Sep 23, 2012 |
This is one of my favorite recipes. This is what every coffee drinker in my family gets each year. This is what gets me through the holidays.
HOLIDAYS?!
That’s right. I said it. And I’ll say it again.
HOLIDAYS!
For weeks, I’ve been working on my Holiday Gift Basket Giveaway: scrounging up sponsors, writing reviews, and just plain getting into that Ol’ Holiday Spirit.
It can’t be avoided… and I don’t want to.
I’ve spent the last week reorganizing my kitchen, and today we decorated for Fall. I’ve tweeted it, Facebooked about it, and shown my beautiful dishes on Instagram. Didn’t see it? Well… here you are:
And now I’m ready to cook. Bake. Make. And taste.
Sounds exhausting? You would think… But don’t worry. This Girl’s got ya covered with some great tasting caffeine.
Mocha Flavored Coffee is one of those really great, easy, oh-so-appreciated recipes. You can add as little or as much as you want to 8 ounces of hot liquid. I prefer to embellish my basic coffee with it, others add it to hot water. Either way, it’s sure to please.
RECIPE: Mocha Flavored Coffee
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup instant coffee
- 1/2 Cup granulated sugar
- 1 Cup powdered creamer
- 2 TBSP Cocoa powder
- 2 TBSP instant hot cocoa mix
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together.
- Add 2 rounded teaspoons (or more) to 8 oz. hot water or coffee.
- Stir thoroughly.
Notes
Embellish with whipped cream, cinnamon, nutmeg, chocolate shavings, sprinkles or candy canes.
Store in air-tight container for months (if it lasts that long!).
Use decaffeinated coffee grounds and a sugar substitute if desired.
3.1
https://franklymydearmojo.com/2012/09/23/recipe-mocha-flavored-coffee-mix/ (c) 2012 Frankly, My Dear... New Inklings Press
Now here’s a little bonus idea for you (call it an early Christmas gift): How often do you wish you could just take a small break from the day and enjoy a blend of your favorite cafe mocha? But you’re busy. Working. Running errands. Taking care of the Home Front. There’s not always time or money to treat yourself.
Well, now you can!
I bought my OXO Good Grips Salt and Pepper Shakers for just this purpose!
See that great little pour spout on the side? Just Take and Shake!
They’re called Good Grips for good reason: These little dandies fit perfectly in the palm of a hand, making them easy to hold. They’re solidly built, but not bulky. They’ll fit in your cabinet, desk drawer, and bag. And because they’re clear, there’s no guessing if there’s enough mix left for one more Mocha. They’re perfect.
Carry one of these lightweight shakers with you throughout the season, and you’ll enjoy several mugfuls of this great drink recipe. (Be sure to keep the shaker holes covered or put a small round of paper under the cap so it doesn’t sprinkle all over the inside of your tote!)
As you can see, I also like to add layers of cinnamon and nutmeg to my personal stash. A few shakes of the shaker and it blends quite nicely. Each shaker holds enough mix for three regular cups of Mocha Flavored Coffee.
So whether I’m at work, in my own kitchen, or busy running errands, I always have a great cup of coffee with me.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
[Disclaimer: Frankly, My Dear.. has joined up with OXO and their Blogger Outreach Program. I have not been compensated for this post in any manner. All reviews and opinions are my own.]
Sep 22, 2012 |
You know those Blog changes I’ve been talking about? Well, some of the behind-the-scenes ones are already in the works. (Thanks, Webmaster!)
I’m visiting many other Blogs to get aesthetic ideas as well. I’m hoping to streamline my many tabs, have a better design (to tie in with New Inklings Press), and just make it look more professional as well as be easier for you to manage.
One of the changes I was not counting on was losing my email subscribers through a Feedburner glitch.
That’s right: I’m not even sure any of you are still getting my posts by email. [Although, technically, I am, because I’m also a subscriber…]
I logged in to my Feedburner stats (a fancy tracker through Google that compiles information from my daily clicks. Tells me how popular I am often you view Frankly, My Dear…
Tonight I see that I’ve had no subscriber data for three days. I panicked. I thought perhaps those behind-the-scene changes may have had something to do with it. Thankfully, they didn’t. (I trust you, Webmaster!) But the internet scuttlebutt is that Feedburner will cease to exist as of October 20.
What does that mean? I’m not really sure. Except as soon as I get the stats back (general consensus is it takes a few days), I’ll definitely save the Feed List and sell it to the highest bidder protect your privacy and if/when the Feedburner change happens, I’ll let you know and sign up with a different email subscription service.
In the meantime, if you subscribe by email and are still getting these posts, please let me know. You can leave me a comment, stop by my Facebook or twitter profiles, or send me an email.
And thanks for being a valued and valuable reader.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Sep 22, 2012
I’ve been trying for days to write an articulate post on the merits and blessings of free speech. I can’t seem to get it quite right.
Because here’s the thing: it’s not.
I live in a country where I have a right to say what I want to say, how I want to say it, where I want to say it… you get the picture.
But that’s not entirely true.
I can’t get into trouble for what I think. But if those thoughts lead to certain actions, it can get a little tricky.
Censorship can be a Useful Word. I shouldn’t go through a Drive-Thru and start preaching my views. I wouldn’t stand up at a wedding ceremony and start singing “All Night Long”. There are certain filters we (should) apply to the content we contribute to the world, as well as what we receive from it.
In mainstream media lately, there’s been a lot of chatter about Free Speech, and how some are using it and others misusing it. Sometimes it’s not talked about, just exampled… and not always eloquently.
People are ridiculed every day for things they say and do. Whether it’s an honest mistake or a media spin, others are quick to jump up and draw attention to things that could otherwise die down on its own.
Others invade privacy like they have a right to someone else’s life. Pursuing someone in any manner just to earn money is never acceptable. Never. (Mojo Opinion: Paparazzo are just legalized stalkers… who shouldn’t be. Don’t you dare tell me it’s what the public wants. Freak. I don’t care what Kate looks like naked!)
There’s a certain video circulating that started under false pretenses and is being blamed for a whole lot of, shall we say, unsavory activities. And the government tried to stop its airing. Here’s the thing: It’s an inaccurate, incendiary video that intentionally hurts people. But should the government really have the “right” to say “stop”?
Our First Amendment states:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
Censorship can be also be an Ugly Word. I agree that we are exposed to a great many things we needn’t be. But to try to force a private entity to stop broadcasting goes against the basic principle of Free Speech.
I am not saying it’s okay to broadcast media that is vulgar, smutty, inflammatory… in short, “hate” media. It’s not. In any way. And I believe people should definitely be held accountable for their intentional actions.
But if broadcasting a bad video merits an exception to the right of Free Speech, then what about other “bad” media? Curse words and nudity on television? Pornography on free cable? Explicit t-shirts and billboards and car decals? What about music videos and books and social gatherings? Why can’t we eliminate the things that exemplify true hate and disunity?
We already censor ourselves. Most of us don’t make threats to others, curse in front of Granny, or expose young kids to illicit materials.
But there’s another kind of “speech” making the rounds lately. It’s the “Do As I Do” Speech. Not quite hate-speech. In fact, it’s more of a “If-You-Don’t-See-Things-My-Way-You’re-A-Hater” Hate Speech. When did having a different opinion become so anti-social?
And why does mainstream media jump all over it? I am not an eloquent speaker. I’m a great writer, but when I open my mouth in public (and often in private), I stutter and stumble and things come out that are, to say the least, embarrassing, confusing, and leave others with a “What the heck was that?” experience. Trust me on this; please don’t make me prove it. Because I can. I really, really can.
That doesn’t mean I’m a bad person. Or that I deserve bad things to be said about me, or done to me or my family.
I don’t understand our craving for watching other people make fools of themselves. Why is it so sensationalized when celebrities prove they are (*Gasp!) only human?! People can’t even joke around any more without the fear of insulting someone or getting into legal trouble under the guise of “harassment”… but we certainly get our fill of it all vicariously!
So you see the problem I’ve had writing this? I love Free Speech. I really, truly, honestly do. I’m not for Ugly Censorship. But I sure am in support of Common Sense Supervision.
F*** Sp****. It’s not what you think.
I’m thankful I have the right to make an idiot of myself. I really am. Because without it, there’d be a whole lot of illegal going on at Catford Manor. And for that, I’m thankful others don’t have the right to broadcast my life. Just sayin’…
Censorship and Free Speech. Can’t we all just get along?
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
You may also enjoy reading:
Alienation
Newsworthy (Is There Anyone Out There?)
Dear America…
Apologetic
I Don’t Care About Kim!
Why I’m Not Political
Why Does Being Politically Correct Mean the Loss of Common Sense?
