The Best Homemade Vanilla Cream Cold Brew Coffee Recipe + How to Make Large Batch Cold Brew Coffee

Have you tried cold brew? You need this homemade vanilla cream cold brew coffee recipe in your life. Plus, learn how to make large batch cold brew coffee! 

I know I’ve said it before but I love coffee. When I wake up, it’s one of the first things on my mind. So when our school’s Fall Festival planning was starting to get underway, and one of the chairs mentioned there wouldn’t be a Cougar Cafe booth, I knew I had to step up and take it on. How could there be a festival without coffee? And where would I get my caffeine fix as I worked that weekend? 

Last year, the Cougar Cafe (yes… that’s the name, but before you giggle, our school mascot is a cougar) sold a sweet iced coffee mix that was already made. It was good but not amazing, kwim? So I decided to expand our selection but keep things simple. 4 basic items – hot coffee, cold brew, hot tea, and iced tea. Then the customer could doctor it up however they’d like! 

I grabbed some assorted syrup flavors, cream, sugar, etc  and then made a large batch of cold brew and iced tea to keep on hand. With the heat we have in October, it was absolutely perfect! And I’m already planning what we’ll be doing at the Cougar Cafe next year. 

Making large batch cold brew isn’t as hard as it sounds. But it does take some tools. And some patience. Because one batch of cold brew takes 24 hours to brew. Yup… it takes time for perfection. 

So to prep for the event, I got started ahead of time. I planned to make 2 large batches of cold brew in 48 hours. Here’s how! 

Large Batch Cold Brew Coffee

Makes 24 8oz servings of cold brew coffee

What you’ll need: 

What you do: 

1. Measure out 1 pound of ground coffee and add to one of the large food storage containers. 

2. Pour water over grounds and place lid on. Let brew for 24 hours. 

3. Layer cheesecloth over mesh strainer and position over food grade bucket. 

4. Pour brewed coffee into mesh strainer slowly to allow it to filter out the grounds. Discard grounds into the compost bin or trash. Repeat once more. 

5. Put cold brew in an air tight container and store in the fridge for easy access. 

6. Repeat if you’re hosting a coffee bar and need cold brew to last over a hot weekend. 

Now that you have your delicious cold brew, and know how easy it is to make, it’s time to get to the daily grind and find out how to customize your cold brew to mimic that of your favorite coffee shop. 

To make my favorite vanilla cream cold brew coffee recipe, I start by making a vanilla simple syrup. Then I follow the simple steps below to creating a delicious and refreshing cold brew drink to enjoy all day long! Especially when it’s October and the weather is over 100 degrees for 3 days in a row like it was this week! 

Vanilla Cream Cold Brew Coffee Recipe

Vanilla Cream Cold Brew Coffee Recipe

  • 8 oz cold brew coffee
  • 3 pumps vanilla simple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  1. Grab a mason jar or glass and pour the cold brew coffee over ice

  2. Pump 3 pumps of vanilla simple syrup (or sugar free vanilla) into the cup over the coffee

  3. Add 2 tablespoons of heavy cream or half and half and swirl around

  4. Place a straw in the glass and enjoy! 

How do you take your cold brew? 

Love what you read? Check out these great coffee posts! 

 

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Easy Morning Breakfast Hacks + A Kid-Approved Strawberry Smoothie Recipe

As we get closer to the start of school, I am all about the easy morning breakfast hacks. And this kid-approved strawberry smoothie recipe is all of that and more. This post was sponsored, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

As I got up the other day, I was greeted by both of the older kids complaining that they were STARVING and needed something to eat. Somehow the fully stocked fridge and pantry weren’t enough for them to fend for themselves and they needed me to whip something up to satiate their hunger. When you have two growing kids in the house, this moment can happen quite frequently. So I grabbed a handful of fresh strawberries and our tub of FAGE Total 0% Plain Greek yogurt to make a smoothie for them. With a splash of almond milk and drizzle of honey, I had a simple smoothie that they both enjoyed.

While smoothies are quick to make, when we start school, things can sometimes get hectic in the morning. So I figured I’d get a step ahead of myself and prep my own homemade smoothie freezer bags that the kids could grab and pop in the blender on their own. That way if I’m taking care of the little one and don’t have two seconds to drop everything and feed them, they can take care of making their own kid-friendly strawberry smoothie recipe.

Easy Morning Breakfast Hacks

I love keeping ingredients on hand that the kids enjoy eating that are good for them and good for me too. By keeping these items on hand I can make a variety of breakfast goodies throughout the week for us to enjoy. Plus, when I purchase fresh berries, I like to freeze half of the container once cleaned and prepped so that it lasts a bit longer. 

Here’s what we keep on hand: 

  • FAGE Total 0% Plain Greek yogurt
  • strawberries
  • raspberries
  • blueberries
  • honey
  • almond milk

With these ingredients we make these awesome breakfasts: 

Kid-Approved Strawberry Smoothie Recipe

This kid-approved strawberry smoothie recipe is so easy to prep! Simply use an ice cube tray OR adding a baggie to a small individual mason jar and add yogurt. Top with a swirl of honey and then freeze until solid. Once frozen, transfer the yogurt to a bag with 1/2-1 cup prepped berries and store in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. Then follow this recipe for smoothie deliciousness.

Kid-Approved Strawberry Smoothie Recipe

  • 1/2 cup FAGE Total 0% Plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 cup berries
  • 1 cup almond milk
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 5 ice cubes ((if not using frozen berries or yogurt))
  1. Place FAGE Total 0% Greek yogurt, berries, almond milk, orange juice and honey in the blender. Blend for 30 seconds. 

  2. Add ice (if not using frozen berries or yogurt) and pulse until smoothie is completely smooth and lump free. 

  3. Serve and enjoy! 

You can find FAGE Total yogurt and seasonal berries at your local Walmart store. Head over to the dairy aisle in the refrigerated section of your store to pick up a tub of your own!

And don’t forget to check out the quick and easy recipe creations that incorporate FAGE Total Plain Greek yogurt during the in-store demos at Walmart 8/26.

What are your breakfast hacks for smooth school-day mornings? 

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6 Ways to Enjoy Butterbeer at Universal Orlando

As I’m sure you saw on my Instagram account recently, I had the chance to head to Orlando, Florida sans kids for a few days to attend a conference. While I was in the great state of Florida for the first time, there was one thing I knew I had to do… visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and try all of the butterbeer varieties I could! So when Universal Orlando was kind enough to offer me 2 guest passes, I kindly took them up on their offer. 

Did you know there are 6 ways to enjoy Butterbeer in the park? Yup! 6 ways to enjoy the delicious sweet treat that is famous amongst Potter fans. To be able to taste the deliciousness we once only read about and watched on the big screen goes hand in hand with the awe I felt as I walked up to Hogwarts and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter for the first time in Universal Orlando. 

So without further ado, here are the 6 ways to enjoy Butterbeer at Universal Orlando. Try all 6 and let me know which you would rate as #1 on your list! 

6 Ways to Enjoy Butterbeer at Universal Orlando

1. Cold Butterbeer – 

At the top of my butterbeer list is the classic cold Butterbeer. Closest in recreation to what the characters enjoyed in the series, it’s smooth, creamy, and super sweet. Plus, since it was in the mid-90s when we visited, it was the perfect treat to enjoy while trying to stay cool as we waited in line to visit Ollivander’s Wand Shop and pick out our wands. 

The best part was the butterscotch-flavored cream on top that we enjoyed with every sip as we made our way down to the bottom of the cup. Such deliciousness. If you’re a cream soda fan, you will fall head over heels for it! 

2. Butterbeer Potted Cream – 

Runner-up has to go to the amazingly smooth butterscotch-esque Butterbeer potted cream found in Diagon Alley at The Leaky Cauldron. It’s the essence of perfection when it comes to butterscotch pudding and paired well with my fish and chips as a not too sweet treat. It would also be perfect paired with one of their beers on tap as a fun afternoon snack if you aren’t too hungry for a full meal. 

3. Butterbeer Soft Serve Ice Cream – 

We headed over to the end of Diagon Alley for this next sweet treat. When you’re there, make sure to head into the Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour right across from Gringotts Bank. They have quite a few varieties of ice cream but only one soft serve… this delicious Butterbeer. But be careful! In the Florida heat, the soft serve melts fast! 

4. Frozen Butterbeer – 

If you don’t like your drinks super sweet but still want to get the great flavor of butterbeer, definitely grab a pint of frozen butterbeer. Because of its slushy state, it is a slightly milder version of the cold butterbeer and is absolutely perfect to help cool oneself down on a super hot summer day at the park. I suggest using a straw to enjoy this delicious variety. But make sure to lift up the straw to get the cream with each sip. 

5. Butterbeer Fudge – 

At the bottom of our butterbeer obsessed list is the butterbeer fudge found at Honeydukes sweet shop. While in theory it sounded lovely, it was just too sweet for this sweet tooth. If you have friends to share with, just one square will go a long way! While you’re at Honeydukes, pick up a few quill suckers (that actually write!) and some chocolate frogs as well (if it’s not too hot out). 

6. Hot Butterbeer – 

And last but not least is the hot butterbeer variety. Sadly, due to the heat, we were not able to try this variation so we have no way to rate it against the other options. However, if you’ve had the pleasure of enjoying this version, please let us know your thoughts!! 

Now that we’ve made our way through this amazing list of all things butterbeer, I do want to dispell a myth that a few individuals (not to be named) mentioned to me before going. Sadly, there is no alcoholic version of butterbeer in Universal Orlando. 

After visiting every butterbeer dealer … er… dispenser, we received the same answer to our question. Nowhere in the park can you order the alcoholic version of this bubbly delicious drink. However, you CAN enjoy some great alcoholic drinks like Wizard’s Brew or Dragon Scale in Diagon Alley at The Leaky Cauldron or The Hopping Pot

What’s your favorite variety of Butterbeer? 

Thank you to Universal Orlando for inviting me to enjoy your parks and experience The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. 

Fall Is Almost Here: Apple Ginger Screwdriver Recipe

This refreshing apple ginger screwdriver is the perfect drink to cool down at the beginning of fall when the crisp hasn’t quite reached the air. 

Apple Ginger Screwdriver

The kids are back in school, it’s almost the official start of fall, and mama’s happy for a few hours  of peace during naptime to get back to what she loves doing… creating! So in celebration I thought I would start first with a delicious cocktail for all of the other mamas (and dads) who might need to take a moment to themselves before, dare I say it, the holidays get closer. 

In this time between summer and the holidays, we love planning fun outings and get togethers and try and map out how the end of the year will be. And right now it’s almost time to start planning our annual apple picking trip! I cannot wait to make a list of all of the fun apple-filled recipes I want to try this year. I never know exactly what apples we’ll be picking so it’s fun to get some ideas for tart and sweet apple recipes.  Many which would go great with this delicious cocktail! 

Apple Ginger Screwdriver with apple garnish

Apple Ginger Screwdriver

  • 1.5 ounces Tito’s Vodka
  • 3 ounces Apple Ginger Juice
  • 1 Ripe Red Apple
  • Crushed Ice

In a cocktail shaker, add Tito’s vodka or a vodka of your choice, R.W. Knudsen Apple Ginger Juice and top with crushed ice.

Shake it, but don’t break it for 30 seconds.

Strain into a standard whiskey glass.

Garnish with an apple slice.

Serve and enjoy with friends.

Apple Ginger Screwdriver - a refreshing fall beverage

What are you most excited about for this time of year? 

Looking for more great drink ideas as we head into the holidays? Check out a few of our favorites: 

Spiked Apple Cider Drink Recipe - with spiced rum

Spiked Apple Cider

Spiced Citrus Sangria Pitcher

Spiced Citrus Sangria

Grown Up Hot Chocolate Drink Recipe for Girls Night

Grown Up Hot Chocolate

Two-Ingredient Root Beer Slush Recipe

This two-ingredient root beer slush is the perfect frosty beverage to enjoy while cooling down this summer! 

Root Beer Slush Recipe

Last weekend we headed out to enjoy the San Diego County Fair. While we were there, we enjoyed bites of our favorite fair foods, rode plenty of rides, played games, and enjoyed the rest of the sights and sounds of the fairgrounds. It was quite a fun adventure, as always, for our family and by the time we headed to the exit, we were exhausted.

But before we got to the gate, my husband spied the last place he wanted to stop. The cinnamon roll booth! It’s a tradition to grab a few cinnamon rolls to take home and enjoy the next morning as we reminisce about the fun we had the previous day. And it’s a way to continue to fair food fun. But this time he noticed something else on the menu, a root beer slush! And when I watched them make it behind the glass, I knew we had to try it at home. Because it was SO easy! Just two ingredients and we had a delicious, refreshing beverage to enjoy as a tasty treat after dinner during the hot days of summer.

Plus I can easily turn it into something that fits my LCHF lifestyle by substituting regular root beer for diet root beer. Win-win! And you could totally make this a boozy drink and add vanilla vodka or another delicious choice to the mix.

Root Beer Slush - great way to cool down!

Root Beer Slush

  • 8oz root beer
  • 1 cup ice

Blend ingredients in a blender – we love our Vitamix (affiliate link) – until it’s the consistency of a slush.

Optional: add 2 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream to create a root beer float slush. SO GOOD!

What’s your favorite way to cool down during the summer?

Love root beer or delicious drink recipes? You may be interested in these great posts! 

How to Make the Perfect Root Beer Float1

The Perfect Root Beer Float

Spiced Citrus Sangria Drink Recipe ready to enjoy

Spiced Citrus Sangria

Boozy Smoothies with Blackberry Arbor Mist

Boozy Smoothies

15 Summer Drinks to Help Cool You Down

15 Summer Drinks to Help Cool You Down

It’s unofficially summer (just 1.5 weeks until my son is out of school!) and the weather is starting to heat up across the US. Here in So Cal we’ve been heating up all spring. And the best way to cool down on a hot summer day is a delicious beverage.

Whether it’s alcoholic (look for the * next to the name for boozy drinks) or non-alcoholic, these drinks will be sure to hit the spot and cool you down this summer.

Boozy Smoothies with Blackberry Arbor Mist

15 Summer Drinks

1. Boozy Smoothies* | Source: Simmworks Family Blog

2. Easy Strawberry Kiwi Lemonade | Source: The Classy Chapter

3. Creamsicle Slushie | Source: Wife Mom Geek

4. Frozen Caribbean Breeze Cocktail* | Source: Simplistically Living

5. Orange Mojitos* | Source: Honey and Birch

6. Easy Sangrias* | Source: Staying Close to Home

7. Homemade Black Cherry Soda | Source: Flour on My Face

8. Raspberry Margarita* | Source: Love Bakes Good Cakes

9. Peach Lemonade Slush | Source: That’s What Che Said

10. Mango Coconut Daiquiri* | Source: Self Proclaimed Foodie

11. Watermelon Juice | Source: Sandhya’s Kitchen

12. Blueberry Lemonade | Source: Carmel Moments

13. Shirley Temple Ice Cream Float | Source: Coupon Clipping Cook

14. Blue Hawaiian | Source: Baking Beauty

15. Homemade Cherry Slushie | Source: Back Roads and Blue Jeans

What’s your favorite summertime drink recipe?

partida skinny margarita aerial

Pinterest Inspiration

Boozy Smoothies By The Pool

This shop featuring boozy smoothies has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #Arbormist #StartSummer #CollectiveBias The following content is intended for readers who are 21 or older.

Boozy Smoothies

When I plan a mom’s night in I like to keep things simple: drinks, food, and fun. And if I can combine two of those things into one, like food and drink, everyone is happy!

I recently headed over to a friends house for some much needed girl time and brought a boozy smoothie bar with me to whip up some delicious cocktails we could indulge in by the pool.

With a few simple ingredients, a blender, and some plastic wine gasses I found at the dollar store we had delicious drinks that served as both snack and boozy treat. How awesome is that?

Boozy Smoothies with fruit

Boozy Smoothies By The Pool with Arbor Mist

I love to keep entertaining simple. Especially when it’s on-the-go entertaining at someone else’s house. But simplicity means that I can entertain elsewhere and am not limited to just my back yard.

This summer I forsee many afternoons hanging by the pool and relaxing with a boozy smoothie in one hand while I chat with my friends and enjoy the warmth of summer.

Boozy Smoothies ingredients

Boozy Smoothies blended up

Boozy Smoothies

  • 1 cup Arbor Mist (any flavor)
  • 1 cup fruit (I chose mango, strawberries, blackberries, and bananas)
  • 1 cup ice
  1. Add equal parts Arbor Mist, fruit, and ice into the blender.
  2. Blend until all incorporated.
  3. Serve in a classy plastic wine glass and sip by the pool!


Boozy Smoothies with Blackberry Arbor Mist

Boozy Smoothies By The Pool

Visit the Simple Entertaining Social Hub for more great entertaining ideas! And if you’re looking for more fun, enter the Arbor Mist Summer Sweepstakes where 1 lucky winner will win a brand new water sport vehicle and 100 others will win Arbor Mist beach themed prizes!

What’s your favorite way to stay cool by the pool?

85 Ways to Use Yogurt

Are you a yogurt fan? We’re sharing 85 ways to use yogurt in your everyday recipes!

85 Ways to Use Yogurt

There’s one thing I can always count on to make me happy. Whether it’s morning, noon, or night. And that’s a delicious bowl of yogurt. It’s the one thing I reach for in the fridge when I need a snack or when I’m cooking up a meal or dessert.

I started turning to yogurt more and more as a staple in my home after going through Weight Watchers after having my oldest child. It is such a great substitute for other ingredients in recipes and is full of flavor. Plus… less calories!

And in it’s simplest form, with a sprinkle of granola and some sliced berries, it can make any day better. Plus, when you’re done eating the yogurt inside, you can make something fun out of the container!

Have some yogurt in the fridge like I do? Here are 101 ways to use yogurt!

85 Ways to Use Yogurt

Breakfast

1. In strawberry muffins

2. Sprinkled with homemade granola

3. In a breakfast cereal parfait

4. In brown sugar maple muffins

5. To make a strawberry shortcake parfait a little healthier

6. In banana blueberry muffins

7. Spruced up as pumpkin pie yogurt

8. In greek yogurt blueberry muffins

9. In apple carrot walnut muffins

10. In chocolate chip donuts

Weight Watchers Simple Start anytime snack

11. In a healthy blueberry parfait

12. In overnight oats

13. In a Pomegranate Parfait with Blueberries

14. In cinnamon streussel yogurt muffins

15. In baby bran muffins

16. In banana chocolate chip whole wheat pancakes

17. In these flavorful Pomegranate Pancakes

18. In a blackberry shortcake parfait

19. In these Red Currant and Rosemary Olive Oil Scones

20. In these Whole Wheat Cranberry Sauce Scones

21. Or these Whole Wheat Mango & Ginger Scones

22. And these Whole Wheat Orange Scones with Chia Seeds

23. Or change it up with these Whole Wheat Pomegranate Scones

24. And around Halloween, bake up these Whole Wheat Pumpkin Scones

Strawberry Muffins with Greek Yogurt and coffee

 

Lunch

25. To spruce up tropical chicken sliders

26. In a greek chicken wrap

27. In greek style gourmet burgers

 

Dinner

28. To lighten up Pomegranate and Lamb Moussaka with Cardamon

29. In a marinade for Chicken Skewers with Dipping Sauce

30. In a chicken tikka masala recipe

31. In the slow cooker with this butter chicken recipe

32. In a Boneless Chicken Breast Kabob (Joojeh Kabob)

33. With these Filet Mignon Kabobs (Kabob-eh Barg)

34. In this Yogurt Marinated Leg of Lamb

 

Side Dishes

35. Grilled Baby Artichokes with Balsamic Yogurt

36. In carrot raisin salad

37. Mixed with mint on top of a beet salad

 

Snacks

38. In vanilla chai banana bread

39. In an apple blossom parfait

40. In apple cobbler yogurt bites

41. In cranberry orange muffins

42. With a cup of coffee and this Nut Crusted Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread

Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Smoothie ingredients

Drinks

43. With a straw in a PB Banana Oatmeal Smoothie

44. In an orange creamsicle smoothie

45. Spiced up in a pumpkin pie smoothie

46. In a strawberry smoothie

47. In this Mango-Rum Smoothie

48. With avocados in a blueberry smoothie

49. In a cookies n cream smoothie

50. With papayas in a papaya smoothie

51. In Doogh (Persian Yogurt and Mint Drink)

52. In an Orange Cream Smoothie

53. After a workout in this Mango Protein Shake

54. In a Pomegranate Smoothie

 

Dessert

55. In mandarin orange cream pops

56. For a delicious addition to a Banana Smash Cake

57. In chocolate chip muffins perfect for dessert

58. In a Plum Yogurt Cake

59. To cool down in frozen greek yogurt pops

60. In an Orange Upside Down Cake

61. In churro cupcakes

62. In these root beer float pops

63. In chocolate covered strawberry frozen yogurt

64. In pumpkin spice yogurt

65. In a berry triffle

Mandarin Orange Cream Pops aerial

66. In strawberry frozen yogurt

67. In these Strawberry-Rhubarb Creamsicles

68. In a pomegranate sundae yogurt parfait

69. Frozen in pina colada popsicles

70. In berry cake with coconut rum

71. To moisten Carrot Cake with Walnuts & Raisins

72. With a glass of wine and this Grape Upside Down Cake

73. In a vibrant Lemon Basil Cake

74. In this Red, White & Blue Jello

75. In these mini Saffron & Raisin Pound Cakes

76. In this White Rose Cake

 

Dips and Appetizers

77. In a herbed yogurt cheese dip

78. In a refreshing homemade tzatziki dip

79. In Borani-e Esfenaj (Yogurt and Spinach)

80. In this Hatch Chile Dip

81. In Borani-e Bademjoon (Persian Yogurt and Eggplant)

82. With this Mast-o Khiar (Persian Yogurt with Cucumbers)

83. In chocolate caramel apple dip

84. With apples in this PB Yogurt Dip

85. In peanut butter cinnamon yogurt dip

Mountain High Yoghurt

What’s your favorite way to incorporate yogurt into your day?

5 Easy Ways to Celebrate Cinco De Mayo

5 Easy Ways to Celebrate Cinco De Mayo

It’s a few weeks away from Cinco De Mayo and we’re planning our fiesta! I can’t resist celebrating a day that’s filled with good food, good friends, and fun drinks.

Now I know that this is one of those holidays that’s been taken over by Americans for the fun and excuse to party. But that doesn’t mean that we should skip it and NOT enjoy a fun party.

So grab a few friends and follow these 5 easy ways to celebrate Cinco De Mayo. You may just realize that you want to find more excuses to party!

partida skinny margarita aerial

1. Grab the tequila and make a skinny margarita!

tequila lime pork tacos aerial

2. Turn up the grill and make some tequila lime pork tacos, these easy tex mex cheese enchiladas and some beef and black bean enchiladas.

creamy tomatillo avocado sauce

3. Mix some dips! This creamy tomatillo avocado sauce isn’t only good on my tequila lime pork tacos but it’s super tasty with chips too. And this simple 4 ingredient roasted corn and black beans dip is the perfect accompanyment.

My PB&J Churro Cupcakes

Churro Cupcakes from My PB&J

 

4. Prepare some tasty desserts like these churro style tortillas or churro cupcakes. OMG – I can’ believe how delicious these both are!

diy-geometric-fiesta-garland

DIY Festive Garland from Oh Happy Day!

 

5. Grab that margarita and delicious food, hang up some festive DIY garland, and turn on the mariachi music!

How do you celebrate Cinco De Mayo?

15 Delicious Cocktail Recipes

15 Delicious Cocktail Recipes

With a newborn, it can be hard to get out of the house for dinner – let alone happy hour with the girls – so I’ve been rounding up some delicious cocktail recipes to enjoy at home.

Not only will these be perfect for entertaining, but they’re great for a little indulgence at the end of a long day. I can’t wait to narrow down what I’ll be serving at book club next month! [Read more…]



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