Microwave Mug Cakes

I heard about these in passing, and then yesterday at my mother’s house one of my brothers mentioned that his mother-in-law makes them all the time for her grandchildren (did you get all of that?).  Word on the street is that the children love them, and they can be made in countless flavors.  They can be made using boxed cake or from scratch.  They can be served with whipped cream or ice cream or topped with chocolate chips.

In my research I’ve seen them referred to as “breakfast.”

I found this recipe and decided to try it because it’s from scratch, I can make it lactose-free, it’s chocolate, and it’s easy.  It also seems to get rave reviews wherever I’ve found it being referred to online.  Other blogs go so far as to try to make copycats of this recipe.

2 Stews: 1-2-3 Chocolate Microwave Mug Cake.

So here it goes.  Sweet Girl was skeptical, so of course she’s going to be my little guinea pig.

Okay, I made it and here’s the verdict.  Sweet Girl claimed she likes it but when I asked if she wanted more than a bite she said,

“I brushed my teeth.”

It needs a pinch of salt and some leavening.  It just… does.  It’s tasty but flat, so it definitely needs the salt.  And it needs leavening to help it rise better and not feel like paste in the mouth.  With those additions I’m thinking it would be fabulous. Or, you know, I’ll find a new recipe. Pinterest, here I come.

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Mommy Asks Too Many Questions

Didn’t I recently blog about how much of a bad idea it is to ask my middle daughter to quantify and compare her feelings on things? I might not have.  Well, if I didn’t I will now.

It’s a bad idea to ask her to quantify and compare her feelings because I’m learning that it’s either difficult or impossible.  In some instances the choice is clear.

Mommy: Gracie, which do you like better: pumpkin muffins or rotted goat cheese?
Gracie: PUMPKIN MUFFINS! SHUT UP! That was a BAD CHOICE!

If I offer other types of choices where she has to quantify her feelings or how much she likes something, especially if she likes something over another something, she looks at me blankly or gets frustrated.

Mommy: Gracie, which do you like better: pumpkin muffins or apple muffins?
Gracie: I… but… YOU CAN NOT MAKE ME CHOICE THOSE! THAT WAS A BAD! CHOICE!
Mommy: Do you like both?
Gracie: I eat both.
Mommy: Do you like pumpkin more than apple?
Gracie: YOU ask TOO MANY QUESTIONS!
Mommy: If I make muffins right now, which muffins would you like me to make?
Gracie: Pumpkin.

If I ask her leading questions about her day, about new things we did or tried, it’s very similar.

Mommy: Gracie, did you have art class today?
Gracie: We did leaf impressions.  I colored them…
Mommy:  How much did you enjoy it?
Gracie: Ummmm… that is not a very good question.
Mommy: Did you like coloring with real leaves?
Gracie: I had fun.
Mommy: A lot of fun?
Gracie: I don’t know.
Mommy: Okay.  Did you like coloring leaf impressions so much that you would like to teach your sisters and me how to do them at home?
Gracie: NO! Never ask me again! Leaves belong outside!

Mommy: Gracie, did you have pizza?
Gracie: I had pizza! It had pepperoni!
Mommy: Was there cheese pizza too?
Gracie: Yes. I had pepperoni.
Mommy: Do you like plain cheese pizza too?
Gracie: It is PIZZA.
Mommy:  Which flavor do you like better? Plain cheese with nothing else? Or pepperoni?
Gracie: I like PIZZA!
Mommy: If I ordered you a pizza right now, what kind would you want me to order?
Gracie: Pepperoni.

She must think I have this weird obsession that requires her to quantify everything.  I’m learning how to rephrase and break the habit of adding, “how much” and other qualifiers onto questions with her.  I think that’s really what throws her off.  I should probably simply present two choices and ask her which one she wants and let HER be the one to choose to clarify as needed.  She also doesn’t necessarily see where I’m going with a line of questioning, so she sees things as pointless.  I have to also learn to just get to the point and be a lot more direct with her.  I would save her a lot of frustration.

Thinking about it, she doesn’t use very many qualifiers in her speech.  She doesn’t use “a lot” or “a little” when she talks about liking things or disliking things.  She simply says she likes it, dislikes it, loves it, or hates it.  That’s it.  Four descriptors.  When she loves someone, she just loves them.  She doesn’t love someone MORE than someone else unless it’s her baby cousins.  Because, duh, she clearly loves babies MORE than anyone else.

I really look forward to more expansive conversations when she’s older, if she’ll allow it.  I have to be careful right now because if she gets too upset by too much questioning I risk triggering a meltdown or overly frustrating her enough that she’ll shut down and refuse to speak for a while.

Or maybe I have it all wrong.  Any insight?

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Easy Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

This is my go-to Chocolate Chip Cheesecake recipe.  It’s easy and inexpensive but it’s delicious.  I always get requests for it.  It originally came out of my Best Chocolate Recipes Cookbook from Favorite Brand Names something like 18 years ago.  I change it up occasionally because it’s pretty versatile, and it’s easy to remember without having to refer to the written recipe.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake:
2 (8oz) bricks of cream cheese (Philly really does work best)
½ cup sugar
½ tsp vanilla
2 eggs
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1 ready 9″ graham pie crust (I like to use the Keebler 2 extra servings crust, it’s perfect for this recipe)

1. Mix cream cheese, sugar & vanilla until creamy at med speed with electric mixer.
2. Add eggs, but incorporate one at a time.
3. Mix until well-blended.
4. Stir in 3/4 cup of chips.
5. Pour into crust & sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup chips.
6. Bake at 350* for 40 minutes or just until center is almost set. If you are using FAT FREE CREAMCHEESE add 10 minutes to bake time.
7. Cool.
8. Refrigerate 3 hr. or overnight.

To make this into Peanut Butter Cheesecake:
Beat 1/3 cup peanut butter in w/ cream cheese. Follow rest of directions as they are.

To make this into Banana Cheesecake:
Beat ½ cup mashed ripe banana in with cream cheese.

To make this Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake:
Stir in chunks from 3/4 cup chocolate chip cookie dough; 1/2 cup into the batter, 1/4 cup sprinkled on top before baking.

To make this Cookies & Cream Cheesecake:
Omit cookie dough and use crushed/chopped Oreo or Hydrox cookies

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