In the next two months, I’m going to read six classics while enjoying a different café frappe with each book.  I know it’s ambitious but I love café frappes and I love reading. Plus, setting a goal and announcing it on the internet is the best motivator I can think of.  What would my high school English teacher think of this?

I’ve faced the fact I am not reading all the classics in this life time.  Honestly, the Iliad isn’t exactly the best escape after changing diapers all day and cleaning up after kids.  These days, I like to escape into the tabloids with a good café frappe.  But even the latest celebrity diet and rehab admittance starts to become boring.  So here’s my new entertainment-reading plan. First off, I purchased a Kindle with all the money I saved making ice blended coffees at home.  That’s right; I haven’t seen the interior of a coffee shop in a long time. My husband is so proud; he vows we will never get rid of our Mr. Coffee® Café Frappe Maker.

Next, I devised this book and café frappe list:

1. The Bell Jar by Plath and Spiced Cider Tea Frappe: I think all moms have had days where they wanna stick their head in the oven with dinner.
2. The French Lieutenants’ Woman by Fowle and Mayan Mocha Frappe: Hopefully I’ll feel grateful for my non-dramatic life.
3. Lord of the Flies and Mocha Frappe: A humbling reminder households just like deserted islands can become fiefdoms.
4. Are you there God it’s Me Margaret by Blume and Blueberries and Cream Frappe: Ok I just want to revisit puberty so I can realize by comparison, nothing really bad is happening now.  Will also drum up some compassion for my own kids and what they are facing.
5. Selected Stories by Welty and Lemonade Stand Tea Frappe:  I do find it relaxing to read her amazing ear for language.  As I lay on my sofa with my café frappe I’ll be transported to Mississippi with Eudora Welty.
6. Gone with the Wind by Mitchell and of course, Mint Julep Frappe:  A perfect replacement for the supermarket tabloids.  Scarlett could be a synonym for many of today’s celebrities. Plus lots of good fashion to daydream about. What would the kids think if they came home and found me in a hoop skirt with a café frappe in a tumbler glass?  Life like good literature doesn’t have to be boring.

Once you have kids, socializing with your friends doesn’t have to be challenging or more expensive. Thanks to my Mr. Coffee® Café Frappe Maker and a few ideas I’ve picked up, I can see my friends without a lot of hefty bills.

Once you have kids you might dread going to restaurants or you might even be banned from a few!  We all know it’s hard to enjoy a meal when a toddler is twirling her way straight into a dessert tray or wondering very loudly while her meal is not to her satisfaction.  I decided having kids does not mean sacrificing sharing meals with friends.  I discovered hosting a family breakfast with friends is a great way to socialize on the weekends.  It eradicates the stressors caused by eating out and avoids those big restaurant and babysitting bills.

I like to invite friends over around 11 am on a weekend.  I make sure there are some activities set up for my kids and any kids coming over.  Usually I set up videos, games, or maybe an outdoor activity.  Once the kids are settled, I like to set out a tray of café frappe drinks to welcome the guests.  My friends love ice blended coffees with whipped cream.  My favorite café frappe drinks to serve for brunch are the Orange Mocha Café Frappe and Death by Chocolate Frappe.  I use my Mr. Coffee® Café Frappe Maker to make the following café frappe recipes: The Orange Mocha Frappe is a nice non-alcoholic substitute for the Mimosa. The Death by Chocolate Frappe is a great dessert.

Recipe for Orange Mocha Frappe:
Serves 1 large or 2 medium

Coffee, orange zest & water in brewer:

• 3 tablespoons ground dark roast coffee or espresso
• Zest of one medium orange (cut in thin strips)
• 1/2 cup water

Place ingredients in blender jar in this order:

• 2 cups ice cubes (14 to 17 each)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup whole or other milk

Death by Chocolate Frappe Recipe:
Serves 1 large or 2 medium

Coffee & water in brewer:

• 3 tablespoons ground dark roast coffee or espresso
• 1/2 cup water

Place ingredients in blender jar in this order:

• 1 cup ice cubes (7 to 8 each)
• 2 tablespoons chocolate chips
• 1 cup chocolate ice cream
• 3 tablespoons chocolate syrup
• 3 tablespoons whole or other milk

If I have pictures of the friends I am having over, I like to put them on the front door.  This surprises them and also starts our time together with some laughs. I also want to make them feel welcome in my home while sending a signal this is a casual, fun gathering.

I don’t think you have to be fancy for breakfast, but I do believe in serving food people love.  I might pick up a box of bagels with cream cheese and lox.  I half all the bagels since the kids sometimes “try” a bunch of bagels.  I might pick up a quiche, a baguette and cheese from the local French bakery.  I’ll make a quick salad and put it all out buffet style.  This way we can enjoy sitting with our friends and not having to serve everything. We also don’t have to worry about the kids unless it’s quiet. Then, we know to check on the kids immediately! Thanks to my Mr. Coffee® Maker and my local shops, socializing with my friends is easier than ever.

Thanks to my Mr. Coffee® Café Frappe Maker, I have re-discovered the art of enjoying a day off.  The secret to enjoying my day off is to turn off the computer and all other electrical appliances.  Then, I make a tasty café frappe.

My favorite day off café frappe recipe is:

White Chocolate Café Mocha Frappe:
Makes 1 large or 2 medium servings

If I’m feeling decadent, I love this café frappe recipe:

Recipe for Bananas Foster Café Frappe:
Serves 1 to 2 medium size drinks

Place coffee & water in the brewer of your Mr. Coffee® Café Frappe Maker:

• 3 tablespoons ground dark roast coffee or espresso
• 1/2 cup water

Place ingredients in blender jar in this order:

• 1 cup ice cubes (7 to 8 each)
• 1 cup (about 2 scoops) vanilla ice cream
• 1/2 medium banana, peeled and sliced
• 2 tablespoons butterscotch-caramel dessert topping
• 2 tablespoons dark rum

After fixing myself a café frappe with non-fat whipped cream, the day off begins.  Here is my top ten list of ways to enjoy my day off with a café frappe.

1. Take my café frappe outdoors into the fresh air.  Spend the day hiking, walking, or anywhere outdoors.  Being in nature, breathing fresh air is re-freshing!
2. Make a delicious Mocha Café Frappe and go to a day spa or splurge on a massage. My mother recently introduced me to a place that only gives foot massages.  It costs a fraction of a regular massage and it was so relaxing.  I sipped my mocha café frappe, closed my eyes and enjoyed having all the pressure points worked on.
3. Enjoy a café frappe while walking to a local restaurant.  I make sure to talk to people along the way and be fully present.  Otherwise, my mind starts thinking about work – the mortal enemy of the perfect day off.
4. Take a couple of café frappes and visit a friend.  Catching up over ice blended coffee drinks is very relaxing. It’s also fun to talk face to face rather than on the phone.
5. Spend a day at the movies with a chocolate brownie sundae café frappe. This is probably my favorite thing to do on my day off.  I love to see two movies while sipping this perfect dessert café frappe.
6. Read and relax at the park with a café frappe.  I take all my magazines and the book I’ve been meaning to read to the local park.  I enjoy leisurely reading for hours while sipping my café frappe.
7. Take a cooking class.  I did this last year with a friend.  We surprised ourselves with how much fun we had and we made some new friends.  We brought a tray of café frappes to the class and we made instant friends with our classmates.
8. Deliver Meals on Wheels.  Sometimes I call our local Meals on Wheels and they always need help.  I go along on one of their routes and help to deliver the meals.  The last time I did this, I brought a bag of to go cups with lids filled with café frappes.  So many of the seniors were delighted to try a yummy café frappe.  Since many of them are homebound, they were grateful for the ice blended coffee.
9. Visit a local museum.   I never seem to have time for the museum; so taking a day to enjoy the museum is a real treat.  The huge ceilings and quite rooms are very meditative.
10. 10.  Shop the local farmer’s market.  I take my recyclable grocery bags, a new recipe I haven’t had time to try and head to the local farmer’s market.  I walk the stalls, enjoying my café frappe and all the healthy, organic produce.

The art of the day off doesn’t have to be lost anymore thanks to my Mr. Coffee® Café Frappe maker and of course, getting out the house!

Retiring doesn’t have to be a sad event with a Mr. Coffee® Café Frappe maker and a round of toasts – or roasts!

First decide whether or not the party is a surprise. Then you and your co-workers can decide what kind of party to throw. Since serving drinks is a must, serve delicious ice blended coffees.  With the Mr. Coffee® Café Frappe Maker, you can easily make café frappe drinks in the office kitchen or break room.  Once everyone arrives to the party, make sure they have a café frappe.

If you want to toast to the retiree, you might send an email to co-workers asking them to prepare a toast.   Be sure to make a couple of different kinds of yummy café frappe drinks for the toasts.  Here is a popular mocha café frappe recipe guaranteed to wake up the retirement party and get the toasts started:

Mocha Café Frappe Recipe:
Makes 1 large or 2 medium servings

Once everyone has a café frappe, you may joke about the retiree.  If the retiree is more serious, you can chronicle their career honoring the work they have done.  Co-workers can share stories of the retiree and offer toasts with their café frappe drinks.  Ask the retiree if they want to make a toast with their café frappe.   There are many famous quotes on the internet about retirement.  You may want to offer quotes with a café frappe toast. Here is a café frappe recipe to get the party started.  It’s simple to whip up in your Mr. Coffee® Café Frappe Maker.

Peanut Butter Cup-puccino Café Frappe Recipe:
Makes 1 large or 2 medium servings

Put coffee & water in brewer of the Mr. Coffee® Café Frappe Maker:

• 3 tablespoons ground dark roast coffee or espresso
• 1/2 cup water

Place ingredients in blender jar in this order:

• 2 cups ice cubes (14 to 17 each)
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• One 1.5-ounce package peanut butter cups (2-pack), unwrapped
• 1/2 cup whole or other milk

After everyone is done toasting with their café frappe drinks and sharing stories, you may choose to give a group gift.  You might give the retiree a Mr. Coffee® Café Frappe Maker. They will have plenty of time to lounge around sipping café frappe drinks and experimenting with café frappe recipes. Or you may give a gift that has to do with one of their hobbies; such as golf clubs, a book certificate or an iPod.

If you are going to serve food, keep it simple. There are many options. You can collect an office pool for ordering in.  You can have pizzas delivered and make a large salad. Include lots of vegetables – so everyone doesn’t fall asleep back at their desks.

If you have any pictures of the retiree, put them on a “Happy Retirement” banner.  The retiree will probably feel sentimental about leaving his or her home away from home.  Be sure to offer the retiree a fresh café frappe and a big heartfelt hug.

Throwing a St. Patrick’s Day party is a guaranteed way to have fun.  Everyone loves the Irish or at least to act like the Irish for a day.

For the decorations, you can cover your dining room table with fake grass decorated with golden coins.  Around the party area, you can add pictures of Ireland, green balloons and of course some green shamrocks.

For music, you can take your guests straight to Ireland with some Celtic Irish music.  If you prefer more contemporary Irish, play Sinead O’ Connor, Enya or U2.
For the menu, serve corned beef and cabbage, Irish Lamb Stew, Shepherd’s Pie and Irish soda bread.   For drinks, serve Irish Café Frappe drinks. Here are two delicious recipes for Irish Café Frappe drinks.

Recipe for Irish Café Frappe:

Serves: 1 to 2 medium cafe frappe drinks

Place Coffee & water in the brewer of the Mr. Coffee® Café Frappe Maker:

• 3 tablespoons ground dark roast coffee or espresso
• 1/2 cup water

Place ingredients in blender jar in this order:

• 2 cups ice cubes (14 to 17 each)
• 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) Irish whiskey
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon chocolate syrup (optional)
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

Here is another delicious café frappe recipe to make with the Mr. Coffee® Café Frappe Maker.

Recipe for Irish Cream Cappuccino Frappe
Serves: 1 to 2 servings

I love to walk my dog and enjoy a café frappe.  It’s my time alone, to recharge, after spending a day with the kids.  My dog is so darn cute too.   She knows when I start to make my café frappe; we are going to go for a walk. I use my Mr. Coffee® Café Frappe Maker to make a couple of different café frappe drinks.  Here are two of my favorite café frappe recipes:  Chocolate Chip Mocha Frappe and Death by Chocolate Frappe.

Here’s my favorite recipe for Chocolate Chip Mocha Frappe drinks:

Serves: 1 large or 2 medium servings

Place ingredients in blender jar of the Mr. Coffee® Café Frappe Maker in order listed:

• 2 cups crescent-shaped ice cubes (14 to 17 each)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon hot fudge topping
• 1/4 cup whole or other milk

Prepare coffee using amounts below:

• 1/2 cup water
• 3  tablespoons ground espresso or other dark roast coffee

Recipe for Death by Chocolate Frappe
Serves 1 to 2 drinks

Place coffee & water in brewer of the Mr. Coffee® Café Frappe Maker.

• 3 tablespoons ground dark roast coffee or espresso
• 1/2 cup water

Place ingredients in blender jar in this order:

• 1 cup ice cubes (7 to 8 each)
• 2 tablespoons chocolate chips
• 1 cup chocolate ice cream
• 3 tablespoons chocolate syrup
• 3 tablespoons whole or other milk

I pour two café frappes and head out the door with my dog excitedly following.  I always like to drop off a café frappe for my neighbor, Jean. Since her husband passed away, she seems to enjoy our visits.

As we start our walk, I like to sing.  But only if no-one else is around. My dog is the only one who enjoys my singing. OK maybe he is the only one who tolerates it.  Then, I pick up the pace so she starts panting.  This is the key for her work out – panting!  Once we get to the park, I like to do some of the tricks my son taught her while I’m enjoying my café frappe.

Trick number one: she can speak.  I know barking on command is not that difficult but it’s warms my heart.   She loves to play catch, so my son taught her to speak on command with a ball.  I show her the ball and tell her “Do you wanna play?”  I say this several times until she starts to excitedly bark.  Then I reward her with a game of catch.

My son also taught her to give a kiss.  When she licks your face, say “good girl, give me a kiss.”  If you dog doesn’t lick, we read you can put peanut butter on your cheek and then ask for a kiss.
After your dog licks it off, ask for another kiss.  Voila, you should have a kissing canine.

She’ll start doing it without the peanut butter in no time.

Sometimes she tries to lick the whip cream off my café frappe.  I keep some dog treats and water for her to enjoy.  Spending time with my dog and enjoying an iced coffee is the top of my list of enjoyable things to do.

I have developed a painless system for restoring my closets to organized beauty.  My secret is to approach my closets with my café frappe in one hand and my trash bags in the other. I set an egg timer for 15 minutes, take a sip of my café frappe and I’m ready.  Here are my favorite two café frappe recipes.  I have the Lemonade Stand Tea Frappe with or without the vodka depending on my mood.

Lemonade Stand Tea Frappe

Place tea & water in brewer of your Mr. Coffee® Café Frappe Maker.

• 2 green tea bags
• 1/2 cup water

Place these ingredients in the blender jar in this order:

• 2 cups ice cubes (14 to 17 each)
• 1/3 cup frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
• 1/3 cup vodka (optional)

Tip: Fresh mint leaves may be stirred in before serving, if desired

This is my old faithful café frappe recipe.   I make it regularly!

Recipe for Chocolate Caramel Swirl Frappe
Serves: 1 to 2 medium servings

Now with my yummy ice blended coffee, I’m ready. I gather my equipment: matching hangers, hanging organizers and under the bed bags.  I place one garbage bag for charity donations and another garbage bag for ruined items and trash. When the fifteen minutes is up, I set it for the remaining fifteen minutes.  If I am not done after that I come back the next day.  Some items must go; such as, my child’s Kindergarten artwork with the water damage and big wrinkles.  I hold it and enjoy it before it goes into the trash bag.  Or the rainbow socks with the mitten-like toes.  They seemed like a great purchase until I wore them and realized my toes don’t want to be separated.  I toss them into the charity garbage bag.  With the timer, I seem to work more quickly and efficiently – probably because there is an end to this process.

I quickly take out each item one at a time and if it has not been used in the last year, it goes into the bag for charity.   If I am on the fence, it goes. I remind myself if I donate it someone will get a lot more use out of it.

It’s bewildering what I find.  The dog’s Halloween costume from when he was a puppy.  I hold it up bewildered the giant dog was ever this small. I find socks without mates, in the hall closet.  I think everyone agrees socks without their mates are still a mystery. And what about the scattered change that seems to be at the bottom of each close?  Does it fall out of coats?  Do the kids take it from my wallet just to watch the coins rain into the closet?  I’ll never know, but finding change when cleaning closets is a guarantee.

I create theme piles of the stuff I want to keep.  Then I put each themed group into its own plastic bin.  For example sports equipment will go into one bin. It’s satisfying to stack the bins up instead of a cluttered pile at the bottom. If I want to keep working, I re-set the timer. It does feel good knowing there is a time limit on this activity.

Hanging stacking units are also a great way to create shelving in the closet.  I organized all the kids’ closets with them and it really helped keep clothes off the floor.  It’s difficult for kids to pull clothes off hangers.  I put all the clothes they like to wear at the bottom of the hanging unit.

Once I’m done, I take the stuff to charity right away.  Otherwise it sits in the bag in the closet for months.  Facing our stuff is not an easy task. Sometimes it takes a stiff cocktail like my lemonade stand tea frappe.   I do have friends who become paralyzed with emotions while doing their spring cleaning.  However, facing your junk is always easier with a treat.   Get your timer, café frappe and garbage bags for guaranteed success.

Throwing an Easter egg decorating party with café frappes is always a success.  Teenagers will decorate Easter eggs too if you have the right decorations and café frappes.  Whether it’s for small children and their parents or for teenagers, the planning is simple.
Turn a table into an egg decorating station.  To protect the table, you can cover it in trash bags. You can hide the trash bags by placing a table cloth on top of them.  Set up your die cups.  Be sure to boil the eggs the night before and keep them refrigerated in a big bowl.  Depending on the age, you might want to add themed stickers.   For older kids, you could add stickers of goofy faces or give them skinny tape and let them create their own decorations.

You can also make decorative eggs as keepsakes.  You can blow out the insides of the egg by using a pin.  Make a small hole on the top of the egg and make a larger hole on the bottom.  Blow the insides out from the top of the egg.  Rinse the empty egg shells in hot water.  You can remove the eggs from the water with tongs.   After decorating blown-out eggs, an adult should use hot glue to attach a ribbon loop to the top of the eggs in order to hang them. You can also use hot glue to attach a bow or a decorative bead to cover up the top and bottom egg holes.

Everyone loves iced coffee and it is the perfect treat to serve while egg decorating.  Parents might have die covered hands, so put straws in the café frappes. For the kids, you can serve ice blended vanilla drinks or ice blended chocolate drinks without coffee.  If you are hosting a teenage egg decorating party make decadent iced blended coffee drinks with the Mr. Coffee® Café Frappe Maker.  Here are some delicious recipes for café frappe drinks to serve.

Recipe for Caramel Cappuccino Frappe

Serves: 1 to 2 medium drinks

Milestones such as an anniversary are the perfect opportunity to create lifetime memories.  Whether you budget is small or large, focus the party on the couple. With these tips and a Mr. Coffee® Café Frappe Maker, you can easily plan and budget your anniversary party.

You can create a special event for everyone whether you throw it in someone’s backyard or in a rental location. If you need to find a rental location, call your city to see what they offer.  You can find great venues you may not have thought of.  Invite friends and family of the couple to participate in the planning.  Relatives can be a huge help in pulling off an anniversary party.

The decorations can be centered on the couple.  You can make laminated posters with their pictures and/or quotes about them.  Hang the posters around the party or put them on easels.   You can also frame photos of the couple to use as a centerpiece on the tables.

Use the colors associated with the number of years the couple has been married.   For example, silver is associated with the twenty-fifth anniversary and gold for the fiftieth anniversary.

As people arrive, serve café frappes, on a tray, with whip cream and sprinkles in the same color as the decorations.  If the party is formal, serve the café frappe drinks in champagne glasses.

For dinner, serve a fish, like miso salmon, or the couple’s favorite chicken recipe. For sides serve a vegetable like green beans with shaved almonds and a salad.

For dessert, you can serve wedding cake and café frappes.  You can have their original wedding cake replicated or you can use the topper if they still have it. You can also have cupcakes made with their original wedding cake ingredients.  For example, serve cupcakes with chocolate cake with butter cream frosting, if this is what they ate on their wedding day.  Serve Mint Julep frappes with the dessert. Here is a delicious recipe for Mint Julep Frappes.

Recipe for Mint Julep Frappes:

Serves 1 to 2 medium servings

Place the following in the brewer of the Mr. Coffee® Café Frappe Maker:

• 1/4 cup lightly packed fresh mint leaves
• 1/2 cup water

Place ingredients in blender jar in this order:

• 2 cups ice cubes (14 to 17 each)
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup (about 2 ounces) bourbon

Push the button on the Mr. Coffee® Café Frappe Maker and the café frappes will brew and blend automatically.  You can serve the Mint Julep Frappes in sundae cups with whipped cream and sprinkles. Again, match the sprinkles to the anniversary colors.

Surprise the couple by creating a DVD showcasing the couples’ life together.  Add pictures to music and/or interview the couple’s friends and family.  As you interview people, you can ask them to share about the couple and their love for each other.  Playing a video honoring the couple, really adds the sentiment to the evening.  You can create copies of the DVD for everyone to take home as a party favor. If making a video seems too technically complicated, you could also make and display a picture montage chronicling the couple’s life together.

Be sure the toast the couple with café frappes.  After everyone shares what they love most about the couple, the mood will be as sweet as the café frappes.

After having kids, I’ll admit a few pounds snuck on.  I say snuck because I did to gain them all in one week per say – just a few here and there.  OK eight to be exact.  The good news is I lost five with little effort. I certainly didn’t do any of the crazy things my husband does like wearing a sauna suit during spin class.  All I did was to replace certain snacks I was eating with café frappe drinks.

The first thing I did per my friend Beatrice’s suggestion is I bought a pair of jeans one size smaller. Then, I hung them on my closet door where I could see them.  Next I took a tip from my mother who reminded me to look at when I was making “bad” choices and to replace them.  Mid morning and around bed time are apparently weight gain danger zones.  I love to grab a muffin or bagel mid-morning.  At night I enjoy eating something crunchy while watching TV or reading.  So, I replaced the “bad” choices with good ones.  I started using the Mr. Coffee® Café Frappe Maker to make low fat ice blended coffees and ice blended teas.  They are very low fat and filling.  I also put non-fat whipped cream on them, which I love.  Here are the recipes I’m using the most.

I usually make this one mid-morning.

Recipe for Vanilla Cappuccino Frappe
Serves: 2 medium servings

Place ingredients in blender jar of the Mr. Coffee® Café Frappe Maker in the order listed:

• 2 cups crescent-shaped ice cubes (14 to 17 each)
• 3 tablespoons sugar (replace with package of artificial sweetener)
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup non-fat milk

Prepare coffee using amounts below:

• 1/2 cup water
• 3 tablespoons ground espresso or other dark roast coffee

Press the button on the base of the Mr. Coffee® Café Frappe Maker and the café frappe drinks will brew and blend automatically.

In the mid-morning I make my café frappe, grab my phone and head set and head out the door.  I find if I return my calls while walking the neighborhood, I can easily add 45 minutes of exercise to my day.

For late night, instead of turning to crunch snack options, I’ve been having a decaf green tea frappe with rice cakes.  It’s my new favorite alone time.  I put the kids to bed and grab the Tivo remote and an ice blended green tea frappe with non-fat whipped cream.

Here is my favorite night time green tea frappe recipe:
Recipe for Green Tea Frappe:
Serves: 1 large or 2 medium servings