JuneGardner - That happened to us quite a number of times: waking up to coffee overflowing the counter is NOT fun! When you shake the top, you can hear a ball-like piece jiggling around. You can imagine that as coffee flows over it, the oils and residue will start to accumulate in that space, too...and sometimes the ball just gets stuck in place, which plugs the hole where the coffee normally drips in. I soak the top in a bowl of warm, soapy water for about an hour, every few days....really jiggle it around to loosen the old coffee. During my daily wash/rinse, you have to keep the ball jiggling as you're washing. Haven't had a leak in a while. Good luck.

DH has used glass beer mugs for his coffee for years. He likes the large handles and the large capacity, and we hand test them before buying for good balance. We have had no issues with the glass and hot liquids. They do double duty as cold drink mugs as needed. I mostly use local hand thrown mugs, but with a similar capacity and similar handle shape.

There is a recipe using a mix and I think it fills 8 mugs. Then I found these recipes which I haven't tried yet but they sound good. CARROT CAKE IN A MUG (1 mug cake) This carrot cake recipe makes a wonderful individual gift. It's also a two part gift because you present it in a mug. After the cake is baked and drizzled with glaze, place it in a small clear plastic or cello bag and tie it with raffia, twine, or curly ribbon. Tie a gift tag into the ribbon. 1 mug, oven proof and has the volume of 2 cups 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 1 tablespoons brown sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoon shredded coconut 1 tablespoon raisins or walnuts 2 tablespoons grated carrot 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 egg, lightly beaten GLAZE INGREDIENTS: 1/4 cup powdered sugar 1 teaspoon milk PINEAPPLE CAKE IN A MUG (2 cup mug) After the cake is baked and cooled to room temperature wrap it in a clear bag with ribbon or raffia tied above the mug to hold the bag closed. Another way of presenting this gift is to place the cake baked in a mug in a small wicker basket lined with a napkin or tea towel and include several bags of herbal tea or a small can of gourmet coffee. 1 oven proof mug with a volume of at least 2 cups 1 tablespoon melted butter 1/4 brown sugar, packed 4 ounces pineapple tidbits, drained 1/2 cup all\-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder pinch of salt 3 tablespoons granulated sugar 2 tablespoons butter, room temperature 1 egg 3 tablespoons milk Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray inside of mug with nonstick cooking spray. Combine melted butter and brown sugar in the mug until well blended, add pineapple tidbits, and set aside. In a small bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. Cream granulated sugar and room temperature butter until light and creamy. Add egg and blend well. Stir in dry ingredients and stir until blended. Add milk and stir until batter is smooth. Pour into mug allowing room at the top for rising. Bake for 25\-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. PUMPKING BREAD IN A MUG (serves 1) After the bread is baked and cooled, place the bread in the mug in a clear plastic or cello bag and close it with curly ribbon or raffia. Add a gift tag noting that it is pumpkin bread 1 ovenproof mug with a volume of 1-1/2 to 2 cups 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed 1 tablespoon currents or raisins 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons canned solid-pack pumpkin 1 egg, slightly beaten 1 tablespoon vegetable oil GLAZE INGREDIENTS: 1/4 cup powdered sugar 1 teaspoon lemon juice or water Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray inside of ovenproof mug with nonstick cooking spray. Mix flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, currents or raisins, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Add pumpkin, egg, and vegetable oil and stir until well blended. Pour batter into mug allowing space at the top for rising. Bake for 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Allow to cool to room temperature. Make glaze by mixing the powdered sugar and lemon juice; drizzle over the bread. BANANA BREAD w/ choc chips in a mug (serves 1) 1 oven proof mug with the volume of 1\-1/2 to 2 cups 1/4 cup all\-purpose flour 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon pinch of salt 1 tablespoon finely chopped walnuts 2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips 1/2 ripe banana 1 egg 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil OPTION: additional 2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips for glaze Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray the inside of oven proof mug with nonstick cooking spray. Mix together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, walnuts, and 2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips. Set aside. Mash banana, egg, and oil in small bowl to combine. Stir in mixture set aside; blend well. Pour batter into prepared mug (3/4 full for rising space) and bake for 25\-30 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean. If you make any let me know how they turn out.

With regard to the Mug Mix ... how about - half of an egg? With regard to the "*diet*" pop ... ... has anyone heard what they really put into that stuff? I've heard that if we knew, we wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole. Actually - I prefer simple water. With an ice cube, on occasion (especially since I don't have air conditioning - but can turn on the furnace fan, with the back panel removed, to shoot cool basement air up into the house, when the heat gets heavy). Enjoy your food - and your drink - and your good health (while it lasts). You've heard the reply that the person with a disability made to the able-bodied person who said that s/he wasn't disabled? The person with the limitation's reply was, " ... Not yet". Which reply should be of (increasing?) interest to us old coots. Who aren't (or claim not to be) disabled ... unless it may be of the mental variety. ole joyful P.S. Question: How does on have one's Mug Cake ... and eat it too? Answer: Two mugs ... making full use of that one egg, right? o j