I found this recipe while stumbling around the internet and thought it was just hilarious. It is chocolate cake that you make from scratch.... in a mug! Even you boys you look at this blog have to realize just how unbelievably easy this is to make. I would suggest trying this the next time you find yourself at home looking for a little sweet-tooth fix.

CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE

1 Large Coffee Mug

4 tbl Flour

4 tbl Sugar

2 tbl Cocoa

1 Egg

2 tbl Milk

3 tbl Vegetable Oil

1 splash of Vanilla

1. Spray mug with cooking spray. Mix all the dry ingredients in the mug in the order they are given. Add the egg and mix. Then add the remaining ingredients and mix well.

2. Place the mug in the microwave and cook on high for about 3 minutes. The cake will rise up over the top but don't worry. Allow the cake to cool and then eat with a spoon right out of the mug or tip out onto a plate. Enjoy!

The best part of the site I found this on was that they were calling it "The Most Dangerous Cake in the World". Why, you ask? Because you can have it almost anytime, anywhere. It turns something that should seem like chore into something that can be done from start to finish during commercial break! Give it a try and impress yourself and your friends with this fun new dessert. :)

Fruit Tart

In honor of the wonderfully welcomed change in the weather, I decided to post something a bit more spring time appropriate this week. One of my absolute favorite things to make for parties or birthdays during the spring and summer months is a fruit tart. I just started making them about two years ago, but throughout that time I have come to find that this is by far the best. It is a normal tart crust, filled with an amazing white chocolate cream filling, and then topped with your fruit of choice. This dessert will stun even the most seasoned chef with its amazing look and even more amazing melt-in-your-mouth flavor!

WHITE CHOCOLATE FRUIT TARTS

CRUST:

3/4 c Butter

1 1/2 c Flour

1/2 c Powdered Sugar

FILLING:

1 pkg White Chocolate Chips, melted

1/4 c Heavy Whipping Cream

8 oz Cream Cheese

Assortment of Fruit for Decorating

GLAZE:

3 tbl Sugar

2 tsp Corn Starch

1/2 tsp Lemon Juice

1/2 c Pineapple Juice

1. In a small bowl, cream together the butter and powdered sugar until fluffy. Slowly add the flour and mix well. Press into the bottom of one large tart pan or many individual sized ones. Bake at 300 degrees for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. DO NOT OVERCOOK!

2. For the filling, mix the melted chips and cream in a small bowl. Add the cream cheese and beat until smooth. Spread over the crust up to the top. Use your assortment of fruit to decorate the tops in patterns and flavors you will enjoy.

3. For the glaze, combine the sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Stir in lemon and pineapple juice until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat and stir until thick. Let it cool then brush over the top of the fruit.

If any of you ACTUALLY need something easy, fun, and very impressive, please give these a try. They always turn out great and are so much fun to decorate with friends or family. It is a great recipe to have on hand for summer BBQs or picnics. Don't be afraid to get crazy with the kinds of things you use to decorate them with. Since the filling is white chocolate based, it goes great with almost anything. Personally, I like to do them in individual tart pans because then it makes decorating them a group experience and also allows for more experimentation. Also, don't try to be calorie conscious and leave out the glaze. It is the key to making them look perfect and it will also help to preserve the fruit so it doesn't dry out. Have fun!

Sugar Cookies

Easter, like most holidays now days, is always filled with all kinds of delicious treats. Not that I'm complaining, I'm always up for a little something sweet! I thought in celebration of the holiday I would share my favorite recipe for sugar cookies. Sugar cookies are such a staple treat that anyone who enjoys spending time in the kitchen should be able to make. They can come in handy on almost any occasion considering they can be shaped into anything and decorated with almost all colors and flavors. Roll some out and get creative!

SUGAR COOKIES

1 1/2 c Butter

2 c White Sugar

4 Eggs

1 tsp Vanilla

5 c Flour

2 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Salt

1. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll dough out onto a floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 of an inch thick. Use shaped cookie cutters or just a round cut-out to shape cookies.

3. Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until the cookies start to turn golden. Let them cool completely and ten decorate as you desire.

I made some of these today with my family and, I must say, decorating them is just too much fun! We made a big batch of white frosting and just dyed it all different colors; pink, purple, green, and yellow! After we made a huge mess, we had an overabundance of little bunnies, eggs, and flower cookies and they are still taking up quite a bit of counter space. Next time you need a fun activity and a tasty treat, I would definitely suggest trying these out!