NESSIPES Butter What?

Do you ever just stand in the baking aisle, staring at all the extracts and imagining the possibilities? 

I saw this one, one day, and my mind immediately went, “Blech!”  Who puts butter in coffee?”  Since I almost exclusively use extracts for my coffee creamer, that’s where my mind went. 

But then I saw this.  And the little angels in my head started singing.

Because I remembered this!

So now I can make my own Buttered Rum coffee creamer whenever I want, yay! 

Recipe here: Coffee Creamer | Nessipes!

Wouldn’t you know – today is January 17, 2015 – NATIONAL HOT BUTTERED RUM DAY

Enjoy!

Coffee cubes

What do you do with the leftover coffee?  If you’re like my husband, you’ll pour it down the drain.  The man will not reheat coffee in the microwave!

If you’re like me, you won’t let that magic potion go anywhere else but in your cup.  Reheated or fresh, coffee is coffee. 

Or, you can make coffee cubes.  🙂

Ever have that morning when you just want to drink your java down without waiting for it to cool?  Man, sometimes that seems to take for.ev.er, and then there’s that constant blowing on it, too.  Sheesh!

You could put regular ice in it, but then it gets all diluted, and who wants watered down coffee?

Coffee cubes will cool your coffee without diluting your brew.  I end up making a batch every 3 or 4 weeks.  Sometimes I have enough room in the freezer to put the cube trays on a cookie sheet to keep them level while they freeze.  Most times I just make a couple trays and stick them in the door.  I have to be careful though – nothing like spilling that coffee all over the place because you opened the freezer door too fast, lol. 

I have used warm coffee in the trays, but never fresh.  I’m sure the plastic won’t melt, but I guess I just don’t want to chance it.  Mostly I use the cold, leftover coffee from the day before.  Just make sure to give the trays a quick spray with a non-stick spray so the coffee cubes don’t stick.  When they’re frozen, you can pop the cubes out and store them in a plastic freezer bag so you always have some on hand. 

Coffee cool enough to drink right away, without being watery.  A nice way to start the day.  🙂

Cherry Picked

I stared at the box of cherry extract in the baking aisle.  I had no reason to get it, no plan in mind of how to use it, but I wanted it.  A couple days after I’d put the groceries away, I saw that little box of extract in my cabinet and was hit with inspiration.  Yay!

I’ve mentioned in the past how I’ve been making my own coffee creamer.  I have to say, I really love the different flavor combinations I can make. 

So I took that little box of cherry extract and put it in my homemade coffee creamer.  I made a batch that was half cherry half chocolate, and a batch that was half cherry half vanilla. 

Oh my goodness!

It’s like having a bite of chocolate covered cherry, or a scoop of cherry vanilla ice cream, as you drink your coffee. 

I was a bit dubious at first, but I’m so glad I dared.  🙂 

Image courtesy of: WATKINS CHERRY EXTRACT