Make Mom a Special Mother's Day Breakfast: Chocolate Chunk Scones with Chocolate Butter

Treat Mom to an extra-special breakfast on Mother's Day with these scrumptious Chocolate Chunk Scones and Chocolate Butter from my cookbook: Hand Over the Chocolate & No One Gets Hurt!

Chocolate Chunk Scones

2 cups all-purpose flour                            

1/3 cup granulated sugar                                      

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda                   

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large egg, slightly beaten

1/2 cup half-and-half

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 squares of semi-sweet baking chocolate, chopped 

Preheat oven to 400°. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a separate bowl, mix together egg, half-and-half and vanilla; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Stir in chocolate. Add a bit more flour if dough seems too sticky. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead 8-10 times or until smooth.  Pat into a 7” circle, about 3/4” thick. Cut into 8 pie-shaped wedges. Or roll dough to 3/4” thickness and cut out circles with a 2-1/2” biscuit cutter or a 1-1/2” cutter for mini-scones. Brush tops with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Place 1” apart on lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes (15-18 minutes for mini scones) or until golden brown. 

Chocolate Butter

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa powder 

In a small bowl, beat ingredients together until fluffy. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Soften for 15-20 minutes before serving.

Hand Over the Chocolate & No One Gets Hurt!

The perfect cookbook for chocoholics everywhere—78 decadent chocolate dessert recipes: like Death By Chocolate Cookies, Chocolate Truffle Pie, Rich Chocolate Gravy & Chocolate Mocha Punch, plus a few tasty mixes to give as gifts. Includes chocolate history, amusing quotes & interesting trivia plus fun ideas for chocolate theme parties, games, activities, decorations & guest favors. A delightful cookbook no true chocolate-lover should be without! Size: 5.5”X8.5”, paperback, 76 pages. $7.95     E-Book: $2.99

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Visit the Hand Over the Chocolate Blog for more free recipes.

 

Bunny Trail (Holiday) Snack Mix From: Quick Gifts From the Kitchen

These festive little bags of snack mix make great Easter gifts.

2 (10 oz.) packages miniature peanut butter sandwich cookies

2 (6 oz.) packages sweetened dried cranberries

1 (16 oz.) package Easter colored M & M’s or peanut M & M’s

2 (10 oz.) packages buttery toffee popcorn with peanuts

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Place about 1 cup of snack mix in a cellophane bag (clear or printed with Holiday designs) and tie closed with a satin ribbon bow.

Quick Gifts From the Kitchen: No Cooking Required

More than 50 recipes for tasty mixes—no cooking required. Help cut your gift-giving budget with these inexpensive, handmade gifts. Includes a guide for assembling gift baskets, directions for making fabric gift bags & decorating paper gift sacks, creative ideas for packaging, and cooking instruction tags to photocopy and cut out. Size: 5.5”X8.5”, paperback, 72 pages. $6.95.
E-Book: $2.99

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Visit the Quick Gifts From the Kitchen Blog for more Free Recipes

Single-Serving Portions Help Dessert-Lovers Control Calories

Apple Pie in a Mug

Do you love homemade desserts but just can’t stop with one serving? For those of you who resolved to watch your calorie intake this year, the single-serving recipes in the Easy Microwave Desserts in a Mug cookbook will come to the rescue. You’ll no longer be tempted to reach for a second or third serving. 

This cookbook has more than 100 single-serving mix recipes for desserts, breakfast treats and hot beverages that are prepared, cooked and served in a mug in less than five minutes. 

I developed these recipes because I don’t want a two-layer cake sitting on the kitchen counter calling to me every time I pass by. Now I can treat myself occasionally to just one serving of a fresh-baked dessert in minutes.

Each mix includes all the ingredients you need to prepare the dessert, including a single-serving size container of fruit or vegetables for some of the mixes, like carrot cake and peach cobbler. All you need to add to the mix is heart-healthy cooking spread and/or water, then microwave for about two minutes.  

The mixes are made using common ingredients found at your local supermarket. They are simple to make, cost less than store-bought mixes, and don’t contain the preservatives found in many of the manufactured versions.

You can make them ahead of time and store them in plastic zipper-type bags for later use. Some of the recipes found in the book: Yellow Cake (which you can top with fresh fruit like strawberries or peaches), Apple Pie, Blueberry-Lemon Coffee Cake, Pear Crisp, Coffee Banana Scone and Chai Tea Latte.

Since you prepare the mixes yourself, you can adjust the ingredients to suit your own taste. If you or your family members have food allergies, such as wheat, eggs, milk or nuts, simply substitute special ingredients to meet your needs. 

These desserts are easy, quick and right-out-of-the-oven delicious! And they’re just the right size to satisfy your sweet-tooth without sabotaging your weight-loss goals. Try the sample recipe below:

Yellow Cake Mug Mix

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Yellow Cake in a Mug
with Strawberries

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 tablespoon instant nonfat dry milk

1 teaspoon egg white powder or meringue powder

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Dash of salt

Blend ingredients together and place in a small zipper-type bag if using at a later date or giving as a gift. 

To prepare: Microwave 1-1/2 tablespoons butter or heart-healthy cooking spread in a 12-oz. microwave-safe mug until melted. Empty cake mix into mug and add 3 tablespoons water; stirring with a fork until blended. Microwave on 60% power for 2 minutes. Let stand in the microwave 2 minutes. Remove and let stand until cool enough to eat.

Top cake with sliced strawberries or diced peaches and a dollop of low-fat whipped topping if desired.

Easy Microwave Desserts in a Mug (Third Edition)

This cookbook has more than 100 single-serving mix recipes for desserts, breakfast treats and hot beverages that are prepared, cooked and served in a mug in less than 5 minutes, like chocolate brownie, peach cobbler and pecan pie. Make them for unique, inexpensive gifts or for your own use. Fun cooking projects for kids. Size: 5.5” X 8.5”, Paperback, 120 pages. Price: $9.95

Visit the Easy Microwave Desserts in a Mug Blog 

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Beer Bread Mix Gift Basket: Recipes from Quick Gifts From the Kitchen

Make this fun gift basket by placing a bag of Beer Bread Mix (recipe below) and a bag of Garden Bread Seasoning Blend (recipe below) in a terracotta pot that is filled with paper shred. Tie a strip of fabric or ribbon around the edge of the pot into a bow.

To make a fabric bag for the bread mix, cut 2 pieces of fabric 6-1/2” wide X 11-1/2” high, using pinking shears. Pin the two pieces of fabric together, right sides facing each other. Sew (either by hand or machine) around the sides and bottom of the bag using a 1/4” seam allowance. Turn bag right side out.

  

Beer Bread Mix

3 cups self-rising flour

1/3 cup granulated sugar

In a large bowl, combine ingredients until well blended. Place mix in a plastic zipper-type bag. Place plastic bag inside a fabric gift bag and tie closed with jute or raffia (see instructions above for making a fabric bag). Attach cooking instruction tag. For a gift basket idea, place the bag in a terracotta flower pot with a bag of Garden Herb Bread Seasoning (recipe below). Or place bag of mix in a loaf pan with a can of beer.

To Prepare: Preheat oven to 350º.  Place mix in large bowl and add one 12 oz. can of beer (at room temperature) and 2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine. Blend just until ingredients are moistened.  Pour into a greased and floured 9” X 5” loaf pan. Bake for 50 minutes or until done.  Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack. Serve warm.

Garden Herb Bread Seasoning

1/3 cup dried parsley flakes
1/3 cup dried minced onion
2-1/2 tablespoons dried basil leaves, crushed

In a small bowl, blend all ingredients together. Recipe makes about 1 cup of seasoning. Place about 1/4 cup of mix into each of four small zipper-type bags. Bundle each plastic bag inside a 10” square of fabric and tie closed with raffia or jute as shown at left. Attach cooking instruction tag. Place bundle inside a small terracotta flower pot filled with paper shred. Tie a strip of fabric or ribbon around edge of pot into a bow. Or place in a large terracotta pot along with a bag of Beer Bread Mix as described above.

To Use Mix: Add one tablespoon seasoning blend to a package of hot roll mix or your favorite quick bread recipe. Prepare and bake bread as directed on package or recipe.

Quick Gifts From the Kitchen: No Cooking Required

More than 50 recipes for mixes, no cooking required. Help cut your gift-giving budget with these inexpensive, handmade gifts. With tasty recipes like Orange Spice Cappuccino Mix, Cranberry Cornbread Muffin Mix, Chicken Tortilla Soup Mix and Chocolate-Cinnamon Popcorn Spice, you’ll find something for everyone on your list. Also includes a helpful guide for assembling gift baskets, plus directions for making fabric gift bags & decorating paper gift sacks to hold your mixes, creative ideas for packaging & cooking instruction tags to photocopy and cut out. Size: 5.5” X 8.5”, paperback, 72 pages.  $6.95    E-Book: $2.99

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 Visit the Quick Gifts From the Kitchen Blog

Make a Fun Valentine's Day Gift with Easy Microwave Desserts in a Mug Mix

Easy Microwave Desserts in a Mug Mixes
Make Fun Valentine’s Day Gifts 

Place a bag of Mexican Hot Cocoa Mug Mix in a 12-ounce, microwave-safe mug, lined with tissue paper. Write the cooking instructions on a card place in the mug with the mix. 

Mexican Hot Cocoa Mug Mix from

Easy Microwave Desserts in a Mug^® 

1/2 cup instant nonfat dry milk

3 tablespoons brown sugar, firmly packed

2 tablespoons powdered French vanilla coffee creamer

1-1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Dash of salt 

Blend all ingredients and place in a small zipper-type bag. Recipe makes about 4 servings. 

To prepare: Microwave 3/4 cup of water on high power for 1 to 1-1/2 minutes or until hot. Stir in 3 tablespoons of mix.  

Easy Microwave Desserts in a Mug 

This cookbook has more than 100 single-serving mix recipes for desserts, breakfast treats & hot beverages that are prepared, cooked and served in a mug in less than 5 minutes, like chocolate brownie, peach cobbler & pecan pie. Make them for unique, inexpensive gifts or for your own use. They make fun cooking projects for kids. Size: 5.5” X 8.5”, Paperback, 120 pages. $9.95 

Visit the Easy Microwave Desserts in a Mug Blog  

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Host a "Chocolate Tea Party" for Valentine's Day with Recipes from If Teapots Could Talk

It’s easy to plan a theme for a tea party based on a food flavor, and who doesn’t love chocolate?  Have a deliciously decadent Chocolate Tea Party for all things chocolate! 

Attach your invitation to a small bag of individually wrapped chocolates and mail in a silver foil-covered box (if the weather isn’t too warm). Or, cut your invitation from chocolate colored card stock and write the party information using a silver paint pen. Glue on a border of silver glitter. 

Cover your serving table with a chocolate-colored tablecloth or fabric and serve all your chocolate offerings on silver trays and tiered serving dishes. Use a silver tea set for serving your chocolate tea if you like. For true chocolate decadence, use a small chocolate fountain as your centerpiece. Cut up pieces of pound cake and fruit served on toothpicks to plunge into the flowing chocolate. 

Serve Chocolate Tea (recipe below), Chocolate Chunk Mini Scones (page 26), along with Chocolate Butter (page 33), Chocolate Cheesecakes (recipe below), and Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries (page 51). 

For a fun activity, give guests a pen and paper. Ask them to write down as many chocolate items as they can think of in 30 seconds. The guest with the most items wins a chocolate prize. Ask guests to read some of their answers aloud. 

Party favors can be individually wrapped gourmet chocolates in a pretty gift bag. 

Chocolate Tea 

2 tablespoons black tea leaves
1 tablespoon cocoa powder

1 teaspoon dried grated orange peel

1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed 

Add all the ingredients to a warmed teapot, along with 6 cups of boiling water. Stir and then steep for 5 minutes. Stir again and strain into cups. Serve with milk, and provide additional brown sugar for your guests if needed.  

Mini Chocolate Cheesecakes

Crust:

1 cup chocolate graham cracker crumbs

3 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted 

Filling:

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted and slightly cooled

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Preheat oven to 350°. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners. Mix crust ingredients together and press about 1 tablespoon of mixture into bottom of each cup.  Beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add sugar, chocolate, eggs and vanilla extract, blending well. Spoon mixture into cups; fill about 2/3 full. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until set. Let cool before removing from pans. Cover and chill until ready to serve. 

If Teapots Could Talk: Fun Ideas For Tea Parties

This cookbook has 60 recipes for all the treats you’ll need for an afternoon tea party, plus 15 creative ideas for theme tea parties, with suggestions for invitations, activities, decorations and party favors. Size: 5.5” X 85”, paperback, 108 pages. $8.95       E-Book: $2.99

Visit the Tea Party Blog For More Free Recipes 

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Salsa Chicken Wraps Recipe From: Quick & Easy Sandwich Wraps

1/4 cup salsa

1/4 cup Ranch salad dressing

4 tomato-flavored or plain flour tortillas (10”)

2 cups chopped, cooked chicken

1/2 cup chopped cucumber

1/2 cup chopped tomato

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Salt and ground black pepper to taste 

In a small bowl, blend salsa and Ranch dressing. Spread each tortilla with 2 tablespoons of the salsa mixture. 

In a medium bowl, toss together the cucumber, tomato and green pepper. Place 1/2 cup chopped chicken down the center of each tortilla. Top with one-fourth of the cucumber mixture and 1/4 cup shredded cheese. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper, if desired. Roll up tortilla around filling, burrito-style. To wrap your sandwich with the ends enclosed like a burrito, visually divide the tortilla into three strips. Place your fillings down the center strip, stopping just short of the ends. Fold each end in toward the middle about 1-1/2 to 2 inches for 10” tortillas or fold up just one end for 8” tortillas. Then roll the rest of the tortilla snuggly around the fillings. 

You can eat this sandwich cold or warm. To heat, cover each sandwich with a damp paper towel, place in the microwave and cook on high power for about 45 seconds or until warm and cheese is melted. Cut each sandwich in half to serve. 

Quick & Easy Sandwich Wraps 

Sandwich wraps are made from typical sandwich fillings that are wrapped inside a tortilla or other type of flatbread. They're perfect for an on-the-go lunch, a great way to use up leftovers, or for adding new flavors to your meals. Simply add meat, cheese, veggies and sauce to your tortilla, roll it up and enjoy. The combinations for fillings are endless, and tortillas now come in a wide variety of flavors with low-calorie options. This book includes tips for creating your own wraps, with suggestions for healthy choices, plus 6 hearty sandwich filling recipes and 42 deliciously different sandwich wrap recipes (both hot and cold).  You can put them together in a jiffy for a complete and flavorful meal for breakfast, lunch or dinner, like Caribbean Beef Wraps, Cranberry Turkey Wraps and Spicy Bean & Sweet Potato Wraps. Also includes tips for making healthier sandwich choices. Size: 5.5”X8.5”, paperback, 60 pages. Price: $6.95 

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