National Eggs Benedict Day!  You can take this tried and true brunch favorite to a whole new level with a delicious recipe from The Motherboard that puts a twist on the traditional by lightening it up!  It has reduced fat and reduced calories compared to the traditional version.  This recipe can also be the perfect addition to your Easter menu. And don’t forget about Easter brunch!  This recipe can be a perfect addition to your Easter menu as well!

Guilt-Free Eggs Benny (Serves Two)
2 eggs
1 light whole wheat English Muffin
2 slices Canadian bacon
1/4 cup fat-free plain yogurt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
Kosher salt and cayenne pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon lemon zest, for garnish
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
1 tablespoon white vinegar
Non-fat cooking spray 

1. In a large pan coated with non- stick cooking spray, brown the Canadian bacon over medium heat.  Remove from the pan and keep warm.  

2. Over very low heat, combine yogurt, dry mustard, and season with the salt and cayenne pepper in a small saucepan.  Whisk continually until warm.  Don’t overheat or the yogurt will curdle.  

3. Add vinegar to a pot of boiling water and reduce heat to a low simmer.  Crack one egg into a small bowl and very gently add it to the simmering water.  Repeat this for the second egg.  Simmer for 3-5 minutes until eggs are completely coagulated and the yolk looks slightly opaque.  

4. In the meantime, toast the English muffin.  Assemble by placing the toasted muffin on a plate.  Top with a piece of the Canadian bacon, a poached egg, and then top with the yogurt sauce.  Sprinkle lemon zest and chopped parsley over each egg.  Enjoy.

      Filed Under: Breakfast

      Fun & Easy to Decorate Easter Basket Cupcakes

      April 10, 2011 by 2 Comments

      I remember my Grandma making this special cupcakes for us when I  was a kid and I think it is about time that I make some.  If you check out the Celebrate with Hershey’s web site, you can grab a recipe to make the cupcakes from scratch, but feel free to use a mix. 

      To decorate the cupcakes, use tinted coconut to make “Easter basket grass”.  To tint it coconut, just mix a few drops of green food color with 3/4 teaspoon water and mix into 1-1/2 cups coconut until evenly tinted.  Use Twizzlers to make basket handles and then decorate using mini jellybeans and Mini Robin Eggs.

      While we’re on the topic of Easter and Easter candy, stop by my main blog, Thrifty Jinxy to enter to win a Hershey’s Easter Prize Pack. (Ends 4/16/11.)

      Filed Under: Uncategorized
      April 8, 2011 by Leave a Comment

      https://thriftyrecipes.com/137/

      Filed Under: Uncategorized

      How to Use Frozen Blueberries to Bake Muffins & Other Goodies

      April 6, 2011 by Leave a Comment

      If you don’t have fresh blueberries, frozen blueberries can turn out great in muffins and other baked goods, as long as you prepare them before dumping them in your batter. If you add frozen blueberries directly to your other ingredients, the cold temperature will alter baking times and temps for your recipe and using frozen berries can also turn your whole muffin into a grayish/purplish looking disappointment.

      To use frozen berries, just place them in a colander and run

      frozen – too cold
       colcor

      Filed Under: Uncategorized

      Easy & Cheap Dessert in a Hurry – Cinnamon Tortilla Roll-Ups

      April 6, 2011 by 3 Comments

      When you want or need a little dessert in a hurry, these can be made in less than a minute and for only a few cents each!

      “cinnamon-sticks”

      Ingredients:

      Flour Tortilla(s)
      Softened or spreadable butter
      Cinnamon
      Brown Sugar (white sugar can be used if you prefer)

      Simply spread a tortilla with butter, then sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon (as much or as little as you like, I like a LOT).  Roll tortilla up into a little log and microwave for approximately 30 seconds or until hot.  You end up with a very tasty dessert with almost no effort.  This is also great for those hot summer months when you don’t want to turn on the oven to prepare a dessert.

      Mr. Food eCookbook
      Filed Under: Dessert

      How to Make Your Own Onion Soup Mix

      April 3, 2011 by Leave a Comment

      There are lots of tasty recipes that call for onion soup mix (chip dip and meatloaf being among my favorites), but those little packets can be pricey!  Save yourself a bit of cash by making your own. This will be most effective if you buy the ingredients from the bulk foods section of your grocery store or local health food store.

      Homemade Onion Soup Mix

      3/4 C. instant mixed onion
      4 tsp. onion powder
      1/3 C. beef-flavored bouillon powder
      1/4 tsp sugar
      1/4 celery seed, crushed (optional)

      Mix all ingredients in a container with a tight-fitting lid. Use 2 Tbsp of this mix in place of a packet. You will find the flavor stronger than the packets, so you may need less.

      Filed Under: Uncategorized

      Easy Overnight Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oats Recipe – Way Better Than Instant Oatmeal!

      April 3, 2011 by 1 Comment

      “steel-cut-oats”

      You will never go back to instant oatmeal after trying steel cut oats! I admit that I have become addicted to them – my crockpot has been getting a workout!  We have them for breakfast at least 3-4 times per week.  But there are worse things to be addicted to!  As a whole grain they are very healthy and they are a very inexpensive breakfast food.  The key to keeping it inexpensive is to buy them in bulk at your local health food store or at Whole Foods.  Yes, steel cut oats in bulk at Whole Foods are CHEAPER than buying a carton of them at Walmart.  (Only about 1/3 the price.)

      This recipe is to make two large servings.  Simply double or triple the recipe for the right amount of your family.  Or, you can double or triple the recipe and store the leftovers in the fridge to be reheated in the microwave later (just mix with a little milk or water before reheating).

      1 cup steel-cut oats used
      2 1/4 cups water
      1/4 tsp salt
      1 Tbsp butter.

      Place all ingredients slowcooker or crockpot and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. (You may want to spray the crockpot with cooking spray first, but this is optional.)

      Serve mixed with a little milk and sweeten with brown sugar.  You can add anything you like, nuts, dried and fresh fruit all work great.

      I previously published this recipe on my healthy living blog, Jinxy Knows Best.

      Filed Under: Breakfast, Healthy

      Easy Healthy Sesame Chicken Recipe

      April 1, 2011 by Leave a Comment

      I love chinese food, but take-out can be pricey, especially for a whole family and, in general it’s not all that healthy. This version of sesame chicken, however, is easy to make at home and it is MUCH healthier than the takeout version!

      Sesame Chicken the Healthy Way

      1 1/2 lb Chicken Breast (boneless,skinless)
      4 tbsp Honey
      3 tbsp Sesame Seeds
      4 tbsp Soy Sauce
      2 Cloves Garlic, minced
      4 Egg Whites
      1/2 cup Cornstarch
      1/2 tsp Salt
      1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
      2 tbsp Canola Oil
      4 Scallions – sliced thin (optional)

      In a small bowl combine honey, sesame seeds, soy sauce and garlic for the sauce.

      In a large bowl, whisk egg whites and cornstarch together. Add chicken to the bowl, season with salt and pepper and toss until coated.

      In a large nonstick skillet at medium-high, heat the oil. Add the chicken and cook 6-8 minutes or until golden and cooked through.  (If you don’t have a very large skillet, cook the chicken in two batches so that it is not too crowded – it should be in a single layer in the pan.)  Add the sauce and scallions to the skillet and mix to coat.

      Serve chicken with the rice and steamed broccoli or snow peas (the veggies can be served on the side or mixed in with the sauce).

      Filed Under: Asian, Chicken, Healthy
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