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I’m kind of obsessed.
It was one of those nights. I was just ‘checking a few things’ before going to bed. An hour later…
Well, an hour later, I had watched an hour of videos by the most charming Irish woman, Gemma (who I was pretty sure was going to be my new best friend), and had about a dozen recipes bookmarked and visions of tasty mug meals dancing in my head.
I made it my mission over the next few weeks to try a bunch of her recipes so I could share them with you. There’s a bit of a learning curve, to be sure. After all, cooking in the microwave is quite different. And I did find some ways to tweak her recipes to make them work for me. But all in all…two thumbs up!
Mug Meals: What You Need to Know
The first thing you need to know is that every microwave will cook slightly differently, so you need to pay attention to the time and play around with it a little. I must have a much less powerful microwave than is shown, because I find that my mug meals take more time in every case, sometimes double the given time. (We did get our microwave from my aunt who passed away over 15 years ago so…)
Second, these mug meals are not low calorie, low fat options. They are, however, totally portion controlled. Personally, I’d rather have a small taste of the good stuff rather than a wagonload of blah. Some are so decadent, that I found myself not even finishing the one portion. And remember, playing around with the fats and sugar a bit is all in your control. I did that too.
Favorite Mug Recipes
The jelly doughnut is my fave and the recipe I’ve played with the most. I lessened the sugar and the fat a bit, and also figured out how to mix up a master mix of the dry ingredients to scoop from instead of having to mix each individual mug.
You can find my recipe for the master mix below, and can find Gemma’s original recipe here.
The macaroni and cheese is something else I’ve made several times for a quick lunch. I use an extra large soup mug, which allows more room for the pasta to boil. (Placing a paper towel under the mug helps with the boil-over). I also add a dash of Tony Chachere’s to mine…a tip I picked up from my Louisiana native college roommate. (A note for you: this recipe doubles really nicely.) Cheesey, quick, delish!
Here’s a list of other recipes I’ve tried and liked, most have videos along with the recipes:
Chocolate Pudding – this is amazing warm or chilled…I ate half of my mug warm and then covered the remainder with plastic wrap and stashed it in the fridge for a snack the next day (If I were making pudding for a crowd, I’d use my standby recipe, but for a quick, single serving…this is perfect!)
Savory French Toast (like an egg bake) – this is such a warm and tasty breakfast..YUM!
PB & J ‘Sandwich’ – this one is a little crumbly and dry, but tasty. I like that it’s not overly sweet.
Mug Pizza – while this is tasty, and definitely has the flavor of pizza, I won’t claim that it’s a substitute for a slice….but that hasn’t stopped me from making it for lunch several times already. 🙂 I add a little parmesan to the top of mine and admit that I use more cheese and pepperoni than the recipe calls for.
Brownie – decadent…one mug is enough to share
Nutella Brownie – perfect for a chocolatey treat that’s not quite as rich as the regular brownie recipe
I still haven’t tried all the recipes I’d like to. Her pecan pie, cookie varieties, and cheesecake are on my “must try” list.
I’ll give you a heads up, too: Not one of my mug recipes has turned out as pretty as Gemma’s, so don’t fret if yours don’t either. They still taste divine! And do check out her videos…but don’t say I didn’t warn you: They are addictive!
Which recipe do you think you’re going to try first?
Mug Jelly Doughnut Master Mix
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- scant 1/2 cup sugar (measure out 1/2 cup and then remove a couple of spoonfuls)
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- tiny pinch of salt
- Additional ingredients per recipe:
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. butter
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 Tbsp. milk
- 1 Tbsp. jam
- cinnamon-sugar
Instructions
- To make the master mix put flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon into container and shake or whisk to combine (note: this could easily be doubled)
- To serve:
- Melt butter in mug (20-30 seconds in microwave)
- Add milk and egg yolk and stir with a fork to mix
- Add 6 Tbsp. master mix and blend with fork just until mixed
- Make well in the center of mixture and add jam, gently spooning batter over top to cover
- Microwave for 45 seconds - 1 1/2 minutes (check after 45, then add 15-20 seconds at a time) Top should feel slightly bouncy and cakelike
- Sprinkle top with cinnamon-sugar
- (Careful! The jam inside is molten!!)
I love Gemma. I am still at the figure out what time works for your microwave stage. Lol but I am sure I’ll work out the timing. I want to try pizza in a mug I think my son would love that.
It’s very tasty! Would love to know what your son thinks.
Wow! I’ve always wanted to try a mug meal but I thought they were only desserts! So neat to find out there are actual savory meal recipes too. My son would love the mac n cheese and pizza. Hubby and I try to only eat like that occasionally so it’s neat to have individual recipes that I can make just for him. Thanks for sharing!
That’s true! These would be so convenient for making a quick kid’s meal.
I’ve never heard of mug meals before but I’m going to try some of your recipes. Especially the macaroni & cheese. The doughnut recipe looks delicious too!
This is pretty wicked and an idea I will have to try myself….even as I go on my diet.
OK so maybe I’ve been living under a rock but I NEVER thought to do MEALS in a mug . . . only desserts! I love the donut recipe and that you created the dry mix for scooping. Will definitely be trying some of the meal mixes. I work from home now and this would be a great, fun, quick lunch idea!
Me too! I had seen mug cakes for years, but the couple I tried were only so-so. I hope you like them as much as we have!