Smart - Meal in a mug: 80 fast, easy recipes for hungry people: all you need is a mug and a microwave

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eBookNews.SimonandSchuster.com An Imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc. 1230 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10020 www.SimonandSchuster.com Copyright 2014 by Ebury Press Originally published in 2014 in Great Britain by Ebury Publishing All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.

For information, address Atria Books Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. First Atria Paperback edition June 2015 and colophon are trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc. For information about special discounts for bulk purchases, please contact Simon & Schuster Special Sales at 1-866-506-1949 or . The Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau can bring authors to your live event. For more information or to book an event, contact the Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau at 1-866-248-3049 or visit our website at www.simonspeakers.com. Cover Design by Two Associates Photography and props: Howard Shooter Food stylist: Denise Smart Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Smart, Denise.

Meal in a mug : 80 fast, easy recipes for hungry peopleall you need is a mug and a microwave / Denise Smart. pages cm Includes index. 1.Quick and easy cooking.2.Microwave cooking.I.Title. TX833.5.S6432015 641.5'12dc232014050308 ISBN 978-1-4767-9814-1 ISBN 978-1-4767-9815-8 (ebook)

You like eating delicious food but dont have lots of fancy cooking equipment or much time to cook. Maybe you dont even have an oven. Or maybe you live on your own, or have just left home for the first time.

Whether any of these scenarios describes you, or youre just looking for something different but easy for your mealtimes, then look no further: Meal in a Mug is the perfect book for you. On the following pages, Ill prove to you that all you really need to make good food is a mug, a microwave, a handful of ingredients, and a few basic utensils. Here youll find eighty recipes that cover every mealtime, from breakfast, lunch, and dinner to dessert, and those all-essential sweet or savory snacks. Some of the recipes dont even require any cooking! So whether youre a student on a budget, stuck at the office and starving, or just cant be bothered to dirty a saucepan and preheat the oven, youre sure to find some ideas to satisfy every hungry moment and all your flavor cravings. This book will show you that in the time it would have taken to cook that packaged dinner or call your favorite restaurant for delivery, you could have created fresh, tasty foodfrom scratch. THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW...

When preparing food for microwave cooking, remember these simple guidelines: * Important: All recipes in this book were tested in a 1000-watt microwave. * Microwave ovens vary, so you will need to adjust the cooking times accordingly. If unsure, check your machines guidelines. A lower-wattage microwave will mean youll need to cook food for slightly longer than the times given. In that case, its best to add just seconds, as its very easy to overcook. * You can always cook food for a little longer, but you wont be able to uncook if you go too far.

This is especially important for sweets and baking. * Cut meat and vegetables into small, uniform sizes so that they cook evenly and quickly. Buy precut veggies when possible and save leftovers in the fridge. * Mugs will be hot when removed from the oven, so use oven mitts or a kitchen towel and be careful when handling them. * If food is covered during cooking, be sure to make a small hole in the top of the plastic wrap so steam doesnt build up and burn you when the covering is removed. * Most of the recipes say to allow for standing time once the food has been removed from the oven. * Most of the recipes say to allow for standing time once the food has been removed from the oven.

This is so that the heat can continue to dissipate and finish cooking the food. * Remember not to use any metal in the microwave, such as metal containers or foil. * Stir the food as recommended to ensure even cooking. * Some of the recipes state to stand the mug in a shallow microwaveable bowl; this is to catch any liquid that may boil over, which will save you from having to clean the microwave afterward. * Remember, food cooked in a microwave will not brown, so some of the cakes may look less appealing than if theyd been baked in the oven. * Food heats more evenly at the edge of the microwaves carousel. * I recommend boiling water in a kettle (stove or electric) since its easy to overheat water in a microwave past the boiling point, and theres a chance itll explode and burn you. * I recommend boiling water in a kettle (stove or electric) since its easy to overheat water in a microwave past the boiling point, and theres a chance itll explode and burn you.

But if you do boil water in the microwave, put a wooden chopstick or stir stick in the water to diffuse the heat and reduce the risk. Water doesnt bubble when heated to boiling in a microwave, so you can only know its temperature with a thermometer. In a 1000-watt oven, it takes approximately 1 minute on high to boil 1 cup of water. THINGS YOULL NEED... You dont need much, but you will need the following: Microwave: Obviously. Selection of mugs: Follow the size of the mugs used in the recipes; otherwise food may boil over, or it may over- or undercook.

Its useful to have about three different sizes of microwaveable mugs: 17 fluid ounces (which I will refer to as large throughout); 10 fluid ounces (medium); and 5 to 7 fluid ounces (small). Tea and coffee cups can also be used, especially for some of the desserts. Measuring spoons: A set of measuring spoons containing 1/2 teaspoon, 1 teaspoon, and 1 tablespoon is essential. Unless otherwise stated, all spoon measures in the recipes are level. Large measuring cup: For measuring larger quantities of liquid. Fork and spoon: Perfect for mixing and combining ingredients.

Kitchen scissors: For cutting up ingredients such as meat, herbs, and smaller vegetables. Kettle: For boiling water to dissolve bouillon cubes and gelatin. Sharp knife: A small knife is useful for cutting up larger pieces of meat and vegetables, or peeling vegetables if you dont have a peeler. Grater: For grating cheese and removing the zest from citrus fruits. Ingredients to buy so youll never be hungry... By keeping a selection of some of the following ingredients, youll always be able to create a delicious meal.

Any opened jars can be stored in the fridge. Buy small cans of tomatoes and beans so there will be less waste; any leftover canned food can be transferred to storage containers and kept in the fridge for a day or two. For your pantry Sunflower and olive oils Canned chopped tomatoes Canned beans, such as kidney beans, and chickpeas Canned tuna or salmon Canned corn Canned pineapple Tomato paste and ketchup Soy sauce Thai sweet chili sauce Ginger and garlic pastes Dried herbs and spices, such as chili powder, ground ginger, cumin, coriander, and dried mixed herbs Curry pastes, such as Thai, Indian, and Moroccan Packs of microwaveable rice Long-grain and risotto rice Noodles: egg and rice Selection of pasta shapes Couscous Chocolate: dark, milk, and white Canned evaporated milk Sugar: superfine and light brown Honey and molasses Bouillon cubes and granules Flour: all-purpose and self-rising Baking powder Baking soda For your fridge Dont be tempted to buy too much fresh food; if you can, plan what you want to eat so that you dont end up with food spoiling. If you have to buy bigger quantities of fresh meat or fish, divide the remainder into usable amounts and store in freezer bags, labeled and dated. Chicken breasts Ground beef Fresh chorizo Bacon and ham Salmon, cod, and shrimp Milk Butter Cheese, such a Parmesan and Cheddar Eggs Heavy cream and crme frache Fresh fruits and vegetables, such as peppers, onions, scallions, new potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, and tomatoes Fresh pasta To keep in the freezer Even if you have only a small freezer, it is useful to have a few ingredients such as the following stored away. Remember to thaw meat and fish thoroughly before using.

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