Don’t you just love super fancy coffee shop drinks that you can make at home?? I do, which is probably why I keep using toddler nap time to try out different yummy combinations. 🙂 This dulce de leche hot chocolate is one of my favorites! It is so deliciously sweet and smooth and creamy! It’s very rich, so a little goes a long way, but it sure is a nice treat on a cold fall day! I made this one night for Mike and I to try and we both loved it. I made the full recipe, so I ended up refrigerating the leftovers. Well, the next day I made something that we liked even better than the original hot chocolate! I combined the dulce de leche hot chocolate with our morning coffee – half hot chocolate, half coffee.  It was delicious! I wish I could drink it every day, that’s how good it was. Mike swears it’s one of the best things I’ve ever made. So there you go – the hot chocolate is amazing on its own, but we think it’s even better when combined with coffee. However you drink it, I’m pretty sure you’ll love it. 🙂

p.s. You can buy dulce de leche at the store (or on Amazon), or make your own. I used this recipe to make my own and it was so easy!

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How good does this pumpkin spice chai latte look?? I can’t believe I never thought to combine the flavors of pumpkin spice and chai before, but I’m so glad I did now! I have now made this pumpkin spice chai latte three times in a short period of time so that should tell you how good it is. 🙂 It is creamy and sweet and full of fall flavor from the pumpkin pie spice. I love that it uses real pumpkin, and that you can adjust the sweetness and flavor to your liking. I didn’t have whipped cream in the house when I made this and took the pictures, but you better believe that next time I’ll be adding a little bit on top. 🙂 We love any sort of chai tea in our house, and this pumpkin spice chai latte is no exception – it’s a new family favorite!

p.s. Looking for more chai? Try my recipes for chai latte, chocolate chai latte, and spiced chai concentrate!

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Did you know that watermelon is my absolute favorite fruit? I’m pretty sure it is Zeke’s favorite as well. The two of us can polish off a watermelon so quickly that it’s almost embarrassing! A watermelon at peak ripeness and sweetness is a wonderful thing – especially when it is cold and fresh from the refrigerator! Unfortunately, I am not an expert at picking out great watermelons (any tips to share??), which means that more often that not, the watermelons I pick are just not that great. Most are sweet enough, but every once in awhile I get one that is just too mushy or mealy to eat. I’ve always just thrown those out, but not anymore! Now I make this watermelon slush. 🙂

This watermelon slush is delicious, and so simple to make. Just combine watermelon, a tiny bit of sugar, lime juice, and ice in a blender. Once it’s all blended up, you’re left with a slushy sweet drink that is ridiculously refreshing. We all love it, and watermelon slush is a now a staple on hot summer afternoons. And best of all, it only takes 5 minutes to make.

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This is the perfect time of year for warm and comforting drinks. It’s been negative degrees here for the past week or so and I’ve really enjoyed the chance to taste test a few batches of this chocolate chai latte. 😉 I was so disappointed when I realized that Starbucks stopped selling their version of chocolate chai, as it had quickly become my favorite drink. So of course I had to try to recreate the recipe on my own. 🙂 I’m not sure how close this is to the original, but I do know that this version is absolutely delicious. Although it’s made with chai teabags, this latte doesn’t actually taste that much like tea. It’s sweet and chocolatey and creamy and spicy all at the same time. It’s a little bit like a cross between hot chocolate and chai tea, which sounds kind of strange, but is actually quite delicious. If you’re looking for a new drink to curl up with this winter, try this one – it’s a new favorite!

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Last week I promised you a recipe using your homemade apple pie spice, and here it is! But don’t worry if you didn’t make the spice mix – you can substitute cinnamon, it just won’t taste quite as fantastic. 😉 This homemade cinnamon spice coffee creamer is wonderful. It’s easy to make, keeps for awhile in the fridge, and is a delicious addition to your morning (or afternoon!) coffee. Mike and I have been enjoying it for the past week or so, and it makes a normal cup of coffee into a delicious fall treat. I also love to use it in tea – chai is my favorite! I love that not only does this creamer taste great, but it also uses normal ingredients so that you know exactly what you’re pouring into your coffee, and can feel good about it. If cinnamon spice isn’t your thing, you could also try pumpkin spice creamer or vanilla creamer!

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You are going to love this homemade hot chocolate! I made this for Zeke’s birthday party last weekend and it was a big hit. We had a Winter “One”derland party (thank you Pinterest), and set up this creamy hot chocolate as part of a hot chocolate bar! Everyone who tried it absolutely loved it. It is rich and chocolatey and completely delicious. I realize hot chocolate season is almost over, but I couldn’t wait until next winter to share this with you. If you’re like us here in Michigan and still “enjoying” quite a bit of cold weather, make this hot chocolate to cheer yourself up.  It’s so completely creamy and wonderful that you’ll almost be glad the cold weather stuck around. 🙂

*Note: This recipe can be made in a crockpot as well – perfect for a hot chocolate bar!

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I am on a homemade coffee creamer roll! After discovering just how easy homemade creamers are to make, I haven’t been able to stop. I loved the previous versions (pumpkin spice creamer and peppermint mocha creamer), but I think this vanilla creamer is my favorite! It’s perfect to use on a daily basis since it uses all natural ingredients and is a little more healthy than the typical store bought version. Also, the recipe calls for an actual vanilla bean, so the vanilla flavor is nice and strong. I like that you can control the ratio of milk to cream, and even use skim milk if you want. I don’t feel nearly as guilty putting creamer in my coffee each morning with this homemade vanilla creamer! 🙂

Homemade Vanilla Creamer

Ingredients:

1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
4 Tbsp maple syrup
1 vanilla bean, cut in half and seeds scraped out

Directions:

In a medium sized saucepan, whisk together milk, cream, and maple syrup. Cook, stirring, over medium heat. When mixture begins to bubble around the edges of the pan, remove the pan from the heat and add in the vanilla bean and seeds. Cover and let sit for 20-30 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and refrigerate before using.

*If you don't have a vanilla bean on hand, you can substitute with 1 Tbsp vanilla extract. You won't need to cover and let sit if using vanilla extract.

from Deliciously Organic

*Linked to One Creative Weekend and I’m Lovin’ It

I’ve been looking for a good homemade hot chocolate mix for years. I wanted a classic, more “gourmet” mix that used real chocolate and was stirred into milk, not water, and this mix was exactly what I was looking for. It combines both semisweet and bittersweet chocolate, vanilla sugar, and good quality cocoa powder to create a hot chocolate mix that is full of rich chocolate flavor. Because the chocolate is the star of the show, it’s important to use good quality. Thankfully the Ghirardelli baking bars were on sale at my local grocery store, so I was able to stock up without spending a ton of money. And honestly, with as good as this hot chocolate mix is, it’s worth a little extra expense. This recipe makes a lot (72 servings!) which means it’s perfect for gift giving. Just put some in a little bag, tie with a ribbon, attach the serving instructions, and you’ve got a cute gift that your friends and family are sure to love.

Homemade Gourmet Hot Chocolate Mix

Yield: ~76 2-Tbsp servings

Ingredients:

1 vanilla bean
4 cups granulated sugar
1½ lbs. good quality semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used Ghirardelli for both types of chocolate)
9 oz. good quality bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 cups Dutch-process cocoa powder (I used Hershey's Special Dark)

Directions:

Split and scrape vanilla bean and place in a large bowl or jar with the sugar. Work seeds into the sugar with your fingers. Bury the pod under the sugar. Cover tightly and let stand overnight (or up to months) at room temperature.

In a food processor fitted with metal blade, process the chocolate until finely ground, using 4-second pulses.

Remove the vanilla bean pod from the sugar. Add ground chocolate and cocoa powder to sugar and whisk to blend, making sure to combine well. Store mix in an airtight container at room temperature for up to six months.

To serve, combine 2 tablespoons cocoa mix with 8 oz. of very warm milk and mix well.

from Confections of a Foodie Bride

I warned you when I made homemade pumpkin spice creamer that I would be trying a peppermint version during the Christmas season. I only lasted a few days after Thanksgiving before I gave in to the demand of Christmas flavored treats. And this homemade peppermint mocha creamer is the perfect way to add some Christmas spirit to your morning coffee. Or hot chocolate for that matter – this would be equally delicious in both. 🙂 As with the pumpkin spice version, this is incredibly easy to make and has been a big hit around here. I lightened mine up by using skim milk in place of the whole milk, so I don’t even feel too guilty having a little bit every morning. 🙂 Now that I’m on a homemade creamer kick, what other flavors should I try??

Homemade Peppermint Mocha Creamer

Ingredients:

1 cup whole milk (*I used skim with good results)
1 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons maple syrup
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon peppermint extract

Directions:

In a medium sized saucepan, whisk together milk, cream, maple syrup, and cocoa powder. Cook, stirring, over medium heat until the mixture just begins to bubble around the edges. Remove from the heat and stir in the peppermint extract. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and refrigerate before serving.

from Deliciously Organic

I am so excited to share this recipe for homemade pumpkin spice creamer with you. If you follow me on Facebook, I’m sorry I teased you with it last week! Since I normally drink my coffee in the morning while it’s still dark out, I had to set up a special photo shoot just so I could get some natural light. Luckily I am obsessed with this stuff, so drinking a second cup of coffee in the evening wasn’t too much of a hardship. 🙂

I hope you’re prepared because after seeing just how easy homemade creamers are, you can expect many more to come. I’m thinking maybe a peppermint flavored one for Christmas, and of course a classic French vanilla. But at the moment I am all about this pumpkin spice version. It tastes so good! It is full of Fall flavor and makes me think about pumpkin pie, and cinnamon, and spice cake all while I’m drinking my coffee. Now that I think of it, this could get dangerous. 🙂 But seriously, give this a try. It takes about 5 minutes to make, tastes amazing, and gives a nice hint of pumpkin spice to your morning coffee.

*Note: Mike is once again claiming to not like pumpkin. Plus he also says he is “too lazy” to put creamer in his coffee.  That doesn’t even make sense, but that’s all right – more creamer for me! 🙂

Homemade Pumpkin Spice Creamer

Ingredients:

1 cup milk (I used skim to keep it at least a little healthy)
1 cup of heavy whipping cream
4 Tbsp pumpkin puree
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
4 Tbsp Maple Syrup
1 tsp of vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, whisk together the milk, cream, pumpkin, maple syrup, and pumpkin spice. Heat over medium heat until it just begins to bubble around the edges. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and refrigerate before using.

from Next To Heaven