The Mystery Mug
I needed a plan fast because it was almost time for family home evening and it was my turn to provide the activity. I remembered a recipe that had been posted in the Codex forum, so I grabbed ingredients and started mixing. The kids trickled into the room. Kiki watched in disbelief as I dumped spoonfuls of flour into a mug
“What are you doing?” She asked.
“Making an experiment.” I calmly answered. This was true. Any untested recipe is technically an experiment.
Gleek, having spotted the cocoa on the counter announced “I know what it is. It’s hot chocolate!”
“No it isn’t” Link protested. “She just put in an egg.”
Kiki peered into the cup. “Yeah. It is much too thick for hot chocolate.”
“I think it is going to explode.” Patch announced. All four kids were gathered around the counter, completely fascinated as I stirred brown glop in the mug.
“No it won’t” Kiki announced with all the certainty that being thirteen automatically supplies. “Food doesn’t explode.”
“Baking soda and vinegar does.” Link countered.
For a moment all was silent as four heads turned to watch the handful of chocolate chips be added to the mix. Then I turned and put the mug into the microwave.
“I told you it was hot chocolate!” Gleek announced triumphantly.
“No way.” Kiki declared. Before the argument could blossom, Howard and I called everyone to the table to begin the family event. We started with a song. Gleek picked Once There Was a Snowman, but with the caveat that we sing it backwards. This means that the snowman starts small and grows tall by the end instead of the other way around. As the song wound to it’s close, I glanced over at the microwave and burst out laughing. The concoction in the mug had puffed up over the top of the mug until it was as tall above the mug as the mug was tall.
“See!” Shouted Patch. “It exploded!”
All the children abandoned the table in a general rush to see the “exploded” experiment in the microwave. Thirty more seconds, and the timer beeped. We called everyone back to the table for prayer and lesson. Then we were ready for the mug. The contents of the mug had shrunk back into it. I dumped it onto the plate.
“This is a mug muffin.” I announced. We divided it between us. As muffins go, I’ve had better flavor, but it was still very good. It was particularly good when dipped in milk. But the joyous novelty of cooking a muffin in a coffee mug was fun for us all. Once the first one was gone, we made another.
Mug Muffins
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)(I absolutely recommend keeping them)
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 (high).
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).