Or beat up a no-name brand choc cake mix and pour into a microwave dish.
Sprinkle one tablespoon each or cocoa and sugar over the top. Gently pour
over about 2/3 cup hot water. Zap for about 6 minutes (depending on
microwave) and let stand for another 2 or 3 mins before serving the yummiest
self-saucing choc pudding.

There is also a way to microwave English crumpets and jam to get a similar
result to steamed jam pudding but I forget the details. Anyone know?

These used to be my emergency cold weather dessert fixes when I got home
late from shift work in winter! They are best eaten while still warm as
they will dry out and go tough relatively quickly (like so many microwave
"cakes" - although the choc one will rezap on low and come up well with a
big dollop of cream) but that was never a problem as there was never any
left over.
--

Cheryl in Oz
http://community.webshots.com/user/witchofthewest
cawaitesATnetconnectDOTcomDOTau

"Pati Cook" wrote in message
nk.net...
And for a fast 'sweet" try layering cookies and fruit pie filling in a
microwave safe casserole and zap until hot. Use interesting combination
of cookies and pie filling, like chocolate wafers and cherry pie filling,
peach filling with gingersnaps or blueberry with lemon cookies.
Add a bit of ice cream or whipped cream or whatever.

Pati, in Phx

NightMist wrote:

On 20 Feb 2006 12:10:20 -0800, "Tina" wrote:



question #1. Dh and I are having a bit of a tit-a-tat as to true
"English" tea. He swears "with lemon" - I'm sure my friend from
England told me a spot of cream. I'm just one dollop of honey myself,
but have discovered lately that I like the occassional spot of cream in
my tea. So which is it?


Dunno how they do in England, but with me it depends on the tea.
Lapsang Souchong or Darjeeling I prefer black. Greens I prefer with a
hint of rich honey. Plain Red Rose I will often have with a dab of
cream if we have it or evaporated milk.
Celestial Seasonings I might add anything from a spoon of jam to cream
to honey or nothing at all.

question #2. What is YOUR favorite cold weather food item? I've run
out of meal plan ideas this week and quite frankly I'm tired. If it
would work in the crock pot or in a big dutch oven, that would even be
a plus. We've already had:


Stew and dumplings is the standard favorite for cold weather at my
house. Especially since it often gets too cold in my kitchen for
bread to rise properly. My usual bread bowl doesn't fit in the oven,
I have a weeny oven, but sometimes I will make a little batch in a
smaller bowl and set it to rise in the oven on warm. Dinner pies are
also big favorites. My oven often does not react well to being turned
down, so I often put a layer of cream cheese over the bottom crust so
the gravy doesn't turn it soggy.

Here is my dumpling recipe:
1 cup of flour
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 cup milk
a bit of whatever herbs or spices go well with what they are going on.
Just slap it all together till everything is moistened and drop
spoonfuls onto what you are cooking at a low simmer, cover and leave
it alone for 20-25 minutes.
That recipe multiplies just fine, never tried to divide it.

I thought everybody knew how to do a grunt or a slump, I have
discovered that this was a misconception on my part. Those are
another winter favorite at my house.
Take a can or two of peaches or other fruit, and put them in a
saucepan. Bring that to a boil and then turn it down to a simmer, top
it with the dumpling recipe as above. That is a grunt, for a slump
use applesauce instead. You may have to add a wee bit of water to
your applesauce, depends on the applesauce. Some people prefer to use
baking powder biscuits, me I'm to lazy for that. (G)
Though if it is cold enough that you want to run the oven, you put
your fruit in a baking pan and roll out the bicuits and put them on
top, bake til the biscuits are done, and call it a pandowdy.
Cream goes marvelous well with any of these fruit things.

NightMist