Brownie in a MUG- Warning- this is addictive

I got this from my friend Julie's blog- and its so much fun to make with little ones.  And it tastes good-- and it could become quite my secret indulgence around here...
5-minute Brownie in a Mug

4 Tbsp. flour
4 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa
dash of salt
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil  **my friend used applesauce instead and had great results.
2 Tbsp. water
1/3 tsp. vanilla
some chocolate chips (optional)

Stir dry ingredients in a standard sized mug. Add oil, water, and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Mix in chocolate chips.

Microwave for 1 1/2 minutes. It will be soft. Cool for a minute.

Mexican Rice

We had no meat for our burritos this evening! So I decided to try making some Mexican rice to go with them, we had some black beans and it all turned out really yummy!! Super easy, found on www.allrecipes.com

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 2 cups chicken broth

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add rice. Cook, stirring constantly, until puffed and golden. While rice is cooking, sprinkle with salt and cumin.
2. Stir in onions and cook until tender. Stir in tomato sauce and chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Cinnamon Roll Recipe

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CINNABON® CINNAMON ROLLS

from Mandy Oyama (A Moved-Away Neighbor, who gave me this recipe, but I actually stole it off my friend Julie Hess's blog because she typed it out so nicely!)

ROLLS (I've altered this from how I received it from Mandy. This is in order of how I put it in my bread machine).

1 c. warm milk (105 to 110*)
1/3 c. margarine, melted
2 eggs
4 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
½ c. sugar
1- ¼ ounce pkg. active dry yeast


FILLING
1 c. packed brown sugar
2 ½ Tbsp. cinnamon
1/3 c. margarine


ICING
8 Tbsp. (1 cube) margarine, softened
¼ c. (2 ounces) cream cheese
½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 ½ c. powdered sugar
1/8 tsp salt

1. For rolls, dissolve the yeast in the warm milk in a large bowl.
2. Add sugar, margarine, salt, eggs, and flour, and mix well.
3. Knead the dough into a large ball, using your hands dusted lightly with flour. Put in a bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place about 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.
4. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough flat until it is approximately 21 inches long and 16 inches wide. It should be about ¼ inch thick.
5. Preheat oven to 400*
6. For filling, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Spread the softened margarine evenly over the surface of the flattened dough. Then sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar evenly over that.
7. Working carefully from the top (long side), roll the dough down to the bottom edge.
8. Cut the rolled dough into 1 ¾ inch slices and place 6 at a time, evenly spaced, in a lightly greased baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes, or until light brown on top.
9. While the rolls bake, combine the icing ingredients. Beat well with an electric mixer until fluffy.
10. When rolls come out of the oven, coat each one generously with icing.

MAKES 12 ROLLS

*You can use a bread machine to make it easier. Add the “ROLLS” ingredients to the bread machine and select the dough option. Then you will need to begin at #4 when it is done. *  (NOTE:  It was this recipe that inspired me to start using my bread machine to make dough- I will always ADORE Mandy for this very reason!)

Enjoy!!!

Lettuce Wraps and Coconut Rice

This is from my friend Heidi who got it from my friend Tonya at cooking club.  The rice is also from Heidi who got it from Heather at the same cooking club.  Jeremy and I couldn't stop eating this dish-- its so yummy.


Lettuce Wraps:

1-2 T sesame oil

1/2 T minced garlic

1 1/4 lbs. ground turkey

1 lg bell pepper, diced

1 bunch green onions, minced

1/2 C hoison sauce

1 t-1 T (I usually do 1/2 T) chili garlic sauce-this is what makes it spicy

1/2 c dry roasted peanuts, crushed

Romain lettuce leaves

Brown turkey in lg. saute pan with sesame oil and garlic. When close to done add bell pepper, green onion, hoison sauce, chili garlic sauce, and peanuts. Simmer together for about 10 min. Serve on lettuce leaves.

It's easy and healthy and happy.

Coconut Rice:

And the coconut rice is just 1 c. coconut milk simmered with a few pinches of salt and 2 T. sugar poured over 1 cup cooked rice. When mangos are in season I always put the mangos on top. Makes it even yummier. This is all making me hungry!

Oatmeal Carmelitas...YUM

Crust - note, only half of this is used for the crust, the other half will be sprinkled on top

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
• 1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups margarine or 1 1/4 cups butter, softened

Filling

• 1 (12 1/2 ounce) jar caramel ice cream topping (1 cup)
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 (6 ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips (1 cup)
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts

• Directions:

  Prep Time: 10 mins

  Total Time: 40 mins

  1. 1 Heat oven to 350*.
  2. 2 Grease 13x9 inch pan.
  3. 3 In large bowl, blend all crust ingredients at low speed until crumbly.
  4. 4 Press half of crumb mixture, about 3 cups, in bottom of greased pan.
  5. 5 Reserve remaining crumb mixture for topping.
  6. 6 Bake at 350* for 10 minutes.
  7. 7 Meanwhile, in small bowl combine caramel topping and 3 tbls.
  8. 8 flour; set aside.
  9. 9 Sprinkle warm crust with chocolate chips and nuts.
  10. 10 Drizzle evenly with caramel mixture; sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture.
  11. 11 Return to oven and bake an additional 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown.
  12. 12 Cool completely.
  13. 13 Refrigerate 1 to 2 hours or until filling is set.
  14. 14 Cut into bars.

Banana Bread

Banana Bread- Recipie from my friend Caitlyn


1 ½ cup flour

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

...¾ cup sugar

½ cup butter, softened

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup banana (about 3 bananas)

Milk chocolate chips (optional-about half a bag)



In a small bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and salt together. In a mixing bowl, combine sugar and butter and mix well. Add egg and vanilla and mix well. Add bananas and mix well. Add dry ingredients to mixing bowl and mix well. Mix in chocolate chips, if desired. Pour into greased bread pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Then cover lightly with foil and bake for another 10 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.



***Suggestion: When counter-top bananas turn brown, freeze them. Bananas defrost quite quickly and are ready for use in the bread.See More

Beef Brisket

This is mostly for myself, since we have had this recipe once before and lost it. Richard's family makes this when we visit them in Palm Springs. It is super yummy and can feed a TON of people. Enjoy!
16-20 Servings

2 1/2 c Ketchup
3/4 c Brown Sugar
1 1/2 c red chili sauce
1 1/2 c red wine vinegar
1 1/2 c water
3/4 cup beer
3/4 c lemon juice
1 1/2 c mustard
1 T celery salt
4 T Worcestershire sauce
2 T soy sauce
2 cloves of minced garlic
1 dash hot pepper sauce
ground pepper to taste
A really, really big beef brisket

Marinate a min of 24 hours up to 3 days
Sear on HOT BBQ
Slow cook in oven at low temperature until 170 internal temp, usually 4-6 hours