Learn How to Make Cold Brewed Coffee

During the summer months your morning or afternoon coffee may seem to make you even hotter. A great option for drinking coffee when it's warm outside is to prepare iced coffee. The perfect cup of iced coffee cannot be made with your regular coffee maker. Coffee makers that produce hot liquid will quickly melt your ice and cause your coffee or coffee beverage to get watered down. So put your brewer to rest over the summer and learn to prepare cold brewed coffee without a coffee maker.
The materials needed to cold brew coffee are simple and inexpensive. The most important ingredient, obviously, is your coffee grounds. You can buy specialized grounds that are made to be cold brewed, or you can just get your regular favorite brand. It is best if you try to get coffee grounds that have a coarse grind. Some other items that you will need include two large non-reactive bowls or containers, a strainer, a coffee filter or cheesecloth, plastic wrap, and plenty of water.
Begin making your iced coffee by mixing together your coffee grounds and water in the large bowl or container. The ratio of grounds to water is flexible, but a good place to start is to add ten cups of water for each pound of coffee you are using. Once all the grounds are wet, cover the bowl with plastic wrap or its lid and let the mixture sit for twelve hours or longer. When your grounds are finished steeping, you should first filter the mix through a strainer to remove the larger grounds. Filter the mixture through the strainer and into your clean bowl or container. Place the filtered coffee grounds in the trash, and then repeat the process. For smoother coffee, you will want to place your filter or cheesecloth on the strainer during this second round of filtering.
Once you have prepared your cold brew coffee, you can store the coffee in your refrigerator for several weeks. Use an airtight container to hold your drink to keep it tasting fresh. When you are ready to prepare your cup of joe, simply add ice to a cup and pour the cold coffee over the ice. You can mix in milk, cream, half-and-half, or any sweetener that you prefer.
Even though brewing this cold brewed beverage takes a significant amount of time, it's a great option for daily use since you can make a large batch at a time. Once it's brewed, making iced coffee is quicker and simpler than using your coffee maker each day.

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10 Classic Coffee Drinks That Are to Die For

The first coffee drinks I want to share with you are staples of my everyday coffee drinking. If you haven't tried any of these yet, I suggest you do, because I think you'll find quite a few are worth coming back to again and again.
"Just Right" Iced Coffee
Chances are you've had iced coffee that was too sweet, creamy, or watery. As simple as it may seem, good iced coffee drinks can actually be tricky to make.
A big part of making good iced coffee drinks is using coffee ice cubes. It takes an extra step of preparation, but doing so will ensure your coffee doesn't become a watered-down coffee wannabe. Another key to making good iced coffee is to brew the coffee and then let it cool in the refrigerator for at least two hours. If you use hot, freshly brewed coffee, it will melt the ice cubes instantly.
Makes one serving
Ingredients
1 cup of chilled coffee (refrigerated for at least 2 hours)
1 cup of ice cubes
5 ounces of sweetened condensed milk
Directions
1. Pour chilled coffee into a large cup.
2. Add coffee ice cubes and sweetened condensed milk. Sweeten to taste.
Cafe Creme
Fresh coffee and a bit of cream never fails to satisfy. I included this because the proportion of coffee to cream is the key to doing it right.
Makes one serving
Ingredients
4 ounces of freshly brewed coffee
1 tablespoon of cream
Directions
1. Mix and serve.
Mocha Coffee
This simple, sweet coffee is loved by coffee drinkers everywhere (who also tend to love chocolate). You can make these coffee drinks as chocolaty as you want by adding more or less cocoa powder. You can also use a chocolate-flavored creamer if you want even more of a dessert kind of taste.
Makes one serving
Ingredients
1 cup of freshly brewed coffee
1 tablespoon of cocoa powder
1 tablespoon of sugar (or other sweetener)
2 tablespoons of milk (fat-free optional)
Directions
1. Pour freshly brewed coffee into serving cup.
2. Stir in cocoa powder, sugar (or other sweetener), and milk.
Spiced Mocha Coffee
This is a lovely little variation on mocha coffee drinks that involves mixing spices into the coffee grounds before brewing. Doing this gives wonderful notes of flavor without overpowering the cup.
Makes one serving
Ingredients
1/4 cup of coffee grounds
3/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
2 tablespoons of brown sugar (or other sweetener)
2 ounces of chocolate syrup
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups of filtered water
Dollop of whipped cream (optional)
Directions
1. Place the grounds, cinnamon, and nutmeg in the coffee maker and brew the coffee as described in the previous chapter.
2. Once the coffee is brewed, remove the carafe from the heat plate and stir in the milk, sugar, vanilla extract, and chocolate syrup. Top with whipped cream (optional) and serve.
Cafe au Lait
Cafe au Lait are simple coffee drinks that consists of equal parts of freshly brewed coffee and steamed milk. The key to a delicious au Lait, however, is properly "double brewing" your coffee. What's that? "Double-brewed coffee" is coffee prepared in such a way that it is significantly stronger than normal brewing.
One way of doing this is running already brewed coffee back through the coffee maker with another batch of fresh grounds (using brewed coffee in the water reservoir). I don't recommend this method, however, because it produces strange-tasting coffee. By reheating coffee drinks, you lose flavor and the end product has a bitter aftertaste.
The double-brewing method for coffee drinks I recommend is achieved by simply using twice the normal amount of grounds for the water you're using (with the normal extraction time). That is, four tablespoons of grounds for every six ounces of water. This creates coffee with a strong, bold flavor, which is perfect for the Cafe au Lait.
Makes one serving
Ingredients
4 ounces of double-brewed coffee
4 ounces of milk, steamed (fat-free optional)
Directions
1. Brew the coffee and remove it from the heating plate.
2. If you don't have a machine to steam milk, heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Pour the milk into it. Heat the milk for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly to avoid a milk crust.
3. Once the milk steams, take it off the stove and pour, at the same time, both the milk and coffee into a serving cup.
Vanilla Coffee Latte
A real latte is made with espresso, but this drink uses double-brewed coffee, which also makes for yummy coffee drinks.
Makes one serving
Ingredients
4 ounces of fresh double-brewed coffee
2 tablespoons of sugar (or other sweetener)
1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract
4 ounces of milk (fat-free optional)
Ground cinnamon or grated chocolate, to taste
Directions
1. Stir the sugar and vanilla extract into the coffee.
2. Pour the milk into a medium-sized jar with a lid and shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Remove the lid and microwave the milk for about 30 seconds, or until foam forms on the top.
3. Pour the milk into the coffee and spoon the foam onto the top of the beverage. Top with ground cinnamon or grated chocolate.
Frappuccino
If you love a Starbucks Frappuccino but don't love the price, why not make your own? This recipe will taste just like the real deal for a fraction of the cost.
Makes one serving
Ingredients
6 ounces of chilled, double-brewed coffee (refrigerated for at least 2 hours)
1 cup of milk (fat-free optional)
3 tablespoons of sugar (or other sweetener)
2 cups of ice cubes
Caramel sauce, to taste (optional)
Chocolate sauce, to taste (optional)
Whipped cream, to taste (optional)
Directions
1. Put everything in a blender and blend on high until a slushy consistency.
Frosty Delight
These are smooth coffee drinks, refreshing drink that's great for a hot summer day.
Makes one serving
Ingredients
4 ounces of chilled, double-brewed coffee (refrigerated for at least 2 hours)
2 ounces of milk (fat-free optional)
1 tablespoon of sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup of ice cubes
2-3 tablespoons of sugar (or other sweetener)
Directions
1. Put everything in a blender and blend on high until a slushy consistency.
Spiced Orange Coffee
This is a wonderfully flavorful coffee drink that can be served hot and cold (poured over ice).
Makes one serving
Ingredients
2 tablespoons of coffee grounds
1 teaspoon of grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
5 whole cloves
1 tablespoon of brown sugar (or other sweetener)
1 cup of filtered water
Whipped cream (optional)
Directions
1. Combine the coffee grounds, grated orange zest, cloves, and cinnamon in a small bowl and then use to brew your coffee.
2. Once the coffee is brewed, stir and top with whipped cream if desired.
Viennese Coffee
This is one of my favorite "dessert-in-a-cup" indulgences. Truly a drink to savor.
Ingredients
1 cup of freshly brewed coffee
1 tablespoon of heavy whipping cream
1 ounce of semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
Pinch of cinnamon
Whipped cream
Directions
1. Brew the coffee.
2. Heat the cream and chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Once the chocolate has melted, remove from heat, pour in the coffee and stir well. Pour into a mug and garnish with whipped cream and cinnamon.

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Super Quick Pea Salads

If you're putting a meal together and need something quick to go with it, a simple pea salad recipe may be the answer.
It's very simple, just drain the water from a can of peas and put peas into a bowl. Add a little chopped vegetable and a tablespoon or so of mayonnaise and mix.
That's the basic recipe, here's a few suggestions to spice it up a little:
1-Add a slice of finely chopped onion. You don't need much and it really adds flavour.
2-Mince a small garlic clove and add to salad. Do this only if you like garlic.
3-Add other vegetables. Cucumber, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, celery and more. Chop them up very fine and add sparingly. Like the onion you don't need much.
4-Cheese it up. Shred or cube some cheese and throw it in. Any kind will do. You could also use some 3 cheese ranch dressing rather than mayonnaise for the dressing.
5-Add a hard boiled egg, peeled and chopped of course. This mixes very well with the mayonnaise.
6-Chopped sweet pickle or relish will sweeten it up and add a little crunch.
7-Enhance the mayonnaise dressing with a little shot of mustard.
8-Add a pinch of spice. Oregano, dill, cilantro, any others you may like.
9-A pinch of salt will bring the flavours together.
When you have your ingredients all together, gently mix and refrigerate. If you are in a hurry to get it on the table just chill it in the freezer for 5 minutes or so.

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Make Your Salads Come Alive with These Salad Dressing Recipes

What makes or brakes a salad is the dressing. Although it does not easily grab our attention, these so-called silent ingredients play a very crucial role in determining the outcome of a salad.
Tossed with the wrong dressing and the freshest ingredients lose their taste. Salad dressings are like icings on a cake so to speak. They give that final touch, the magic that makes salads come alive. Listed below are some salad dressing recipes that one can choose from to come up with that special salad one might have in mind.
APPLE VINAIGRETTE
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup apple juice
3 whole fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon honey
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1.Combine parsley, vinegar, olive oil, apple juice, basil, honey, salt, dry mustard and pepper in a blender or food processor. Process until smooth.
BASIC ITALIAN SALAD DRESSING
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
Pinch of dried oregano
1.Combine all ingredients in small bowl and whisk to blend. Salt and pepper.
CITRUS POPPY SEED SALAD DRESSING
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons half & half
1 teaspoon poppy seed
1 teaspoon grated lime
1.Whisk together all dressing ingredients in small bowl. Cover; refrigerate 1 hour.
RANCH SALAD DRESSING
1/2 cup dry buttermilk powder
1 tablespoon dried parsley, crushed
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried minced onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1.Combine all ingredients in the blender and process on high speed until well blended and powdery smooth.
To use: Combine 1 tablespoon dry mix with 1 cup milk and 1 cup mayonnaise. Mix well.
LOW-FAT BACON MUSTARD SALAD DRESSING
1/4 slice bacon, finely chopped
6 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1/2 cup nonfat sour cream
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 green onion, chopped white, part only
1 large garlic clove, finely minced
1 teaspoon firmly packed brown sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
1.In a small skillet cook bacon over medium heat, stirring, until crisp; remove skillet from heat.
2.Add orange juice to skillet and scrape up brown bits
3.In a blender, puree bacon mixture with the remaining ingredients until smooth. Cover and refrigerate.

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Salad Recipe Information for Everyday Healthy Eating: Eat Better, Feel Better, Live Better

WHAT IS A SALAD ANYWAY?

Salad Definition:
- "any combination of raw or cooked vegetables, meat, seafood, and/or fruit, nuts, or cheese usually served with a topping (dressing) or a dip".

Boy that's simple - and it leaves us with endless creative possibilities.

There are many common salad ingredients which can be used in combinations for:

- green salads - mostly made with a type of lettuce as a base ingredient - added items could be raw vegetables, fruits, nuts, cooked meats, eggs, cheeses, etc. These are usually topped with a dressing that is either mayonnaise based (dressing) or oil-based (vinaigrette)

- vegetable salads - sometimes made with just raw vegetables but more often with blanched vegetables (to soften them up a bit), fruit (other than dried) is rarely added but nuts & cheeses are common. A sauce or dressing can be used for flavour and to bind the ingredients together.

- mixed green salads - This type of salad is usually composed of a variety of lettuces (of which there are many). Some are sweet and some are extremely tart. Most people prefer these dressed with a simple vinaigrette to release the flavours of the lettuces.

- fruit salads - these are so versatile that they can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack - virtually anytime at all. A fruit salad can be as simple as using a few different cans of canned fruit: such as a fruit cocktail or if time permits - a fresh fruit salad composed of seasonal fresh fruits can be made.

- fish/seafood salads - For those of us who live inland - seafood salads are a real treat - but with all the canned & frozen varieties available, this no longer needs to be the case. A bit of crab meat, even imitation crab can be added to a green or pasta salad for a more elegant meal.

- complete meal salads - By adding a few pieces of left-over meat, eggs, or cheese (for protein) any salad can become a meal-in-itself. Some countries have already been doing this for centuries - such as the antipasto salad from Italy.

- pasta salads - pasta salads have come a long way from just eating cold mac & cheese. By adding vegetables and dressings these can become a great side dish for BBQs, family gatherings and picnics.

and this is not even to mention all the different dressings and dips that are now available for you to choose from.

All salads have at least 2 or more ingredients which complement one another.

YOU too can create fantastic combinations just using left-over vegetables sitting in the refrigerator OR you can go extreme and prepare an exotic fruit salad. Whichever ones you choose - don't limit your creative juices - let them flow - use some of this information for creating a new salad and WOW your family or guests.

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Try These Tasty Quick and Easy Salad Recipes!

Salads can be everything from a side to a complete meal. When you are short on time or just want something lite, a salad is often the answer. Why not add these quick and easy salad recipes to your recipe box? The Rice and Black Bean Salad is complete enough to be a lite meal or to serve along side another dish. You have protein, grain, veggies, dairy, etc all in this one dish. The Creamy Pecan Chicken Salad can be used in a variety of ways from stuffed tomatoes to sandwiches. The other recipe is for a tasty greens salad with a homemade raspberry dressing; so good!
RICE AND BLACK BEAN SALAD
2 cups cooked rice, cooled to room temperature
1 can black beans, drained
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/2 cup shredded Mexican-Blend cheese
1 tbsp snipped fresh parsley
1/4 cup Italian salad dressing
1 tbsp lime juice
In a large bowl combine the rice, beans, tomato, cheese, and parsley. Pour the Italian dressing and the lime juice overall. Toss mixture to coat well.
Yield: 4 servings
CREAMY PECAN CHICKEN SALAD
2 cups chopped cooked chicken (great use for leftover chicken)
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup (more if desired) mayonnaise
1/4 cup whipping cream, whipped
salt to taste, optional
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
In a mixing bowl combine the chicken, celery, and pecans. Add the mayonnaise, whipped cream, and salt, if using; mix together well (adding more mayo if needed). Drizzle with the lemon juice and mix gently. Chill until serving time.
Yield: 2 1/2 cups
This salad is great to use as stuffing for tomatoes, on breads for a sandwich, or on a lettuce leaf with tiny breads or crackers.
WINTER SALAD WITH TOASTED ALMONDS AND RASPBERRY DRESSING
DRESSING:
2 cups frozen raspberries, thawed
2 cups wine vinegar
2/3 cup olive oil
1 tsp honey
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Puree raspberries in blender or food processor; strain through a sieve and discard seeds. Pour into a jar. In a jar with a tight filling lid combine 1/3 cup of the raspberry vinegar with the olive oil, honey and garlic; shake vigorously until well mixed.
SALAD:
8 cups mixed salad greens
1/2 large red bell pepper, julienned
1/2 cup finely diced carrot
1/2 cup seedless grape halves
1/4 cup toasted almonds
Arrange the salad ingredients on individual salad plates or in a large salad bowl. Serve with the above raspberry dressing.
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Enjoy!

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Good Camping Food - Recipes and Tips

If you are a hiker, then you know the significance of good camping meals. Walking for hours each day requires more calories than most people need when camping outdoors. The calories need to be both high in carbohydrates and protein for maximum energy. A camping tasty recipes dinner for the hiker requirements will consist of dry foods that can be mixed and cooked on uncomplicated canister stoves.
If you have yet to cook outside on a hiking trip, you need to try it. Good camping meals suggests hot food and this is a heavenly experience for a hiker. And if you are spending the night outdoors, a hot breakfast every day is not only pleasurable, but will help give you the energy you need for the morning. Cooked food not only taste better in the outside, but it is simpler to digest. Your body will absorb the needed nutrients more quickly.
If you have never cooked outdoors before you will need to get at least one pot to cook in and a light weight stove. A good choice for a pot is one of the measurements readily available from MSR. The cookware is made from stainless steel and has locking lids as well as consider with hinges, so they fold up and save room when hiking. There are several sizes, but the 1.1 liter is a good choice. This is just over a quart and will be massive enough to cook several camping excellent recipes dinner for yourself or for two people if you are hiking with a friend.
Canister stoves are the best choice for a hiker. They are lightweight and the fuel is inexpensive. MSR tends to make the account Rocket Stove that can boil a quart of water in less than four minutes. It can easily cook with the 1.1 liter pot from MSR.
One of the best camping tested recipes dinner for the hiker is a high energy oatmeal mix. This mix can be made in the outside with ingredients stored in plastic bags or it can be mixed ahead of time and introduced with you in one ready to cook bag. Good camping meals always center around light weight dry ingredients.
Start with a cup of oatmeal and mix one 4th a cup of powdered milk. Add to this one third cup of raisins and a third cup of your favorite nuts. This can be a combination of your favorite or simply one nut such as almonds. Make sure you nuts are unsalted for this formula. You can also add a teaspoon or two of sugar, but many people find it unnecessary. Brown glucose will give it more flavor, and you can also experiment with other flavors such as a pinch or two of cinnamon. A good camping tested formulas dinner will usually be one that you have modified for you own private taste (don't forget about the kid(s) ).
Simply boil two cups of water and add it to the breakfast every day mix. Stir and let it sit for at least two minutes and you will have a hot breakfast time. This is one of the good camping meals that is prepared to eat. The oats provide carbs with the milk and nuts providing protein. The mix provides a well balanced meal that is nutritionally better than what most people eat for breakfast at home on a typical morning.

Good Camping Food is your ultimate resource for camping food. Outdoor cooking is an art that you can master.

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