Pumpkin Mug Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

The great thing about mug cakes is that are a generous single serving which means two things: you can't over indulge and you don't have to share. And this pumpkin mug cake is the most moist mug cake I have ever made. It really hits the spot on a chilly autumn day.

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:
Cake
4 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
2 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Frosting

1 ounce cream cheese, softened

1/2 tablespoon powdered sugar

Directions:
Cake
Spray the inside of a mug with cooking spray. Add all the ingredients in the mug and mix until well combined. Microwave for 50 to 60 seconds or until the cake is set in the middle. Each microwave works a little different so start at 50 seconds and slowly increase from there.

While cake cools, make the frosting.

Frosting
In a small bowl, combine cream cheese and powder sugar. Place on top of pumpkin mug cake.

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Mug Recipes:
3-Ingredient Gluten-Free Mug Cake
Brownie in a Mug
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread in a Mug
Chocolate Chip Cookie in a Mug!
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Mug Cake
Chocolate-Hazelnut Mug Cake
Chocolate Peanut Butter Mug Cake
Fluffernutter Mug Cake
French Toast in a Mug
Quiche in a Mug

Strawberry Chocolate Chip Muffins

I had originally planned on making strawberry rhubarb muffins but the rhubarb at the grocery store was looking a little rough, so I decided on strawberry chocolate chip muffins. I sent these to work with Eric, and they were quite the hit. He said he caught one person practically licking the plate.

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:
Muffin
1 1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 1/2 cup fresh strawberries, diced
1 cup dark chocolate chips

Crumble Topping
1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.

In a small bowl, combine all the crumble topping ingredients until you have a texture of coarse crumbs. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder.

In a second bowl, combine egg, oil, and milk. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir (be careful not to over mix). Fold in blueberries.

Divide equally between the 12 cups. Generously sprinkle crumble on top of the muffins. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the center of the muffins set.

Strawberry chocolate chip muffins and blueberry muffins

Strawberry chocolate chip muffins and blueberry muffins

Strawberry chocolate chip muffins and blueberry muffins

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Breakfast Recipes:
French Toast in a Mug  
Homemade Hash Browns  
Individual Bacon and Cheese Quiches
Monkey Bread Muffins  
Only the Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls 
Pancakes with Raspberry Sauce 
  Pumpkin Oatmeal
Quiche in a Mug

Popcorn on the Stovetop

I'm not going to lie, microwave popcorn is much easier to make, but stovetop popcorn is a lot more fun. Watching the kernels pop, the popcorn growing in the pan. And it brought back a bunch of childhood memories for both me and Eric. We remembered our moms making popcorn for movie nights and digging through the popcorn bowl for those butter-saturated pieces.

Recipe from here.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons canola oil
1/3 cup popcorn kernels
butter, to taste
salt, to taste

Directions:
Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan. Toss in 2 or 3 kernels and cover the lid.

When the kernels pop, add the remaining popcorn kernels and replace lid. Remove from heat and count to 30 then return to heat. This helps all the kernels pop at the same time.

Once the majority of the kernels begin to pop, gently shake the pan back and forth over the burner. Place the lid askew so the steam can be released, which will result in crispier popcorn.

When there are several seconds between pops, remove the pan from the heat and pour the popcorn into a large bowl. 

If you want butter on your popcorn, place 2 tablespoons (or as much as you desire) into the hot pan. It will melt without you having to turn the stove back on. Salt to taste.

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Snack Recipes:
Baked Apple Chips
Homemade Pizza Rolls
Yogurt-Covered Blueberries
Zucchini Chips 2.0
Parmesan Garlic Wonton Crackers 

Soft and Chewy French Bread

Ever since I got my standing mixer (thanks Betty!), I've discovered a love for making bread. The mixer does the kneading for you and makes the whole process so much easier. But with that said, this bread requires a bit of work, but the taste and texture make it worth the extra effort.

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 tablespoons instant yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 teaspoon sugar
2 cups water
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
6 cups flour

Directions:
In the bowl of your standing mixer (dough hook attached), combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar; let side for 10 minutes. Add the remaining water, oil, salt, and 3 cups of flour. On low, mix until flour is incorporated. Gradually add the remaining flour until fully incorporated. Knead for 5 minutes.

Grease a large bowl with cooking spray. Tranfer dough to bowl and cover bowl with a damp towel. For the next hour, knead the dough 2 or 3 times, every 10 minutes.

Transfer dough to a floured surface and form into 4 loaves. Slash 3 lines into the tops of each loaf. Either wrap loaves in plastic wrap or cover with a damp towel (but you don't want the towel to touch the dough. I placed the loaves under my wire rack and draped the towel over the rack). Allow to rest for 30 minutes.

Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes, then 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

If you want to give the bread a nice brown crust, brush an egg white wash over the tops. (I didn't do this).

French Bread with Roasted Garlic Butter

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Bread Recipes:
Homemade Bread Sticks 
Homemade Flour Tortillas
Homemade Pita Bread
Parmesan Onion Rolls 
Sour Cream Dinner Rolls