Coffee & Creamer

This morning we had cantelope and coffee for breakfast.

Coffee and I go way back. I remember loving cappuccinos and frappuccinos even as a tween. And as an adult, I have worked as a barista in both Starbucks and Biggby so I definitely know my way around a latte. But I only found my love for brewed coffee this past summer. I decided to finally plug in the 4-cup Mr. Coffee coffee maker that my husband and I received as a wedding gift back in 2010. I experimented with how many scoops to put in this tiny thing until it all tasted just right. Since then, it's been brewed coffee every morning for us.

The Eveland coffee station

Trust me when I say a 4-cup Mr. Coffee coffee maker is a bad choice for two full-grown adults who like tasty things. We were brewing a new pot every five minutes it felt like. After much hinting, we got a 8-cup BUNN for Christmas. Oh. My. Gawd. It has completely revolutionized our mornings. The coffee tastes better, stays hotter for longer and there's eight cups of it. At once! We love our BUNN.

J and I tend to find brands and flavors of things and fall in love with them. Then, those brands and things suddenly stop being produced or sold in the stores where we shop. We have had to change coffee grounds 3 times in 7 months. Our favorite coffee creamer is seasonal, and the season has been deemed complete. I've been on the hunt for a way to make my own coffee creamer, and came across this one from Cookin' with Super Pickle. I gave it a whirl this morning, sans Xanthan Gum, but only because I just couldn't find it anywhere. I would really like to try it with the Xanthan because right now it just feels like milk.

I opted for the Peppermint Mocha variation. I used Hershey's Special Dark syrup and McCormick's peppermint extract. This recipe didn't steal my heart, but I will try to tweak it the next time I make it (a little less peppermint, a little more chocolate). I do like that it's so simple and I can identify what went into it. But, it left something to be desired.

J, however, loved it. "I like that it doesn't leave that thick, 'I'm-processed-and-too-sweet' feeling like after International Delight," to which I replied, "But, that's my favorite part."

UPDATE: I found Xanthan Gum- and hated it! I tried several different batches, and could not get it to be anything other than gross clumps. But, the Peppermint Mocha is still fine without the Xanthan.