Showing posts with label Food and Drink. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Food and Drink. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Chocolate Peanut Butter Mug Cake


It's 9:34 PM. You're in the middle of the latest episode of Revenge when boom. It hits. That middle-of-the-night-dear-Lord-give-me-something-sweet craving.

There are little to no sweets to be found in our household. Not because Seamus and I don't love sweets. But because we do love them. So much that I'm sure if we had our fill of calorie filled goodies on a daily basis, we would both have bellies that would give Santa Claus a run for his money. To kick those late night cravings, we do however keep a box of Trader Joe's mini peanut butter cups in the freezer. Pop two or three in your mouth and the craving is kept at bay. This satisfies me plenty, however for the growing boy of the household, not so much. This brings me to this week's Pin Win.

Cake in a mug. I repeat. Cake. In. A. Mug.

After searching the web for something quick, delicious, and easy to make, I came across this deliciously delectable recipe for a Chocolate Peanut Butter Mug Cake. This guilty pleasure is brought to you by Yammie's Noshery.

First, assemble your ingredients.

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons chocolate chips





Next, melt the butter and mix with peanut butter. Stir it up!


Then, in your mug mix together the vanilla, egg, and sugar until well combined. Pour the flour, cocoa, salt and baking powder into a bowl. Mix. Then add to your mug. You'll end up with a nice, dark mix like this:


Remember the buttery, nuttery mix you melted and stirred up before? Add that to your batter mix and stir well. 


Drooling yet? Because I was. Now, the recipe calls for chocolate chips, but I bumped it up a knotch and added in those yummy mini peanut butter cups I told you about earlier.


Now you can take this delicious mixture and pop it in the microwave. The recipe suggested 1 - 2 minutes (depending on your microwave) so I went for 1:30 to be on the safe side. This turned out to be just right for me!


It doesn't look like much, but believe me...this dark, delicious dessert was scrumptious!

The recipe went on to create a peanut butter mousse for a topping. Even though I was ready to dive into my chocolate mug cake, I figured what could make it better than more peanut butter. I decided to give it a shot! Enter mousse ingredients.

1 tablespoon softened cream cheese
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons whipped cream or cool whip
1 tablespoon powdered sugar



Mix together cream cheese, peanut butter and vanilla. Fold in your whipped cream. Sift in the powdered sugar and fold that in as well. Try not to over stir.



Now, I have to be honest, my mixture didn't look anything like the picture. It didn't seem as smooth. So I gave it a taste and added a little more whipped cream, but it didn't seem to do the trick. However, I died and went to heaven when I tasted it, so I said enough. I'm ready to indulge.


So I grabbed a glass of milk and dug in. Ladies and gents, this truly hits the spot for a sweet late night treat. It's easy, quick and the ingredients are simple. I had nearly each ingredient in my house already, which made Seamus even happier when I could whip this recipe up in a jiffy!

Pin Win for sure! Enjoy late night snackers.


Thursday, December 13, 2012

Decisions, decisions! Selecting a Christmas Eve Cocktail

Every Christmas Eve, my big Italian family gathers at my Uncle's house. We eat...we open presents...we eat...we chat (loudly!)...we eat again...did I mention we eat? Um hello, we are Italian! Mama don't send you home unless you have a full belly!

A few years back, I started a lovely little Christmas Eve tradition. Instead of baring gifts, I personally come baring a delish cocktail that all of the ladies of the household (sorry fellas) get to enjoy while we mix, mingle, and celebrate the holiday jingle. 

I need your help this year! I'm trying to channel my inner Martha Stewart and can't decide what the happy hour special will be. So I figure, why not ask some fellow cocktail lovers. 

HELP ME PICK THE WINNER! But choose wisely. It could end up as a Pin Win or a Pin Bust. No pressure!

*Leave a comment below (by Dec. 20th) listing the cocktail you'd like to see this Pin Sister serve up! 







Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Pumpkin Fluff Dip


While most eagerly await Thanksgiving Day, my tum longs for its predecessor...POLLARD POTLUCK (Oh haayyy Erin & Rai!). This Thanksgiving Eve tradition was started by a few friends who simply like to eat...like a lot...no seriously...A LOT! As in forget the skinny jeans, grab the Tums, and throw on an extra stretchy pair of sweats. Every couple brings a delish dish of their choosing to share. There is absolutely no method to the menu madness.

This year's menu: Brown Sugared Smokies, Crockpot Full O'Meatballs, Homemade Peppermint Schnapps, Deviled Eggs, Corn & Basil Cakes, Scalloped Potatoes with Ham, Eggplant Parmesan, Mini Kiss Pies, Mom's Famous Salad, Spinach Artichoke Dip, Buffalo Chicken Dip, Tortellini Salad, Three Bean Salad, Cinnamon Sugar Sweet Potatoes, Sushi, Seven Layer Dip, Popeye's Chicken, Zucchini Pizza Bites, Parmesan Crusted Carrots, "Dangerous Alcohol Concoction", Gimel's Special Chicken, "Turkey Something", and last but not least...PUMPKIN FLUFF DIP!

This recipe is pure fall perfection and so ridiculously easy to prepare. Right up my chef-wannabe alley! Definitely a Pin Win! from this Pin Sister. 

The Ingredients: 
Original recipe makes 4 cups
1 (16 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding
1 (15 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 





The Directions:  
(5 minutes!)
In a large bowl, mix together instant vanilla pudding, pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice. Fold in the thawed frozen whipped topping. Chill in the refrigerator until serving.


Pin Sister Tips:
  • Add (1) teaspoon of pure vanilla extract and/or (1) tablespoon of Butterscotch Schnapps for a little kick!
  • Serve dip with ginger snaps, sliced apples, and cinnamon graham crackers. I chose to serve with the graham crackers and apple slices drizzled with melted butterscotch (Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of the apple slices all gussied up!). 
  • Serve in a small hollowed pumpkin or festive bowl
  • Leftovers? Put the dip between two graham crackers and place in the freezer...pumpkin ice cream sandwich!

Pineology: Click HERE for this pin's origin.