Brew Something Fiendish With Keurg 2.0: Mocha Zombie Cakes Recipe

**I received a Keurig 2.0 through a media event. I was in no way required to post the following content. All opinions and images below are original and copyright Momma Told Me Blog 2014.

Momma Told Me: Sometimes you have to try something new to bring something old to life.

We're in the middle of October and that means, some of us, are already preparing for Thanksgiving, and even December's events. In Southern California, where the seasonal changes are primarily marked by window displays at the shopping mall, we're not quite feeling the pressure to move on. In fact, these past few days have been delightfully blustery, a sure sign of a SoCal Fall- but not quite cool or chilly. So I set out, with the help of my Keurig 2.0, to brew something fiendish in my quiet little kitchen.

 I don't drink a lot of coffee- which is odd, since some of my earliest childhood memories are of begging for a sip from Momma's complimentary cup at the grocery store while couponing. I like the flavor of coffee, and certainly the smell of a freshly brewed cup, but will take tea anyday as my chosen hot-brewed beverage. That is why our single cup brewer has become so integral in our household; a fresh cup of pretty much anything to please pretty much anyone. And boy do we have a lot of everything; lemonade, flavored iced tea, hot cocoa, dark roast coffee, light roast coffee, English tea, and more.

We'd had our humble little mini Keurig for a while; back when coffee was primarily the only thing one would brew in it. However, with the range of new brands and varieties coming to the kineup every day, it was time to upgrade to something that might better satisfy a crowd. The New Keurig 2.0 does just that and more with the flexibility to brew 3 different cup sizes (or strengths) and a carafe of multiple cups (up to 5). The new touch-screen interface system is even rendered in gorgeous color for intuitive operation, and friendly design. And, as I prepared to brew something especially wicked, I waseven able to set the mood by adjusting the tank's lighting to a creepy crimson red.

While we don't entertain everyday, there were often times, with our old Keurig, we brewed multiple cups for enjoyment later; or even to fill those extra tall tumblers throughout the day. With K-Carafe cups that are larger in size, but functional with the 2.0 system (while being backwards compatible to traditional K-Cup) I can brew multiple servings at once, saving time and money. I especially love the lack of material/plastic waste from the larger cups- where as I would have traditionally thrown out 4-5 K-cups before to brew the same amount.

For now, the varieties in the K-arafe cup range are not wide, and mainly limited to coffee variations. This is perfectly fine with me, who bakes often with coffee as a substitute for water and other liquids. Just ask anyone I know about my family's famous German Sauerkraut Chocolate Cake- the 'S' in the recipe isn't the only surprising secret ingredient that keeps the cake extra moist and decadent! However, on this particularly ghoulish afternoon I was whipping up a simple Mocha Cake base for some mini Zombie Cakes I'd envisioned the week prior.

With all of the wonderful cake decorating and baking aids readily available in the modern craft store, or even the seasonal aisle of one's local Walmart, making a fiendish delight come to life is easier than ever. I'd been holding onto a few pairs of mini (5") springform pans for a while, and they were just the size for these special treats. I also found 'Slime Green' Wilton cake decorating gel, and gummy eyeballs for under $2 at Walmart. Paired with a piping bag, some red food color, and a few minutes patience these chilled layers of mocha cake came to life quickly!

Baking with coffee is something the Old English and Germanic generations have done for centuries; it dies not have to overpower flavoring. In fact, in order to truly flavor a cake like coffee one would require more of an espresso substitution. In this particular recipe a dark roast is used to help mellow out the cocoa and make for an extra moist 'dark' chocolate cake flavor. No brains involved! Okay, maybe ONE brain- my own, but that remains securely in my head!

Do you have a secret ingredient you use in cooking some might not expect?

What Daughter Says: Baking with coffee brings new flavor to old favorites.

Mocha Zombie Cakes

**Click here for Mocha Zombie Cakes Recipe

The Wired Piggy Dark Roast Bacon Burger Coffee Recipe #Shop

Momma Told Me: Smarties know how to shop, but they also know how to cook with any ingredient.

I like to refer to Momma as a whiz in the kitchen. Raising a family on a shoestring budget, you have to get creative, or else it'll be boxed meals and frozen dinners. Not only did Momma know how to shop Smart & Final to take advantage of bulk pricing on her everyday ingredients, but she also knew how to prepare these dishes for 'freeze ahead' meals. And, in the unspeakable event that a second package of something was opened before the prior was finished, Momma knew how to coax the leftovers into an entirely new dish. However, cooking with coffee is something I first became familiar with through my German heritage, though, today, I use Momma's ingredient ingenuity to forge my own coffee recipes. Long before me, my European ancestors where using day old coffee as a substitute for water to infuse baked goods with extra moisture and flavor. Today, I #ChooseSmart ingredients, like coffee, our family can use for multiple dishes and drinks throughout the week.

In 2013 one of my most popular recipes infused freshly brewed coffee with molasses, vinegar, and mustard for an elevated Pork Chop dish many of my readers have since hailed as their favorite. Today I revisit the coffee and pork pairing to create another unique twist on a classic American favorite, the Steakhouse Hamburger. While we have 2 Keurig single cup brewers in our home now (thank you 2013 holidays), I never pass down the hot beverage aisle without picking up a package of ground coffee as well. Brands such as Ambiance, found at Smart & Final, offer a wide range of formatting, from single serve K-Cups to instant crystals and coffee grounds. They also offer a generous range of product sizing to help me save money on the roasts I use most. While we usually drink and cook with (liquid) coffee that is a darker roast, such as Ambiance French Roast, I prefer to use raw coffee grounds no higher than a medium blend. My reasoning for this, is that raw grounds will inherently be stronger in aroma and flavor than the liquid that is consequently brewed from them.

The secret to my Coffee Glazed Bacon Burger, now affectionately known as the The Wired Piggy, is all in the delightfully simple glazed bacon and quick fix roasted garlic aioli sauce.The Bacon craze has swept the nation, and our family is no exception; I served my father a handcrafted Bacon Rose Bouquet for his Father's Day this year, and I regularly make candies bacon for an especially sweet treat worth squealing over. One you know how to candy bacon in the oven, the rest is just piglet play! For this Dark Roast Candies Bacon recipe you only need a Medium Roast Ground Coffee such as Ambiance Ground French Vanilla, Molasses, Brown Sugar, a dash of Chipotle and Water. The secret is in the sticky, mud like, concoction you rub over your rack of bacon the night before baking it.

Worried about using raw coffee grounds on your food? Don't be! Cooking with fresh coffee grounds had been done in coffee recipes for centuries, and many people pay a pretty penny to enjoy chocolate dipped coffee and espresso beans raw- it's the same thing; we are simply using the flavor to highlight our food. Your Dark Roast Coffee Bacon paste will only be spread on the fat up, edges of your packaged bacon, as to create a thick crust; and you can always gently wipe off any extra, unwanted, coffee ground mixture. The molasses and brown sugar will act as a marinade and candying conduit when you put your separated bacon strips on a baking sheet and into an oven. Then it's just 10-12 minutes until smokey flavored coffee goodness! Just remember you're making this bacon to go with a burger, and try not to eat it all before it has a chance to hit the patty.

To compliment my Dark Roast Glazed Bacon I made a simple Roasted Garlic Aioli consisting of olive oil mayonnaise, lightly roasted diced garlic, and lemon juice. This acted as my wet ingredient to cohesively hold the burger together and interact with the pepper-jack cheese. As a side I tossed some First Street 1/4" Shoestring Fries (frozen) in a garlic reduced olive oil and baked them in the oven for 15 minutes. When they came out I was sure to sprinkle a little garlic salt, and the spared garlic from my oil reduction for Fair Quality garlic fries. As with most dishes, when cooking with coffee, so not expect coffee to be the overwhelming flavor, but to act as an extraordinary spice that enhances flavor and brings new tastes together harmoniously.

The Wired Piggy Dark Roast Bacon Burger with garlic aioli and coffee glazed bacon is a delightfully refined steakhouse burger with a wonderful smokey flavor that has light citrus highlights and is very clean to eat. All the indulgence of an afternoon cup, without any of the caffeine! Best of all, you can stock up on your favorite blend of Ambiance coffee and be entered to win one of 10 Keurig Single Serve machines or 10 $100 SmartCash cards, beginning January 2nd! And be sure to follow the Smart & Final Facebook page where you'll also have the chance to win daily giveaways through January 15, 2014.

What Daughter Says: Work your favorite flavors into new cuisine to create surprising results with minimal skill.

The Wired Piggy, Dark Roast Bacon Burger

****Click here for complete printable Coffee Bacon Burger recipe.

Ingredients:

Coffee Glazed Bacon:

* 6 Slices Uncooked Packaged Bacon

* 1/4 C Ambiance Ground Coffee (Medium Roast)

* 1/2 TBS Chipotle Powder, or Chili Substitute IfI Heat Okay)

* 2TBS Packed Brown Sugar

* 2TBS Molasses

* 1 TBS Water

Roasted Garlic Aoili

* 1/3 C Olive Oil Mayonnaise 

* 3 TBS Minced Garlic Cloves

* 2 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil

* 2 TBS Fresh Lemon Juice

Burger:

*4 1/3lb Fresh Ground Beef Patties

* 4 Whole Wheat Buns

* Roasted Garlic Aioli (Recipe Below)

* 6 Strips Coffee Glazed Bacon (Recipe Below)

* 1 Head Butter Lettuce

* 4 Slices Pepper-Jack Cheese

* Salt and Pepper To Season Patty

Directions:

1.) Remove strips of bacon from package without separating strips from one another. Cut down middle of bacon wedge to create two even portion. Combine Coffee Glazed Bacon Ingredients in a medium mixing bowl until a dark, sticky, paste is formed. Spread past generously in a thick layer across the (fat side up) edges of bacon. Wrap in parchment paper and place in a ziploc baggy, refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.

2.) While bacon is marinating, prepare Roasted Garlic Aioli. Place Olive Oil and Minced Garlic in a small saucepan and simmer over med-high heat for 3-4 minutes, until aromatic. Remove from heat and stir in mayonnaise and lemon juice. Add a pinch of pepper if desired. Refrigerate until burger is ready to be assembled.

3.) Preheat oven to 425F. Remove bacon from fridge and spread single strips about 2" apart on a lightly greased sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Place baking sheet in oven for 12-14 MINS until edges are crisped and bacon is desired texture. For candied bacon, bacon will continue to set once removed from oven- allow to cool entirely before serving.

4.) While bacon is cooling season burger patties and cook on grill to desired temperature. Lightly toast buns on grill prior to serving. Spread garlic aioli on top and bottom buns. Build burger from bottom up; bottom bun, aioli, fresh butter lettuce leaves, burger patty, pepper-jack cheese, coffee glazed bacon, aioli, top bun. Serve immediately and enjoy with a savory side such as garlic fries.