My New Coffee Obsession – Don Tomas Coffee

There are 2 things that are constant in my life (food wise) Wine and Coffee, and not necessarily in that order and if possible I’d drink them together! I am a huge fan of a particular coffee spot that I visit DAILY, yes DAILY. I have tried so many different coffees in a way it is like wine tasting, you try them to see what you like the best. In fact, why isn’t their coffee tasting…hmmm, maybe I stumbled upon something new…

Anyway, in my experience people are fans of either a light or mild coffee, or a medium coffee, or even a bold coffee or espresso. I am a HUGE fan of bold and espresso varieties. Again, each brand and company makes them differently so a bold at one company is not necessarily my idea of bold from another. With that being said, I continue to try different brands and flavors to make sure I am maximizing my coffee potential! 😛 After all I am raising 5 kids, going to school, blogging, and co-chairing this years Relay For Life event, so I’m a tad tired!

You can imagine my delight when I was offered a chance to taste coffee and do a review of it. It went something like this when I got the news:

S Q U E E E E E E L!!!! S H R I E K!!! W O O H O O!!!

Now the details. My opportunity came from a company called Don Tomas Coffee, you can visit them here. I was not familiar with them at the time, but as I asked around people I knew had. I guess my head had been stuck at the previous coffee store too long. I read up on the history and the story behind this company, all I can say is O M G! I feel horrible for even drinking coffee from anywhere else besides Don Tomas! These farmers are 4’th generation coffee cultivators. They live on the farm they cultivate from, they give back to their community, they have built schools and medical clinics on the farm for their own employees AND their community! THAT IS NOT ALL…For every purchase that is made 30% goes to a fundraising organization of YOUR choice. (they have a list, but you can add your organization!) How dedicated and amazing is that??

Now, you are going to say “ok, well they do all that, but how is their coffee”. Have I mentioned that I love coffee?? Yes? Ok, well I consider myself a coffee snob, meaning I only drink the best of the best, because frankly life is too short to drink crappy coffee plain and simple. I LOVE DON TOMAS COFFEE! 2 years ago I got a Keurig machine for my birthday. I stopped using it because the pre-packaged coffees just did not suit me. They were too weak or un-flavorful, whatever the case, I was not happy with the coffee I had to use. I now know, you can make your own coffee blend with a special filter thing-a-ma-bob that I have. I just put my Don Tomas Coffee in it, and viola, it was done….smelled divine  and was out of this world CRAZY GOOD! I am serious, I don’t say I like or even LOVE something if I don’t, it isn’t in me (I am sure you know this by now).

I have found my new coffee company, Don Tomas Coffee. I can’t go wrong with a $10 bag of excellent tasting coffee, of which $3.00 is donated to an organization of MY choice. Knowing that the company is just as awesome as can be. I hope you will give this coffee a try, I think you will switching just like me….yep that is right, no more of “that” other coffee place for me folks, I have been converted!

Have you tried Don Tomas Coffee? Tell me about it, and leave a comment below 😀 I just can’t say enough awesome things about Don Tomas Coffee.

I said it once and I’ll say it a million times over…

Mini Pumpkin Spice Doughnuts + BONUS Recipe

DOUGHNUTS…anyone else feel like Homer Simpson when thinking of doughnuts? I do! And for that reason I stay my distance from the beasts that like to make my thighs bigger! My mom recently gave me a mini doughnut pan and I was like, REALLY mom? Are ya kidding me? This is the LAST thing I need.

After several hours of research online and seeing that there were some good recipes out there for them, I decided to give it a go. I mean they can’t be to bad, 1) they are baked, 2) they are tiny! Well, and after all it is: “All Things Pumpkin” here at Sweet Heat Chefs this week, so why not go for the gusto and make them Pumpkin doughnuts right?! Ok, let’s not be silly, we all know I can’t make much without chocolate being in it (yes that is the sweet tooth jabbering away at my inner self). So with regard to that I have included a BONUS recipe for that very inner self!

INGREDIENTS

1.5 cups canned pumpkin pie mix
1.5 cups granulated sugar, room temperature
3 large eggs, room temperature and scrambled
1/4 cup coconut oil, room temperature (make sure it is in liquid form)
1/4 cup applesauce, room temperature OR sour cream OR non fat greek yogurt
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1.5 teaspoon baking powder
1 3/4 cups flour + 2 tablespoons

Topping

1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, combine everything except the flour, and beat until smooth.

Add the flour and mix until combined.

Pipe batter into mini-doughnut pans. Fill them just a little over half full. Aren’t they super cute?

Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. When touched they should spring back and not be doughy. The smell is heavenly!

Remove from pans and place on baking rack to cool. While still warm, but not hot, place a few at a time in bowl with your cinnamon & sugar mixture and coat lightly. Yes this step is needed. I saw lots of recipes with a more refined topping and drizzle, this is the best option. It give a little sweetness and changes the entire flavor in lieu of leaving the doughnut plain. Try it, eat one without first, then toss in this mixture…YOU’LL SEE!!

Makes approximate 4 dozen depending on size AND how quickly you devour the baby doughnuts before anyone notices because they are school and work…wait what?

A little plug for my favorite coffee maker Keurig my hubby Mr. Sweet Heat Chefs, my mom and mom-in law bought me for my birthday this year. This Coconut Mocha coffee is the BOMB with these doughnuts! WINK

Alternative ideas for the doughnuts are:

Add mini chocolate chips on top of batter after filling and drizzle with melted chocolate chips for topping

Add 1/2 teaspoon chopped pecans/walnuts to batter and drizzle with this:

Glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon milk, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla (mix together until sugar is dissolved) and top that with crushed pecans/walnuts.

Woah, wait a minute…SECOND RECIPE DOUBLE

TAKE FOR FRIDAY MADNESS!!

Mini Chocolate Espresso Doughnuts

INGREDIENTS

¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
2 tbsp plain yogurt
¼ cup milk
1 egg
3 tbsp vegetable oil
¼ tsp vanilla extract
2 tblsp instant espresso, in hot water

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Whisk dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl and wet ingredients in another mixing bowl.
3. Add dry ingredients to wet slowly stirring to incorporate evenly.
4. Fill doughnut pan with batter almost full and not overflowing
5. Bake for about 7 minutes. When touched they should spring back and not be doughy.
6. Melt 1/4 cup chocolate chips in a baggie (30 seconds) with 1 teaspoon of shortening and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. OPTIONAL: You could add espresso in with the chocolate chips while melting. Just make sure you dissolve it in hot water first.
7. Cut tip off end of baggie and drizzle over doughnuts

Double Espresso Chocolate Chip Kahlua Shortbread Cookies

Say that 3 times fast…go ahead I dare you!

So one thing for sure, my family loves sugar! I love to give them homemade goodies instead of store bought so I know what they are and are not getting. I also love getting them in the kitchen as you know me by now and doing so at a young age is the best! For this recipe I got the help from my youngest child, Dylan. A 2 year old spunky lil guy that never slows down, not even when he sleeps. I figured a little baking TLC was in order for him…along with a little sampling of the mixing beaters. No worries, the batch he is sampling had no alcohol in it! 😀 All I know it is only takes a little espresso powder and chocolate to send the aromatics through the house to get my other 4 kids ages; 14, 13, 12 and 10 year old running to the kitchen asking what is cooking and when can they taste it. If it were only this easy to get them to do their chores or homework, I’d be a millionaire! Be forwarned on these delicate cookies, they ARE addicting. One must refrain from eating too many or bellah aches will ensue! Just ask my kids! LOL

…adapted from Smitten Kitchen
 INGREDIENTS 
2 tbsp instant espresso powder 
2 tbsp boiling water
2 tbsp Kahlua
8 oz. unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
6 oz. semisweet chocolate chips coarsely chopped
confectioners’ sugar, for dusting (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Dissolve espresso powder in boiling water. Set aside to cool to tepid. 
2. Cream butter and powdered sugar together on medium speed for about 2 minutes, or until the mixture is very smooth. Beat in almond extract, espresso, and Kahlua on low until well combined. 
3. Find an extremely cute helper (see my pic) and have them slowly add the flour to your mixture while you mix on low speed until just combined. Don’t work the dough much once the flour is incorporated. 
4. Fold in the chopped chocolate chips with a sturdy rubber spatula. 
5. Using the spatula, transfer dough to a gallon-size zip-loc bag. 
6. Place bag on a flat surface, leaving the top open, and roll the dough into a 9 x 10 1/2 inch rectangle that’s 1/4 inch thick. As you roll, turn the bag occasionally and lift the plastic from the dough so it doesn’t cause creases. When you get the right size and thickness, seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible, and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, or for up to 2 days. 
7. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Put the plastic bag on a cutting board and slit it open. Turn the firm dough out onto the board and using a sharp knife, cut the dough into squares. 
8. Transfer the squares to the baking sheets and carefully prick each one twice with a fork. ( I forgot this step and they turned out fine)
9. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom ½ way through the cooking time. 
10. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack after a few minutes of cooling on pan. 
11. If you’d desire, dust the cookies with confectioners’ sugar while they are still hot (I didn’t do this). 
12. Cool the cookies to room temperature before serving 
13. (if you can stand it, because the whole house smells delish and everyone comes running from wherever they are to see what you are cooking!). 
14. Makes about 3 dozen. (mine only made 20 cookies the way I cut them, next time double batch is in order)

This recipe is being show on Thursday Treasures!!