Seattle's Best So Simple Iced Coffee

Have I ever told you the story of how Brad and I met?  Well, our little love story started out like this...

One fateful summer day, I stumbled into a little coffee shop right down the street from my new college apartment.  It was smack in the middle of an ideallyic little area called English Village and was called Joe Muggs Newsstand.  I had just moved to Birmingham, AL with one of my best friends, Mary Katherine, to go to college.  We wanted part-time jobs, and low and behold, Joe Muggs was hiring!

We filled out our applications and both got hired.  What a massively fun job that was!  I became a "Master Barista" and could make a mean iced coffee, cappuccino, mocha, or whatever your coffee-lovin' heart desired.  Those were such fun times that I'll never forget.  I could go on and on with stories about working in that little shop.

Shortly after I started the job, I met a handsome fellow that also happened to work there.  Yep, you guessed it...His name was Brad.  I had a crush on this Brad guy and eventually talked one of my co-workers into talking to him on my behalf.  I know, I know...the easy way out, right??  :)

Well, their conversation went well, and Brad and I started dating.  The rest folks, is history.  We've been happily married for over 8 years now.  I can't believe it...My, how time flies!

Joe Muggs Newsstand

 

That hubby of mine is always goofing off!

As you can imagine, coffee holds a special place in our hearts.  In fact, the favors at our wedding were coffee packets with custom labels - "Brad & Celeste, The Perfect Blend."  We even had a custom coffee-chocolate groom's cake!

So, when the great folks at Seattle's Best Coffee recently contacted me to let me know that their House Blend Coffee was now available at Publix stores, I was thrilled to hear this news and so excited to give it a try...especially this particular Iced Coffee recipe.  With summer *officially* here, the temperatures in Alabama are rising quickly, and iced coffee is a refreshing substitute on these sweltering days.

This recipe brings backs memories of the Iced Coffee we used to serve at Joe Muggs.  The flavor is rich, yet smooth.  It's really quite delicious!!  Plus, it's made from high quality, Latin American, arabica beans.  Even the coffee connoisseur hubby of mine was impressed.  After just one sip, he was in love!

 Also, from 6/14/14 to 7/4/14, House Blend is on special at Publix: Roast and Ground House Blend packaged coffee is just $4.99, and House Blend K-cup® Packs are $5.99.  You can't beat that!

You can find more information and additional recipes at  www.seattlesbest.com.

Bon Appetit, my friends!

Seattle's Best So Simple Iced Coffee
Source:  Seattle's Best Coffee

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups cold water
1 1/2 cups ground Seattle’s Best Coffee® House Blend

Supplies:
Bowl
Mixing spoon
Coffee filter or cheese cloth
Strainer
Carafe or bowl with lid

Directions:
Pour grounds into a bowl. Add 1 cup cold water and stir gently. Slowly add remaining 1 1/2 cups cold water, agitating the grounds as little as possible.

Cover, steep at room temperature for 12 hours.

Strain the coffee grounds through a filter. Store concentrate in refrigerator up to 5 days.

To serve, add 1 part coffee concentrate to 3 parts water over ice. Enjoy your smooth-tasting iced coffee with your favorite mix-ins or toppings

Yields 1 cup / 300m

I’m participating in a Seattle’s Best Coffee® blogger campaign and received compensation as part of the program.  However, all opinions and reviews are 100% my own. 

GIVEAWAY: Win a $500 Calphalon Giftcard!!

So, I'm super duper, incredibly excited to offer my wonderful readers (that would be you!), a chance to win a $500 "Your Set by Calphalon" giftcard...Yes, $500.00, just in time for Valentine's Day!!  It's my largest giveaway to date, and I can't wait to give you all the details...

I recently had the opportunity to have lunch with 2 awesome reps from Calphalon, and they told me about something that I think is really cool.  They have a new program called "Your Set by Calphalon".  Have you ever gone to purchase a new set of pots and pans and wished that you could customize your set instead of being stuck with whatever pots were already included in that particular box set?  The brilliant people at Calphalon have remedied that whole problem.  They've got a wonderfully interactive website where you can pick and choose exactly which pots you want in your set, so that you can create something special and unique...totally tailored to the way YOU cook. 

Starting with a 5 piece base set of core pieces from either Unison Nonstick or AccuCore Stainless Steel, you can add up to 8 pieces from either - or both - collections.  So, you could basically have it all, within one set...the convenience of nonstick pans, and the classic performance of stainless steel.  Pretty cool, huh??

What I really love about the whole thing is the interactive website, which allows you to not only shop by product but by technique and cooking style.  The website will make recommendations for you based on whether you want a pot that's best for soups, braising, stir-frying, roasting, sauteing, etc.  Inspirational menu suggestions, detailed use recommendations and great photography/video all come together to round out the experience.

PRODUCT REVIEW:  AccuCore Stainless Steel 3 qt. Saute Pan & Cover
Calphalon gave me an "AccuCore Stainless Steel 3 qt. Saute Pan & Cover" (photo above) to take home for a test drive.  I had never really cooked with stainless steel before, since my current set is all nonstick.  I love how easy the nonstick pans are to clean.  However, it only took me a few uses with this stainless steel pan to see the difference.  I've already put it through its paces, and it has impressed me every single time.  It's a product that you know is built well.  It feels solid and performs incredibly.

I was worried about food getting stuck or burnt, but I was pleasantly surprised.  So far, no problems at all.  The AccuCore products have a 5 layer construction with a copper core, two internal aluminum layers, and a brushed stainless steel cooking surface and exterior.  The copper core produces controlled, even heating and totally eliminates hot spots.  It was also surprisingly easy to clean, which made me happy.  Plus, it's dishwasher, broiler and oven safe, with a full lifetime warranty.

In summary, I'm so impressed with this saute pan, that I'm seriously considering purchasing an entire set from the AccuCore line.  My current set has seen better days, so it's almost that time.  And I'm not just saying that because Calphalon gave me one to try.  This is an honest review of a product that I feel is a great one.  That's why I'm so excited about this giveaway! :)

Speaking of which, let's get to it!!

How to  Enter:
Simply leave a comment on this post, which answers the following question:

Which Calphalon product is at the top of your wish list?

Also, for extra chances to win, simply do the following and leave SEPARATE additional comments letting me know that you did:

• Like Sugar & Spice on Facebook
• Follow Sugar & Spice by Celeste on Twitter
• Tweet the following "NEW GIVEAWAY: Win a $500 Calphalon Giftcard!!! @SugarSpicebyC @Calphalon #giveaway http://sugarandspice-celeste.blogspot.com/2013/02/giveaway-win-500-calphalon-giftcard.html"
• Follow the Sugar & Spice by Celeste board on Pinterest 

The Rules:

• Entries must be submitted by midnight (CST time) on Wednesday, February 27th. 
• A winner will be picked at random (using random.org) and will be announced on Thursday, February 28th.
• Please make sure you include your name and email address so that I will have a way to contact you if you win...especially if you leave a comment using the "Anonymous" option.
• At this time, the contest is open to US residents only.

Good Luck, and THANKS for reading!  :)

Roasted Cherry Almond Brownies + A Product Review

It's cherry season, my friends!  And what goes perfectly with cherries?  Chocolate, of course!

I can't remember a time when I didn't love cherries.  In fact, I once drank so many cherry-flavored SqueezeIt drinks (does anyone else remember those??), that I broke out in a cherry-induced acid rash.  I know, I know...lovely.  Although, I must admit that I only really developed an appreciation for FRESH cherries...pits and all...as an adult.  My cherries of choice as a kid were of the maraschino variety, plucked right out of a glass jar.

I recently brought a bag of the gorgeous red fruit home from the store and didn't know right off what I wanted to make with them.  The answer came in the form of chocolatey, intensely rich and fudgy brownies, studded with roasted cherries and sliced almonds...Oh, yeah!

Now, these definitely aren't your normal, boring ole' cakey brownies.  The juices from the cherries keep these brownies incredibly moist and fudgy in texture.  These are not meant for the chocolate-faint-of-heart.  :)

Another reason that I couldn't wait to make these, is because the great folks at OXO recently sent me one of their Good Grips Cherry/Olive Pitters to try out.  I really don't know what I've done all these years without a good cherry pitter!  One thing that has kept me from cooking and baking with fresh cherries as often as I'd like is the fact that you have to stand there and pit each and every one.  Not fun, if you ask me.  I can honestly say that this OXO Cherry Pitter made the job super easy and so much faster.  The holder is generous enough to hold large cherries, and the splatter shield kept me from getting red juice everywhere.  The handles are soft and comfortable, and it seems very sturdy and well-made.  Now, I'm not one to keep tons of extra little gadgets in my kitchen that I don't use often, however, this is certainly one that's worth having.

So, if you're having a chocolate-induced craving anytime soon, give these brownies a try.  In fact, if you want to go ALL out, maybe you should even top them off with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Yum.

Bon Appetit, my friends!
 

The OXO Good Grips Cherry/Olive Pitter made quick, easy work of pitting the cherries.

Roasted Cherry Almond Brownies

Adapted from:  tideandthyme.com

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and halved

1/2 cup butter
2 cups chocolate chips, plus 1/2 cup reserved
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar, plus 2 tbsp sugar (divided)
4 eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup sliced almonds


Directions: 

Preheat the oven to 450 F.  Combine the cherries and 2 tablespoons of the sugar in a small roasting pan and toss well to combine.  Roast the cherries for 10 minutes, or until they begin to release their juices.  Remove the pan from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 325 F.

Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper or line it with foil and grease it very well with butter. In a small bowl, combine the flour and salt and then set aside. Melt the butter in a medium size saucepan, then add the chocolate chips and stir with a wooden spoon until they are melted. Remove from the heat, add the sugars and stir to combine.

Add the almond extract and the eggs, one at a time, stirring between each addition. When the mixture is smooth and shiny, slowly add the dry ingredients to the mixture in the saucepan. Add the chopped cherries and the reserved chocolate chips.

Spread the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan and then sprinkle the top with the almonds. Bake for 28-32 minutes, just until an inserted toothpick shows moist crumbs. Let the bars cool completely before slicing. Enjoy!

Note:  I used a 10x10 baking dish (for thicker brownies) and increased the total baking time to about 40 minutes.