Cold Brew Iced Coffee Recipe

You guys, it is finally feeling like the Arkansas summer I know and love dread. Humid. Muggy. Hot. I mean, it's hard to complain though. It is late August and, since we have had such a mild and pleasant summer, I suppose we can bear through a few weeks of 120 degree heat with 150% humidity.

But to get you through summer's last hoo-rah, I thought I'd share a new-found secret of mine: cold brew iced coffee! Ree posted it on her website ages ago and I've been dying to try it ever since; if the Pioneer Woman says it is good, you better believe it as truth.

Before we knew the error of our ways, if Josh and I wanted iced coffee we would brew it hot, throw it in the fridge, and wait for as long as possible (aka: 30 minutes) to fill the cup up with ice and call it good. Oh, how we've entered the light.

This cold brew method leaves us with better coffee and more time in the morning to sleep in. (Cause, you know, using a Keurig takes sooo long.) But seriously, the coffee is way better. It can last a month in your fridge, in a tightly sealed container, but it only has lasted us 2 weeks. What can I say. We like our iced coffee.

You may need to tweak your coffee:water ratio and how long you let it sit to find the perfect strength you like, but here is the basis.

Cold Brew Iced Coffee 
(adapted from Pioneer Woman)

12oz ground coffee. I recommend a medium roast

6 quarts of cold water.

a big bowl/bucket/trough

a pitch with a lid

In a large bowl, combine the coffee and cold water. Gently stir to make sure the coffee in submerged in the water. This bowl might be deceiving, but it is huge. 

Cover and sit a room temperature for 8 hours. I let our's go to 10 and it was a tad too strong. 

Once it is ready, using a fine-meshed strainer and cheese cloth, pour the coffee into a pitcher. I had to use two pitches because I didn't have one large enough to hold all the coffee. Think ahead people; don't be like me. 

It may take it a bit to drain, but be patient. And definitely use cheese cloth. The grounds will get through if you just use a strainer. And nothing is worse that drinking coffee with grounds in it. Yuck.

Put a lid on your pitcher and stick it in the fridge. When you wake up in the morning you can pour yourself a wonderful glass of iced goodness. 

And of course, Half N Half makes everything better...

Friends, you must try it. You'll thank me for it. I swear. 

Peach Mango Slushie

There are many ways to know summer is coming to an end:

School starts

Day light is getting shorter

A faint crisp of cool in the morning

And the local slushy booths start shutting down

As a kid, my dad and I loved getting slushies on Saturday afternoons. And as creatures of habit, we would both always get the same flavor: Grape! To this day, if I can convince my husband to splurge $1.50 on the sugary, brain-freezing concoction,  I will always get grape. Why fix what is broken? (Plus, the flavors "tiger's blood" and "cinnamon" do not sound appealing)

But alas, you don't have to wait until Summer 2012 to get your slush fix again! This Peach Mango Slushie is refreshing and satisfying, but the flavors are a little more mature for your taste buds and easier on your waistline. 

I suppose a 25 year old needs to eat like a grown-up sometimes.

And who says you need a 1/2 pound of sugar to enjoy a sweet summer drink?

Recipe: Peach Mango Slush

Ingredients:

1 peach- pitted and sliced

1 cup frozen chopped frozen mangos

1.5 cups coconut water (the magic ingredient!)

Instructions:

1. Place all ingredients into a blender and puree.

2. Pour contents into a 9x13 pan and place in the freezer.

3. Every hour, take out the plan and run a fork over the frozen top layer. Do this gently and try not to stir/mix too much.
4. After about 3 hours you should be in slushy heaven!

Summer in a glass!!

Cranberry Protein Granola

Well hello strangers. My apologies for being MIA for so long. After my new puppy chewed up my computer charger, she then again chewed up my newly bought computer charger.

She must have a vendetta against my poor Mac. I think she is a PC kinda girl.

To get back into your good graces, I come bearing presents. Yummy and perfect presents.

I love you. I miss you. Please take me back. Here is a scrumptious granola recipe to sweeten the deal. 

So easy a child could make it!

And it makes your house smell like heaven. 

Throw it in a smoothie, ontop of oatmeal, or simply eat it by the handful (the latter being my preference).

Cranberry Protein Granola
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup Craisins
1/2 Tbsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1/2 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/4 cup honey
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp water

1. Preheat oven to 325. Lightly grease baking sheet.
2. Mix together oats, almonds, Craisins, cinnamon, and salt.
3. Add protein powder and cocoa powder- mix until evenly distributed.
4. Stir in honey, oil, and water until dry ingredients are coated.
5. Place on greased baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, stirring once at the 10 minute mark.