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Summers are pretty hectic at our house and lots of activity usually means the budget is pretty much stretched to its limits. Finding the time and the cash to just have a quiet evening together is a huge premium, for my husband and I, so a fun date night, at home, is the perfect way [...]
Summers are pretty hectic at our house and lots of activity usually means the budget is pretty much stretched to its limits. Finding the time and the cash to just have a quiet evening together is a huge premium, for my husband and I, so a fun date night, at home, is the perfect way for us to make that work. A fabulous dinner at home is SOOOO much more economical than eating out and when you’re finished you can just curl up on the couch and share a favorite movie. With what you save on gas money and a restaurant bill you can pick up some excellent ingredients for a delicious meal AND DESSERT!
The Girls Scouts have made Samoa cookies a household name. Those yummy vanilla cookies, covered in caramel, rolled in coconut and then drizzled with chocolate have inspired dozens of DIY cookie recipes across the blogosphere, to help people recreate the delicious treats at home. I don’t want you to get the wrong idea…I LOVE me some cookies, but tonight, I wanted to create a special dessert, to finish off our date-night dinner at home. I was mulling over an idea for incorporating the flavor of Samoas into a delicious dessert drink that rolled coffee and dessert into one lusciously, decadent summertime beverage. Mmmm…..swweeeet success! This delicious coffee beverage will win over even a non-coffee drinker. It’s THAT good!
Don’t you just love creating new recipes!!??!! I get such a kick when they turn out to be a real favorite. Having such high-quality ingredients, definitely helps, and in this case, made my recipe experiment quick and easy. International Delights Iced Coffee and Coffee Creamers are huge favorites in our family, even with our kids. It wasn’t too difficult, at all, to transform them into something special to finish off a date-night dinner. The beauty of it is that International Delights has so many flavors to choose from that your ice cream frappuccino variations are pretty much limitless! I’d love to hear your ideas for using some of their other flavors, which you can learn about on their Facebook and Twitter pages.
- This delicious recipe makes TWO Samoa Frappuccinos – one for you and one for someone special. This one is all-out Samoa with the chocolate drizzle.
For the hard core caramel enthusiast in my house, I made this one sans chocolate. Still gorgeous and absolutely delicious!
Ingredients
- 2 cups vanilla ice cream, softened
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup International Delights Vanilla Iced Coffee
- 1/4 cup International Delights Caramel Macchiatto Coffee Creamer
- 1/4 cup International Delights Vanilla Coffee Creamer
- 1/2 cup coconut, toasted
- 2-3 Tablespoons caramel syrup
- 2-3 Tablespoons chocolate syrup
- whipped cream for topping/garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Spread the coconut in a thin layer across a cookie sheet and bake for 1 - 2 minutes until the coconut is lightly browned. Watch it closely, as it only takes a couple minutes and will burn easily. Once it's toasted, remove from the oven and allow to cool while you prepare the frappuccinos.
- Place ice cream, coffee, and coffee creamers into the pitcher of your blender. If you want a slightly thicker frappuccino, use only 1/2 cup of the International Delights Vanilla Coffee, or use the 3/4 cup if you prefer a thinner consistency. Additionally, increasing the amount of coffee increases the coffee flavor in the beverage. Blend until all ingredients are combined and the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- If you have a caramel purist in your family, like I do, you can use just the caramel syrup in this next step, or go all out Samoa and use both the caramel and chocolate syrups. Drizzle caramel and/or chocolate syrup inside the upper rim of a pretty glass. Allow the syrup to slide and drip down the sides of the glass and create a decorative pattern. A small amount will probably pool at the bottom of the glass.
- Sprinkle a teaspoon or two of the toasted coconut around the inside of the glass so it adheres to the syrup.
- Pour one half of the frappuccino mixture into each prepared glass.
- Top with whipped cream and then drizzle the whipped cream with more syrup, of your choice.
- Finally, sprinkle with more toasted coconut and then enjoy the oooohs and aaaaahs when you serve this delicious dessert drink.
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I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and International Delight. As with all Busy-at-Home reviews, the views and opinions expressed are wholly my own. #IcedDelight #CBias #SocialFabric
I don’t drink coffee -at all. I never have. So, of course it stands to reason that EVERY member of my family can’t get enough of it – my husband and ALL the kids. lol When I was given the opportunity to try the new International Delight Iced Coffees the excitement in our home was [...]
I don’t drink coffee -at all. I never have. So, of course it stands to reason that EVERY member of my family can’t get enough of it – my husband and ALL the kids. lol When I was given the opportunity to try the new International Delight Iced Coffees the excitement in our home was actually palpable. A shipping carton arrived at the door with three half-gallon cartons of the delicious beverages, nestled carefully inside a dry ice filled styrofoam cooler. My husband was still at work, so I had to monitor very closely to make sure he would get a chance to try some, too!
International Delight Iced Coffees - Original, Mocha and Vanilla
It may seem really silly, but I love the packaging! Something about it seems so festive and special. It almost looks like it should be an ice cream carton. I like the cool blue and white colors, and the product featured front and center in a very inviting presentation. If packaging can sell a product, this certainly can. I don’t even care for coffee and I wanted to try it.
We had to put a limit on our ten-year-old's consumption of International Delights Mocha Iced Coffee! She would gladly have polished off the entire carton!
Our son enjoying a refreshing International Delights Mocha Iced Coffee after a day of construction work at our new church building.
Each flavor of the International Delight Iced Coffees is creamy and smooth. To me, they immediately seemed like beverages to be served at a special dinner or a party, but they are a perfect refreshing treat, over ice, after a workout or a long day at work, too. My kids definitely picked Mocha as their favorite, with Vanilla running a close second, and my husband, our hard-core coffee drinker, preferred the original and said Vanilla was his second choice. So, is this non-coffee drinker a convert to these sweet, creamy versions of iced java? Not so much, but the Vanilla was definitely my favorite of the three. I’m still not a coffee drinker, but there is no doubt that for those who enjoy coffee, International Delight Iced Coffees are delicious treats that are perfect for everyday refreshment or for holidays and special gatherings! I have a sneaky suspicion that they would be amazing in several recipes that call for coffee, too. Imagine the Mocha in your favorite chocolate cake recipe or the Vanilla baked into tiramisu!
Delicious and festive.
This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. #CBias I received product samples in order to test them and write this review. A positive review was not required. The views and opinions expressed are wholly my own.
Our Keurig Special Edition brewer got a new baby brother, today! And he is the most gorgeous shade of shiny red! Keurig’s MINI Plus brewer is the perfect size for campers, dorm rooms, hotel rooms, tiny apartments and your office desk. Now you can have your favorite coffee, tea and beverage flavors wherever you are, [...]
Our Keurig Special Edition brewer got a new baby brother, today! And he is the most gorgeous shade of shiny red! Keurig’s MINI Plus brewer is the perfect size for campers, dorm rooms, hotel rooms, tiny apartments and your office desk. Now you can have your favorite coffee, tea and beverage flavors wherever you are, even if space is at a premium.
The new Keurig MINI Plus and K-Cups we were sent to test and review. Isn't that a gorgeous red!
The Keurig MINI Plus Brewer is gorgeous, with three choices for color – black, red and platinum. It’s more square and boxy than my special Edition Brewer and the footprint on my counter is a little smaller. Used as intended, in smaller spaces, where an individual needs a quick refreshment, the MINI Brewer is the perfect way to enjoy the same delicious hot beverages you can get from larger models. This is not the brewer you want on your kitchen counter if you have a large family, making many multiple beverages a day from it. That’s not what it was intended for. This sweet little brewer is the perfect fit in your home office/den, a vacation home or cabin, a business trip hotel room, in your camper or wherever your quiet getaway place might be. It’s intended to brew a single cup at a time. It provides the convenience of a fresh, piping hot cup, right at your fingertips, without needing to make a whole pot. And it only takes around two minutes, which includes heating the water and brewing your perfect beverage!
Filling the brewer is easy. The three gray discs on the left, show you the exact water level for whichever size cup you are brewing. Simply fill to the top of the desired disc. This is the only part I thought was a little "touchy" about the MINI Plus. You definitely want to pay attention and not overfill the brewer or the excess will run first into the drip tray underneath and then onto your counter, if it's so full the tray can't contain it. That's why I recommend keeping a close eye if children are using the machine.
I see the same Keurig quality, I have come to know and expect, in this little machine. If you follow the included instructions, using bottled or filtered water, like with all other models, you can enjoy years of variety and deliciousness from your liquid refreshments. Our Special Edition is still going strong and gets a lot of wear and tear from this big family. The MINI Plus is super simple to operate, too; and has many of the same features we have come to love in our bigger model. For instance, I can choose from three different cup sizes. It has a removable drip tray, which makes it easy to clean and helps to accommodate taller mugs or even short drinking glasses. I can brew hot or cold beverages with it and any K-Cup flavor works in it.
This handy drip tray catches any spills you make or overflow if the reservoir is too full AND it is removable so taller mugs can be used. Great feature!
When you buy a Keurig brewer, it’s important to pick the size and style that fits YOUR specific needs and believe me, they have something for everyone! There are three things, specific to it’s design and it’s intended use, that make the Keurig MINI Plus not as good an option for our beverage guzzling family, and more appropriate for a small space used by only one or two people.
- One thing I did notice is that you really need to be aware of what you’re doing when you fill the machine. Overfilling the water reservoir can result in a big mess on your counter, so I would definitely say, the MINI Plus is not as child-friendly as our Special Edition brewer. It is definitely important to be paying attention to the process.
- Also, because it’s made for small spaces, it can’t accommodate my big iced tea glasses. It is definitely designed with the hot beverage drinker in mind, although it IS possible for you to put ice in a mug and brew cold beverages.
- And you can only add enough water to make one cup at a time. This means the water isn’t heated until you start the brewing process. It’s around two minutes from start to finish, which isn’t a big deal for one person. But if all the kids and grandbabies want hot chocolate and hubby wants his coffee and I need a glass of iced tea, the Special Edition is our perfect solution. The MINI Plus is ideal for a college student or in your workshop, but our family loves the option of the large, always ready reservoir of our Special Edition Brewer.
Once the reservoir has your desired amount of water, turn the power on to your MINI Plus.
Load your favorite K-Cup flavor and then close the holder. When the lid goes down, you will hear the water stream from the reservoir into the machine to be heated. (Note: Using my large, over-sized mug means removing the drip tray for this brewing. I love having that option!)
Once the lid is closed, the brew button will flash blue. Press it and it will continue to flash, only in red, as the water is heated and your beverage is brewed.
It only takes around two minutes from the time the water begins heating until your cup is being filled! Mmmm...Apple Cider!
Our MINI Plus arrived with 12 K-Cup samples in the box and we are enjoying testing each one, as well as brewing old favorites. With fall peeking around the corner, promising to be here soon, I’m longing for cool, crisp evenings on the deck with a cup of hot apple cider and good friends to visit with. Mmmm! Plus, it’s almost time to make Apple Cider Doughnut Holes! What a great snack for fall! With my Keurig brewers, I don’t have to run to the store to buy a gallon jug of cider before I can whip up a batch. With the handy K-Cups already on hand, I can fresh brew the Hot Apple Cider, in just the amount I need and have a fabulous autumn snack in no time at all. (Be watching for the recipe in an upcoming post! You’re going to LOVE them!)
Apple Cider Doughnut Holes! We'll make some together, soon.
And for those of you, like us, who are still enjoying those hot days of Summer, Southern Sweet Tea from Celestial Seasonings, is one of many iced tea varieties that your family can enjoy to cool off and feel refreshed. Our family enjoys several of them. Believe it or not, I and my youngest LOVE to brew the English Breakfast Black Tea K-Cups from Celestial Seasonings over ice. It’s the perfect unsweetened flavor for our thirsty tastebuds! My husband thinks everything is better with sugar, though, so he loves the Half & Half K-Cups, (half lemonade, half tea). No matter what your taste, there is a K-Cup that will fit it, your mood and the season perfectly!
These are the flavors that came in the K-Cup Sampler with the MINI Plus we reviewed.
My husband is the resident coffee connoisseur in our home and that’s where Keurig has become my best friend. Rather than buying large cans or bags of coffee and beans, that can be so expensive and often sit in the cupboard until they are stale and unappealing, I can have a large variety of K-cups available for him, so he can “mix-it up” and enjoy something different every day if he chooses. He has his tried and true favorites like Nantucket Blend, but he loves to experiment and try new flavors, too. Right now he is loving Van Houtte Cafe’s French Vanilla and Barista Prima Coffeehouse’s French Roast.
And for those cool nights on the way, the kids and I always look forward to steamy, sweet and spicy mugs of Cafe Express Chai Latte (My girls call it Thanksgiving in a cup. 
) and Cafe Express Dark Hot Chocolate or Milk Hot Chocolate. Perfect treats for warming you right down to your toes on a crisp, fall evening!
- At Keurig, there is a variety, a flavor and a brewer that is the perfect fit for every household. Which one fits you?
So, what kind of household are you? Big or small? Hot or iced? Coffee, tea, or cocoa? At Keurig, there’s a brewer and a flavor that is PERFECT for you! And generous, as always, Keurig is sponsoring a giveaway to help you test that out! One Busy-at-Home reader will win a Keurig MINI Plus and assortment of K-Cups as part of my 50th Birthday Bash! Here’s how to enter.
Giveaway Rules:
You must be 18 or older and a resident of the U.S. to enter. The mandatory entry must be completed before any optional entries will count. Deadline to enter is midnight (CST) Sunday, September 4, 2011.
Mandatory Entry:
What’s your best fit? Visit the Keurig online store and find the brewer that is perfect for your home or workspace. Leave a comment below that tells me which one you chose and where you would use it.
Optional Additional Entries:
- Like Keurig on Facebook and leave them a little note letting them know how much you appreciate this fantastic giveaway at Busy-at-Home. Leave a comment below letting me know you did. Be sure to include your Facebook name, so I can find you in their fans list.
- Follow Busy-at-Home on Twitter. Leave a comment letting me know you’ve done it.
- Like Busy-at-Home on Facebook. Leave a comment letting me know you’ve done it.
- Follow Busy-at-Home on Google Friends Connect. Use the “Join” button in the right-hand sidebar. Leave a comment letting me know you’ve done it.
- Subscribe to the Busy-at-Home Newsletter (in the right-hand sidebar). You will receive an email confirmation with a link that must be clicked to confirm your subscription. Once you click the email link to confirm your subscription, leave me a comment to let me know you’ve done it.
- Post this giveaway on your Facebook page. I’m entered to win a fabulous Keurig MINI Plus Brewer and K-Cups sampler from Keurig & Busy-at-Home! http://busy-at-home.com/blog/win-a-keurig-mini-plus-brewer-in-our-review-and-giveaway-birthday-bash-surprise-2/ Leave a comment below with a link to your post.
- Tweet this giveaway (1x daily) : I’m entered to win a fabulous Keurig MINI Plus Brewer and K-Cups sampler from Keurig & Busy-at-Home! http://busy-at-home.com/blog/win-a-keurig-mini-plus-brewer-in-our-review-and-giveaway-birthday-bash-surprise-2/ #giveaway Leave a comment below with a link to your tweet.
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I received a Keurig MINI Plus Brewer and sample K-Cups in order to test them and conduct this review. No monetary compensation was received and as always, at Busy-at-Home, views and opinions expressed are wholly my own.
