Best Places to Enjoy Coffee

You've just fired up the coffee brewer and are debating where to settle in and enjoy your cup of joe. Well there are many places where you can enjoy your coffee. Some of these places depend upon the weather and season, but here are a few of our favorite spots to enjoy our coffee:

1. In our favorite armchair, with a book, by a fireplace. (Best for cooler seasons).
2. Outside on our patio surrounded by nature. (Best for warmer months and sunny weather).
3. In our favorite bookstore (be sure your bookstore allows drinks to be brought in). 
4. At the kitchen table while talking with friends.
5. In the office while tackling a big project.
6. After dinner with a nice desert.
7. At a friend's home.
8. In our favorite coffee shop (of course drink their coffee, they would probably frown upon you bringing your own.)
9. Anywhere while catching up on local news.
10. Surrounded by our loved ones and enjoying the time together.

10 Ways to Use Leftover Coffee

Maybe you had guests over and fixed more coffee than you needed. At any rate, you have some coffee leftover that you don't want to throw out, so how do you use it?

1.  Let it cool and use it on shrubs or other plants that thrive with high acid additives.
2. Use to make mocha brownies, replace 1 cup or less of the milk or water in a brownie recipe with your leftover coffee.
3. Use it to make iced coffee (helps to freeze it in an ice cup tray).
4. Use it as a marinade for beef.
5. Save for recipes that require coffee, some chili recipes do and several dessert recipes as well.
6. Look up a recipe for Tiramisu. It uses coffee. 
7. Make red-eye gravy.;
8. Make a coffee glaze for desserts.
9. Use your leftover coffee to dye fabrics.
10. Dye scratches in brown furniture to hide them.

So don't throw out your coffee once your coffee brewer has cooled off. Save it and use it. Have ideas that we didn't mention? Please share them in the comments below!

Make Your Own Chocolate Coffee Spoons

Chocolate covered coffee spoons are great gifts, or just a great treat for yourself. Or if you are planning to use the coffee bar idea we blogged about previously, chocolate coffee spoons would be a wonderful addition.

You will need:
Spoons (most people use plastic, but if you prefer you can use metal spoons)
Chocolate (or White Chocolate) Chips or Candy Melts
Baking Paper
Cookie Sheets
Microwave Safe Measuring cup

Optional:
Solid Shortening (use if chocolate needs to be thinned)
Cellophane (this is used if you are going to wrap the spoons as gifts or favors)
Ribbon (to tie cellophane if used)
Sprinkles (to sprinkle on chocolate)
Crushed Candy of choice (to sprinkle on chocolate)
Parchment Cone (for adding designs)

Directions:

1. Cover cookie sheets with baking paper.
2. Place one cup of chocolate or candy melts into your microwave safe measuring cup. (For best results use a smaller deeper cup)
3. Microwave chocolate chips or candy melts at 50% power for 1 minute. Remove cup and stir. Continue microwaving at 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds, until chocolate is melted and smooth. DO NOT over-heat chocolate or it will burn and not taste good. 
4.  To thin chocolate, add 1 teaspoon solid shortening per cup of chocolate chips. Stir gently. 
5.  Dip spoons in melted chocolate to cover the bowl part of the spoon.
6.  Remove excess chocolate by tapping tip gently against the side of the measuring cup.
7.  If chocolate thickens, return to the microwave for 30 seconds at 50% power, stir gently. 
8.  Repeat with second cup of chocolate chips or candy melts.
9. If you are going to add candy sprinkles, sprinkle them onto spoons before the chocolate hardens! Allow the chocolate to cool and set.
10. Optional – If you want to add more color to the spoon, feel free to melt another color chocolate in the same way as above, fill a parchment cone with the chocolate and pipe swirls, designs or zig-zags across the head of each spoon.
11.  Cool thoroughly before wrapping individually.

Now it's time to invite everyone over and fire up your coffee pot for some delicious and fun coffee treats.

Image: Elementary Love found on commons.wikimedia.org

Coffee Bar for your Wedding

For an affordable coffee bar wedding idea, (sans for hire barista, which can become rather hefty in the budget) you can purchase a single serve coffee maker for your event such as the Keurig Coffee Makers or the Cuisinart Single Serve Brewing System.

Be sure to have a variety of k-cups for guests to choose from. Labeled milk bottles would make a beautiful way to display the creamers. Also have toppings and other mix-ins available for guests to be creative with their coffee creations.

A coffee bar is a great addition for an early morning wedding reception, or if festivities are going to run late into the night, it is good for an afternoon reception also. Find some coffee favors and coffee friendly deserts for your guests as well.

Coffee bars are very versatile, especially if you are using a single serve coffee maker, if you have children or non-coffee drinkers coming be sure to pick up some k-cups that are not coffee that these guests may enjoy.

Is coffee going to play a part in your wedding? We would love to hear about it!