I finally joined the Cold Brewed Club

I think it's safe to say I am behind the times when I just tried my first cold brew coffee at Starbucks as of a couple weeks ago. I'm not usually an iced coffee fan so it was easy for me to pass this trend by. But on a whirlwind family road trip across state borders to buy a vehicle, a Starbucks stop was a must and it was so hot out- a cold caffeine fix was a very appealing option.

I'm glad I took the chance on the cold brewed trend because it does have it's merits. The coffee is strong and bold with a much smoother taste. It seems the cold brew process is able to extract the coffee flavor while being able to bypass the acidity and bitterness that is usually just a byproduct of a good cup of brew. After my cup of epiphany at Starbucks I knew I was going to want to find a reliable method to be able to make my own at home!

 Thanks to Bzz Agent I had a new bag of coffee to try out and a cold brew experiment seemed like the perfect opportunity! If you guys haven't heard of Bzz Agent before, I strongly encourage you to go get signed up with them! I have been able to try out so many new, fun products thru them, all the while sharing about my favorite discoveries with friends. This time, I received a bag of Seattle's Best Coffee Dark Intense no. 5 blend. I have to admit this was my first time trying Seattle's Best Coffee and I wasn't disappointed!

 Now that I had the coffee, I needed to find the best cold brewing method. After some web browsing research, I found this method from the The Kitchn, using a French press in the fridge over night. I loved that this was a "prep the night before and forget about it" method. I have been really enjoying my French press as my coffee making device of choice lately but it is a little more time and prep work in the morning then, say, my keurig. But it was easy enough to measure out my coffee, mix it with some cold water in my French press and place it in my fridge for the night. My coffee was pre-ground so I was a little concerned it wouldn't be coarse enough for my French press, but I didn't seem to notice any issues with that.

 The next day I finished off the press process and ended up with a smooth, dark coffee concentrate. I  poured it over iced cubes in a mason jar and mixed half and half, chocolate syrup and a sprinkle of sea salt-delicious! I definitely recommend giving cold brewed coffee a go. I am usually a very dark roast kinda girl, but  I actually think a lighter roast would offer a nice option here. I'll have to experiment with that next!

Blueberry Season is upon us! And the best blueberry recipe around

I enjoy instilling family traditions into my boys' lives, especially those I relished as a child. One such summer tradition is blueberry picking! Here in Southern Oregon, blueberries are bountiful and delicious. By mid July, we've usually visited one of the local blueberry patches and pick a few buckets of sweet, blue beauties.

 

 The little boys love being able to free range thru the rows of ripe berry bushes,  eating as many berries as they can possibly stuff into their little mouths. I love taking home an ample supply of berries for making lots of treats. 

   My absolute favorite blueberry recipe is one I found on a pamphlet from the Bluberry Coucil picked up while blueberry picking with my family as a teenager. Every time we pick berries, I automatically make Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberry Ginger Sauce. We all know that blueberry pancakes are delicious, but this recipe takes them to a whole new level.

 My family loves these pancakes so much, I just had to share the recipe with all of you! 

Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberry Ginger Sauce 

Ingredients

• 1-½ cups part-skim ricotta cheese or drained small-curd cottage cheese
• ¼ cup butter, melted
• 4 egg yolks
• ½ cup flour
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel (yellow part only)
• 8 egg whites
• 2 cups fresh blueberries

Instructions

1. In a medium-sized bowl, combine ricotta, butter and egg yolks until blended
2. In a small bowl, stir together flour, sugar and lemon peel
3. Stir dry ingredients into ricotta mixture
4. In a medium-sized bowl, beat egg whites until they form soft peaks
5. Fold egg whites and then blueberries into batter
6. Over medium heat, form cakes by spooning ¼ cup of batter per pancake onto a hot lightly greased griddle or skillet
7. Cook cakes, turning once, until browned, about 4 minutes
8. Serve with Blueberry Ginger Sauce

Blueberry Ginger Sauce

1. In a large saucepan, combine 2 cups fresh blueberries, ¼ cup sugar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon finely chopped crystalized ginger or ½ teaspoon dried ground ginger
2. stir in 1⁄3 cup water
3. Over medium-high heat, bring to a boil
4. cook and stir until sauce thickens, about 1 minute

This is one dish that just consistently brings me nostalgic joy. I love these fluffy, moist pancakes studded with fresh blueberries and smothered in a tart sauce with a bite to it! 

My little boys seem to be big fans as well!  I love creating our own family culture- our own traditions, routines and recipes. 

 What are some beloved traditions or recipes your family enjoys?