Diving Into Dairy Free

So we have decided to go dairy free for our little miss Ainsley. Bouts of fussiness and arching her back through all hours of the night even on reflux medication (same as we had done for Delaney 3 years ago) lead us back to the pediatrician and also a chiropractor for insight and answers and also to rule out any ear infection, etc. Everything ruled out - so the elephant left standing is dairy in my diet. (and possibly soy- but we are going to talk about that right now - because if you take out dairy there is almost nothing left it feels - and so to also remove soy - omg let's just not go there right now). Tofutti sour cream and cream cheese are my saving graces right now - take those out and then what?? Yikes. Ok..on to the dairy free stuff.

When you first think about going dairy free it is pretty crippling. All you goes through your mind is what you cannot have. But there is light at the end of tunnel for all you fellow dairy-free people out there! I know you have that deer in the headlights look as you grip your bottle of powdered probiotics and stare at your pantry and fridge...because it is ALL DAIRY...but rest easy. There are options, choices, and you WILL feel better - and obviously baby will too.

We started this journey about a month ago and it has made a big difference for me even. I cheated and had a cupcake with dairy cream cheese and was in so much pain myself afterwards. Oy.

So here are your first steps if you are going dairy free that I found helped me.

1. Stock up on the staples: Kroger has an awesome natural food section that features a lot of what you need to go dairy free. The idea of trying to fit in an extra trip to the healthfoods store was daunting to think about when toting around two children during our limited weekend time - but really I have been able to find almost everything I need at Kroger. Yay, Kroger! :) Meijer has limited items and I haven't foraged Walmart for dairy-free so I cannot report on the scene there if there is one...but save your sanity and go to Kroger.

Buy dairy free staples that will help you daily in cooking, baking. Almost any recipe can be modified to be dairy free - this is freeing to think! Creamy casseroles, cookies, etc....modify, modify, modify.

Here is your staple list:

• Dairy Free Butter
• Dairy Free Cream Cheese
• Dairy Free Sour Cream
• Alternative Milks (coconut, almond, or rice)
• Alternative Cheeses (mozzarella, cheddar, etc)

I found it helpful to go ahead and buy half gallon cartons of several different alternative milks...so yes, there is an entire shelf in my fridge dedicated to milk.

I have found that almond milk has much more subtle taste than soy milks or coconut milk - making it great at modifying recipes that call for cows milk. I haven't tried rice milk yet - but may here in the future just to see how it compares to almond milk.

On the dairy-free cheese - do not hold much hope on these folks. Unlike the easy substitutions from dairy to non on the milks, sour cream, etc....cheese is in a league of it's own and I haven't tried enough of the alternatives out there to say what works best. I have tried what I read was the best and...eh. Just not cheese. Helps ease the transition, but so obviously not cheese. Especially cheddar. Just a word of warning on that.

In my fridge:

• Almond Milk Original - is slightly sweetened. Works as a great substitute in baked goods, cereal milk, french toast, and frostings.
• Almond Milk Unsweetened - for things like mashed potatoes, cooking dishes like casseroles etc where you wouldn't want a sweetened taste at all.
• Almond Milk Chocolate - helps with those chocolate milk cravings! And yum!!
• Coconut Milk - Coconut milk is a fattier milk than almond milk and works in recipes calling for whole milk. I have used mine to make an uh-mazing dairy-free ranch dressing.
• Tofutti Cream Cheese - great for subbing in recipes that call for cream-cheese including frostings.
• Tofutti Sour Cream - goes great on tacos, and any recipe calling for sour cream.
• Daiya Cheeses - Cheddar and Mozarella

My dairy-free sanity savers:

• Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips
• Homemade Dairy-free ranch dressing - mix up a jar to keep in the fridge - you will be glad you did
• Hummus (do yourself a favor and add a clove of minced garlic and some olive oil, stir, and warm it up - yum) - sooo good and filling with warmed, soft pita bread cut into triangles.
• Bacon
• French bread loaves 
• Burger King French Fries

In the event that  I decide it might be worth it to try going soy-free:

• homemade soy-free "soy" sauce
• subbing  greek yogurt (something about the yogurt cultures eating the lactose making it ok for dairy free - haven't tried so not sure) for the tofutti sour cream
• kraft lactose free cheese ?? (statement found on Clarks Condensed: *Most brands of Kraft Natural Cheese have had the lactose removed, along with the whey, resulting in 0 grams of lactose, including the 100% Grated Parmesan that is used in this recipe. However, some remnants of lactose could remain, just not at a reportable level. From most that I’ve talked to that are lactose intolerant, Kraft Cheese does not bother them, but if you have an extreme intolerance, be cautious.")

Helpful Links:

• http://www.wikihow.com/Live-Without-Dairy-Products
• http://www.cookiesforbfast.com/2012/09/dairy-free-faves-snack-edition.html
• http://jennifermendelsohn.com/dairy.htm
• http://willingcook.com/surprising-premade-allergy-friendly-foods/
• http://mustfollowrecipes.blogspot.com/2010/01/pre-packaged-dairy-free-egg-free-peanut.html
• http://www.clarkscondensed.com/food/best-lactose-free-products/
• http://www.pinterest.com/hemhawseesaw/cheese-substitutes-dairy-free-soy-free/

Milk Conversions for Recipes (borrowed from: Cooking with Curls)

• Heavy Cream = Coconut Milk (can)
• Whole Milk = Coconut Milk (box) or Soy Milk
• Non Fat Milk = Almond or Rice Milk
• Half & Half = Half Coconut Milk (can) & Half Coconut Milk (box)

Delaney-isms

"Oh no! My hands are cracked!"

(She is just now noticing and referring to the lines on her palms and also that her skin is so dry from this brutal winter. She originally wanted a bandaid or "bandage" as she refers to them as for the cracks. Ha!)

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

"Delaney, who is your new friend at daycare?"

"Angry."

"Angry? Is she mad? Or is that her name?"

"That is her name."

"??"

(Turns out her name is Avery and, small world that it is, she is the child of someone we went to high school with!)

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

Also "Octopus" can be easily confused with "Apple Purse" :) 

Daddy and Delaney were having craft time and he asked her what she wanted him to make her out of the craft paper. And she said an Apple Purse - so that is what he made...and she told him no and took it from him and cut the bottom all up (for legs) :) 

It wasn't until a few days later when he was retelling me the story that we put it together. 

(Indianapolis) To Do with Toddlers: Veal's Ice Tree

This has been one of those soul sucking winters that just makes you want to pack up and move to the equator. I mean S.E.R.I.O.U.S.L.Y. Now add in an on-the-go toddler and an infant and you practically spell out stir crazy.

We packed everyone up this past weekend and spent a day at the mall (ugh), the three-year-old burnt some energy with Dad at the indoor playground (yes, germ-city - we know...)and Mom took the baby around to cross off some returns from our list of to-do's.

Afterwards we revved up the GPS and headed towards I-74 in search of the fabled ice tree. I have heard about it off and on for the last several years but never made it out that way. It really is a must-see! In person this ice sculpture is just magnificent and jaw dropping - makes you stand there in the family's backyard in utter awe and silence. Definitely will be a seasonal family tradition from now on! In fact Delaney asked to see it again this morning -- a full two days later! Next time we will remember to bundle the baby - so THAT's why those pink baby snow-suit things exist - aha!

Pick up a brochure while you are there and read more about the tree and it's history - fun little back story.

Leftover Magic and Improvised Refridgerator Cooking

There is something exciting about taking ho hum leftovers and creating something fantastic out of it. I also see the random left overs in the fridge as a bit of a challenge. Sour cream, whipping cream, half a box of vegetable stock....bring it.

We had went out Saturday night on a rare double date night with some new friends and came home with half of a chicken. I told him to order pasta but he swears he didn't hear me - but either way we came home with an entire half a chicken that he didn't touch much of. I do admit it didn't look good - neither of us enjoy picking meat off bones.

Sunday night rolled around and I was still looking for ways to use up the half a box of vegetable stock that has been in our fridge from a pasta sauce recipe we tried. Perusing through my evernote recipes for inspiration - it hit!

Half a left over chicken fully seasoned and cooked from the restaurant + vegetable stock + sour cream + 1/4 bag of tortilla chip crumbles = Enchilada Soup!

It is a recipe I have saved in my evernote account for awhile now that has sounded so good! Though at first, as it was cooking up I was skeptical - wasn't hitting me as great as far as smell or taste with just the chicken, store-bought veg stock and tomatoes. Not to mention that I forgot to grab heavy cream from the store - boo! Nothing else to do but improvise! Took advantage of the "cream of something soup mix" I had made up quite a while ago in the pantry - put in 2-3 tablespoons. And a few tablespoons of flour, a few tablespoons of butter - lots of salt and pepper.

But what really made this meal come to together are the add-ins. They take the soup from mediocre to sheer inhalatino-mode.

Here is what we added and suggest making mandatory if you plan on trying this recipe at all - of course they cannot be added on until last minute right before serving.

- crumbled tortilla chips (enough to make up for the thickness of the soup depending on how much chicken you put in etc - I never got the base to actually become creamy as the recipe states - of couse I didn't have heavy cream so this could why - no I take that back - it is definitely why - but I didn't want to NOT make it or run to the store again - so two handfuls of crumbled chips it is! 
- cheddar cheese
- monterrey jack cheese
- sour cream dollop
- green onion
- and inhale :)

Instagram: Let's be Friends

Who wants to join me on Instagram!?

More Easter Goodness

Just a little internet (Zuily) window shopping - carry on, carry on! :)

Think long, dark curls and a 3 year old + this purple dress












And this macaroon lip gloss - because, hello!

Web Finds Wednesday: Brace Yourselves Its a Long One ;)

10 Parenting Hacks that Changed My Life

My latest dinner inspiration = Buns In My Oven

Hometown Tourist Desitnation (where I want to visit next) = Holliday Park

Loaded Baked Potato Fritatta

Learn Web Design Guide

The Best Parenting Books I know

Colicky Babies May Have Wrong Bacteria

Crispy Chicken Wraps

The Way We Work Is Soul-Sucking, But Social Networks Are Not the Fix

Crispy Pork Carnitas

Inner Child Fun

10 Things Moms Need to Remember

12 Reasons the RIE Craze Isn't Crazy

Easter Basket Ideas 2014

Love learning gifts for our little ones and who doesn't love a good deal?! - this week Zuily has both!

Animal Puzzle Spelling Set

Octpus Bow Hair Clip

It's an "applepurse!" as my husband would say. (It's what he thought our little one was saying when she was tyring to say "octopus") 

P.S. I MUST find way to make these - too adorable!

More hair clip adorableness:

Ballet Slippers Clip (PERFECT for our ballerini-obsessed 3 year old!)

Animal Grabber Set

Also a little family inside joke here - and would totally replace the two beloved "sharkies" that managed to make it back to Indiana from our North Carolina vacation but have since met their demise through various tragedies that are inevitable to befall a flimsy plastic stick toy. :(

Maubs

Maubs is 3-year old speak for boobs. lol.

As in, "You maubs leaking, mom? Are they leaking?" Seeing my soaked shirt (hello nursing oversupply and overactive letdown) or watching as I scramble to locate where I put my nursing pads.

Ah the fun of having a 2 month old and a 3 yr old. :)

Web Finds Wednesday (Saturday Edition)

Awesome Story about a Bullied Kid Growing up to be an Awesome Adult

100 Things to Do in Indianapolis Before Your Kids Grow Up

To You Who Bring Small Children to Church

Deep Dish Cookie Pie (with a secret ingredient)

Wow

So a little behind is an understatement.

Our household as grown! Not only was baby #2 born (10 days late!) in a whirlwind of a labor and delivery (only 4 hours total! - holy wow!) but we also took in and bottle fed a kitten.

Gah!

So we are now at two kids, two dogs and two cats! Oy vey!

Hoping to jump on here more often - ya right - TWO kids remember?? No, but really I miss it and need to get back to it! :)

Anyone faithful enough to stick around and still be reading??

Babies Have Guess Dates

One more I have to share --- reminding myself. :)

Post by Marsupial Mommy.

Everything is a Symptom

My Baby Bump Shadow on the bathroom wall - Nov 12, 2013

At now one day over my "due date" everything is a symptom of early labor. :)

Think I am kidding?

Google: "runny nose and 40 weeks pregnant" or "sore throat and 40 weeks pregnant" - and you will see what  I mean.

Not convinced?

Try "heartburn and 40 weeks pregnant" or "hot flashes and 40 weeks pregnant".

Any day now! But trying to be patient this time around! I wasn't last time - walked and walked and walked, spicy foods, pineapple, anything I tried it - except like castor oil - did not and will not try that.

But ended up with a high tear and had to be induced three days after my due date....hadn't even had a contraction before the pitocin. Which kinda scares me because I don't really know what a real contraction feels like that isn't medically induced.

Was at the hospital last Sunday (long story - but just stress and nothing I could control myself stress-wise) - and was all hooked up and the doctor said I was having contractions which I could kinda feel but they were nothing compared to what I have felt a few times and NOTHING like what the pitocin contractions are like.

Anywho, this is my mantra today...my focus.

Post by Mother Health International.

VoxBox Love

I want to post how much I truly appreciate being a part of the Mama Vox Box program! As a mom it is hard to keep up with new products that might make my life easier or that I would love. A store run means milk, eggs and bread - and usually I forget at least one of those things - so looking at new things to try?? Ha!

So a box full of the latest goodies for me to test and try out and share with my friends is just AWESOME. There hasn't been an item that I haven't fallen for actually.

Here is my 3 year old testing out the latest BB Cream by Pond's. I love this stuff - and she does too - lol! Received two different shades in the box - a light and a medium tone and I use both! Light first to conceal my dark circles (hello, tired mom) and then the medium over that. Blends nicely and is just a smooth cream - love it! Has taken over as my favorite when I had been using the same old concealer for YEARS. What can I say - too easy to get stuck in your ways. But glad to have the opportunity to try a new one - because it is great!

There's More to the State Fair than Food & Rides

What I like about making our annual trip or two to the Indiana State Fair every year is that is it about so much more than just food and rides, in fact, if we can manage it we avoid those altogether - bringing our own food and drink, etc. So much money and a gut-ache afterwards. Yes, of course, there is the obligatory Lemon Shake Up and we do usually end up buying something yummy to split and eat - but for the most part - the fair, for us, is not so much about those things.

Why we visit the fair is more for the experience, creating memories as a family, and to learn new things. Which we certainly did during Indiana’s Family of Farmers Blogger Day at the Indiana State Fair on Monday, August 5!

 

We visited the DuPontFood Pavilion where we watched the Food Demo stage in the Red Gold Culinary Corner and heard great cooking tips and so much more. 

Then we caught a ride on the Soy Biodiesel Tractor Shuttle to the north side of the fairgrounds, - the shuttle is the WAY to go at the fair with little ones in tow. ($1 per person per ride - 2 and under are free)

 

 

We experienced the brand new Glass Barn and watched a live video chat with Heather from Hill Farm at 11 a.m. Got an inside peek into pig farming and go to see cute squiggly, wiggly baby piggies. What is great about these video chats and the exhibit at the Glass Barn is that it makes you truly realize that there are FAMILIES (people, men, women, and children) behind the farms that produce our food.

 

Like the Glass Barn on Facebook 
Follow the Glass Barn on Twitter
Visit the Glass Barn Website 

Like Indiana's Family of Farmer's on Facebook
Follow IFOF on Twitter
Visit the IFOF Website to Learn more

We're headed back to the fair for trip #2 here soon! 

Pregnancy Skin Issues Begone with Beaute De Maman

Had the pleasure of trying the awesome Beaute de Maman line of skincare products developed by a board-certified OBGYN especially for the delicate skin of pregnant women - and while at first a little skeptical of noticing any sort of different beyond the already gentle approach I was taking - I was blown away.

I am typically not one for boutique skin creams as I prefer to be able to grab my beauty products at any local grocery - I am, after all, a busy mama! (the Beaute de Maman website says you can find their products at CVS now!) One stop trips are key nowadays. Sadly I still have a Kohl's gift card from Christmas 2012 I haven't used yet because I just never make it that direction - but I have SOOO been meaning too - this mama is in need of a new wallet and purse - mine is looking downright shabby :/ - wallet is missing the zipper pull and the interior coin zipper is broken and the purse is getting worn edges. Work, home, grocery store, park, not much time or energy for extra trips with a toddler in tow to just pleasure shop. Oy.

Anyways, back to this skincare line. :) Sorry, got off track for a bit.

Between the face and body acne cream and the facial scrub blackheads that have been on my nose for as long as I can remember have vanished - and we are talking post baby #1 blackheads here!  Pretty much a miracle worker this stuff! In fact I plan on using it after pregnancy to see if it will continue to help with light my adult acne issues - because it most definitely cleared everything up and nothing that I have before now has! It is made with gentle and natural ingredients like tea tree oil - which you can smell hints of in the acne cream and with hormones being crazy with breastfeeding etc I am sure I will get way more than 9 months of benefit out of these products.

If you are suffering from pregnancy skin issues, like hormone induced acne, sensitive skin when you didn't have that before, and stretch marks - this line is a great product to try. I imagine if you are not accustomed to the smell of tea tree oil that that might set you back at first on the acne cream, but I found it was still just faint enough to not bother my queasy tummy and the facial scrub is indeed a scrub which I don't prefer to use everyday - just feels so harsh to have sharp, rough granules scrap at your face both morning and night - this typically doesn't bother me at all but if I am having a particularly sensitive night it does.


Follow Beaute de Maman on Facebook
Join Beaute de Maman on Twitter
Visit their website

Disclaimer: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe would be good for my readers.

Gender Reveal! It's a.....

Sorry for the delayed post on this! The cat has been out of the bag for nearly 3 weeks now!

We had our 22 week ultrasound on July 8th and did a small casual photo shoot right in the doctor's office lobby afterwards to commemorate the moment in a cute way. (cannot take credit for this idea - a friend did it on facebook first - but I totally had to steal it! )

Two colors of suckers were stashed in my purse....and after we found out via the ultrasound what baby #2 was gender-wise - we gave the appropriately colored sucker to our toddler....posted it to Facebook and sent the picture on our phones to our family and friends....

And then...

Made.them.wait....

FOREVER!! hahahah! 

No that is the best part really. ;) Watching them guess, and beg and plead to PLEASE, PRETTY PLEASE, JUST LET US KNOW!! :)

Well, folks, it was PINK!

Little miss Delaney Ruth will have a little sister to play and have tons of fun with come November!!! :) 

(She was honestly baffled when we asked her what color the sucker was - in an attempt to get her to take it back out of her mouth for the picture - the looks she gave us - definitely said, "wow, guys, you JUST gave me this sucker...how did you ALREADY forget what color it was??" :) )

Sinus Infection Relief When Pregnant

In other words - how to muster through the pain and suffering without succumbing to death (maybe extreme - maybe not - have you had a sinus infection?? No? Then shush.) It sucks...now try it pregnant when you are very limited on how you can medicate yourself and your body's defensive system is a little too preoccupied with important baby-growing-stuffs and cannot seem to possibly be bothered to fend off or get rid of some icky, infected, blinding-pain inducing mucus in your nasal cavities.

[Warning - Long post of epic pity party proportions.]

Ok, so you had a cold (gleaned from your husband and toddler - they recovered in 3-5 days tops) and it was no fun right? Then you got an ear infection (true story) - even better huh??

So, a trip to your local CVS Minute Clinic, some low level antibiotics, a pat on the back, and a few days later you're hit with a full-blown, raging sinus infection that you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy. And, oh yes, it's summer - the weather is a scorching 94 degrees, you have a 2.5 year old, work full-time and are also 23 weeks pregnant. Have fun with that. :(

Some flonase and stronger antibiotics and within 2 days you can MAYBE say you are 8% better ---- eight percent...as in not even 10%. 3 days later on the flonase steriod nasal spray and the antibiotics and you are still only like 15% better.... :( Green mucus is now coming out of your eye because it has nowhere else to go with the pressure and the swelling and the clogging/stuffiness, and the pressure is comparable to a tooth needing a root canal - makes you wish for a muscle relaxer, high grade pain meds, or a stiff drink type pain...that is where I was at the last two weeks - people.

So what has kinda helped?
- warm mist humidifier on full blast in a small room with the door closed all night long (yes the room is upstairs and the weather is hot so already it was at 75 degree before running the humidifier - now it is like 85-90 - oy)
- hot compresses held to painful pressure spots
- sleeping in a semi-upright position - pillows, pillows, pillows (and for the first couple of nights - benedryl to knock ya out to at least get some rest while you wheeze/ cough with your mouth open all night)
- neti pot (while this is kinda helpful - really doesn't quite work as it should since you are soooo clogged that the warm saline solution - made from distilled NOT TAP water cannot even pass to the other nostril) I do think it helped work a lot of the junk out though - so better than nothing for sure! And towards the end of the infection it helped relieve the sinus pressure.
- saline nose spray - though this can backfire and just make things worse...soo I dunno
- carmex, burts bee lip balm, coconut oil (for chapped lips and raw skin from breathing with your mouth open all the time and from constantly wiping and blowing your nose)
- applying chest rub straight to the painful pressure spots - ah sweet (temporary) cooling relief from the pain at least - really did squat in the actual decongestion department but then again nothing has really touched that department yet - except maybe the neti pot
- tylenol to at least dull the intense pain of sinus pressure bearing down on your teeth, under eye, eye, and jaw
- rest

What didn't seem to help - but is worth trying and is known to help others:
- clariton d / sudafed / mucinex (check all meds with your dr first - all were on my safe list)
- benedryll
- bowl of steaming water with drops of essential oil and a towel over your head
- steaming baths/showers

The icing on the cake in this fun scenario? My family doctor has disowned me - I hadn't seen her in 4 years just due to not really being sick enough to go etc - that I am now considered a "new patient" and they aren't accepting new patient appointments until the end of August. How lovely.

So all this is occurred without a primary care physician - I obviously need one, yes - but I also need a doctor now - right this freaking second - no time for interviews, insurance paperwork, etc. So it's been trips to the local CVS Minute Clinic (very nice actually) and calls to my OBGYN - who at the moment is technically my PCP since I am preggo with baby #2 due in November.

Just..sigh...ready to not be sick any more.

5 days of lack of smell, taste and breathing through my nose - and going on 2 full weeks of being sick...in the summer...while pregnant and with a toddler...oy vey.

[Pity party thrown.]

[Update: I finally felt relief on Sunday (day 6 of the antibiotics and nosespray) - into the 3rd week of this misery - sinus pain is still lingering, nose is still partially clogged, and I now I have a constant tickly cough from the yuck making its way out - BUT I don't feel like death - hallelujah!]

Crazy for Coconut Oil

It all started off innocently enough, having read about the benefits of coconut oil on a few blogs, sources, and pinterest posts here and there that when I spied a small jar of the stuff at TJ Maxx while browsing one day that I picked one up. (I've been sticking with Kelapo Extra Virgin Organic Cold Pressed Unrefined Coconut Oil - haven't tried other brands yet but do know that I love this one!)

Now, three jars later - I am hooked.

I add a tablespoon to my smoothies, I use it as lip balm, a healing ointment for wounds, lotion for dry skin, as an under eye cream for wrinkles and dark circles, as an acne cream for break outs, lessens the appearance of scars, on stretch marks, in my mug of hot tea, on itchy bug bites, in baked goods, as a base for essential oils, - love this stuff! Especially for skin it just does wonders. And I am just scratching the surface for what it can be used for.

50 of the Best Uses for Coconut Oil
80 Uses for Coconut Oil

If I go through the next jars as fast as I have the first I may start consider buying in bulk online.

Definitely worth a try if you've been meaning to do so or ever wondered about it.

Go grab a small $5.99 jar at TJ Maxx in the cooking, seasonings aisle - I now get the larger $8.99 jars - small investment for how far it goes and in so many directions. (Coconut oil can also be found at your every day grocery store - Walmart, Meijer, etc - in the cooking aisle- I have even seen a coconut oil cooking spray now.)

The only thing I haven't used coconut oil for, surprisingly, is cooking. Go figure. :)

Here's a few recipes I found here lately that sound SO GOOD that use coconut oil:

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
Strawberry Coconut Chia Seed Banana Bread
Dark Chocolate Banana Bread
Frozen Banana Chocolate Peanut Butter Bites
No Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Coconut Oil Protein Bars

(this post is not sponsored by Kelapo in anyway - I just love this stuff and had to tell all my wonderful readers all about it)

Iced Coffee Concentrate with Best Boy & Co Caramel Sauce

The summer is flying by! With vacations, summer colds, family reunions and now a summer sinus infection for mommy - it's been a rough ride lately.

One nice (and easy) thing I've managed to keep in the fridge for a quick and tasty little pick-me-up for both my husband and I (more sparingly for me since I am preggo with baby #2) is this great iced coffee concentrate mix. 

I've tried different mixes/concoctions in the past for iced coffee - some more complex than others - and honestly haven't been impressed - but this one is a breeze to whip up and tastes soooo good!

5 simple ingredients - bring to a boil - cool and you're done! Our Best Boy & Company Bourbon Barrel Caramel Sauce has a lot to do with the amazing taste - and for the next batch (our third!) I think I am going to try to go mocha and use Best Boy & Co. Hot Fudge Sauce --- yum!!

We stored our first batch - which was only a partial batch because I didn't have enough instant coffee to make a full batch - had only 1/2 a cup - in a tupperware container - see above. The next batch (full batch) I used a cleaned out and relabeled coffee creamer container - ran out of room and put another 2/3 full into a glass mason jar! Makes a lot! The pourable containers help eliminate mess - making it easier to mix up your coffee concoction. Pour, stir, enjoy!

The final product - dark yummy concentrate! 2 TB for 8 oz of milk goes a long way! And you can customize how sweet or strong you want it by using a little more or a little less.

Iced delicious-ness right there! 

(P.S. that's my favorite ceramic reusable coffee mug - 

has a little rubber lid that fits over it - not pictured - but definitely my favorite!)

This recipe is one of those Facebook timeline posted ones you come across now and again - I like to save ones I like in my Evernote account. I tried looking up the original source but it seems a little all over the place. I did trace it back here to a Pampered Chef consultant's page - Diana's Kitchen Corner via Soul of a Chef. Those Pampered Chef people are so dang clever - with their yummy recipes and their awesome products. :) (love, love, love my lime/citrus press, bag clips, icing gun, trifle dish, and spatula/scraper - and a garlic press is on it's way to me now). Funny how much you gradually accumulate over the years attending parties for friends/family here and there. 

Iced Coffee Concentrate 

1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups water
1 cup instant coffee granules
1 1/2 tps. vanilla
1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping

*Bring all ingredients to boil. Cool and store in the fridge in an airtight container. 

Use 2 tbsp. concentrate with 8 ounces of milk over ice!

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