Ode to Joe . . . Cup o’, that is

      I thought I should start a Monday post with the morning love of my life, Joe (don’t tell B-although his morning love is Chai-that spicy, cup-goddess).

See? Joe even has his own initial mug at my house. (Just kidding-we share the same first initial- This “J” is for Jen.)

      My love affair with coffee did not begin until after age 30 a certain decade of my life when I had two kids, a full-time job, was a project manager of millions, part-time Girl Scout leader, sometimes school volunteer, half-marathon runner, and overall woman extrordinaire.  At least that’s what coffee made me believe.
 Can you see how I fell hard for a tall, triple venti, dark roast, mocha, latte, watchamacallit? I always loved the cozy aroma of coffee but in my late teens and early twenties any attempt to drink it, resulted in an uncontrollable bitter face. Gagging, spitting, flames, smoke from the ears-you get my point.  But now, I can’t live a day without my trusty and handsome Cup o’ Joe.  Joe just makes everything possible in my life and then some.  He smells good, tastes good with buckets a spoonful of sugar, some half and half, maybe a little flavoring syrup depending on my mood.  And, I’ll have you know, I am no coffee snob.  I’ll take it however it is made-espresso, french press, Kuerig, instant, drip, percolated, iced, and even day-old.  I’ve also been known to throw a few tablespoons of instant espresso in my morning green smoothie to give it a kick.  For today, I’m just having my usual: a warm, toasty, bold blend, compliments of my Keurig with two pumps of sugar-free vanilla bean syrup and a healthy splash of fat-free half and half.  So here’s to Joe-my lifeline in a cup.

In honor of Joe, here are some links to some of my favorite coffee recipes found on Pinterest:

• Iced Coffee-the best ever: Pioneer Woman 
• Pumpkin Spice Latte Syrup-make your own: Annie’s Eats 
• Homemade Creamers: Deliciously Organic 
• Vanilla Ginger Latte: Going Home to Roost 
• Raspberry Mocha Latte: Going Home to Roost 
• And just for B and all the other Chai lovers: Chai Concentrate from A Wooden Nest 

How do you take your coffee?

Please note: This is not a paid endorsement for Keurig, but I do love that little, magical machine.