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Cut down daily coffee expenses | Frappuccino recipe

Mary Rice — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 14:15:59 +0000

A once-a-day coffee habit could cost more than $80 a month. Image: Flickr / TinyTall / CC-BY-ND

Cutting your daily expenses can seem tough, at best. You’ve heard of a thousand ways to cut out the unnecessary treats, but there are some things — like coffee — that you just can’t give up. However, you really can reduce your expenses by mixing your own coffee-based beverages, and it will be even better than what you get at a coffee shop.

Know the basics of coffee

If you start researching what making your own coffee drink could cost, it can be overwhelming. Some people will tell you that coffee needs to be ground and brewed immediately and beans need to be stored at a specific temperature. The basics of coffee, however, are simpler than that. Good quality beans, stored in an airtight container and brewed with care will produce a drinkable cup of joe.

The mathematics of coffee

A basic latte or mocha in a coffee shop easily costs $4. Add an extra shot of espresso or an additional flavor, and the price goes up. The secret is, though, that the ingredients that go into that cup of coffee run about $1 at most. It will take time, but the savings definitely pay add up when you start making and mixing your own coffee drinks.

Make your own Frappuccino-style drink

One of the most popular coffee drinks on the market is the Starbucks Frappuccino. Making your own version of Starbucks’ bottled Frappuccino is easier than it seems. It takes only four ingredients and 20 minutes to make a week’s worth of concoction that is strikingly similar to the liquid you can buy in bottles at the grocery or convenience store. Start by making 4 cups of double-strong coffee or eight shots of espresso. Mix that with 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 gallon of milk. For a Vanilla Frappuccino recipe, mix in two or three shots of vanilla flavoring. For a Mocha Frappuccino recipe, mix in 2/3 cup chocolate syrup. For less than the cost of two 16-ounce bottles of Frappuccino coffee drink, you have a week’s worth of coffee. Now that is a money-saver.

National Mustard Day: Celebrating the spicy

Mary Rice — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 13:32:39 +0000

Most American mustard has added tumeric to get the bright-yellow color that matches mustard flowers. Image: Wikimedia Commons.

For most people in America, mustard comes in a few limited flavors. National Mustard Day, Aug. 7, is a great excuse to expand your mustard horizons. You can go all out and make your own mustard, or you could try using mustard in a new way.

The basics of mustard

There are four major types of mustard seeds that come from the mustard plant. There is white mustard, yellow mustard, brown mustard and black mustard. The seeds are usually crushed, ground or bruised and mixed with a liquid to create a paste. Most yellow American mustard is crushed yellow mustard seeds mixed with tumeric and vinegar. Making your own mustard is easy — just get mustard seeds (in the spice aisle), crush them and mix with vinegar and whatever else you would like. Homemade mustard tends to be very spicy, so be careful.

Why National Mustard Day is special

National Mustard Day is important because it encourages people to explore more than just yellow mustard. Mustard is an antibacterial product, meaning that it can be stored outside the fridge. It is also an emulsifier, which can help combine oil and water. Dry mustard powder can even help reduce the possibility of curdling if you add it to unstable sauces like Bearnaise. Mustard also accounts for about $300 million in grocery sales each year.

Your own National Mustard Day

Even if you aren’t too adventurous in the kitchen, you can still celebrate National Mustard Day. Mustard is more than just a paste to spread on your sandwich. Try mixing your favorite mustard — prepared or homemade — into a variety of new treats. For example, try:
Honey Mustard
Mix equal parts brown, Dijon or deli mustard and honey for a dipping sauce. Stir in a touch of olive or canola oil to make a honey mustard salad dressing.
Mustard Grill Rub
Mix cracked mustard seed with kosher salt, pepper and a small amount of sugar. Use it as a dry rub on beef, chicken or portobello mushrooms for grilling.