Thursday, October 19, 2017

Copycat Starbucks Iced Caramel Macchiato



Starbucks has an array of classic drinks that are always popular. The iced caramel macchiato is on the top three most requested drinks from the coffee shop, and it happened to be one of my favorite drinks too.  It is made with a shot of espresso, milk, and caramel sauce. Macchiato is translated to stained milk and you can see how true that is when you order one. The milk and espresso literally melt together to create a perfect blend. 


With all that being said, lets make your very own tasty beverage at home to save yourself a few bucks and a few minutes of standing in line. The basics are pretty simple. Just combine vanilla syrup with cold milk, then add some ice, fresh espresso, and top it all off with caramel sauce. If you dont have an espresso machine, you may want to consider using instant espresso or another strong brewed coffee. Espresso is slightly different from coffee as the water is steamed through the coffee, so it is a little stronger than traditional drip coffee.


This recipe is a copycat, so its not the actual propriety recipe that is property of Starbucks. Its only approximations (for the real thing, visit your local store). The copycat recipe is easy, fits the bill, and can be made simply and in no time at all.  I made this iced caramel macchiato, which tasted similar to the Starbucks kind, for under $3 and under 5 minutes. That is less than the cost of a trip to Starbucks and it really isnt time consuming.

Happy sipping!


Copycat Starbucks Iced Caramel Macchiato
For  recipe in Indonesian, click HERE

Ingredients:


·         2 teaspoons Starbucks vanilla syrup
·         1 cup cold milk of your choice
·         1 cup ice cubes
·         2 shots espresso (or 80 ml strongly brewed coffee)
·         Caramel sauce or syrup to drizzle

Directions:


1.       Add vanilla syrup into your cup or glass.
2.       Pour in the milk of your choice.
3.       Add ice cubes.
4.       Pour 2 shots espresso over the icy vanilla milk mixture.
5.       Drizzle with caramel sauce or syrup.
6.       Stir well and sip.

Bahan:


·         2 sdt sirup vanilla Starbucks (sesuaikan dengan selera Anda)
·         1 cup susu dingin
·         1 cup es batu
·         2 shots espresso (atau 80 ml kopi instan seduh)
·         Saus karamel

Cara:


1.       Masukkan sirup vanilla ke dalam cangkir atau gelas.
2.       Tuang susu dingin.
3.       Tambahkan es batu.
4.       Tuang 2 shots espresso.
5.       Beri saus atau sirup caramel.
6.       Aduk dan siap diminum.


Thursday, October 12, 2017

Sautéed Spinach with Mushroom


Spinach and mushrooms make a super-fast combination thats perfect for two, and its easy to double or triple for a crowd. Sometimes Ill simply sauté spinach with a bit of garlic and olive oil, making for a quick side. But sautéing spinach with mushrooms adds a depth of flavor that made it a good partner for grilled steak.  Yes, this classic combination can be served as a savory side dish or as an entrée which excellent served with beef or chicken—with grains or piled atop a thick slice of toast. It’s also makes a great filling for crepes or omelets.

This recipe for sautéed spinach with mushrooms takes only about 10 minutes to cook and is best served piping hot. So if you are making this dish as part of a dinner, have all the other elements of the meals done or in their last stages before starting the sauté steps for mushrooms and then spinach.


Sautéed Spinach with Mushroom
For recipe in Indonesian, click HERE

Ingredients:


·   1 pound baby spinach, rinsed but not dried; or 2 pounds bunch spinach, stemmed and rinsed but not dried, coarsely chopped
·   ½ pound mushrooms, wiped clean, trimmed and sliced
·   1 bell pepper (green/yellow/red), seeded, de-ribbed, and cut into thin strips 2 inches long and ¼ inch wide
·   1 small onion, cut into thin strips
·   2 garlic cloves, minced
·   1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
·   Salt and freshly ground pepper
·   1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
·   2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
1.       Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a nonstick large skillet or wok. Add the garlic and onion. Cook and stir until fragrant.


2.       Add the mushrooms and stir until seared and beginning to sweat, about five minutes. Add the bell peppers.
3.       Turn the heat to medium, add thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir together for another minute or two until the mushrooms are tender.
4.       Add the spinach and stir until wilted, about two minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the sesame seeds.
5.       Remove from the heat. Serve hot or warm.


Bahan:


·   450 gram baby spinach, cuci bersih tapi tidak usah dikeringkan; atau 900 gram  bayam segar, pisahkan batang dan daunnya, cuci bersih tapi tidak usah dikeringkan, iris kasar
·   225 gram jamur, bersihkan dan iris tipis
·   1 buah paprika (hijau/kuning/merah), buang bijinya, iris tipis dengan panjang 5 cm dan lebar ½ cm
·   1 buah bawang bombay, iris tipis
·   2 siung bawang putih, cincang halus
·   1 sdt daun thyme segar
·   Garam dan merica bubuk
·   1 sdm wijen, sangrai
·   2 sdm minyak zaitun

Cara:
1.       Panaskan minyak zaitun di atas wajan antilengket dengan api sedang-besar. Masukkan bawang putih dan bawang Bombay, tumis hingga harum.


2.       Tambahkan jamur dan tumis sekitar 5 menit. Tambahkan paprika.
3.       Kecilkan api (panas sedang), masukkan daun thyme, garam dan merica. Bisa ditambahkan  gula sedikit. Tumis 1-2 menit lagi sampai jamur layu.
4.       Masukkan bayam, tumis sampai sedikit layu sekitar 2 menit. Koreksi rasa, tambahkan garam dan merica bila perlu. Beri taburan wijen.
5.       Angkat dan sajikan selagi panas atau hangat.