The most dangerous chocolate cake you will ever make

Look what my HGTV friend "OwenJulesMommy" shared with me via email this week.

She wrote - "Who couldn't use a mug of chocolate cake???? Happy New Year!"

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE

4 tablespoons flour

4 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa

1 egg

3 tablespoons milk

3 tablespoons oil

3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)

A small splash of vanilla extract

1 large coffee mug

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, 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! Allow to cool a little,
and tip out onto a plate if desired.EAT! (this can serve 2 if you want to feel
slightly more virtuous).

And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world ? Because now we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or night!

and just like you sitting here reading this - I thought mmmMMMM! This sounds good! - yeah, who couldn't use a mug of chocolate cake and then preceded to forward that email to all my working friends thinking wouldn't it be cool to make this at work on break and eat at your desk?

Then I sent it again to all my "mom" friends - thinking... this is something fun to do with the kids. Learning to count out the spoonfuls of measurements.. and small and quick to make...

and also sent to a few other people - just because don't we all love chocolate?

Well, in just a matter of a few days, over 30 of the 50 I sent this email to have replied back to me :D some who I hadn't chatted with in a long time - and most all of them are pinning the tail on my donkey rear - blaming me for breaking their NY's resolution! LOL *kidding of course*

So I thought well, if it was that good - then I need to go tell the world!!! That's why now it is on my blog :c)

Now you too can make a chocolate cake in a mug! Enjoy! I'd love to know if you make it and what you thought of it. ;)

Love from Texas!

Mail Call - stings again :)

Look what arrived here yesterday... are you thinking what I'm thinking? WHY DID BLOGGER TURN IT UP ON IT'S SIDE LIKE THAT??? Oh well left or right it still is pretty! :)

QuiltTX did a lovely job making these string blocks for me. I just love getting little surprises like this in the mailbox. Not only is it fun to see what the blocks I already know are on the way...

I love seeing the little personal notes that the swappers write. :) which reminds me, I need to do a better job at that myself! Especially with my own swappers who send in minis each round to be swapped... i need to write them all a TY note for participating all year with me.

Love from Texas!

Happy Time Again

Yep not only is it Happy New Year's - but time to work on the Happy Blocks for Nora's I-spy quilt again! :) I haven't posted about it but just before Christmas I cleared off the dining room table and worked on them. It was fun having her help me as she was out of school for the break.

I sorted them by color groups and did a count and it appears I have made a total of 83 blocks that will finish at 6". I'm getting close to being ready to start sewing them all together! :)

Anyone else out there doing Happy Blocks? I started these some last year to make into a quilt for Nora... I first saw the idea from a member of the HeartStrings Quilt Project. Isn't it a great way to frame I-Spy blocks?? Never mind the fact that I've been collecting since discovering the HGTV quilter's board in, uhamm, 2005...

I have nearly 84 completed.. this is gonna be big as in generous twin size.. here they are laid out in rows 7 x 12. and we still have more blocks that don't have boarders yet! Guess she will just have to pick and choose or maybe I'll save a row of them for the backing - yeah, that's what I'll do!

Nora got a digital kid camera and is ready to take photos of her quilt in progress

I've declared my new monto for this year as "Making the time in 2009" and since the HeartStrings Quilt Project group has adopted this block as their new project (Jan & Feb) then what better reason to get them back out and work on them?

well I'll give you a better reason -

Nora's Preschool will soon be learning about the letter "Q" this month and her show-n-tell day just so happens to fall in the same week!!! and I so want her to have a QUILT to take and would rather it not just be any quilt but this one! Her Happy Quilt - the one that she helped make!

So I better hurry up and get these sewn together and.... quilted!

I've never quilted on my machine before and am nervous - Any tips for me on what to do or what NOT to do...? I'm a beginner for machine quilting!?

I have never did this before but I need this top done before the 3rd full week of January... b/c that is when Nora's class will be on the letter "Q" and it is also her show and tell day on Wednesday of that week - and guess what she wants to take!??!?! :) :) :) I am thrilled! :)

of course watch me work my tail off to get this done and then that day will come and she'll want to take some silly little toy... nevertheless, I want to see if I can get it done.. and if not.. maybe plan B can be to take another quilt and this one in process.. to show how quilts are made?

Again - any tips would be greatly appreciated! one question off the top of my head - should I baste with thread or use safety pins???

Love from Texas!

stovetop follow up post

It seems I left you hanging on my stove top clean up project... I posted about it after I had cleaned the stove and while the drip pans and burners were in the sink soaking in hot water... well I soaked them and then scrubbed them and then soaked them some more - all day I tell ya...

and 8 hours later, you couldn't even tell I had touched them! :/ after everything else was so sparkling clean, I just couldn't not bear to put them back in the stove... I did consider covering them with tin foil.. but I really don't like that look at all - reminds me of past apartments... so I..

tossed them in the trash and kissed them GOODBYE! After the twins woke up from their nap, I loaded up all the kids and went to Walmart...something we rarely do during the week unless we NEED something really bad... and I think this qualified for such a trip. :P

I didn't find aluminum shiny ones like the ones I had before in my stove's size - but I did find black.. and I wasn't so sure about black... but after I got them home and installed - I think I'm gonna like them a lot!

and I am not sure if clicking on the photos on my blog will make the photo larger or not... ((some blogs do that and I don't know if that requires me to do something different or not)) but while searching for the photos to add to this post - I JUST NOW saw the drip by the 1st burner knob to the right of the clock - EEEK, I missed a spot! :P

and what about all that white? personally I hate it - but it is what was here when we bought the home. White stove, white sink, white counter tops and back spash...EVEN WHITE TILE FLOOR which I really HATE! and i know my chicken metal thing doesn't sit straight.. it is simply sitting resting there as I'm too afraid to drive a nail in the back spash - it is the same as the counter top and curves up the back where it would meet the wall... which I don't' like b/c even if we wanted to tile the back spash we'd have to also replace the counter tops too b/c it is all one piece.

oh well, ENOUGH about the kitchen! My next post I'll have something quilty to share - I PROMISE! ;) I've had a few productive days in my sewing room!!

Love from Texas!

Whirl Into Winter Blog-Give-a-Way

Can you believe it is here already? It's time for the Whirl into Winter Blog-give-away!!!

In October I participated in Debbiequilts' Fall into Fall blog-give-away and had so many new visitors and it was so fun to read every one's answers to all the questions to all the blogs.. not just mine. What a fun way to get to know each other a little better.. :)

Last time I asked everyone what their favorite snack was... and this time I wanted to do something else, something more creative, something to get everyone moving.

ya know, that would help better each of my visitors...so I have been thinking and thinking.. what creative idea can I come up with for the Whirl into Winter... and I think I have come up with a good one..

So my question for you is - What is something that you absolutely DO NOT LIKE to do, but NEEDS to be done.... you know something that you have been putting off and putting off...and most likely you can't even remember the last time you did it...?

Well here at my house there are several things on that list, but this morning this is what I spent 15 minutes tackling... CLEANING MY STOVE TOP. not just a wipe down.. a real good take it apart and clean it right. :P

Just after cleaning the toilets in this house, this is one of my MOST UN FAVORITE things to do.. but don't worry, I'm not gonna share a photo of any of the three toilets in this house. :P

Anyway, back to the stove.. I think just like most things, the hardest part is getting started. :P It wasn't hard at all to get in there and clean it - and once I got started there was no stopping until the job was complete... well nearly complete - I'm still soaking the drip pans in the sink a little longer while I post this.

Boy doesn't it look so much better!? I don't even remember how long it'd been but I don't think I've done this task more than 3 times in the 3 years we've lived in this home.

So my question to you is what is it you have PUT OFF doing and haven't gotten done in a LONG time???

Now you don't have to clean your stove like I did - you can pick anything but because I am a believer in the Flylady's motto: "You can do anything for 15 minutes!!"

1 entry to leave a comment and tell what that is you've been putting off and about how long it's been (if you can remember)

I'll give you an additional 15 entries if you go and DO IT and post a pic on your blog showing that you "Got 'er Done!" But you have to notify me and tell me to come take a look at your blog ;)

To be eligible to win: You must be a US resident, and I must be able to contact you to let you know you won... so if you don't have your email entered in with your profile set up on blogger then leave it in the comment. ;)

Come on - don't click away from my blog - this will be fun! Think of it as a group effort to start the new year off right! :)

You will be so happy with yourself for doing it and you can start the new year off right by being productive! :) Who knows.. it may be just the kick start you need to take it further.. (totally optional of course LOL) Other ideas for me to accomplish - dusting those ceiling fans.. cleaning out the garage...I used just 3 things to get my stove top clean.

1. Lysol Dual Action Cleaning Wipes

2. Soft Scrub for the stubborn grime around the cracks

3. and Good old fashioned elbow grease :P

So what are you waiting for... you have a few days (between now and the 15th) to think of something and "GET 'ER DONE!" ;) But don't put it off too long!!!...and don't forget to come back and tell me so I can visit you for your show-n-tell :)

Oh, and I almost forgot to share with you what it is I am giving away...

Yep $15.00 for just 15 minutes of your time to do something that you need to get done. :) Actually i had planned to have a Pampered Chef Item as my prize but never did get my order placed in time.. *sigh* but that's OK - this way it will be easier for me to get in the mail to the winner! (no standing in line with 3 kids at an out of town post office to get a box weighed)

So alright everyone.. TIME TO COME CLEAN! :P Who's with me?

EDITED TO ADD = Congratulations to the winner katie z :)

Love from Texas!