It was surprisingly hot last Sunday, even at night, when it supposed to get a couple of degrees lower. It was so hot that I can even afford to eat something like this (and not wish for Amish fireplaces!):
I got the fiesta version, without the ice cream because I can do without the sweetness, thank you very much. This was my reward for a week-long diet!
I am on my 12th cup in the race to get the coveted Starbucks 2010 planner. Only three holiday and two non-holiday beverages to go and I can finally have one. I am quite partial to hot Dark Cherry Mocha but I go back to my favorite Caramel Macchiato all the time. I see a lot of nursing students in Starbucks too, no doubt reviewing for the upcoming board exams (I clearly remember when I reviewing and had to learn all about emergency evacuation in two days).
Maybe I will get a Peppermint Mocha Decaf in my next order.
Smores is a sure fire way to get my kids all excited to go camping! We haven’t really camped outdoors in real life but we pretend play about camping all the time – complete with
sleeping bags and backpacks! (We just camp out in the living room complete with TV, a fan, and a bathroom and toilet!).
We also have tried camping at the back of our house. Plastic Play Centers are a great way to let the kids pretend that it’s truly a jungle and they are making their way through a maze of trees and vines (like Tarzan and Jane). I remember me and my cousins used to do this a lot.
And of course at the end of our camping at night, just before we go to sleep, we make sure to start a bonfire and cook up some smores.
INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
Isn’t this inviting? 
I need to taste this!
Starbucks recently launched their coffee-drink ice creams last Spring and feedback has been going pretty well. The only drawback? Customers are complaining why there aren’t offered in actual Starbucks outlets.
Among friends who sampled the Starbucks: Mocha Frappuccino, Java Chip Frappuccino, and Caramel Macchiato (each is $3.99 per pint), the Caramel Macchiato stood out the best. What can I say?! I LOVE CARAMEL!!
However the old flavors including Mud Pie, Coffee Almond Fudge, Low Fat Latte, and Caramel Cappuccino Swirl are no longer available.
Here are some feedback I got online:
The Caramel Macchiato had the boldest and most intense coffee flavor, as well as luscious thick swirls of sweet caramel, which contrasted nicely with the creamy vanilla ice cream.
The Java Chip Frappuccino, which was a touch creamier than the others, had nice bittersweet chocolate chunks. But there were criticisms: "This is not as coffee flavored as I would have imagined," announced one editor. Many agreed that this would be the ideal choice for someone who likes their coffee mild and not too sweet.
The Mocha Frappucino, comprising coffee and chocolate ice cream, was ultimately the most appealing to the eye because of its dark and tan contrasting colors. It also had editors commenting on how they prefer the ice cream version to the actual drink. On editor said, "It tastes like a Mocha Frap, but it’s not as dramatically sweet…it’s perfect."