Easy Coffee Ice Cream Recipe

This is written to be used in an electric ice cream maker, without the use of rock salt & ice. You can easily use in the more old fashioned crank style machine, though...and add in the fun of hand cranking out on the porch with family!

• Steep three tablespoons of instant espresso in a very small amount of warm water, less than an 8th of a cup. Let cool, then add to whole milk so amount equals 1 ½ cups. Mix in 1 1/8 cups sugar and whisk very well to dissolve sugar into milk.

• Stir in 3 cups heavy cream and 1 ½ tablespoons vanilla extract.

• Turn on your ice cream machine, pour the mixture into the freezer bowl and let it churn for about 20-25 minutes.

The ice cream will be soft and creamy. If you’d like it a bit more firm, simply place the mixture into an air tight freezer ready container and freeze for about 2 hours.

More on coffee ice cream in a future blog!

Single Cup Coffee Reccomendations

This morning we discussed the pros and cons of the single cup coffee maker. The ease of use probably makes up for the lack of variety, and more and more companies are jumping on the bandwagon and putting their coffees into pod or other single cup formats.

One of the cons we weighed had to do with single cup machines and large groups. Sure, you can't get 12-15 cups made in one fell swoop...but it's kind of fun to hang out around the coffee maker with your gathered friends while you make selections. If you've got a decent variety of brews, it's kind of like a coffee bar. If Jane wants something with a chocolate twist, she's covered. If Bob wants the darkest of roasts, he's covered, too.

The Keurig one cup machine shown on the segment actually belongs to my Dad. Since I've moved back home with Pops, I reap the benefits of the awesome little machine! My Dad doesn't skimp when it comes to variety, so I thought I'd fill you in on a couple of my favorites!

Coffee & donuts are great together, right? But how about getting the sweet flavor without the fat and calories. Impossible. NOT! I love the Chocolate Glazed Donut K Cup option. It's not as sweet and chocolatey as cocoa, but it satisfies the sweet tooth without putting you into sugar shock!

Like your coffee less sweet and designed to give you a kick in the pants? Donut House Coffee's "EXTRA BOLD" K Cup does the trick. It's rich and strong without being too bitter. Now, I take my coffee with cream, so I tone it down a bit. If you like it black and strong, this is probably a great option.

Like your coffee a little lighter, a gentle and sweet morning greeting? Wolfgang Puck has entered the K Cup game and his "Breakfast in Bed" variety is a great options for those who want great coffee flavor in a lighter roast.

With Father's Day right around the corner, and a birthday falling one day after Dad's day, my Pops is getting coffee gifts from his coffee-loving daughter. I don't want to give it away, so you'll have to wait until after I give them to him, but K-Cups and interesting flavor combinations will be on the gift list!

Have a great Monday!

Finding the Perfect Mug

This week we took you to Amphora pottery to check out making a perfect pottery mug for dear old Dad. It got me to thinking, what makes for the perfect coffee mug?

What do you look for in a coffee mug? Is it size? Do you like the traditional 10-12 oz. mugs? or are you more apt to pick out one of the super-sized models, so you can get in more coffee in a quick fashion? Is it what the mug is made of? Heat retention? As you can see, it's really up to the individual user. But, with a little research I did turn up a couple quick "perfect" mug suggestions that you might like to keep in mind.

Pretty much every source we looked to said that stainless steel is the way to go when it comes to a travel mug. They retain the heat of your coffee best, ensuring you have a warm sip, not a cold surprise. They come in numerous shapes and sizes, so you can find one that best suits your hand. Quick tip, make sure to look at the base. Why? You want to ensure it fits into your cup holders in your car!

You can even get personalized travel mugs. Several online outlets offer photo-customized stainless steel travel mugs. Do a quick search on that phrase and see what you find.

Well respected coffee forum site talkaboutcoffee.com, as well as several others, suggest you go for porcelain mugs for at home/at work consumption. According to the site, "Because it’s not porous, it holds the warmth for longer which preserves the flavor."

The site also says to avoid "plastic, paper, and Styrofoam cups – each of these cups can add the flavor of their materials to your cup of coffee, altering the taste."

According to this article, German physicists believe they've developed the perfect coffee mug. What do you think?

Final tip: A clean mug is a better mug! Coffee residue is not just unsightly and mildly unsanitary. It also affects the flavor of your morning brew! Coffee oils can adhere to the cup, and without a good scrubbing they'll alter the flavor of your next cup, and the next one, and the next one!

Have a great morning and enjoy that coffee!