“Mommy, Somebody Needs You.”

Ever since we brought our new daughter home, her older brothers have been the first to tell me when she is crying, whimpering, or smelling a little suspicious.  “Somebody needs you,” they say.  I have no idea how this little saying started, but at first it sort of annoyed me.  I could be enjoying a quick shower… “Mommy, somebody needs you.  The baby is crying.”  Or, sitting down for a second, quite aware that the baby was beginning to stir from a nap…. “Mama, somebody needs you!”  Okay!  I get it already!  And not to mention that the newborn’s needs pale in comparison to the needs of 2 little boys.  Somebody always needs a snack, a band-aid, a different sock, ice cubes in their water, a NEW Paw Patrol, a stream of snot wiped, a hug, a story, a kiss.  Some days never seem to end, and the monotony of being “needed”…

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Caramel sauce and caramel coffee creamer

So. Ready for this? I am NEW to this phenomenon of drinking coffee. I mean I have drank coffee before. Sips here, sips there. My idea of a coffee is the high calorie, high sugar, whipped cream drizzled with caramel sauce frappucino from Starbucks. Definitely more of a every once in a while dessert than a daily drink.

But recently on one of my special play dates with Maxito and sweet best friends, Ethan and Maria, Maria introduced me to the most delicious cup of coffee (and the helpings of equally delicious pound cake from Trader Joes didn’t hurt either). So I have developed a little tradition in the morning now, as I boil water for the boys’ oatmeal I also make myself a cup of coffee. But alas, I can’t kick off the need for sweetened coffee…at first I resorted to what is easily available at Target and picked up a bottle of caramel creamer. Didn’t feel great about it, but it tasted good.

The other day, the ever most inspiring Josefa posted an article on her Facebook page that really struck a cord… And ready? My coffee creamer doesn’t actually have cream! Say what?? Yep. No creamer in my creamer.

And it is so easy to make your own real coffee creamer, why not give a whirl?!

First, this is my go-to caramel sauce recipe:
( these measurements will make enough for the creamer and leave you about 1/4c or so leftover )

3/4cups sugar
1/6cup of water
1/2cup + 1/8c of heavy cream

(I eyeball the 1/6th and 1/8th cups)

With stove OFF, in a saucepan, stir the sugar and water to mix the 2 ingredients. *This* is the only time you can stir!!!

Turn stove on to medium low heat and wait 5-10minutes for sugars to dissolve:

*swoon* my kind of bubbles!

Turn stove on to medium high heat, and watch for sugar to caramelize, about 5-7 minutes, careful not to let caramel burn. You want a dark caramel color:

Turn stove off and pour in the heavy cream, and stand back… it WILL bubble violently and harden but no worries! This is a good thing!

Turn stove on low and stir until creamy and smooth.

Pour into a glass jar and let cool. It will thicken as it cools. Keep refrigerated up to two weeks.

And that’s it!!

For the coffee creamer:
Over medium high heat, whisk 1/2cup of the caramel sauce, one cup heavy cream and one cup whole milk. Whisk until it steams. Pour into a glass jar.

Easy peasy…

And here it is, all bottled up and ready to be gifted to one of my BFFs…

*enjoy!