5-Minute Chocolate Mug Cake

I've received the following e-mail twice in the past few days, so considered it my civic duty to try this and pass the results on to you.

To All my "Chocaholic Friends" and those who just might have an occasional sweet tooth.

Subject: Fwd: 5 Minute Chocolate Mug Cake

The 5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE

4 tablespoons cake flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons baking cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk (I used half and half)
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
a small splash of vanilla (1/4 tsp.)
1 coffee mug

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well.
Add egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk
and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla, and mix again.

Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts.

The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!

Me, not being alarmed, but can you see how high it got:

Although it shrunk pretty quickly (like a frightened turtle):

Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired. So...here's my review:

After I removed the cake (which came out very easily) from the mug, I discovered all of the chocolate chips had sunk to the bottom. I cut the cake in half, as it makes a fairly good sized serving, and cooled it in the freezer for a few minutes. I iced the half that didn't have the chocolate chips, with some buttercream I had in the fridge; it's not a terribly sweet cake. The texture is somewhat rubbery, and gets more so as it continues to cool. The half with the chocolate chips was better, and probably would have been tastier if eaten warm.

This would be a fun project for kids, but they may not eat the finished product.

If it was 2 a.m. and I had the chocolate DTs, I'm not sure if this would cure my problems or only make me go out in search of the hard stuff. The last picture from above is what I DIDN'T eat, and you all know that's a rarity for me.

**UPDATE** HA! Look what I found when I was randomly clicking the Next Blog button: http://mrdoc2006.blogspot.com/

Holiday World

Holiday World and Splashin' Safari is an amusement park in Santa Claus, Indiana that boasts "soft drinks are always free and unlimited!" Something tells me they'll be rethinking that policy when they see this:



Click to enlarge picture.

Photo courtesy of Bridgie "Large and In Charge" McBridgerton.

I loves me some Jib Jab

I've been told, "you need help" by more than one person after they've received one of my Jib Jab creations. Don't be hatin' on my creative expression, people. My friend, Mr. J., is one of my favorite Jib Jab-ees. I asked him if it was okay to post some of the videos I made that he starred in. He agreed, but did acknowledge he was "concerned about sexual predators." You really can't blame him; that man rocks a unitard like nobody's business:

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Mr. J. was born to dance:

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Missy J. just had to get in on the act:

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Mr. J.: If Jib Jabbin' you is wrong, I don't want to be right.

Jackass of the Month - September

From The Dallas News:

Banana chasing gorilla stunt at Flower Mound High football game gets teens arrested

Police and school officials in Flower Mound do not mess around. They apparently do not have a sense of humor either.

Two students pulled a relatively hilarious and harmless prank during a Flower Mound High School football game on Friday night. One dressed as a banana and the other as a gorilla and, shockingly, the banana chased the gorilla across the football field.

As the YouTube video shows, the cops didn't think it was very funny and arrested the teens. But a spokesman for the Flower Mound police threw school officials under the bus, telling reporters that it was the district that demanded the cops take the teens to jail, where they stayed overnight.

A Lewisville Independent School District spokeswoman did not dispute that claim.

"When students disrupt an educational environment or an educational program, we will press charges," spokeswoman Kern Permetti told NBC 5.




I'm all for law and order, but come on...this was good, clean fun. So, my first Jackass of the Month award will be shared by the Flower Mound Police Department and Lewisville Independent School District Administration. It's pretty bad, people, when I'm telling you to loosen up.

Happy Birthday, Robin!!

Picture it...

Indianapolis - September 22, 1989. A much younger, fatter - SHUT IT - and extremely uncomfortable me anticipating the arrival of someone wonderful. Finally, a choir of angels sang (or I screamed) and there she was, Robin Elaine, in all her glory. Yeh, she looked like ET, but I thought she was bee-yoo-tee-ful. I couldn't wait to get out of that hospital and take my precious baby home. Once there, I asked myself:

"What the hell am I supposed to do now?"

Luckily, she made it easy for us since she was the sweetest, most congenial baby (after the first few weeks) who has since grown into the beautiful, kind and intelligent young woman we know and love today.

Happy 19th Birthday, Robin!

Colts 21, Jaguars 23

What started off as a beautiful thing, ended up a big, steaming pile....

Well, shiver me timbers!

Arrrr!!

I don't know how this escaped me, but thanks to my co-worker Jenni, I discovered today is International Talk Like a Pirate Day. If you're so inclined, check out this link to learn to talk like a pirate. There's also pirate advice, pirate pick-up lines, and pirate fun-n-games for the whole family!

Take a fun quiz and find out your Pirate Name! (Bloody Bess Kidd, here: Every pirate lives for something different. For some, it's the open sea. For others (the masochists), it's the food. For you, it's definitely the fighting. Even though you're not always the traditional swaggering gallant, your steadiness and planning make you a fine, reliable pirate. Arr!)

Here's Jenni celebrating the day with the ever faithful, fashionable and patient, Flat Cat:



Jerry may not want to be a pirate, but Kramer does!

More Notes from a Co-ed

More from Robin's psychology class, and she told me to watch this video:




"haha. he started telling us about the freud-something theory. how people use sex to get you to buy their product over other products. so he told us that the part where she drinks from the bottle is supposed to be like a penis. so the next time someone goes to get a coke, they'll remember the commercial and get a pepsi. ha. and then, at the end you know how they have the pepsi sign and the pepsi bottle light up?? well . . . the pepsi bottle explodes like someone opened it or something. so he takes his laser, points at it, and says "see what i mean??" and it was just about the funniest thing in the world. he told us, "now, i dont want you guys to think i'm a pervert or dirty-minded, i mean, i am, but it was not me who thought this up. it was the theory." hahahaha. it was a great day."

Well, I ain't got a fancy college edumacation, and even I knew what the Pepsi bottle symbolized.

Notes from a Co-ed

Here's an e-mail I received from Robin*:


"so i have a psych story for you. our professor did some research stuff about groupies and how people turn from really big fans into crazy stalkers and he's gotten to meet a bunch of famous people and talk with them and what not. he actually went around with bon jovi for a weeks doing his research and stuff. how cool is that?? he told us today that he got to meet areosmith and he told us "now, i don't know if any of you have ever seen steven tyler, but he has got to be the ugliest man on this earth." HAHAHAHA. i almost cried from laughing. i thought, dang i wish my mom was here. haha. so then he told us that artists had heard about him doing the stalker stuff and some managers called and asked him to come talk with the artists about it and stuff and he got to go and meet with KEITH URBAN. he said it happened shortly after he married nicole because they were having some stalker issues. he said keith urban and chelsea and i both gasped way loud. we were like no freakin way. i thought it was really cool. bon jovi and keith urban?? yeah. im definitely being a psychologist :)"

#1 - Robin said a long time ago Steven Tyler was so ugly she couldn't look at him.
#2 - I am not the stalker Keith was referring to.
#3 - When did they outlaw capital letters in college?

*Posted with permission.

Colts 18, Vikings 15

I still can't believe they pulled this one out.

We got into Minneapolis around 11:00 a.m. on Saturday and spent the day toodling around the Mall of America. Didn't really buy much, but did treat myself to a pedicure, and after much coercion, John got one as well. I think he liked it.

Met up with the cool kids at BW3 for dinner where we finally met the Infamous Tara. She is a riot.

L-R: Jake, Tara, Tom, Jeremy, Josh

Sunday we followed the Infamous Tara and her dad, Tom, (who is the stereotypical Minnesotan- super nice) to a funky little restaurant on Lyndale called The Egg and I. I highly recommend theKamikaze cakes. Pancakes filled with blueberries, bananas and walnuts; and for good measure, the top of the pancake is sprinkled with these yummies.

We made our way downtown and into the stadium without any trouble. Those Minnesotans are so nice. One Viking fan thought we looked lost and just offered us directions. One guy said, "Boo. Colts." as we walked by. Really, buddy? That's the best you can do?? LOL

Finally, it's time to start. Colts win the coin toss - yippee. That is the last thing we would have to cheer about for the next 42 minutes and 29 seconds. I do give the DEFENSE credit for holding the Vikes to field goals.

(Peyton giving the thumbs up after we win the coin toss.)

Just as I was perfecting my plan to sneak into the Colts locker room and cover their jocks in Icy Hot, Anthony Gonzalez pulled a brilliant/stupid move that seemed to energize the team. Addai touchdown. Vinateiri extra point. Wayne touch down. Another Vinatieri extra point. Vinatieri field goal to seal the deal. So, the Colts win and are back in my good graces for now. Just remember, boys...I have Icy Hot and I know how to use it.

Then it was on to a night of celebration.

It's taken seven months, but I've finally bounced back from my Jaegerbomb poisoning.

The Mayor of Fishers (center) and
his Alcoholic Beverage Commission.

I could never get an answer as to why this group of Canucks hate Peyton, but the one guy said, "I wish he would die." uh, okay.

Again...uh, okay.
John and I left after this picture. I'm too old for this shiz.

Next year, we're thinking Nashville......

Minnesota or bust!

We are heading off to the Land of 10,000 Lakes to watch my beloved Colts take on the Minnesota Vikings.

I'm not gonna lie...I'm more than a little nervous about this game. Dallas, Jeff, Pot Head Ed Johnson, Adrian Peterson...argh! Oh, and let's not forget my Pey-Pey didn't look so hot last week.
We have an assortment of Colts and Viking fans in our group. Last year's San Diego roadtrip was fun (although I'm still waiting for Adam Vinatieri to send me a reimbursement check for airfare, lodging and game tix...) and I have no doubt there will be lots of laughs on this trip. I'm just saying, it's gonna be a looooong ride home if we're 0-2.

GO COLTS!

9/11

I did not get a chance to post this until just now.
Better late than never.

"Intellectually, I know that America is no better than any other country;

Emotionally, I know she is better than every other country."

~Sinclair Lewis

Are You Ready for Some Football???

It's been a long summer...Peyton, how I've missed you!!!

Ringo

I lost my mind three weeks ago, and we got a new puppy; his name is Ringo. He is adorable, but the crate and housetraining aren't going so well.

Ringo loves Lola. She's pretty mean to him, but he just keeps coming back for more (I said he is the John of the dog world). She eats his food when he's not looking, hides inside the loveseat to get away from him, and won't let him lay with her on her blanket. (Wow! That really does sound like me and John...snicker.) Anyhoo, here are some pictures.

This set is from the first few days he came to live with us

These next three are just random shots I've taken of life with Ringo:

I love him, even though he poops on my carpet.

Dragon Dash

Today was a great morning for the Dragon Dash 5k Walk/Run. Kim and I certainly didn't run, and it was really more of a Gab & Stroll than a walk. I don't think we were the last to finish, but it was pretty darn close. Oh, well...it was still fun. I love Kim - she's just a really neat person. We are pictured below with our "Participant" ribbons. Did you know "Participant" is the universal code word for "Loser"??? tee, hee...

Hugs for Pugs Campaign

My sister, Sarah, is a pug lover and devoted volunteer for the Kentuckiana Pug Rescue. She was lucky enough to adopt Hank from the Rescue last year and has since become the Rescue's Transport Coordinator. I received the following e-mail from her and thought I would share with you:

"First of all, I hate asking people for money - especially with the economy the way it is. However, the pug rescue is VERY low on funds due to the fact that we have taken in more than the average number of pugs this year. Due to this financial crisis, KPR is not able to accept any additional pugs at this time. Several have needed major surgery due to their idiotic owners' neglect. Don't even get me started on Buster who was found wandering a toll road in South Bend. He was painfully skinny and dirty, and wound up having both eyes removed [due to a serious infection] and being treated for pneumonia. He's in great shape now, thanks to KPR.

If you can find it in your hearts (and wallets) to make ANY kind of donation (even $5), know that it is truly appreciated and will be put to good use. We KPR people are strictly volunteers, so all money goes to the pugs.

Thanks for your consideration."

I just made my pledge and discovered from the website that an anonymous donor has agreed to match up to $2500 in donations! I am sending out this plea to all of you asking that you send it along to your friends, family and fellow dog lovers.

Please visit Kentuckiana Pug Rescue and click on the donate button. (Your contribution is tax deductible.)

Thank you for your support of Kentuckiana Pug Rescue!

Bam-Bam and Hank

Buster

Bork, Bork, Bork!!!

Ten thousand copies of the Swedish food magazine, Matmagasinet, have been withdrawn from outlets because an apple cake recipe in the issue contained a serious error. The recipe instructed readers to use 20 whole nutmegs instead of the correct amount of two pinches. Apparently, nutmeg in high doses can lead to poisoning, which four folks who shared a tainted cake found out. Wouldn't you think that much nutmeg would have made the cake inedible? Maybe in a misguided show of manners, they didn't want to insult whoever made the cake and foolishly kept chomping away.

Anyway, I envision the preparation went a little something like this:

The Big Brawler

As a shout out to the end of summer, here are some of my favorite boating pictures, specifically, all victims of The Big Brawler. That raft was expensive; it's cumbersome and a pain in the butt to transport, but it's also A LOT of fun.