Complicated Coffee

Sometimes it's just not enough to make coffee and add some creamer, milk and/or sugar.  Sometimes you just need something fancy. Something special.  Something...Complicated.

And sometimes you want the complicated coffee without too much work.  And let's face it-- going to Starbucks every day would make us go broke.  Well, it would make me go broke.  [...more broke.] And I really don't know that I should be driving without caffeine in my system.

Typically, my homemade complicated coffee involves too many damn dishes for one cup of coffee, but I found a shortcut today.  Super easy, super tasty:  peppermint white chocolate mocha.


Alright, alright, it's not really a mocha because I don't have an espresso machine, but it is a delicious alternative to regular coffee.

Put some white chocolate chips in a coffee cup.

Mmmm... white chocolate chips.

Pour in some freshly brewed, very hot coffee.  Stir until white chocolate chips are melted.

Splash in some milk and/or add a bit of sugar [if desired].
Add ONE DROP of peppermint extract.  Trust me, one is enough.  And it must be peppermint-- not mint extract.
Stir it all up, and enjoy.  Complicated coffee, simply made.  :]

Yum.

Oh, coffee.  How I love taking pictures of you.

Also!  Had to restart the injury clock.  Twice.  Oil burn while making orange chicken and burned my finger on a hot plate.  Ouch.

Mmmm... Mocha Muffins

I got a bit of a late start on the muffins today.  I volunteered to help in my son's classroom today.  It is times like those that validate my decision not to become a teacher.

You remember when you were a kid and you wanted all those careers and goals that, looking back, were terrible choices?  Yeah, teacher was one of them.  I wanted to be an elementary school teacher, a high school English teacher, a high school band teacher... all of which are horrible ideas for my personality.  I can see it now, me giving 3rd graders Fs and detentions for getting "there" "their" and "they're" mixed up.

  
Another bad idea I had?  Having six children.  Can you even imagine?  SIX.  I can't.  We have three between the two of us, and that is more than enough.

Anyway... MUFFINS.  Last summer break, I went on a muffin kick. Muffins are delicious, go great with coffee, and are super easy to grab and go on your way out the door.  I had never made muffins from scratch, and I decided I wanted to find the perfect muffin.  I must have made a dozen batches of muffins in the space of two weeks.

And I think I came pretty damn close to perfection:

Mocha Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins. 

I used this recipe as a base.  Again, thanks Allrecipes.com and Shelley Ross.    

I like to make these muffins somewhat healthier; it makes me feel less guilty about eating so many.  I substitute the margarine with half butter, half applesauce.  I also use whole wheat flour for half of the all-purpose flour.  [I have also used whole wheat pastry flour for all the flour, with much success.]

I add extra coffee and vanilla, less bananas, and use mini chocolate chips.  After making one million batches of these muffins, this is the version that I like.  And I swear my family lets the bananas go bad so I will make more muffins.

Here is the tried and true altered recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup applesauce
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 4 ripe bananas
• 4 tablespoons strong coffee
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups semisweet mini chocolate chips

     

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Mash bananas using stand mixer.
3. Add butter, applesauce, white sugar, brown sugar, eggs, coffee, and vanilla in mixer.  Mix until combined.
4. Add salt, baking powder, and baking soda, and blend until combined.
5. Turn the mixer to lowest setting, mix in flour until it disappears.  
6. Add chocolate chips and mix in with wooden spoon. Spoon mixture into greased muffin pans.
7. Bake for 25 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

Step 8?  Eat delicious muffin with a cup of coffee.  Mmm...

The recipe makes about 24 regular sized muffins.  Don't forget to share.