Late Night Snacks

Darkness. You suddenly wake up with an empty feeling in your stomach and a dryness in your tongue. You are craving something to eat. But what IS there to eat? You get out of bed, walk toward the kitchen, wrapping a blanket around yourself to protect yourself from the cold. A thrill passes through you when you open the fridge and see it is stocked with soda, candy, leftovers, and more, but there’s a problem. What is the superior choice?

If possible, popcorn is a great choice. It's easy to make (all you have to do is put it in the microwave for two minutes), and the popcorn is savory, with the nostalgic factor of movie theaters. But guess what? You can customize it, too! From Skittles to caramel to Sno-Caps, any topping can elevate the popcorn to a whole new level.

Another great option is ice cream. The great part about this choice is the variety. Of course, vanilla or chocolate is a great choice. Still, some more unique flavors (that are personally better than vanilla) are mint chocolate and any fruit flavor, such as strawberry or rainbow sherbet. Additionally, ice cream bars and sandwiches make a great alternative for a lighter snack. However, if you’re craving something bigger, consider getting the full tub and indulging yourself. If the tub still doesn’t satisfy, add toppings or add soda to make a float. Another great option is to use two cookies or two brownies to make an ice cream sandwich. It’s the perfect blend of the chocolatey goodness of the cookie/brownie and the creaminess of the ice cream.

Still hungry? Still have leftovers from last night? If so, some great options are leftover pizza slices, leftover chicken, dumplings, and noodles. Instant noodles are perfect for a frigid night since it has both something to eat and the broth to warm you up. If you are still hungry, a great hack to do with the ramen broth is to mix an egg with the broth and microwave it to make a somewhat custardy egg, but if you want to, feel free to mix in a slice of cheese. Nothing goes to waste! Another great option is to have leftover chicken. Everyone knows fried chicken is great when warm, but it’s even greater cold (well, in my opinion… you can always just reheat it too if you prefer it warm). Pizza is also a great option (hopefully it's a flavor you enjoy or a great place). 

If you have time to spare (and a really quiet microwave), try making this mug cake!

Recipe for Chocolate Mug Cake Yields: 1 mug cake

Source: https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/chocolate-mug-cake/

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

• 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

• 1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

• ¼ tsp baking powder

• dash salt

• 3 Tbsp. milk (any kind)

• 1 Tbsp. canola oil or melted butter

• 1/8 tsp. vanilla extract

• 1 tsp. chocolate chips (or any flavor chips)

Instructions:

1: Spray the bottom of a microwave safe mug or coffee cup with non-stick cooking spray. Add flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt and mix together.

2: Add milk, oil or butter, and vanilla and stir until smooth, making sure to scrape the bottom of the mug. Stir in chocolate chips or sprinkle on top. 

3: Cook 70-90 seconds until just set but still barely shiny on top. Start with 70 seconds, wait a minute, then add additional 15-25 seconds if needed. It's important to let the cake rest for a minute before eating--the cake continues to cook as it cools.

*Tip: The toothpick test is when you insert a toothpick into a baked product, then you pull it out. If the toothpick comes out clean, then the baked product is ready to be consumed. If there are still crumbs on the toothpick, then bake again.

Written By: Yuri Vasquez & Mason Oh