Microwave Coffee Mug Eggs

Scrambled eggs ready to eat in 2 minutes with less mess, less stress and the same delicious fluffy scrambled eggs you get from cooking on the stovetop!  Sign me up!  
I was skimming through some cooking mags while on vacation this week and noticed these incredible and oh so simple eggs.  Yes, it was an ad, and it got me =).  I love scrambled eggs so these immediately caught my attention.  Normally I'm somewhat of a snubber of microwave methods, but if you've ever been to Einstein Bagels and ordered one of their egg sandwiches you may have noticed they cook the eggs in the microwave and they are actually delicious.  So, I thought this simple microwave method must work and I immediately gave it a try the first chance I had, even on vacation.  It's true, I'm addicted to blogging. I was so excited about this recipe find that I couldn't resist the urge to share even on vacation.  
I hope this recipe makes your life a little simpler so you're not swapping out a fresh, warm, nutritious breakfast for some cardboard sugar filled "pastry" because it's the only thing you have time to make.  You can make these nearly as quick as you can pour a bowl of cereal.  Thank you Incredible Edible Egg!
  

Microwave Coffee Mug Eggs
Yields 1 serving


Ingredients:
2 large eggs
2 Tbsp milk
2 Tbsp shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
salt and pepper to taste


Directions:
Spray a 12 oz. coffee mug with cooking spray or grease with butter.  Add eggs and milk to mug and stir with a fork or whisk until well blended.  Microwave mixture on high for 45 seconds then stir.  Microwave again for 30 - 45 seconds longer until eggs are cooked through.  Immediately sprinkle with optional cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve warm.


Adapted from Incredible Edible Egg

Read More

Cornbread Sugar Cookies with Honey Butter Frosting

Cornbread meets sugar cookies!  Some of you may be thinking hmm, that sounds strange.  Let me just tell you these are one of the best sugar cookies you will ever eat, yes I'm going to brag a little =).  They are such an exciting twist on the classic bakery style sugar cookies.  These still hold true to all the wonderful characteristics you find in a perfect sugar cookie. They are fluffy, tender, sweet, and undeniably delicious.  These are one of my families favorite desserts.  I have to give some away or I will just devour them all on my own.  
You could also make Cornbread Sugar Cookie Squares with Honey Butter Frosting which are nearly the same but in bar form.  I adapted both that recipe and this one from my Sugar Cookie Squares and Sugar Cookies recipes, I decided to experiment one day and came up with these.  They are everything you love about honey buttered cornbread and soft, frosted sugar cookies combine into one.  If you ask me I think they are good enough and exciting enough to be the next new cookie craze!

Cornbread Sugar Cookies 
Yields about 2 dozen


Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups corn flour (this is NOT cornmeal, cornstarch or masa harina)*
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon juice
1 recipe Honey Butter Frosting, recipe follows


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a mixing bowl whisk together, all-purpose flour, corn flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer whip together butter and sugar until light and fluffy about 3-4 minutes.  Stir in egg and egg yolk.  Mix in sour cream, vanilla and lemon juice.  Slowly add in dry ingredients and mix until well incorporated.  Form dough into balls by the heaping tablespoon fulls then place on cookies sheets and flatten dough balls evenly to about 1/2" with your hands.  Bake in preheated oven for 9-11 minutes.  Allow to cool completely before frosting with Honey Butter Frosting.


*You can usually find this in the health foods section or gluten free section of the grocer or supermarket.  If you can't find it there you can also purchase it online here. 


Honey Butter Frosting


Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup honey
2 cups powdered sugar
1/8 tsp salt


Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, whip together all ingredients until light and fluffy about 1 - 2 minutes.


Recipe Source: Cooking Classy

Read More

Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken Tikka Masala doesn't get any easier than this!  I created this recipe because so often people skip Chicken Tikka Masala in their dinner rotation recipes because it takes so much time and effort to prepare.  In my opinion this cooking method tastes just as good, if not better, than any of those tediously time consuming recipes.  The better comes because of the unbelievably tender chicken this recipe yields from long hours of slow, low cooking and also how much time it gives the spices to meld and develop in this incredible dish.  I'm quite certain this will now be my only method/recipe for Chicken Tikka Masala.  How could I go back to the long, laborious method now?  
Never tried Indian food before?  Then now is definitely time!  I was thinking, how do you describe Indian food and it's enticing, delectable flavors in two words?  Bold and exciting!  If you have never tried Indian food before, it's likely you have tried the spices it contains in several alternate dishes but Indian food combines all those rich spices into one amazing dish.  So go on and excite your taste buds with this flavorful, spice packed Indian dish.   

Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala
Yields 6 servings


Ingredients:
5 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1 inch pieces (about 3 lbs)
1/2 large yellow onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp freshly, finely grated ginger
1 jalapeno, stemmed, sliced in half and seeds removed
1 (29 oz) can tomato puree (I recommend Contadina Brand)
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt 
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp Garam Masala
1 Tbsp cumin
1/2 Tbsp paprika
2 tsp salt, or to taste
3/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1-3 tsp cayenne pepper*
2 bay leaves
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 tbsp cornstarch
Prepared Long Grain White Rice or Basmati Rice
Chopped cilantro, for serving


Directions:
In a large mixing bowl combine chopped onions, minced garlic, grated ginger, sliced jalapeno, tomato puree, plain yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, Garam Masala, cumin, paprika, salt, cinnamon, pepper and cayenne pepper.  Stir until combine.  Pour half of sauce mixture into a large slow cooker then add in diced chicken followed then cover chicken with remaining sauce.  Add in 2 bay leaves.  Cover slow cooker with lid and cook on low heat for 8 hours (or high for 4 hours).  
In a mixing bowl, whisk together heavy cream and cornstarch, pour mixture into slow cooker and gently stir.  Allow mixture to cook 20 minutes while you prepare the rice.  Remove bay leaves and sliced jalapeno and serve warm over rice and sprinkle with chopped cilantro.


*I put 1 -3 tsp because it is all depending on your heat preference.  If you don't like spicy foods you could even omit this ingredient.  I go for 3 tsp but I like my food really spicy.


Recipe Source: Cooking Classy

Read More

Peanut Butter Pretzel Rice Krispie Treats

Aren't Rice Krispie Treats one of the greatest treats of all time?  Indeed they are, and their possibilities for alternate variations are endless.  I have so much fun creating new flavors of Rice Krispie Treats because it's so simple to do and they are always incredibly easy to make,  not to mention how quickly you can be enjoying a flawlessly delicious dessert in no time.  

These treats are perfect for snacking or dessert and they are even fancy enough for parties.  It's always a delight for people to enjoy a new twist on one of their favorite treats.  Can you ever go wrong adding peanut butter to treats and desserts?  Then, you add in even more flavor with the slightly salted pretzels, smooth, rich chocolate and a hint of pure vanilla.  These are an exciting party for you mouth.  They are everything I'd imagine a gourmet candy bar to be.  Lets just say, WARNING: Highly addictive.

If you love Rice Krispie Treats you  may also like to try Sugar Cookie Rice Krispie Treats, Cookie's and Cream Rice Krispie Treats or Cinnamon Roll Rice Krispie Treats (I'm a Rice Krispie Treat Lover can you tell? =).

Peanut Butter Pretzel Rice Krispie Treats
Yields 20 squares


Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
1 (10.5 oz) package miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 1/4 cups Rice Krispies Cereral
1 1/2 cups coarsely crushed pretzel pieces


Topping:
1 cup milk chocolate chips
2 Tbsp creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup coarsely crushed pretzel pieces


Directions:
Butter a 9x13 dish, set aside.  Melt butter in a large non-stick saucepan over medium-low heat.  Stir in marshmallows and cook, stirring constantly until marshmallows have melted.  Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup peanut butter and vanilla.  Pour Rice Krispies Cereal and 1 1/2 cups coarsely crushed pretzel pieces in to melted marshmallow mixture and gently fold mixture until cereal and pretzels are evenly coated.  Spread mixture evenly into prepared 9x13 dish and spread into an even layer with a butter spatula.
Melt chocolate chips with 2 Tbsp peanut butter in a microwave safe bowl, in 30 second intervals stirring after each interval until melted and smooth.  Pour melted chocolate mixture into a piping or ziploc bag, snip the tip of the end and drizzle mixture evenly over Rice Krispie Treats.  Sprinkle evenly with 1/4 cup coarsely crushed pretzel pieces, enjoy immediately with melted chocolate topping or cover and refrigerate until set for a set chocolate topping.


Recipe Source: Cooking Classy

Read More