Iced Coffee, the Easy At-Home way!

We love coffee.  Actually, we are kind of snobs about our coffee.  There's  no Folgers up in here.  HAS to be Starbucks, Seattle's Best, Tully's or Peet's coffee...sometimes Gevalia if it's on sale and I have a coupon.  I know, I know, "Dunkin' Donuts won in the blind taste test against Starbucks." BUT I could blind taste test tell you which one was Dunkin' Donuts...not a fan (their donuts...another story).  As soon as it gets warm-ish, which is right now for Phoenicians, we go straight to iced coffee for the duration of the summer.  I just can't drink hot coffee when it's hot out.  But I also can't live without coffee...so it's been a problem.

We have tried so many ways to make iced coffee in bulk so I'm not brewing coffee in the morning and freezing it for an hour so it's cold so I can add ice to it so it isn't watered down.  Because we are picky about our coffee, I can't do the "I made regular coffee yesterday and after several hours put the leftover in the fridge so now I'll make an iced coffee out of it" version.  It doesn't taste right,  and we can't have that.  Then, I found it.  The perfect iced coffee recipe that is: delicious AND can be made frugally AND lasts a long time in the fridge!

Of course, Pioneer Woman led me to the right way of doing things.  Once again.  I thought it couldn't really work and I'd be sad when my coffee flunked, but when my Aunt Michelle came last summer she and my cousin made the first batch...and-- It. Works.  I adapted Pioneer Woman's method ever so slightly just because I'm cheap and didn't want to fork over loads of cash for a food service container and cheese cloth (whatever that is) and a beautiful drink dispenser that would never fit in my normal-sized fridge.  Two gallons of this coffee costs $6 or less, depending on the type of coffee you choose. Add in the cost of your own coffee syrup and half and half, and you just CAN'T beat it.

All you have to do is buy an inexpensive Rubbermaid container that will hold 2 gallons of liquid.  I got mine at Walmart for less than $5.00.  Stir one 12-16 oz bag of strong coffee (sometimes I used espresso blend) into 2 gallons of cold water.  Let it sit 24-48 hours.  The longer, the stronger.  We like it strong!

Then, set a mesh strainer on top of a clean soup pot, layer napkins in both directions and slowly pour the coffee over the strainer.

Iced Coffee
recipe from Pioneer Woman

a 2-gallon container with a lid
2 gallons water
1 12-16 oz bag strong, high-quality coffee (If you like DD, go for it.)
mesh strainer
paper towels

half and half
coffee syrup, sugar, sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon, whatever you like in it

Rinse out your container and fill with 2 gallons of cold water.  Stir in the coffee thoroughly, making sure it is all soaked.  Cover tightly and let sit on your kitchen counter for 24-36 hours.  I usually use a 12 oz bag of coffee so I let it sit 36-48 hours. When you're ready to strain the coffee, place the strainer over a large pot or container and line the strainer with paper towels.  Slowly pour the coffee over the strainer and let the grounds collect.  Discard the coffee grounds and pour the strained coffee into dispensers or pitchers to store in the fridge.  I use a glass iced-tea jar with a spout to store mine.

To make a glass of iced coffee, fill a glass with ice (we buy the ice from the store because it stays cold longer!), pour the coffee over and prepare as you like with half and half, vanilla syrup, sugar...or sweetened condensed milk!  My favorite "Saturday coffee" is a glass of iced coffee with a couple tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk, a splash of half and half and cinnamon.

Pumpkin Spice Coffee Syrup

This is not my best photography.  Stating the obvious.  However, this recipe could change your life so if you make it you'll be able to forgive the not so awesome photo!  I found this recipe on Pinterest and I've made it many times...most recently I made a triple batch because we seem to be going through it rather quickly.  It's great in hot or iced coffee (it's still ridiculously warm here) with a splash of cream and almost makes you think you never need to wait in the Starbucks drive-thru line again. 

I realize that you can buy a bottle of Torani pumpkin pie syrup at World Market pretty affordably, but this recipe tastes even better than the bottled stuff and ends up being way cheaper than that.  I live an inconvenient drive from World Market and it is very fast to whip up a batch of this so this frugal foodie is sold!

I make this with Splenda, which I realize is probably the equivalent of drinking cancer, but I just can't stop.  And I'm allergic to stevia.  And every other non-calorie sweetener is cancer-causing too so I'll just stick with the Splenda.  (I don't give it to my kids EVER though...if that makes you feel better.)  Anyway, that whole rant to say...the recipe works with sugar substitutes!  The syrup is thick and the pumpkin settles, so always shake well before using. 

Pumpkin Spice Coffee Syrup
recipe adapted from Cook Like a Champion

1 1/2 c. water
1 1/2 c. sugar (or substitute)
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
3 Tb. pure pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie mix!)

Mix water and sugar together in a large sauce pan over medium heat.  Cook until the sugar or sweetener is dissolved in the water.  Whisk in the spices and pumpkin puree and cook over medium heat about five minutes.  You don't want this to boil.  Remove from heat and let cool.  Pour the syrup into jars and refrigerate.  To make a coffee, shake the syrup and stir 2-3 tb. of the syrup into strong iced or hot coffee and add desired about of cream (not cream-er).  Enjoy with whipped cream!

Homemade Slushies

This recipe is a keeper.  My kids are begging me for it daily.  And, because it's well over 100 degrees outside and we are attempting to abide by the budget, I've been making the slushies for them almost daily!  The ingredients are so simple and not necessarily nutritional but it could be worse...I think.

I saw this recipe on one of my favorite blogs The Frugal Girl.  The Frugal Girl talks daily about how to live frugally, joyfully and I really really enjoy what she has to say!  The other day she blogged this recipe so we immediately tried it with some old Halloween Kool-Aid, it was good.  The next day the kids and I went to the store and I let them each get a few flavors.  Since the "Ghoul-Aid" incident, we've made cherry, grape and lemonade flavors.  All of them were good and a hit with the kids, but my personal favorite is the lemonade.  I think it would be super delicious with a little splash of rum or maybe some raspberry vodka...if you're so inclined to do so!

These slushies are super frugal, maybe cost $.50 for a whole blender-full which is WAY cheaper than the ones from Sonic (even at happy hour).  I like to use the ice you buy at the store because it crushes really well in my blender, but if you're lucky enough to have a Vitamix...toss an iceberg in there.

Homemade Slushies
recipe from The Frugal Girl

2 c. ice water
4 c. ice
1 packet Kool-Aid, any flavor
2/3 c. sugar

I use a Pyrex measuring cup and fill it about halfway with ice and fill with water.  Then get out your blender, sugar, measuring cups and the Kool-Aid.  Toss everything in the blender and blend until it's slushy.  We think these are best enjoyed in the little pool in the backyard.

*I really think this could work with Crystal Light powder and no added sugar.  I'm going to try it!

Frozen Margaritas

The fact that I'm 9 months-pregnant may make it strange to see a recipe for frozen margaritas, but we had some good friends who were moving to Texas so naturally their going away party was a Tex-Mex theme and what goes better with Tex-Mex food than a margarita? I made several batches of these frozen margaritas for the party. They are a hit!

My mom keeps a batch of these in her freezer a lot of the time and when we're up there (and I'm not pregnant) it makes a summer evening to sit on the patio with a margarita. This recipe has become a family favorite. You can store a batch in the freezer for a few weeks and it doesn't seem to go bad (if you can keep it around that long.) A pitcher of the frozen margaritas would be a great addition to a Labor Day barbecue.

Frozen Margaritas4 c. water

1 can frozen limeade

1 c. tequila

1/2 c. triple sec

1 lime, juiced

Mix everything together and freeze for several hours. You may have to let it sit on the counter for a little while if it's been in the freezer for a really long time. Or you can smash it up with a wooden spoon and eat it like a slushie.

Peppermint White Mocha

I LOOOOVE Starbucks. In the summer I usually get an iced Americano with splenda and a splash of half & half. In the winter I usually get a double tall skinny vanilla latte. Because I'm on a perpetual diet I've learned to like the drinks that have very few calories and no sugar. And I really do love those drinks. I'm one of those people that actually likes the taste of coffee--call me crazy!

BUT at Christmas time I always indulge myself a few times in a double tall nonfat one pump peppermint white mocha. (I'm that person in the ordering line with a ten-word order!) I looove that drink. It's like Christmas in a cup. So this year I've been trying to re-create it at home so I can control the calories AND the budget. This is what I have come up with--I like it.



We have a Keurig coffee machine which we looove. It pretty much makes your cup of coffee for you. So I just put the candies in the bottom of my cup and then make the coffee right on top of it. If you have a regular coffee pot, just pour your piping hot coffee on top and it should melt the candies right up.



Peppermint White Mocha


4 candy cane Hershey's Kisses
1 mini candy cane
1 cup of coffee--however much you usually put in a cup, not a measuring cup
2 Tb half & half
Whipped cream, optional



Unwrap the candy and put them in the bottom of your cup. Pour coffee over the top. Add half and half and top with whipped cream...enjoy!

**If you're one of those people that doesn't really like the taste of coffee you may need to add a few more candies or a couple Tb of sugar or sweetener.

Sangria

My husband travels quite a bit for work and he goes to Michigan often to visit our friends/business partner and do sales there. They got him hooked on this Sangria you can buy at the grocery store in the wine aisle. He loves it. I'm not the biggest fan because I dont typically like sweet drinks but he and my sister can down a bottle in a night. (Don't worry there's only 4 glasses in a bottle so there's no drinking problems involved.) Anyway, it's $6.99 a bottle. And of course being the ever frugal-foodie I thought to myself...."hmmm I bet I can make this for half the price." So, I did. And they liked the results.

Sangria is just wine mixed with other liquor, juices and/or fruit so I parused a few recipes online and made up my own. It makes more than double the amont of Sangria that you get in the bottle and thanks to Trader Joe's and Charles Shaw I got the wines for $2.99 each so that's a pretty great deal on a whole pitcher of Sangria. I'll definitely be making this for our next party or get-together. I used Chardonnay and Cabernet because that's the type of wine we usually drink, but if you like it sweeter or drier you can go with any type or red and white wine.

Sangria

1 750 ml bottle white wine

1 750 ml bottle red wine

1/2 cup simple syrup (recipe below)

1 cup orange juice

1 orange sliced

1 lemon sliced

1 apple peeled and chopped

Prepare and cool the simple syrup. Mix all ingredients together in a pitcher and let it chill in the fridge for at least an hour.

For the simple syrup mix 1 c. water and 1 c. sugar in a small saucepan. Bring it to a boil stirring constantly until the sugar is all disolved and its...syrup-y. You only need half of this recipe for the sangria. Unless you like it really sweet, then go for it!

Halloween Treats

This year for Halloween we're doing a block party with chili & cornbread. Then we're passing out adult "treats" too--homemade hot Apple Cider OR Pumpkin Spice Lattes. The adult treats were Rob's idea, which I think is just an awesome idea!

Of course I needed to test out the pumpkin spice lattes just to make sure they weren't poison so I made a batch the other day and drank them in the morning for two days. SO yummy. Almost as good as Starbucks, pretty darn close actually and definitely much more thrifty and healthful. The recipe is found on the crockpot blog.

The only changes I made to the original recipe was to up the coffe to a little over 1 cup (I'm one of those crazy people that actually likes the taste of coffee.) And I also used half splenda, half sugar. If you do 4 1/2 recipes of the lattes it makes about a gallon.

I already know the apple cider is completely delish so I decided not to try those out since one batch makes close to two gallons and it's a little sugary for my typical 2-cups a day habit. Although tomorrow I definitely plan on having a couple of cups of the hot cider drizzled with caramel and a shot of whipped cream. I better hit the gym during the kids' naps tomorrow!

Hot Apple Cider

1 gallon apple juice or apple cider

2 qts. cranberry juice

1 qt. orange juice

3/4 cup sugar

4 whole cinnamon sticks

Pour all juices into a big stockpot or a large crockpot. Stir in sugar and break the cinnamon sticks in half and add those. To make the cider on the stove: bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce heat and let the cider simmer for an hour. Keep on low heat as long as you need. To cook cider in the crockpot: Turn the crockpot on high 1-2 hours and turn heat down to "Keep Warm" as long as you need.