Grown up grilled garlic toast

One of my favorite places at the grocery store is the day-old bread rack. For just a dollar, I can find clear signals about what I should have for dinner tonight.

In the summertime, if wide French Bread loaves are on the rack, they're mine and they're on my grill in this somewhat sophisticated manner. It's garlic toast with cheese, so my kids eat it, but it's also smoky and and ever so slightly sharp from the Parmesan.

12 oz of French Bread (NOT baguettes) cut into 1-inch slices
3 tbsp Parmesan cheese
3 tsp garlic powder (divided)
1 tsp parsley
1 stick of butter, melted
1.5 cups shredded "orange" cheese (cheddar, colby, etc)

In a medium bowl, mix the Parmesan cheese and garlic powder well. Add the parsley, stirring again. Add the shredded cheese. Use your hands to mix it all together. Set aside.

Add 1 tsp of garlic powder to the melted butter and stir well. Brush both sides of each piece of bread with the melted garlic butter.

Exit the kitchen and head to the grill. 

Make sure your grill grates are hot, heating them using a low flame (a grill temp of about 200 degrees). Toast the first side until just golden brown. Flip. Turn the burners off. Top with cheese. Close the grill cover. Wait until cheese is melty. 

Cake in a Cup

Hot chocolate? A latte? No! It's cake

My husband has more will power than anyone I know. It's August. His chocolate Easter bunny? Still in the cupboard.

When I make a dessert, he and the kids each eat one piece and the the rest goes into my mouth over the course of the next day or so. So good for my tummy, so bad for my thighs.

This recipe helps with that. No, it's not high culture, but it's light, delicately spongy and truly diet-friendly. Thanks to Mare at work for sharing it with me.

For the mix:
1 box Angel food cake mix
1 box cake mix, any flavor*

Mix the contents of both mixes together and store in an airtight container.

For the cake:
1/3 cup of the mix

My kids REALLY like this, though I do not condone stealing!

3 tbsps water

Add the mix and water to a coffee mug. Stir until well blended. Microwave on high for 1 minute (since microwaves and coffee cups vary, it make take a little longer)

Top with whipped cream, ice cream, frosting or nothing at all. The center will be hot, so if you're going to feed to the kiddos, let it cool a bit.

* The angel food mix lightens the flavor of the other cake mix, so consider using something like a devil's food for a chocolate.