504 Main by Holly Lefevre: coffee
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Showing posts with label coffee. Show all posts
Showing posts with label coffee. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

It is National Ice Cream Pie Day and I am celebrating with Ginny's! It was pretty easy for me to decide to join in the celebration. Every year someone requests an ice cream pie for their birthday! My Mocha Mud Pie is among the most requested! This delicious ice cream pie is rich and creamy with a crunchy chocolate cookie crust. Drizzle it with hot fudge and it is pretty much perfection! This summer we were traveling for the kids birthdays, and so (gasp!) I did not make my Mocha Mud Pie...but now we have the perfect reason to make this pie and celebrate summer and National Ice Cream Pie day!! (Hint, Hint: Be sure to read to the bottom...thanks to Ginny's there are two chances for you to enter to win some pretty amazing gift cards during this celebration!)

It is almost impossible to eat just one slice of this delicous Mocha Mud Pie.

This pie is pretty easy to make - easy enough that you could whip it up and be able to enjoy if for dessert tonight. Of course you can make your own ice cream, but for this version we are sticking to store bought ice cream. 

Hot fudge is the icing on the pie!

NOTE: You have to work quick if you live in a hot area - it is ice cream, after all! Be prepared, have your ingredients ready and your work surface prepped. If I can make this pie in the heat of a Texas summer, you can manage it too!
 
Ingredients
  • 1.5 Quarts Coffee ice cream
  • 1 Pint chocolate ice cream
  • 1 Package Oreo Cookies (with the creme scraped out) NOTE: You can use Chocolate Wafer Cookies - I just have a hard time finding them where I live. Reserve about 6 (3 for the center garnish and/or for crushing for a topping)
  • 5 Tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup (or less..or more!) Hot Fudge Sauce 
  • 1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds
  • Optional for decorating, mini Oreos, crushed Oreos.
Ice cream is the star of the Mocha Mud #Pie, but dont forget the cookies, almonds, and hot fudge.

Supplies
Preparing to make the mocha mud pie.

Make It!
I was lucky to be able to use some amazing products from Ginny's - be sure to visit those links! And head over to Ginny's to enter to win one of 5 $250 giftcards!  

THE COOKIE CRUST
  • Preheat oven to 350F
  • Scrape/Remove the creme filling from the Oreos using a butter knife.
  • Place cookies in a food processor and process until they are fine crumbs, resembling coffee grounds.
  • Melt butter in the microwave (in a microwave safe dish)
  • In a mixing bowl, combine the cookie crumbs and butter together and mix thoroughly.
  • Place the cookie crumb mixture into the pan and press down and onto the side of the pan to create a crust. I use a small glass bowl to press the crumbs down and up onto the sides firmly.
  • Bake for 10 minutes in the 350F oven.
  • Remove from oven and let cool completely
I can almost taste the crunchy chocolate goodness of the crust.

THE FILLING
Once the pie crust is cooled...
  • Let coffee and chocolate ice cream soften.
  • Individually, stir the ice cream into a creamy texture.
  • Add the creamed chocolate to the coffee ice cream and thoroughly combine.
Time for the ingredients to meet up.

ASSEMBLE IT
  • Put the creamed ice cream mixture into the cooled pie crust and smooth out with a spatula.
This ice cream pie already looks good!

  • Option #1
    • Place mini Oreos around the outside edges on the pie tin.
    • Sprinkle toasted almonds all over the top of the pie.
    • Heat 1/4 cup+ of the hot fudge and drizzle it all over the pie. I use a spoon and go back and forth horizontally, then turn the pie tine and do it criss-crossing the other drizzles.
    • (NOTE: You can wait to add the hot fudge until you serve it...or add even more when yo serve it.)
    • Place the completed pie back into the freezer to firm up. It needs at least 4 hours (Overnight is best).
Place mini Oreos aroudn the edges of the pie.

  • Option #2
    • Crush cookie and sprinkle all over the pie.
    • Sprinkle Toasted almonds all over the pie.
    • Heat 1/4 cup+ of the hot fudge and drizzle it all over the pie. I use a spoon and go back and forth horizontally, then turn the pie tine and do it criss-crossing the other drizzle.
    • (NOTE: You can wait to add the hot fudge until you serve it...or add even more when yo serve it.)
    • Place the completed pie back into the freezer to firm up. It needs at least 4 hours (Overnight is best).
    • Place the completed pie back into the freezer to firm up. It needs at least 4 hours (Overnight is best).
The pie is ready!

When you serve this little piece of heaven
All that is left to do is enjoy...and enter these amazing giveaways!

First...head over to Ginny's to enter to win one of 5 gift cards for $250 each! (Open to US based residents).
http://www.ginnys.com/custserv/custserv.jsp?pageName=sweepstakes

Now, enter HERE to win a $100 giftcard to Ginny's
Open from 8/18/2015 through 8/25/2015 to U.S. Based Residents. Winners picked at random
 
and check out their Blog, The Kitchen Sink 

Happy National Ice Cream Pie Day! 

Add extra hot fudge just because!
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This post is written and created at 504 Main by Holly Lefevre
 
disclosure: Compensation for this post is supplied by Ginny's. Opinions and original recipes are from 504Main.
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Wednesday, April 24, 2013

I love drinking coffee and baking and eating. I also love experimenting with different flavors and different ways to flavor beverages and baked goods and such. I have been interested in using syrups to add a special something. I decided to start with Vanilla Syrup, after all I have quarts and quarts of homemade Vanilla Extract. This was pretty much the easiest thing I have ever tried (almost!) and it is a great addition to my morning coffee, fancy beverages, and whatever else strikes my fancy!
Beautiful amber color and a sweet vanilla taste.


Seriously this is super easy!
Essentially you are making vanilla flavored simple syrup.

HOW TO MAKE VANILLA SYRUP

Ingredients
(easily doubled for more sweet vanilla goodness!)

Add sugar, water, and vanilla beans to your pot.


Make It!
  • Place the water, sugar, vanilla, and vanilla bean (slit lengthwise) in a medium sauce pan and slowly bring the mixture to a boil until the sugar is dissolved.
  • Let cool, and transfer  the mixture and the bean to am airtight container (I use a mason jar).
  • Store in the refrigerator. I cannot quite give you a time frame for how long it will keep because we use it up quickly...a month or two is my guess!


And...folks that is it all done!
Perfect for
BAKING, COFFEE, or TEA

What do you put in your coffee? Your tea? Your cookies? Your cocktails?

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This post is written and created at 504 Main by Holly Lefevre
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Saturday, December 1, 2012

 I am not a super-plan-ahead-get-all-my-shopping-done-and-wrapped-early-for-Christmas kind of girl.
I tried. It didn't work for me.


So every year, I wait, usually until December, to start my holiday shopping. Other than a few (almost) last minute gifts here and there, I seem to do OK with this plan of action...mainly because I have a PLAN! When it comes to gifting I have the following strategy:

Number #1
Make lists of people and possible gifts. When I see something on TV, in a magazine, on a blog or on etsy, I write it down in a journal (I am old fashioned that way). Guess what I always have a log of who got what, so next year when I am trying to remember what I got Aunt Sally, I can see that I bought her a scarf last year and don't buy her another one this year!

Number #2
Drink Coffee.

Number #3
Shop with Friends.
This year I invited my friends to my house to DIY some holiday gifts and then to hit some of the local shops.


AND OF COURSE...
I promised a pairing of coffee...

and chocolate chip muffins!


Did you know that particular coffees pair better with particular flavors? 
I did not. I have heard of pairing other foods and beverages, but never imagined that pairings would also apply in the coffee world. Thanks to Starbucks and a trip to to my local Walmart, I had a first run at the #DeliciousPairings Starbucks has to offer.

Hubby and I headed to Walmart to purchase Starbucks Caffe Verona (I am always excited to find a new blend to brew at home) and the complementing chocolate chip muffins in the bakery department. Some Walmart's have special displays in the bakery department showcasing the Starbucks coffee and the delicious pairings with the Walmart bakery items, but alas my Walmart did not have a Starbucks display. So, I grabbed a couple packages of chocolate chip muffins (chocolate chip muffins have to be my favorite!!!) and headed to the coffee aisle to get my Caffe Verona!
The Caffe Verona was almost out, so I am guessing this is a favorite brew.
Now, I will admit, I am an avid Starbucks fan. I frequent their stores (way too much)
and I have purchased some of their coffee for home brewing.
I had never tried Caffe Verona prior to this pairing.
When we were shopping my hubby focused in on the Caffe Verona,
and was quite happy when I told him this was the brew we were purchasing.
This brew has o many notes and flavors in it that we have grown to love,
it was the perfect option.
When I got home, I was so excited to sit down and enjoy a cup of the Starbucks Caffe Verona all by myself. I took this time to really enjoy the rich dark cup of coffee and experience how well it paired with the Walmart Bakery chocolate chip muffin.



The Caffe Verona has complimentary notes for Milk and Dark Chocolate and for Caramelized Sugar. It also really reminds me of an Italian Roast (which happens to be a favorite in this house). To be quite honest, I was totally blown away by how nicely the coffee and muffin paired. The coffee had a deep robust, cocoay flavor on its own, and the muffin was also delightful, but the combination of the two seemed to make the muffin melt in my mouth!  I eventually let hubby try it too, and he LOVED the Caffe Verona.




I was excited when the morning rolled around and my friends arrived.
I had the Caffe Verona brewing and the chocolate chip muffins waiting.
After we all shared a cup (or four) of coffee,
we were ready to tackle our project list:
4 gallons of Arancello and Limoncello
Homemade Vanilla Extract 
Some embellished wood frames
and a few holiday banners.


Then we headed out to the local shops to continue with the fun.


I even took some of that Caffe Verona along with me (in my Starbucks to-go cup) - iced with a touch of milk and sugar! I do love an iced coffee as well...and this was delicious!


  I cannot think of a better way to tackle my holiday gift list than with a cup of amazing coffee and a chocolate chip muffin, and friends.

Stay up to date with the latest by following
 Starbucks on Twitter and Starbucks on Facebook
and
Walmart on Twitter and Walmart on Facebook 

 Signature
This post is written and created at 504 Main by Holly Lefevre

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™. #CBias #SocialFabric
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Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Welcome to the third installment of
This is where I share some of my FAVORITE gadgets, tools, and small appliances. I may have received some of the items as part of a promotion at one point or another and some I have purchased...but I am only sharing the things I LOVE here!
(and sometimes there are giveaways - and this is one of those times)


This week we are talkiing coffee and about
The Scoop Single Cup Coffee Maker by Hamilton Beach 

Have I ever made it a secret that I L-O-V-E my coffee?
Well, in case you missed it...
I I L-O-V-E my coffee...all day long!
I thrive on it...and just love the ways its tastes.
photo: Hamilton Beach

Last Christmas, hubby and I had a "What were you thinking?" moment.
I had been wanting a single cup coffee maker (but resisted because of the waste of those little cups)...and he was watching morning TV and saw The Scoop from Hamilton Beach . I had no idea such a cool product existed and it was being offered for an amazing price (like seriously amazing) price. And, guess what he did...he did NOT buy it...
and it sold out in like no time at all!

Well, patience paid off, and after April's NYC trip, I finally got The Scoop thanks to Hamilton Beach (you can read all about me and The Scoop here!).

It has been months and I still love The Scoop. It makes great single serve cups of coffee. And...I get to use whatever brand or type of coffee I want and there is no waste - no special cups! Yeah...just amazing coffee!

Hamilton Beach also has a new coffee pot The Scoop Two Way Brewer - you get the best of both worlds - a single cup and a full pot. My regular coffee pot (which I keep for when company comes over) is about to go and this will be my next purchase!
photo: Hamilton Beach

The Scoop proudly sits on my counter and I use it multiple times a day...
and now you can WIN The Scoop Single Cup Coffee Maker for yourself! 


GIVEAWAY:
Open to shipping addresses in the continental U.S.
Opens 10/16/12 and runs through 10/24/12.
One winner will be selected randomly using rafflecopter's winner function

NOTE: I am using Rafflecopter right now for my giveaways. 
You can enter by logging in with Facebook OR by using your email.
The only mandatory entry is to leave a comment.
All others are optional.


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This post is written and created at 504 Main by Holly Lefevre

Disclosure: Hamilton Beach is providing The Scoop as a giveaway. BUT I LOVE The Scoop and this series is independent of any sponsors.
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Wednesday, October 3, 2012

I confess...
I had never tasted a pumpkin spice latte until 2 weeks ago.
For Real!
I am a mocha girl through and through,
but I just had to do it...
that chalkboard at Starbucks was calling my name
and I was "Feelin' Fall."


I LOVE pumpkin and loved my first Pumpkin Spice Latte experience.
But alas, we are jobless in this house, so buying coffee out is a pure treat right now,
so no heading to the local coffee house for coffee any time I want...
and then I saw this recipe for Homemade Pumpkin Spice Lattes from Savvy Sassy Me
(and you can google pumpkin Spice Latte and find a million recipes too)

I made a Latte right away, and thought that it tasted great.
My hubby liked it too, but to satisfy our taste buds we wanted to make a few changes. I wanted something a little less sweet - or that I or whoever I was serving it to could sweeten to their liking and also something a bit less pumpkin-y.

So, I experimented and experimented - all of the concoctions were delicious, but I finally found a "formula" that made us all happy and a few taste testers happy too! I also used my DIY Pumpkin Pie Spice too!

Ingredients
3 Cups (Plain) Coconut Milk (you can also use nonfat/lowfat/regular milk)
1 1/2 cups strong brewed coffee (or espresso)
1 Tablespoon organic pumpkin puree (freeze the rest or put it in the frig so you can make lattes any time...or try another pumpkin recipe!)
1 Tablespoon Maple Syrup or Honey (or sweetener of choice)
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
2 Tablespoon homemade vanilla syrup (or store bought syrup)
1-2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon cinnamon, optional - depends on the flavor you want!

Make It HOT!
You can make this one of two ways.
You can cook it on low on the stove top or as
Savvy Sassy Me did, use the crockpot/slowcooker.


1. Brew coffee. Make it extra strong...I ran mine through The Scoop two times.


2.  Place the coconut milk and coffee in the crockpot.


3.  Turn crockpot onto low.
4.  Add the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, vanilla, vanilla syrup, pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon*.
5.  Whisk to blend.
6.  Cook for about 2 hours in the crockpot or 30-45 minutes on the stovetop. 

*Note: You can taste test as you cook to adjust sugar/sweetness and spices. I suggest going easy on both until you find a combination that pleases your palate.

To store, let cool and store in the frig. I used a 1/2 gallon mason jar for storage.


Make It Blended!
 I love a blended coffee beverage...so I took a shot at blending this Pumpkin Spice Latte. I do realize it is kind of contradictory - Fall makes you think warm and cozy and here I am adding ice to it!


Anyway, all I did was add about 1 cup of ice cubes to my Vitamix and and 1 cup of the Pumpkin Spice Latte Mixture and blend away!

 
Now, add a little Whipped Cream and a sprinkle
of Pumpkin pie spice make it complete!
ENJOY!


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Be sure to enter my latest giveaway...a full line of Clairol Pro Care and Styling Products!
This post is written and created at 504 Main by Holly Lefevre

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