For the Love of Coffee

Truth is, I love coffee.  I've been a regular coffee drinker for about seven years now.  Back in 2005, a good friend that I once worked with, Joe C. introduced me to iced lattes from a little coffee place called Ellianos.  It didn't take me long to fall in love with coffee.  

A couple of years later, a Starbucks was built in our city.  I began to buy drinks from Starbucks several times a week.  I'm sure most of you are familiar with the cost of a latte from a coffee shop.  I was spending anywhere from $15.00 to $20.00 a week, and sometimes I would even buy pastries, donuts, or cookies to go with my coffee and that would cost me even more money!

In January 2011, I decided to give up caffeine.  I had major surgery scheduled that month and didn't want to be going through caffeine withdrawals while in the hospital.  I also knew that my husband and I were going to try for baby #4 after the surgery, so I gave up all coffee.  I finally broke down and drank a cup of decaf at IHOP October 2011.  I started drinking decaf maybe once a week after that.  To this day I will stop by Starbucks and get me a decaf drink, but I try to only do it once a week...if that.   Every time I even talk about going there, the kiddos chime in and want drinks too!  It just costs too much money to buy three kids and one adult drinks at Starbucks!

Lately I've been trying to "cut down" on spending in our household.  We just spend too much money on things we really don't need.  However, I still like to treat myself to yummy things.  I discovered that I could make a coffee drink that tastes like a 'Caffe Mocha' right in my own kitchen!  It's so simple too!  Most of the ingredients needed are staple items that I had on hand.

Ingredients needed for imitation Caffe Mocha

 

 

First, I followed the Hershey's recipe for "Favorite Hot Cocoa".  It is listed on the side of the container.  I'll go ahead and provide their recipe that I used.  Also, I haven't been drinking dairy milk so I used almond milk instead.  You may use whichever kind of milk you prefer.

• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 1/4 cup Hershey's Cocoa
• dash of salt
• 1/3 cup hot water
• 4 cups of milk
• 3/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Mix sugar, cocoa, and salt in saucepan; stir in water. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture boils; boil and stir two minutes. Stir in milk and heat. DO NOT BOIL. Remove from heat; add vanilla.

Next, make a strong pot of coffee.  I made my pot of coffee very strong.  The purpose for the strong coffee is to try and imitate espresso.  Espresso is the base for other drinks such as a latte, mocha, or cappuccino and it is stronger tasting  and different than just plain coffee made in a coffee pot.  It also takes special skill and equipment to make espresso, and that is something I don't have. 

I then took a coffee cup and poured half of the hot cocoa in and filled the rest of the cup up with the strong coffee.  I served it hot and topped it with whipped cream.  You could also top the whipped cream with chocolate syrup and chocolate shavings.  Yummy, now your house can smell like a coffee shop and you can get a nice tasting drink too!  

I wish I had time to sit down and calculate how much money I saved by making this at home, but my little one is calling!  I just wanted to share this very simple way of making a nice tasting drink in your own home for much less money.