Cooking for a family, while making family time
One of my favorite things about making spinach and artichoke dip is the leftover dip! I turn it into these super yummy, freezer friendly roll ups. Perfect for a snack or appetizer for your next get together. Ingredients: 1 tube Crescent dough sheet 3/4 cup […]
These are a classic Super Bowl staple in our house. I feel as if deviled eggs are almost a seasonal appetizer. I make them pretty regularly in the spring and summer time for BBQ’s and get-together’s, but not often in the winter. I use my […]
My love for coffee started in college and has only gotten stronger over the years as my family grew. It’s how we start every morning, and if I’m honest I usually have a second cup most afternoons. I take my coffee with both sweetener and creamer, and am always looking for healthier alternatives to keep my coffee tasting the way I like. As is the case with a lot of homemade things, it will require a little more time and money than picking up a pre-made coffee creamer, however, you will taste the difference. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not knocking the pre-made creamer, I buy that a lot myself, however, if you’re looking for a healthier alternative give this creamer a try.
Ingredients:
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups cream/milk of choice
Additional add on ingredients:
Extracts:
Vanilla
Coconut
Almond
Peppermint
Syrups:
Chocolate
Caramel
Method:
In a large glass mason jar (I use a 32oz) pour in all of your sweetened condensed milk, this stuff is sticky so be sure to get it all out using a rubber spatula. To your sweetened condensed milk add your 1 and 1/2 cups of cream or milk, and give it a good whisk to combine. Now you can leave the creamer as is, for a plain flavored sweet cream or you can get fancy with any of the following combinations. To your plain creamer you would add…
Vanilla Caramel Creamer
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons caramel topping
Peppermint Mocha Creamer
1/2-1 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
Nutty Caramel Creamer
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons caramel topping
Samoas Cookie Creamer
2 teaspoons coconut extract
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
2 tablespoons caramel topping
Be sure to label the top of your mason jar with the same date found on the milk or cream you use. This will be your use by date for your coffee creamer. I usually do this with a small post-it so it’s easy to remove when the creamer is gone so that I can easily clean my mason jar. The reason I like to keep these creamers in a mason jar is because the condensed milk will separate a bit in the fridge so you want to be sure to give the creamer a good shake (or stir) before using. There are a lot of different flavored extracts out there these days, it’s not just vanilla and peppermint anymore. I even saw pumpkin pie spice extract, which got my wheels turning for a fall flavored coffee creamer! The syrups and ice cream toppings have a lot of different flavors too, raspberry, orange and even a Dr. Pepper flavor. The possibilities of combinations are endless. If you want to get experimental with your coffee creamer I would suggest starting with 1 teaspoon of extract to 1-2 tablespoons of syrup for a good rule of thumb. Then adjust from there to your liking. If you discover any new combinations be sure to post below, I’d love to try them out!
Now while we’re talking about coffee I wanted to give a few more little tips I use and love.
Salt
If you brew a pot of coffee, or have a reusable k cup filter you fill with ground coffee each morning all you need to do is add a sprinkle of table salt to the top of your coffee grinds before brewing. If using the traditional k cup pods, a sprinkle of salt in the bottom of your coffee mug before brewing will also work. Salt in coffee probably sounds weird right? Wrong!! It’s amazing, it’s changed coffee for my husband and me. The small sprinkle of salt helps to take away any bitterness the coffee has and makes for a smoother, more delicious coffee.
Protein drinks
My best friend turned me on to this and it’s been great for me. I am admittedly very bad about eating breakfast and if I do it’s never before my coffee. Now whether or not you eat breakfast might not matter, this tip is mostly for anyone who gets an upset stomach from drinking coffee. Coffee is a stimulant and that’s why it can upset your stomach. Adding a good splash of the protein drink to your coffee helps your body to digest the coffee better, and keeps you fuller until you get around to eating breakfast. I like to use Premier Protein, they have vanilla, caramel and chocolate flavors. This way you can marry whatever flavor protein with whatever flavor creamer you have on hand for a well balanced smooth coffee that won’t taste different from your regular cup of coffee.
Vinegar
This has less to do with your coffee and more to do with your actual coffee pot. Whether you use a full pot of coffee or a k cup this tip is for you. At least one a month be sure to run a white vinegar and water mixture through your coffee pot to clean it. I like to use a 50/50 vinegar to water ratio if it’s been awhile since I cleaned my coffee pot. Once you run the vinegar and water solution through the coffee maker I like to then just brew plain water through a second time to be sure it’s good and clean. Then you’re ready to brew your coffee like normal.
Spices
The same way I like to add salt to my coffee grinds you can also add different dried spices. This will give your regular coffee more or a flavored coffee feel. My favorite is to make chai flavored coffee using a mixture of warming spices. To the top of my grinds I add a small sprinkle each of cinnamon, cardamon, clove and nutmeg. Then brew as you usually would, the aroma alone will be delicious! If you’re hesitant to brewing your coffee with spices, start with just a pinch of cinnamon to see how you like it. When using flavored coffee, I like to use the plain base sweet creamer to be sure and not offset the flavors. However, in the fall I like to sprinkle in pumpkin pie spice to the grinds, which works well if you’re also planning to use pumpkin spice creamer with your coffee. When using spices in your coffee don’t forget your sprinkle of salt too.
I hope you find these tips helpful and enjoy the homemade creamer as much as I do. Happy coffee drinking everyone!
Is there a more classic party dip than spinach and artichoke? Cheesy enough to make a good spread, and loaded with enough veggies to not feel guilty about eating so much of it. It’s the perfect combo! I’ve lightened my version up a good bit […]
Another snow day tomorrow here on the east coast. Our family started this really silly tradition of having letter pancakes on snow days. This came about when my oldest was first learning to spell her name. I thought it would be a cute fun way […]
Food has so much to do with family, even more so than we realize. Different foods and scents can take you places and bring up memories long forgotten. I started this blog in the memory of my late grandmother, and father in law, both of whom were amazing cooks and loved to feed people. I learned so much from both of them and just wish they had written down their recipes. Enter Mommy Spice, a place to write down recipes for my children, and hopefully their children and for you and yours too. Being able to look up a recipe and be transformed to another place in time is an amazing thing. I would give anything to know how to make my grandmother’s salad dressing or my father in law’s marinara sauce. So this inspired me to ask my Mom for my favorite recipe of hers from when I was kid. Also it only makes sense that my first featured recipe is from my number one supporter, my Mama! I hope that you guys enjoy her goulash as much as me, my siblings, husband and kids do.
Ingredients:
1/2 lb. lean ground hamburger
1 can tomato sauce, 8oz.
1 can condensed tomato soup
1 small onion
1 garlic clove
8oz Pasta (3/4 box) I like to use either small shells or elbows
1 cup cheddar or cheddar jack cheese
Additional ingredients:
Crushed red pepper
Fresh or dried parsley for topping
Minced onion
Garlic powder
Makes 4-6 servings
Method:
In a large pot over medium heat brown and break up your hamburger meat into small pieces. Next add in your onion with a healthy pinch of salt and a pinch of crushed red pepper. While your onions cook, boil a pot of salted water and cook pasta until just al dente. When onions are translucent, add in your diced garlic clove and sauté an additional minute. Next pour in your tomato sauce and tomato soup, and stir to combine. When using the condensed soup, you add it as is. Once everything is combined, cook for 5 minutes, then you can thin out your meat mixture as desired, I usually will add half a soup can of water. If you prefer a thinner sauce, go ahead and add a full soup can of water. Next combine your al dente pasta to your meat mixture, stir to combine, then top with 1/2 cup of your cheese and turn the heat down to low. Place a lid on the pot for 2-5 minutes or until cheese is fully melted. Stir goulash once more and serve hot, topped with remaining cheese.
This is a weeknight staple! Only 7 ingredients and comes together in about 20 minutes. The tomato soup might seem like an odd ingredient but it gives this dish a really nice velvety, creamy flavor. Also by only using 1/2lb of hamburger this is a total budget stretcher! If you want to make this dinner even easier, you can leave out the fresh onion and garlic and instead use minced onion and garlic powder. All of the flavors will still be there, it’ll just shave off a little bit of time chopping up veggies. If going the dried spice route, I would use a 1/2 tablespoon of minced onion and 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, but as always taste as you go and adjust to your personal flavor choices. When my husband and I lived in a different state from my family my Mom would always make this every time she visited, it’s now become my husband’s favorite thing that she makes. As time went on and we moved closer, our love for this dish has remained the same. Now when my Mom comes to babysit our kids she’ll make this for dinner for them and always leave leftovers for us. My kids have grown to love it also, so much so that when I make it, they ask if Nana is coming over, because that’s what Nana always makes for dinner. And that’s how it all happens, food becomes family, one favorite dish at a time handed down from one generation to the next. So this one is for you Mom, thanks for all the love and for letting me share your delicious recipe.
I’ve always loved these end of year round-up lists. You know the ones ranking the best movies, books, news stories, trends, and events that happened in the year. I figured why not do one myself? I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed looking back […]
I have to give credit for this creation to my middle daughter. She loves to help me in the kitchen and has recently become very into watching those cooking videos that are so captivating! She loves to look at my news feed with me on […]
We had a holiday open house to attend this afternoon and I borrowed a new recipe from a good friend of mine to bring. It was such a hit with both the kids and adults. Also, you can’t beat it being only 2 ingredients.
Ingredients:
Equal parts cream cheese and marshmallow fluff
For the above picture I did 4oz. each
Supplies Needed:
Hand mixer
Method:
With a hand mixer you combine cream cheese and marshmallow fluff, until smooth. That’s it, so simple!
I served it with a variety of fruit, graham crackers and nilla wafers. So be sure to customize this to your families tastes and favorite fruits. If you plan to use apples, bananas or any fruit that browns, wait until just before serving to peel or chop that fruit. I already can’t wait to make this again for our next get together.
This is Christmas morning in our house. I’ve made monkey bread every year for Christmas morning since my husband and I started dating many moons ago. It’s become a really special tradition we’ve gotten to pass onto the kids. Now the kids even request it […]
