Easiest Pour Over Iced Coffee

To say we have a coffee addiction at our house is an understatement. Up until this year I just couldn't figure out an easy way to make iced coffee quickly. But this year it happened, and now I'm making this on a daily basis using the pour over method. All it takes is a few simple supplies and you are ready to go! 

 Supply List:

• Stainless Steel Gooseneck Kettle
• Ceramic Pour Over Coffee Dripper
• Coffee Filters
• Coffee Scoop or Tablespoon
• Coffee Tumbler 

Ingredients: 

• 4 tablespoons of dark roast/espresso style coffee
• 10 ounces of water
• 2 cups of ice 

Instructions: 

Place your 2 cups of ice in your coffee tumbler and place the pour over coffee dripper on the top of the tumbler. Heat your 10 ounces of water until just boiling. Pour a small amount of water over your coffee grounds to just dampen them and wait 30 to 45 seconds to allow your coffee to bloom. After allowing your coffee to bloom, slowly pour the rest of the water over your coffee grounds and let it drip over your ice. Once all your water has dripped through your ICED coffee is immediately ready to drink! 

We add some half and half to our iced coffee but I'm sure you can add a sugar syrup or flavored creamer to your preferred taste. Depending on the roast of coffee used the final product is comparable to a Dunkin or Starbucks iced coffee. 

Coffee prep!

Ready for hot water! 

Grounds dampened and allowed to bloom!

Slowly pouring in the rest of the hot water!

Allowing the coffee to drip through over the ice!

Iced coffee ready to drink!

Enjoy! And let me know if you try this and how it turned out for you!

A Walk In The Woods

Last Friday evening the weather was so beautiful that we headed out to Cowans Gap to walk around the lake. 

He told me this was his happy face. 😆

These are the moments I don't want to forget... ❤️

Berry Buttermilk Cake Recipe

Breaking my really long blogging fast with this Berry Buttermilk Cake recipe!!

This berry buttermilk cake is light and tender, with jammy berries, a crunchy top, and all the flavors of spring. 

Prep Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 25 mins Total Time: 45 mins

Servings: One 9-inch cake

Ingredients

·       4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
·         2/3 cup granulated sugar
·         1 large egg
·         1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
·         Zest of 1 lemon (about 1 teaspoon)
·         1 cup all-purpose flour
·         1/2 teaspoon baking powder
·         1/2 teaspoon baking soda
·         1/4 teaspoon salt
·         1/2 cup buttermilk*
·         1 heaping cup mixed berries (I used strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries)
·         1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar , for topping

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Generously grease a 9-inch round cake pan, line with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat softened butter and sugar together with a hand mixer or stand mixer at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. This will take longer than you think it should - keep going until it's quite pale in color.

Beat in the egg at medium speed until fully combined, then beat in almond extract and lemon zest.

Add dry ingredients. Mix just until combined each time - don't over mix. The batter will be thick.

Scoop the batter into the cake pan, and spread it out evenly. Arrange the berries evenly scattered over top of the batter. Sprinkle the 1 1/2 tablespoons of granulated sugar over top. Don't skip this step - it produces a lovely crunch when baked!

Bake until cake is golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 22-25 minutes. Mine needed 25 - watch carefully, as my toothpick came out wet at 23 minutes but clean at 25!

Cool for 20 minutes in pan, then run a knife along the edges and invert onto a cooling rack or plate to cool completely. Note you'll actually have to invert it 2 times - once upside-down onto a rack, and then back upright again onto another rack or plate.

Serve cooled cake dusted with powdered sugar or topped with whipped cream!

Notes

*If you don't have buttermilk on hand, just put 1/2 Tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar into a measuring cup, and add regular milk until it measures 1/2 cup.  Stir and let sit for 5 minutes - homemade buttermilk!

Print Recipe

Adapted from Gourmet magazine via Epicurious.

A Year Of Lexi

So it's been about a year since I've posted anything so I figured since Lexi is 15 months old today now is as good as any to do a post with her monthly (or as close to monthly as I'm going to get) pictures from her 1st year. Here is newborn through 15 months. :)

Our Rainbow

It's recently dawned on me (multiple times) that I haven't posted on here in a REALLY long time. In fact, I've neglected to even mention a very important thing that has happened to us... Our home grew by two feet (a whole body actualy) ;-) 

Meet our rainbow - Alexis Joy. She was born on April 2nd of this year at a whopping 5 lbs and 9 ounces, 20 inches long. 

Let me tell you, pregnancy after infant loss and heart failure is not for the faint of heart. It was a stressful pregnancy full of so many doctor's appointments. So.Worth.It. She is an absolute doll and has brought so much joy to our lives. 

Let's start by just sharing a few (ok, a million - we were there 3 full days!) hospital photos and then I'll do a couple more posts with current pictures since she's already grown a ton!!

 

Wrapping Daddy around her finger.... <3

Meeting Big Brother

Grandma's came to visit!

 

And Pappy!

 

 

 

 

 

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