Monthly Archives: June 2011

The results of the chocolate cake challenge!

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Well folks… I must say I’m a little disappointed in y’all (the majority of you that is). While many of you jumped up and down that you would take the challenge, I’ve only see photos from two of you.

So a round of applause to Caitlyn and Tina who accepted the challenge like real women, got down and dirty in their kitchen and devoured calories in the name of FUN!!
I’ll share my pics first (somehow I managed to post them in the wrong order, so please use your imagination):
I tried it with my two youngest heroes-in-training and
we put in white choc chips cos I wanted the contrast of colour :) We had a lot of fun and the boys liked the instant results a LOT.

Caitlyn’s pics and comments (stolen from her blog):
I’d heard of these microwaved cake-in-a-mug before, but never actually tried them. So when the kids got home from school this afternoon we gave it a shot.
Not the most elegant presentation I’m afraid, but small people were tired and crabby after a long week of school – its nearly the end of term as well – so it was wisest to let them dig in without any delay :) . Was rather amazed at how easy and how yummy they were.
First pic – is mixing. Second pic – is eating. That’s right, didn’t even make it out the mug :) I like her style.
Tina’s cakes! and comments:
I used white chock chips (as that was all that was in the house) and it was great – did reduce the cooking time after the first one to 2 and a half minutes as the first one was overcooked ( maybe I have a more powerful microwave than Anita’s, I think mine is 1100W)

Served with vanilla ice cream – this was a definite hit last night. Thanks – its a keeper and will make this cake again!

Thanks again Anita for sharing this fabulous recipe!

Free Book Week!

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It’s FREE BOOK WEEK at Carina Press!!!
Starting on June 20th, every weekday, all week, Carina is offering a spectacular title for free download. And when they say free, they mean ACTUALLY free. Not “sorta free”, or “free with a $50 purchase” free, but actually, totally, no strings attached FREE! So, get thee to Carina press to download a free book every day! Here are the books being offered, and the links and promo codes for your free download:

Monday’s FREE BOOK is:
The Debutante’s Dilemma by Elyse Mady
Just type in the promo code DEBUTANTEFREE at checkout
http://ebooks.carinapress.com/ContentDetails.htm?ID=50C0978A-DAC7-44E7-B627-C26A520471C0

Tuesday’s FREE BOOK is:
Demon’s Fall by Karalynn Lee
Just type in the promo code DEMONFREE at checkout
http://ebooks.carinapress.com/ContentDetails.htm?ID=1E5A3A07-9BC7-4449-9B8F-377C21E2F664

Wednesday’s FREE BOOK is:
The Twisted Tale of Stormy Gale by Christine Bell
Just type in the promo code TWISTEDFREE at checkout
http://ebooks.carinapress.com/ContentDetails.htm?ID=D79D7CD6-1BAA-4D2E-AE65-FF0E42F79BE7

Thursday’s FREE BOOK is:
Blue Galaxy by Diane Dooley
Just type in the promo code GALAXYFREE at checkout
http://ebooks.carinapress.com/ContentDetails.htm?ID=827CC21D-6F33-437A-977B-B0F291B70367

Friday’s FREE BOOK is:
Friendly Fire by Megan Hart
Just type in the promo code FRIENDLYFREE at checkout
http://ebooks.carinapress.com/ContentDetails.htm?ID=E1466469-DB0C-404F-A0AA-3491BB9E9B14

Special Guest – Chocolate Cake Maker Extraordinaire!

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Today I’d like to welcome the delightful Anita Joy to my blog post. She posted in the comments section a few weeks back about a delicious (and quick) chocolate cake she makes in a mug! Now I’ve heard of this magic cake before but never made it myself, so I asked if she’d mind sharing her recipe with us!

With a lot of us writing madly for Romance Writers of Australia 50ks in 30 days challenge, Anita and I thought it was a good time
to post this quick and easy snack. I know I may just need a little late night sustenance to help me through the last half of the challenge. So without further ado… I’ll hand you over to Anita!

I don’t know about you, but I don’t do cold all that well. In winter I rely on comfort food to help me get through all sorts of situations – a bowl of hot soup after helping with outdoor sports at school, a yummy casserole at the end of a freezing, overcast day or a steaming mug of chai latte after braving the fridges in the supermarket.

The need for comfort food when I am writing in winter is no different. So, when you need to warm up, take a quick break, have a treat to reward a word count milestone, or need something just to keep you going – try THE MOST DANGEROUS CAKE around. Why is it dangerous? Because from start to eat takes only 5 minutes!



CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE

3 tbs self-raising flour

3 tsp sugar

1 tbs cocoa

4 tbs milk

1 tbs oil

2 tbs chocolate chips (optional)

1 large coffee mug

Add dry ingredients to the mug.

Pour in the milk and oil and mix well.

Add the chocolate chips (if using – and really, why aren’t you?), and mix again.

Tip: Make sure your choc chips are covered by cake mixture.

Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes on high.

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

Eat while hot, straight from the mug.

Serving suggestions: My kids and husband love to pour custard (kids) or cream (hubby) over the top (and it is a quick way to appease the family so you can sneak off and write *grin*).

And just to show proof it does work I cooked it in my RWA conference mug – and added an extra tablespoon of flour to demonstrate how it really doesn’t overflow.

It is so simple, and yummy, it will have you waddling into conference in no time *grin*.

Thanks heaps Anita!! Now I have a dare for all your readers. Make the mug cake and email me a pic at rachaeljohns077 at gmail dot com and I will post the pics next week. Go on… I DARE YOU! I’m in!

Thank you Minxes of Romance

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This will be a short post cos I’m knackered from writing too late. It’s been a SLOW writing day so I had to stay up to make my word count. So, I just thought I’d post a quick pick of my gorgeous Minxy Meercat, which I won on the fabulous Minxes of Romance website. She now sits on my desk, right in front of the computer screen with Doubt Demon looking down at her from the bookshelf above.

Thanks to fabulous writing friends, I’m getting quite a collection of writing mascots. I’ll need a bigger suitcase to take them all the conference soon :) Thanks Minxes, especially Joanne C! x

Who me? Sweet?

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The delightful, talented and VERY sweet Mel Teshco has nominated lil old me for a blog award! Yes… I KNOW! I’m stoked :)

Anyway apparently what I have to do is share seven random facts about myself and then nominate ten other deserving blog friends. So, here goes…
TEN RANDOM FACTS:
  • I once appeared as an extra in a tv bank ad. It was filmed on a train and I wore a ghastly blue suit. Unfortunately I can’t remember the name of the bank and never actually saw the ad.
  • I liked the same boy for seven YEARS and only went out with him for FIVE MONTHS.
  • I have a collection of Russ Trolls. I LOVE them and only wish I’d bought more when they were littering the shops.
  • I have written a non-fiction book about the good, the bad and the ugly of breastfeeding – Breastfeeders Anonymous
  • I didn’t meet my dad till I was seventeen.
  • My grandfather was a real life magician and he ROCKED.
  • I was vegetarian for six months in year twelve after my human biology teacher turned me off meat by making us cut up a chicken. I could still live without it.
  • I am a cat person. I always knew this but found out for sure when I finally got an Old English Sheepdog dog at 23. I love the dog too but cats just make more sense.
  • I have the biggest pantry in our town.
  • I have three occasionally gorgeous, frequently naughty but always lovable boys – all born by c-section.
And now for the tagging part. Other sweet bloggers are (in no particular order) who I award the Sweet Award to are: