If you brew a pot of coffee each morning, chances are that you have a bit of extra brew from time to time. You may simply pour your excess coffee down the drain at the end of the day, but you don’t have to!
There are ways to incorporate this caffeinated liquid into other recipes. Here are three delicious ways to use up your extra coffee.
1. Slow Cooker Coffee Pot Roast
If you’re having friends from your retirement community over for dinner, you can use the extra coffee from your morning pot to create a great group entree. This recipe lets a pot roast marinate in coffee all day for a tender dish with a unique taste.
Ingredients
• 2 medium onions, sliced
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 12 oz. sliced mushrooms
• 1 boneless beef chuck roast, quartered
• 1 1/2 cups fresh brewed coffee
• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 6 Tbsp. water
Directions
In a 5-quart slow cooker, place half of each the sliced onions, mushrooms and minced garlic. Layer half the beef on top of the vegetables, then pour the remaining onions, mushrooms, garlic and beef into the cooker.
In a small bowl, stir together the coffee and soy sauce. Pour the mixture over the beef.
Cover your slow cooker, then turn to low heat. Let the meat cook for 9 to 10 hours or until it is tender.
Thirty minutes before you’re ready to serve, mix together the cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Pour the liquid into the slow cooker, then stir well. Cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes on high heat.
2. Coffee-Fig Compote
It’s easy to incorporate a little extra caffeine into your breakfast or mid-morning snack. This recipe for coffee and fig compote is perfect over Greek yogurt with a bit of granola.
Ingredients
• 1 1/4 cup brewed coffee
• 7 oz. dried mission figs
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. cardamom
• 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 tsp. orange zest
Directions
Start by cutting the stems off the figs and slicing the fruit into quarters.
In a medium saucepan, combine all the ingredients. Place on the stove over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low and let the compote simmer for 20 minutes.
Once your compote is cooked, use a slotted spoon to remove the figs from the pan and place them in a small bowl. Return the pan to the stove over medium heat and simmer the liquid for 5 more minutes. Your compote should be syrupy at this point.
Stir the figs back into the liquid, then allow the mixture to cool to room temperature. Store your compote in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you’re ready to enjoy it.
3. Iced Coffee Popsicles
During the summer, you might stash extra java in the fridge to use for iced coffee later in the day. It’s a great way to cool down on a warm afternoon, but what if you could make the treat even more refreshing? Try this easy recipe for iced coffee popsicles for an addicting summer dessert.
Ingredients
• 2 cups cold, strong coffee
• 1/2 cup half-and-half cream
• 1/4 cup sugar
• Popsicle sticks
Directions
In a large bowl or pitcher, combine all the ingredients. You can adjust the amount of sugar and cream depending on your personal tastes, or swap in an artificial sweetener.
Stir the mixture until the sugar has dissolved. Pour the coffee mixture into popsicle molds, then place a stick in each. If you don’t have specialty popsicle molds, you can substitute small paper cups.
Finally, place your pops in the freezer for 2 or 3 hours until they’re solid. Enjoy with your friends on a hot summer day!
