Chocolate cake in a mug. Yummy!

Hi there. I am new to this blog, and I am soooo excited to start sharing ideas, tips, and even recipes. I was recently asked to do a cooking demonstration at our church's Souper Saturday. Once a year, we gather together as women, sisters, mothers and daughters, and have a day where we take classes on Genealogy, quilting, crafts and cooking. We also usually have some type of service project in the works. We call it Souper Saturday because we also have a lunch with yummy soups and delicious treats. It is so fun, and I look forward to it every year. This year, I was asked to do a cooking demonstration on recipes that are either simple to make, or have simple ingredients. I decided to make holiday rice crispy treats, white chocolate popcorn, and a yummy chocolate cake you make in the microwave in a coffee mug. The class was so fun! I use to sell Pampered Chef, and after a while I discovered that while I LOVE to teach people cooking technique's, I really didn't enjoy asking them to buy products. So teaching this class was right up my alley!
The recipes were really easy to make. For Holiday Rice Crispy treats, I made plain Rice Crispy treats (you can usually find the recipe either on the side of the box, the inside of the box, or on a bag of marshmallows). Then, I made a batch with Red Hots. I have also done this with crushed candy canes or butterscotch candies. Mmmmm. Yummy. Oh, my big tip with Rice Crispy treats, add an extra tablespoon of butter. The recipe changed a few years ago, and they decreased the butter by one tablespoon. I say, put it back in! You're making treats, not health snacks. And I recommend using real butter, not margarine.
My next recipe was white chocolate popcorn. I am not a big white chocolate fan. I find it deceiving. Chocolate should taste like chocolate, not cream. But, I digress. I was blessed to have been given a Whirly Pop a few years ago from my Sister-in-law, and I LOVE it. We make kettle corn all the time, and my hubby even adds cinnamon to it. Yum! For this recipe, I make kettle corn using 1/3 cup popcorn kernels, 1/4 c sugar, 1/4 c veg oil and 1 c white chocolate morsels that I have run through my food processor until powdery. Add everything except the chocolate to your popcorn maker, and make your kettle corn as directed on your maker. After the last kernel has popped, place your kettle corn in a large bowl, and pour your chocolate powder over the top. Mix until the chocolate is melted. Super Yummy Treat! You can also add sliced almonds. I Love It! I have also made this using peppermint white chocolate chips. It made it very....Christmasy. If you don't have a pop corn maker, I suggest you buy the Kettle Corn microwave popcorn. After you pop it, place it in a bowl, and add your chocolate powder. So easy, and delicious, and makes a nice and inexpensive neighbor gift.
My last recipe was the 5 minute chocolate cake in a mug. This was the recipe my good friend sent me:
5 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).
My tips would be to one, spray the inside of your mug with cooking spray. This way your cake will tip out easier. And two, mix the ingredients in a separate bowl first, then add it to the mug. I also use a jumbo mug, but that's just my preference. I like to have this with whipped cream and hot fudge. So yummy, and more convenient when you don't want to dirty a bunch of dishes, and turn your oven on, and wait for half an hour.

I am really excited to be a part of this panel, and share my ideas and tips. Enjoy the recipes!