Cake In A Cup

A Quick And Easy Treat!

Ingredients:

1/3 cup Cake In A Cup mix*
3 Tablespoons water
Cool Whip, chocolate sauce, or other desired topping.

Directions:

Spray a heavy mug with Pam or another cooking spray.  Put 1/3 cup of mix into cup.  Add water and mix well.  Microwave for 1 minute.

May be topped with Cool Whip, chocolate sauce, fruit, or any other topping or eaten plain.

Enjoy!

*Cake In A Cup Mix

1 box (Duncan Hines or other brand) Angel Food cake mix

1 box (same brand) any flavor cake mix

Thoroughly mix the 2 cake mixes together in a gallon size zip-loc bag.  Used as instructed above. Store remainder for future use.

Serves 1 

Copy Crab Cakes

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. imitation crab meat (copy crab)
2 T mayonnaise
2 T bread Crumbs, dry, grated, plain
1 t Worcestershire sauce
2 T lemon juice
1 egg
1 oz grated Parmesan cheese
Olive oil cooking spray 

Directions:

Preheat broiler.

Chop or shred crab to the  desired texture and mix in bread crumbs.  In a separate bowl, whisk together Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, mayonnaise and egg.  Pour over crab and breadcrumbs and mix well.  With your hands, form mixture into balls and then flatten.

Place the "crab" cakes on a cookie sheet sprayed with olive oil cooking spray.   Broil until just beginning to brown, about 15-20 minutes (turn half way through).

Sprinkle immediately after removal from broiler with Parmesan cheese to taste. Allow the cheese to melt well before serving.

Substitutions:

Fresh or frozen crab meat may be substituted for a delicious treat.  This recipe also works well with lightly cooked chopped shrimp or fish.   

Serves 4

Ziplock Omelet

Ingredients:

2 Large Eggs

2 Tbsp (or 1/8 Cup) milk

1/8 cup chopped green pepper

1/8 cup sliced mushrooms

1/8 cup chopped tomato

1/2 oz diced cheese - cheddar or jack works well

Salt, pepper, or dried herbs to taste

Directions:

Fill medium sauce pan with water and bring to a boil. Beat eggs and milk in bowl. Add cheese and veggies and mix well. Season to taste with salt, pepper, or herbs.  Pour mixture into ziplock sandwhich bag and seal. Place bag in boiling water and cook for about 13 minutes or until eggs are cooked through. 

Use up leftover vegetables, meats, or cheeses by adding to egg mixture before cooking.  Top with additional cheese, salsa, or veggies and serve.

Serves 1

Faux Auntie Anne's Pretzels

Quick And Easy Buttery Hot Pretzels!

Ingredients:

1 can Pillsbury Simply Crusty French bread dough
2 cups warm water
2 teaspoons sugar
2 Tablespoons baking soda
Sea salt or Kosher salt to taste
Pinch of sugar
4 Tablespoons melted butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut dough into 6 to 8 pieces.  Roll each piece into a long rope.  Twist each rope into a classic pretzel shape.

Mix 2 cups water, 2 t sugar, and 2 T baking soda together in a shallow dish.  Dip each pretzel in the baking soda solution.  Sprinkle each pretzel with sea salt.

Place pretzels on parchment lined baking sheets.  Bake in 400 degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown.  Mix pinch of sugar into melted butter and brush each baked pretzel liberally with melted butter.  Serve warm.

Rice Porridge for Breakfast, Lunch, or Dinner

Comfort food

Rice Porridge (aka Congee or Jook)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup rice
6 cups water
salt

Directions:

1.  Place rice and water in a deep pot (It boils over easily).
2.  Bring to boil and simmer covered until it thickens, approximately 2 hours.
3.  Season with salt and add toppings as desired

Alternately, add water to cooked rice in a pot and simmer until the rice breaks down into porridge.  Watch pot and add more water to maintain desired consistency and prevent sticking/burning.

Toppings

• Honey or some sugar with milk

• Cooked chicken, grated ginger, soy sauce

• Cooked beef, scallion, soy sauce, sugar

• Add a beaten egg to hot congee

• Soft boiled or poached egg.

• Cooked mushrooms

This link is to a savory recipe from Mark Bittman.  Jook - Rice Porridge