Microwaveable Mug Brownie

If you do not want to eat a warm brownie at least once a day do not read this recipe!!!!!  It literally takes 1 minute to mix together, 1 minute to cook and is probably the best brownie I have ever tasted.

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons unsweeted cocoa powder
pinch of salt

Directions:
Mix together all of the ingredients in a coffee mug.  Stir completely so that nothing is stuck to the bottom.  Microwave for 1 minute in the microwave.  EAT!

I swear it is that easy and absolutely unbelieveable!!!  This is the kind of recipe a college student creates the week of finals! After you make it once you will want it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!

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Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
2 cups quick cooking oats
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a  large bowl beat together the brown sugar and butter until creamy. Beat in the vanilla and egg until light and fluffy.  Stir in the oats, flour, baking soda, and salt until everything is combined.

Fold in the chocolate chips.  Place onto an ungreased cookie sheet using a tablespoon measurement.  Place them about 2 inches apart.  Bake 9-11 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool for 2 minutes on the baking tray and then move to a wire rack.  Cool completely.  Serve and enjoy!

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Best Thing I Ever Ate: Meat

Gnocchi Genovese
Luca's Ristorante
Somerset, NJ

For my birthday my parents decided to choose a new restaurant in the area to take me to dinner.  They stumbled upon Luca's Ristorante.  It was voted in the top 20 best fresh pastas in all of New Jersey and I can definitely agree with that.  The decor is beautiful, the service is fantastic, and the food is some of the best I have ever eaten.

The dish I ordered was gnocchi with braised sirloin steak and caramelized onion in a white wine beef reduction.  It came out hot in the disk it had been cooked in and was steaming at the table. This was an absolutely beautiful presentation because the smell perfumed the entire dining room.

The sirloin was absolutely tender, I didn't need a knife at all.  It had an extremely meaty flavor without being too overpowering of the gnocchi underneath.  The gnocchi were light as a cloud and the perfect complement to the braised meat.

Definitely check out this restaurant if you are in the area.  Everything else my family ate was fantastic and you can tell everything is extremely fresh and homemade!

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Earl Grey Shortbread

Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
4 tea bags
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions:
In a bowl, mix together the flour and salt.  Open the tea bags and sprinkle in the leaves.  Set aside.

In a separate bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Slowly pour the flour mixture into the butter and sugar mixture and beat on low speed using an electric mixer.

Roll the dough into a log about 1 1/2 inches in diameter and wrap in plastic wrap.  Freeze for at least a half hour.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut log into 1/4 inch slices and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet about 1/2 inch apart.  Bake for 13-15 minutes or until slightly golden.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar after they come out of the oven.  Serve and enjoy!

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Hot Chocolate Cupcakes with Marshmallow Frosting

Ingredients:
Cupcakes:
3/4 cup unsweetend cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 eggs
3/4 water
3/4 milk
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting:
1 cup mini marshmallows
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 tablespoons water

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line standard cupcake pans with paper liners.  It should make 16 cupcakes.   I used leopard print ones!

In a large bowl, mix the cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.  Add the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla.  Mix with an electric mixer until smooth.

Fill each cupcake liner 2/3 full.  Bake for 20 minutes or until cupcakes spring back when touched and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Place marshmallows and butter in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 20 seconds.  Stir until combined.  Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and water.  Beat with an electric mixer until frosting comes together and is spreadable.

Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes in pan.  Remove and cool completely.

Once cooled frost with frosting and serve!

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Pear, Walnut, and Bleu Cheese Salad on Endive

Ingredients:
2 heads of endive
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 pears
1 cup bleu cheese crumbles
2 tablespoons strawberry jam
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup dried cranberries

Directions:
In a small bowl whisk together the strawberry jam, oil, and vinegar until it forms a vinaigrette.  Peel the pears and dice into small cubes.  Toss in the vinaigrette with the cranberries and store in the refrigerator for a half hour.

Peel the endive leaves away carefully from the core and rinse.  Arrange on a platter.

Take the pear mixture out of the refrigerator and stir in the walnuts.  Spoon a tablespoonful on the end of each endive leave.  Top with bleu cheese and serve!

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Red Velvet Brownies

Ingredients:
Brownies:
4 oz bittersweet chocolate bar
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1oz bottle red food coloring
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

Frosting:
4 oz cream cheese
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a 9 inch square pan.

Microwave the chocolate and butter together for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until melted.  Stir every 30 seconds to prevent burning.  Whisk in the sugar and allow to cool for 2 minutes.  Add the eggs one at a time and whisk completely until blended after each addition.  Gently stir in the flour.  Add the baking powder, vanilla, and salt.  Finally stir in the food coloring.  Be careful to not get it on clothes!

Pour into prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes.  Cool completely.

In a large bowl beat together the cream cheese, butter, sugar, and vanilla together until it forms a frosting consistency.  Once brownies are cooled remove from the pan and cut into squares.  Frost each one with a generous amount of cream cheese frosting.  Enjoy!

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