Living away from home can be really stressful. I missed the calming effect of eating homemade food but I didn’t have the time or the money to make a giant batch of cookies. Lucky for everyone, the newest trend is mug food: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert created only with a mug and a microwave!
I was first introduced to this new trend when I read about The Pioneer Woman’s Chocolate Mug Cake in her cookbook The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Come and Get it! and I made it with very little ingredients. Then on my trip to the supermarket to get more ingredients, I was shocked to see an entire shelf dedicated to boxes of mug cake mix! This is the recipe I used to make my first mug cake, and it was delicious!
The Pioneer Woman’s Chocolate Mug Cake
Ingredients:
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3 Tablespoons All-purpose flour
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3 Tablespoons sugar
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2 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder
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1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
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tiny pinch of salt
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3 tablespoons whole milk
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3 tablespoons vegetable oil
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splash of vanilla extract
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3 tablespoons semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions:
1. Into a 12-ounce microwave-safe mug, add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Stir with a fork.
2. Add the milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla and stir until smooth.
3. Stir in the chocolate chips.
4. Use a damp paper towel to wipe excess off the sides of the mug.
5. Microwave for 90 seconds.
6. Then let the cake cool for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes before eating.
Optional: serve with sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Of course, cake is not the only food you can make with a mug. There’s brown rice with edamame and pineapple, lasagna, french toast, cinnamon rolls, and more out there on the web, including some vegan and gluten free options. Plus the desserts are great to give your friends for their birthdays! And even if you choose to go buy the really delicious mug food mixes from the store (which I don’t blame you for), these mug treats will bring a touch of home to your college life every time.
Using a microwave can be dangerous, so you need to take certain precautions. I highly suggest you get a pair of oven mitts or a dry dish towel/washcloth to use when taking hot mugs out of the microwave. If you use wet oven mitts or a wet towel, the heat will go through them and burn you. Make sure you follow each recipe’s instructions for how long you should let your food cool before eating. Lastly, only use ceramic, microwave safe mugs in the microwave. NO PLASTIC OR METAL!
These recipes and ideas are easy, delicious ways to make your day a bit more positive and make home seem not that far away.