Chocolate Cake with Whipped cream - THM S

Hello everybody! Don't have much time to write a long post today but I've been thinking about sharing this delicious recipe with you for quite a bit now... I owe it to some dear friends who have been asking me for either sugar free or gluten free desserts... This one fits both categories! So ... YOU HAVE TO TRY IT! If you are following the Trim Healthy Mama Lifestyle then let me tell you that this dessert should be eaten on an "S" setting (S for Satisfying). Also, remember that we have a special promo code for "The Coffee Shop" readers to get 40% discount on some delicious Torch Coffee, get 1 bag or take advantage of the discount and get several bags, they will make an amazing Christmas gift! Just pick your favorite gourmet coffee and use promo code: love4coffee at checkout.

Disclaimer: I am not being compensated in any way for hosting this special promotion. I appreciate TORCH for doing this for my readers.

 And now... the cake:

Devil's Food Cake

Recipe for the cake slightly adapted from: askgeorgie.com

For the cake: (all ingredients should be at room temperature)

• 1 cup almond flour
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 3/4 tsp baking powder (I use aluminum free)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup Xylitol (or you can use 1/4 cup of xylitol plus 2 tbsp. of THM Sweet blend*)
• 1/3 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

*Note: Erythritol and some sugar alcohols can cause discomfort for some people with a sensitive digestive system. Erythritol is an ingredient of THM Sweet blend, I prefer to use Xylitol (made from 100% Natural Birch).


For the whipped cream: (this ingredient should be COLD, really COLD) - if you're not a purist you can just use reddi-whip, I prefer to make my own whipped cream, it's really easy!

•  1 cup of heavy whipping cream.
•  1 doonk of pure stevia - add another if necessary to taste- ("doonk" is a THM term, a doonk is the equivaltent of a "pinch" or 1/32 tsp.) - you can also use truvia to taste-
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1st. of all place a big mixing bowl and the whisk attachment in the freezer to chill (to prepare the whipped cream)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter or oil the inside of an 8×8″ or 9×9″ cake pan.

2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda, xylitol (or sweeteners of choice, if you use xylitol make sure you grind it so it incorporates better into the batter) and cocoa. Stir with a wire whisk to mix and until lumps disappear.
 
3. In a second bowl, stir together water, eggs and vanilla. Pour into bowl with dry ingredients and stir to mix. Spread in the pan and smooth with a spatula. Bake 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few crumbs.

Cool over wire rack.

Right before serving make the whipped cream:

Place the heavy whipping cream in chilled mixing bowl, add the sweetener and mix on high for a couple of minutes (don't over mix) until it has the right consistency of whipped cream, add vanilla and mix on high for just a couple more seconds.

Serve over cooled squares of chocolate cake... BLISS!

 Enjoy ... with a cup of Torch Coffee of course.

second slice, why not?

   
© Paloma K.

Torch Coffee - Review and Exclusive Promo Code at the end

I've said several times that "Coffee" is not the only topic on this blog, but it is certainly our "original topic", it is what got this blog started and it is definitely what many times helps me focus so I can gather my ideas and write a post... Recently I heard that a friend (his name is Josh) joined the Torch Coffee Roasters Team  and I just knew it was the PERFECT job for him, he has great people skills, has always loved (almost to an addiction point) coffee and also loves serving the community.... Torch Coffee Roasters is allowing him to apply all of these strengths into this job! If you're interested to learn more about him, what he's doing with this company or if you'd like to learn about their ministry in China and how the need your prayers to spread their gospel allowing God to use their business please check this out.

So, intrigued by all this and wondering if it would be not only a good ministry to support but also a great product I ordered my first bag of Torch Coffee... I was excited when I received it

 I felt like a little girl on Christmas morning... so, there it was, the box and my impatience to open it... If you know my family and friends they will tell you that when I am asked for my opinion I will tell the truth... I will say it with love if I know it might hurt but I will still say it... so here goes my review for Torch:

- Shipment/Arrival: Excellent! There was no way the bag could open during the shipping process, it was well protected and safely packed in a cardboard box filled with enough protective packaging materials. It arrived quickly after I ordered.

- Packaging/Appearance: Beautiful! I loved their bag, it looks trendy and clean, keeps the coffee beans fresh and it's easy to understand, it even has a date that tells you exactly when it was roasted (mine was roasted the very day they shipped it! I am not kidding! It was that fresh)

Flavor: I got the SAN FRANCISCO Blend, it was honestly delicious and smooth but it's more for someone who is not a big fan of strong coffee, this blend was silky, very mild and not bitter... I love it for a relaxing night when you don't want a blend that will keep you awake all night. Hubby wasn't crazy about it, he LOVES CRAZY STRONG coffee (no cream, no sugar for him)... But I do recommend this one especially for that person that you want to "get started" into the coffee habit and they haven't gotten into it because they don't like the bitterness of coffee. I would almost dare to say this one has a certain "sweetness" to it.

PRICE:  I find it to be on the expensive side but still affordable (especially if you take advantage of the promo code I am sharing in this post),  I also find it to be worth the price because not only you'll be getting a great cup of gourmet coffee and a wonderful experience but also the satisfaction of knowing you're also helping a business with values, that has a vision for helping others, provide jobs here and abroad.

Their website: Torch Coffee Roasters

Look for yourself! I love their FB page as well, the customer service is fantastic and they keep their "audience" engaged, they communicate about what they're doing, where they're going and I love their videos as well. You should for sure check them out.

I love their wide selection of Gourmet Coffee... They have a special blend for every palate! Just check out their list:


So now... let's get to the part you've been waiting for. Today you'll get the opportunity to taste this coffee for a lot less! I am going to give you a 40% coupon (Courtesy of Torch) exclusive for the "The Coffee Shop" readers and followers. No need for "entry" you don't even have to "leave a comment" here or give me a "Like" on FB... (I'll love it if you do though) just check them out, get your first bag of Torch Coffee and you'll want more! ...  So... visit the Torch Coffee Store, select your favorite blend (Josh - my friend at Torch - highly recommends: "Season 2 Espresso" directly from Costa Rica (and their strongest roast), "El Durazno" from Chiapas, Mx (Chiapas has some of the best coffee in the world!) or Josh's  favorite blends, any of their "Kenyan's blends", he says they're fruity and delicious!  add your favorite (or favorites) to your cart and make sure you enter the following promo code: love4coffee (yes, like my blog address), share it with friends and come back for more, I will continue to share news and specials offers from Torch in the future, Torch and I are already planning on future deals for you!

Now... what do I gain from all this? Well, the satisfaction of helping a good, honest company with a great, high quality and delicious product and the great feeling of sharing a great deal with my readers... I am in no way compensated or receive any money in exchange for this review/promo

Just wanted to get that out of the way in case you were thinking something of the sorts.

again... Get your 40% discount over your total purchase at: Torch Coffee Store with the

love4coffee

promo code at checkout. You can't pass this opportunity. You can even buy several bags to give out as Christmas gifts... It will be PERFECT! 

Note: This code will be valid for a month and will expire on 11/26/2014

 © Paloma K.

The Coffee Shop is back!

Hello Friends! It's been a long, long, LONG time... I've going through a journey of what some would call 'self-discovery'.

Life happens, things change, children grow, knowledge increases, you freak out, you settle back down, etc... and that's pretty much what's been happening with me! In all this I have been wondering what I can blog about! It is crazy! This blog started with coffee... wanting to talk about it, wanting a cup of it and for sure wanting to share it with all of you! Then, things evolved and I realized that even when coffee would still be present, I wanted to widen my horizons and be able to talk about everything... and by everything I guess I meant "mostly food" because I was obsessed with it... and by mostly food It seemed to be "basically desserts" ... and then the kids came... motherhood hit...



No comments (Mother's Day 2014)

and I continued to blog... but the blog ended up becoming more a "what I baked today" ... and in my constant need to express myself I ended up with several more blogs... one to write about my very unique and fun marriage (I'm a Mexican and he's as white as you can get) so I ended up with a blog named "You're bread, I am tortilla" (or something like that), another blog to express my gratitude towards God for His presence in my life and His mercies towards me (Gratefulness Journal) and in the trying to stay true to my roots I ended up with another blog (but now about Mexican cooking) named "Cooking with Fire"...  and as the weight from all that amazing dishes became a BIG issue I then created yet another blog that I will not mention here but it talks about my journey towards a healthier weight... and yet another one, my latest blog was even a couponing blog (because yes, I became a couponer) ...... see how crazy? It's been basically a lot... and I've changed a lot... also my relationship with food has changed a lot as well (no sugar for me and only occasionally for my family! (Who would've thought???)  but... then... blogging just stopped! As things changed and I realized I couldn't keep opening blogs for every single idea that crossed my mind  I just stopped and realized this is the blog where I always come back... but I still love communicating and expressing and sharing... So I am trying to re-gain those of you who are still out there and still wanting to know about me and what's going on over here... and I look forward to updates from all of you to know what's going on over there... in your lives!

I still love cooking and I still love taking pictures!

 

Cooking classes... just a dream! they're expensive! It would be a fun date though!

I still love coffee and I still love talking with you! Whoever you are! I definitely need this space where I know I can connect with others! Thankfully I have lots of IRL people that are always there... but there's just something about a virtual space that allows you to connect with people that otherwise you would never even know exist! I want to make sure I stay here... in spite of all the changes! I'll be in touch with all of you! I guess I put myself and the blog in a box and I felt like I could only talk about 'a specific thing' here... I guess I forgot what I always said this blog would be... Just like a COFFEE SHOP... where we can talk about everything and anything going on in life! Whether we agree or disagree.. it will be ok! We're just here for coffee and to have a good time! We can get into the nitty gritty of the issues happening even in the politics if you want (blech! that can get ugly!) or we can just talk about the new shade of color on your carpet because of that grape juice your kiddos spilled!

 

Ah! Life! keeps moving, keeps changing, we change with it as well... But here we are... come and have a cup of coffee with me! you might want dessert with your coffee... I will too! (just sugar and gluten free, please)



Coffee always present, even when camping!

Ah! Home, sweet home! It's so good to be back!

Your friend... Paloma.

© Paloma K.

Inspired and Educational Coffee Friday!

Hello everybody! Welcome to our Coffee Friday Party! Today I am very happy to introduce to you a wonderful blogger, her name is Elizabeth Peterson, I don't really know her that well! But I love everything that has to do with education and arts! And she blogs in a very cool site, The Inspired Classroom, where teachers and parents can get inspired everyday!

I really encourage you to visit the site... Elizabeth didn't really share much about herself when she submitted the picture to be published here... I soon realized it has to be because she doesn't want to "toot her own horn" but... she's amazing! she's a 4th grade teacher and she's just so dynamic and creative... well... you can read more about her here

I will now let her share with us! Welcome to "The Coffee Shop" Elizabeth!

--------------------

 www.TheInspiredClassroom.com is the place where teachers can get inspired so they can be inspiring to their students.  I am a fourth grade teacher and arts integration specialist, I also blog regularly about arts
integration as well as other related  educational topics.  My website offers insightful posts, resources and professional development opportunities for educators of all subjects and grade levels.

Studio Day and The Creative Process

What is True Integration

Coffee is a must during report card time.  Don't get between this teacher and her favorite mug of coffee!

Elizabeth Peterson

So... Make sure you stop by her site and say hi to her! I am sure she will appreciate it! Thank you Elizabeth for sharing about yourself and some of your coffee with us!
© Paloma K.

Allergy Friendly and All Natural Coffee Friday!

Hello friends! I hope you are ready for our FIRST Coffee Friday Party of the year! May this year be filled with blessings and with lots of coffee (tea or hot chocolate) for all of you! I hope you've remembered to mention the word "coffee" somehow in any of your posts of the week, remember, the "word" can be in any of its forms, you can randomly mention your "coffee table" or even the name of your favorite Coffee Shop, it doesn't even have to be "the main subject" in your post. Then, just make sure you link back to us... You can use our "Coffee Party" button (find it on my right sidebar) and voila! We're good to go!

Today I have a very special guest, Julie, she is very enthusiastic and just a pleasure to work with! If you say hi to her she'll always say "hi back" so make sure you read what she has to say (below) so you can get to know her better... she's also sharing a delicious coffee-themed recipe with all of us! I would add a lot more about her but I think she's got it all covered... here she is:

---------------

About Me:

 Hello! My name is Julie, and I am SO excited to be here on The Coffee Shop to share a little bit about myself, my blogs and a recipe with you! Thank you, Paloma, for the opportunity! :) Let's see...A little about me. Well, I'm a housewife with Fibromyalgia (and I refuse to let it define me), Hashimoto's Thyroiditis and a heart arrhythmia; I have a passion for helping those with food allergies/sensitivities find the resources they need to enjoy life; I have a love for my family, my God and my country that just won't quit; and I love to blog. I've been married for 12 and a half years to my college sweetheart. I am also the mother of 3. My first born is a very intellectual, reading and writing-crazed, just-turned-10-year-old boy who has Hashimoto's Thyroiditis just like his momma and an excessive swelling issue with bug bites. My middle child is a zany, fun-loving 8-and-a-half-year-old boy who has Functional Hypoglycemia and trouble with reading and writing, but does the best he can always. My youngest is a darling little nearly-2-and-a-half-year-old daughter with just a hint of drama who loves to laugh and smile. Life is full with potty training, housework, games, church, school and trying to eat right and get just enough exercise for all of us...And finding time to blog about it all! :)

Oh, yes, and we have a cat, too. Her name is Crush (named after the turtle from Finding Nemo because she's tortoise colored and my hubby thinks he's funny :) ), and she thinks we're her kittens...We don't have the heart to tell her otherwise. :)

About My Blog:

I actually have 2 blogs.

1. Natural and Free : This is my recipe/information blog for those who have or take care of those who have one to all of the top 8 allergens (soy, wheat, fish, seafood/shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, eggs and milk). This blog actually started years ago (2006) as just a web page I designed called Soy Allergy off a site my husband and I have called BibleClue.com when I was struggling to find information on soy after I was "diagnosed" with allergies to soy, fish and nuts and was to avoid all forms of soy, fish, seafood/shellfish, tree nuts and peanuts (I no longer have these allergies, if I ever had them to begin with.). It's since morphed into Natural and Free, going through several stages in between. (You can read more about this on my Facebook page and under my "Why I Started This Blog" page on my blog, if you like.) 
2. Fibro, Fit and Fab!: I started this blog to share my personal journey about becoming fit and fabulous despite having Fibromyalgia after I was diagnosed with that chronic condition on August 8th of this year. Where Natural and Free is more recipes and information, Fibro, Fit and Fab! is more about my daily life. 

I have: 
• Facebook: /NaturalAndFreeBlog 
 • Twitter @NaturalFreeBlog 
 • Pinterest /naturalandfree 
 • Google+ 

Feel free to add me at any or all of these locations if you wish (I update about both blogs at all these locations whenever I post), and let me know so that I can keep in touch. You can also email me, and I'll get back with you ASAP. :) I look forward to connecting with you! 

And now...  A Coffee-themed Recipe Just For You!

Seeing as it's January, cold and snowy (at least in the Northern part of the Michigan where I'm from) and I am visiting here at The Coffee Shop, I thought I would offer you my allergy-friendly, cost-effective, natural food alternative to a Caramel Mocha. My version (an adaptation from one I found here: Homemade Salted Caramel Mocha) is soy, egg, wheat, nut and fish-free, and it can even be milk-free and sugar-free (see variations)! How awesome is that? Allergy-friendly never tasted so good! :)

Caramel Mocha 

3/4 Cup white sugar, divided
3 Tablespoons salted, full-fat butter
 4 1/2 Cup milk, divided
1/2 Cup cocoa powder
2 Tablespoons instant coffee
1/8 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon vanilla

1. In a medium saucepan, cook 1/2 Cup of the sugar over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a spatula (if it becomes lumpy, reduce heat and refrain from stirring), until it turns a deep amber color; add the butter and stir until it is melted. 
2. Add 1/2 Cup milk, coffee, cocoa, salt (if using) and remaining 1/4 Cup sugar and mix until well blended. (Note: Be careful! The hot sugar will bubble up when you add the milk.) 
3. Add the remaining 4 Cups of milk and stir until everything is heated thoroughly. 
4. Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the vanilla before enjoying. 

Yield: Makes about 5 one Cup servings.

Variations:

•  Milk-free: Use a dairy-free milk for the milk and a dairy-free butter for the butter. Just keep in mind your allergen needs when picking a substitute. 
• Sugar-Free: Use a sugar substitute in place of the sugar.
• Frothy Top: Place a 1 Cup portion in the blender and blend for a few seconds before pouring into a mug for a nice frothy top.
• Coffeehouse Style: Top with whipped cream, caramel sauce, cinnamon or any combination that you like to make a more "coffeehouse" style drink. 
• Iced Caramel Mocha: Let the mocha cool and then serve over ice.
• Caramel Mocha Frappe: Let the mocha cool and add a 1 Cup portion to a blender along with 1/2 to 1 Cup (amount based on preference) of ice and blend until desired consistency. I would start with the 1/2 Cup of ice and add more if you want it thicker. 

I hope you all enjoy the recipe! Thanks again to Paloma for having me! I enjoyed my visit tremendously! :) I hope you all have an amazing 2013 and stop by to visit me at my blog(s) soon! –Julie 

--------------------------

Don't wait any longer! And stop by Julie to say hi, thank her for sharing some coffee with all of us (good stuff!) and start following her... Thank you again Julie for being part of "The Coffee Shop".

Coffee Friday - Update

Hello everybody! Just to let you know Coffee Friday will be back after the Holidays! Our  next Coffee Party will be on Friday January 4th, 2013! Keep taking pics of your coffee mug, coffee stains, coffee beans.... even a coffee ring! Anything coffee! send them to my e-mail love.for.coffee@gmail.com to be featured here or just mention "coffee", even if just randomly, on any of your posts to link up with us!

Here is our Coffee Party button...

<center> <a href="http://www.love4coffee.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="The Coffee Shop" src="http://goo.gl/XfoA6" /></a></center>

Enjoy!


© Paloma K.

Coffee Friday - Traveling Mug!

Hello everybody! This is a very expected day for me! Yes, it is Coffee Friday and as you know we have a link-up party that I hope you are part of and I also hope you enjoy and get to know other bloggers that also, somehow, mentioned coffee in their blogs... Maybe they said "I hate coffee!" or maybe something like "I need coffee" whatever it was, you already have something in common! And I am very honored to have you here!

But... the other reason why I've been expecting this day, is because I have been talking to Marysia  from My Travel Affairs  about featuring her blog! Things happened, even my SITS Day Happened... and we had to schedule her blog for today! She has such a special talent and opportunity in her life... guess what she does... she just TRAVELS! yes.. she gets to see the world and share what she sees and learns with all of us! I love her blog it's always so interesting and colorful, the different places, cultures, costumes... it's just amazing!  I see the world like a huge house, some of us just get to see one or two rooms, some get to see even three or four, this lady is taking the whole tour!I hope you visit her! I know you'll love her and her blog too!

Now... here is Marysia and her post:

When I found out from Paloma that I will be featured on the Coffee Friday I wasn’t too sure what I’m going to write about. I drink coffee everywhere wherever I travel and those can be really normal places like Zurich, Paris, Oslo and Tel Aviv or some outstanding and unusual places like Oman, Jordan, Benin and Kazakhstan.

I have decided to write about coffee drinking customs in Arabic countries. To be frank I love traveling in the Arab World. It is always a genuine experience, and I’m always seeking for those. People are extremely polite and hospitable. Sights breath-taking. And sun is everlasting!

Coffee is omnipresent in daily life in all Arab countries and under most circumstances. It has been this way for centuries, in homes, coffee shops, deserts and streets. Coffee is central to the meaning and symbol of any event. When coffee is served at their inception, it certainly means that things are going well.When people meet and guests visit, coffee is served as a gesture of hospitality. Often served for free to signify that visitors are welcomed. That is something I have learned in Oman while visiting Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Muscat. I have been approached be Arabic woman to join for coffee and talks on the tourist-welcome center.

Socializing without coffee in Arab homes and public places comes across as not right. Serving coffee has a strong deep rooted significance in Arab life, traditions and cultures. The host serving the coffee expects the guest to drink it as a sign of respect and acceptance of the hospitality. There is many rules coming with it. In Oman the host has to be standing when serving coffee to sitting guests and can only sit with them after the drinking coffee is finished.

Omani people will serve only little of coffee so you can almost see the bottom of the cup and there is no rule about numbers of servings while Bedouin in Jordan will serve almost full cups and you should customary shake the cup after 3rd round. Fourth is considered greedy. The proper etiquette is to tilt the cup a couple of times, quickly, from side to side, holding it between your finger and thumb and it means you do not wish to have a refill.

Arabic coffee tends to be bitter. Often, but not in every country, fresh dates will be offered with the coffee to sweeten the brew. In Oman yes, Jordan very rarely. Iran and Saudi always. Refusing coffee is considered rude and often insulting to the host.

In some countries you can be lucky and observe the old custom for coffee preparations, serving and drinking which is called ‘gahwa’. Whole coffee beans are poured onto a shallow long-handled iron pan called "mahmasa." This pan is set above the flames. The host stirs the roasting beans with an instrument called "yadal mahmasa." The roasted beans, when cool, are pulverized with a pestle in a mortar called " mahbash”. But those days it is usually the powdered coffee, ground in electric grinders, usually prepared by adding it to boiling water with or without sugar. It can be left to brew as the case is in Arab Gulf states and among Bedouin communities or served immediately. Spices such as cardamom and saffron can be added to the coffee. Cardamom usually softens its strong taste. I personally love cardamom! Like a real Arabic person, they even put it in the food while cooking.

I have seen both way, first one in the private house in Oman and the other in Ajlun Castle in Northern Jordan where I have been invited by supervisor after a guided tour to join his team workers for coffee in the office - meaning a desk in the corner of one of the rooms of the castle. The coffee has been cooked in front of me while we spoke about our countries and recent weather anomalies in Jordan. Coffee making is always accompanied by lively conversations!

If you will ever have the opportunity to partake in an authentic Middle Eastern coffee preparation, do it because you will cherish the memory and find it extremely interesting. Until then, what about enjoying a delicious cup of Spicy Pumpkin Latte or real Italian espresso?!  I’m just putting a kettle on...

WOW! I learned so much! Loved it! Thanks, Marysia, for sharing all this with us! I hope many of "The Coffee Shop" regulars will stop by your blog and thank you for "the cup of coffee" you brought today!

Visit Marysia's blog: My Travel Affairs
Like her On Facebook
Follow her On Twitter



© Paloma K.

Coffee Friday - Let's figure out How the Pieces Fit!

 Hi everybody! Today is Coffee Friday, and I am very excited to introduce our Featured Blogger! Her name is Melissa Edwards  from Figuring Out How the Pieces Fit. Her blog is interesting, creative, educational and filled with knowledge! I really admire Melissa for her passion for education and for always seeking for new methods to learn, create, explore and not retain it to herself but also share it with the world!

Melissa earned Masters degree in Reading Education, and I love it when she says "my favorite time of the day was when it was time to Read Aloud." I can identify with that! She is not only knowledgeable, but she is also compassionate and such a great friend! If you want to meet a blogger that will for sure correspond with the same level of friendship... well...here she is! So please stop by her blog and make sure you get to know her better!

Now... I leave you with Melissa:

---------------

I am Melissa and I write over at Figuring Out How the Pieces Fit ...

I tend to write about creativity, learning, and instructional technology resources ...

My blog started as a place for me to keep track of the things that I found that I wanted to remember  .... 

Over the years, it has taken me on a journey full of making connections, collaborations, and having a great time exploring creativity! 

I know that is a lot of things that start with the letter C ... but coffee is one C word that I don't interact with .... well at least yet!

I am not sure why I haven't tried coffee ....

I used to enjoy drawing coffee cups ...

I love collecting coffee cups ...

I even just ordered a coffee mug with the name of my blog on it ...

But I don't drink coffee ...

I do have a shirt that I enjoy wearing ....

Theme: Coffee

I had that shirt on this other day and my dad asked me why I was wearing it since I don't drink coffee ...

I don't know ...

I like the shirt! :)

I even participated in a coffee cup blog swap one time! I got partnered up with another blogger and then we looked at the other person's blogs and picked out a coffee cup to send! What does your blog say about you?

Maybe it is the warmth and comfort that I associate with coffee that keeps me so interested in things that go along with coffee ...

 --------------------

So... if you enjoyed Melissa's cup of coffee even when she hasn't had any... would you please stop by her blog and say "Thanks"? :) You can also follow her on twitter here

Happy Coffee Friday Everyone!

© Paloma K.

Coffee Friday with my SITSTAH's!

Hi! Welcome to "The Coffee Shop" My name is Paloma, I am a funny, creative, very random and disorganized woman, passionate about God and about my family! I love cooking/baking, music, reading and writing! But more than anything I love spending time with my family and there's no better time than when we're all together!

I embrace fall... and I let it embrace me as well!

I started blogging about 4 years ago and even when becoming a mom for the first time and then having a second one made me struggle at times,  I've continued to blog. I really enjoy it! When I started back then... I immediately knew I had to "meet others" to connect, learn and succeed! I found out that SITS would make all of that possible! What is SITS? Well if you're reading this post you probably already know, but just in case and for those that don't know yet, SITS is an "all girl community" where women/bloggers support each other! and we call each other "sitstahs" pretty cool, huh? And today, well, today is my turn to be in the spotlight and I am thrilled and excited to see how many new and kind bloggers I get to know and get to know me!

If you know me already you probably know that "The Coffee Shop" is not about "coffee" necessarily, it's a place where I get to connect with others, make them feel welcome and hopefully provide with not only great recipes but also good conversation and encouragement! In this busy world and age we need that connection, especially women - I think - to stay sane and be able to juggle with it all! I have two precious little ones and a wonderful hubby, they sure keep me busy, so I don't have as much time to just go to a coffee shop with friends and relax. So I thought of creating a place where we could do that even from home, office or wherever we are!

Cool! huh? Right now I am working on a Fall/Thanksgiving Series where I hope I can motivate others to host their own Thanksgiving dinner and know that the host/hostess can enjoy it (stress-free) as well!!

Thanksgiving Made Simple I Thanksgiving Made Simple II Make your own Menu! Appetizers - Deviled Eggs! Appetizers/Stuffed Celery How To Carve a Turkey Cranberry/Orange Relish Apple Pie - "Leaves Crust" Apple Cake with Maple Cream Frosting Pumpkin/Walnut Cake with Caramel Cream Topping Fall Sugar Cookies! Pumpkin Brownies Pumpkin Spice Coffee

InLinkz.com

Today is also our "Coffee Friday" Party! Read more about it here and send me an e-mail if you'd like to be featured!

And, well, just jump right in and get to know me a little better! I'd love to get to know you too!



© Paloma K.

Coffee Friday - Join our Princess Tea Party!

What? No coffee on our coffee Friday? Well... you're free to have your cup of coffee with you! I actually have mine as I type! But we don't want to make those who don't like coffee feel left out! After all "The Coffee Shop" like "any" coffee Shop it's more about the atmosphere, conversations (or silence) and everything around a cup of [insert the name of your favorite drink here] ... And this particular "Coffee Shop" is for both coffee lovers and coffee haters! I do love coffee Fridays to be about coffee... but I want to make sure we also reach those who don't like coffee at all !

Today, I have a wonderful lady here as our Featured blogger... she is one of those people you actually can almost "hear their voice" as you read their blogs! There's a sweetness to her that is just irresistible and you find yourself having to go back to her blog time after time!

I am very blessed and feel encouraged when reading her honest/genuine posts! I am sure you'll feel the same way! So ... instead of just going on and on about her let me just go directly to the introduction... her name is Laura and she is Pruning Princesses, in short Laura is a Jesus follower, a tea aficionado, a wife, an only child, and a mother to two girls. She writes about raising girls on her blog,

  ... and today, just because she doesn't like coffee... and I want to make sure everybody is included... I am letting you link back to us and link up even if you didn't mention "coffee" anywhere in your posts... bring "any drink" you want! So if you mentioned "tea, hot chocolate, iced tea, coke or any other drink -even water-" you are welcome to join Today's Party!!!

Now... I'll let Laura do the talking:

 I hate coffee. The smell is fabulous. I never could acquire the taste. If it hadn't been for that tea party in Boston, America might never have became a nation of coffee drinkers!
Winter in the Midwest necessitates that each resident has a favorite hot drink. Mine is tea. At first, I was tentative. Tea is deceptive like its cousin coffee. It can smell much better than it tastes. The first tea I loved was called Licorice Spice by Stash. It was sweet and smelled like it tasted. The aftertaste was subtle and pleasant. 

After my first baby I became a tea snob. Once a week my dear husband would give me the morning off from mommy duties. My favorite spot to unwind became a tea shop (not a drop of coffee in sight) near the capitol building in Des Moines called Gong Fu (the art of tea). Two peers had traveled the world searching for the best teas and learning about them. They passed their knowledge onto their customers.
I learned that green and white teas should never meet boiling water. And they shouldn't sit in the hot water for more than 2 minutes. They taught me that to decaffeinate a tea, pour the hot water over the tea, wait 10-20 seconds and dump the water out. Most of the caffeine will come out in those seconds. Use the same tea leaves and repour the water and enjoy decaf. I learned about the smooth clay cups used in India to serve chai. In India, the cups are thrown on the ground and broken when the drinker is done. Somehow food and drinks are better with story and expertise to enhance them. We moved from Des Moines a year after my new found love of green tea began.

As a mom, I've passed on my love of tea to my two girls. They are 8 and 10 but love tea. In drinking tea together, we've all expanded our list of favorite teas. Almost every afternoon we have tea time (so very British of us!). We switch it up regularly. Some days we do smooth mint teas, others we try American fruit teas like raspberry or peach. And recently after reading a fabulous young adult lit book called The Tea Shop Girls (so many tea facts packed into an appealing YA book for girls), we've been loving black teas like English Breakfast or Earl Grey with a little cream and sugar.

I try to keep my girls away from teas with caffeine, but their favorite tea is a white tea (which has 1% of the caffeine found in coffee) Sharing my drink love with my girls means we all squeal when are in a city with a chain store called Teavana. There are always 4-5 tea samples around the store and all their teas are loose (meaning not in a bag). Our favorites so far are Youthberry White and Jasmine Green. But good tea is useless if you make it wrong. And my girls know how to make perfect cup of tea. Let me share.

• Find a quality tea. It doesn't have to be loose, but fresh loose teas have the best flavors and they are beautiful (full of dried leaves, fruits, and flowers). Start heating your water. Know your tea. Read the brewing directions on the label because all are not equal (the first tea lesson I had to unlearn). If you can, use a clear mug, watching the color ooze is exciting.

• If you have green or white tea, let the water boil and then cool to 180 degrees Fahrenheit before using (fill your tea cup with boiling water add an ice cube or two and the water is ready for tea). Overly hot water will turn green and white teas into bitter concoctions that you won't enjoy.. And with these teas, don't let the tea sit in the water for more than 1-2 minutes for green and 2-3 minutes for white. The girls and I always add 2-3 drops of liquid Stevia to sweeten our tea though others prefer honey or rock sugar.

•  If you have a herbal or black tea, the water temperature can be boiling. The soaking time does not matter except according to your preferences, usually 4-5 minutes is best. 

• And if you are looking for an easy Chai recipe, try this one.

I know Paloma loves her coffee as do her readers, but now you can make a cup of green tea without a bitter taste. It might surprise you. 

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Thank you so much Laura for sharing some tea with us!!! Don't forget to stop by Laura's beautiful blog and get to know her better at: Pruning Princesses- Raising Girls to Love God in a World that doesn't  , make sure you say "thanks" for the cup of tea she shared with us today!

Have a great weekend!


© Paloma K.

Coffee Friday! - You're going to be glued!

Hello everybody! Welcome to our Coffee Friday! I told you we'd have a special blogger today! Are you ready? Well... Our featured blogger is: [[[[drumroll]]] Stacey from Glued To My Crafts she is such an enthusiastic, dynamic, creative person! Crafty stuff is just not my talent... I mean... I'd love it to be ... but it's just not! She just makes it all look so simple! I do feel inspired when I visit her blog, she has yummy recipes, all kinds of crafts and many of them are children friendly! (moms of toddlers, RUN to her blog!) and I've found it to be a pleasure to work with her as we talked about today's feature! It's really a great pleasure for me to introduce her to you on this special Coffee Friday! ... I know she's bringing coffee in some form... let's see what she's prepared:

Hello everyone. I'm Stacey and I blog over at Glued To My Crafts. I'm a mother to a nearly two year old boy and a wife to man in the Air Force. I love cooking, crafting and inspiring. Ok, the last one is more of an "I hope I inspire you." My blog is mainly about life experiences, recipes and craft creations. Everything I post can we be recreated with simple, everyday items you probably already have in your house. I don't spend a lot to be crafty, and neither should you. I really hope you check it out and are "inspired."
Now that we got that out of the way, I want to show you my Coffee Cupcakes. They are topped with homemade whipped cream. Can we say delicious? Now stop drooling and check out the recipe.

Ingredients for Coffee Cupcakes
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons Instant Coffee, dissolved into 2 tablespoons water
Ingredients for Whipped Cream Topping:
2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons Confectioners’ Sugar
1. Preheat oven to 350 and line muffin tin with liners. (Makes 12 cupcakes)
2. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar until light and creamy. Add the egg, coffee, milk and vanilla. Mix well. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture. Once all flour is incorporated, increase the speed to medium and beat until the batter is smooth.
4. Divide the batter among the prepared cupcake liners, filling the liners 2/3 of the way. Bake the cupcakes for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool cupcakes on cooling rack.

Homemade Whipped Cream
1. Place the heavy cream in the bowl of a stand mixer.
2. Turn on mixer on low speed and slowly increase to medium-high speed.
3. When the cream reaches soft peaks, add in the confectioners’ sugar. Continue whisking until stiff peaks form.
4. Once cupcakes are cooled, add a dollop of whipped cream on each cupcake. Enjoy!
I love these because they are different and I had all these items already in my pantry. No need to run out and go crazy, finding ingredients. I created these for a group of girls I entertained the other day. We had our cups of coffee in hand & were watching the kids play. I usually make cookies for play dates like these, but I decided to be spontaneous and whip up these sophisticated little cupcakes. And lucky for me, they were a hit and I think the moms will be back! I even got asked to share the recipe, so I knew this was perfect for me to share with you.
Hope you give them a try. Thank you Paloma for letting me join in on hosting this Coffee Friday! Enjoy!

So... what did you think?  Doesn't it sound great?  I hope you stop by Stacey's Blog and thank her for sharing some coffee in the form of a delicious cupcake with us! Glued To My Crafts

Thank you again Stacey! This has been so much fun!




© Paloma K.