The luck of the Irish
Recipe #11: Irish coffee drink

In the story for the three-cup chicken, I mentioned why I'd stay clear of wine. Unless the wine was cooked with food, I would always avoid it. As for drinks, the only beverage I'd still drink is my mother's Irish coffee.

Irish coffee was invented 1942 by Joe Sheridan, an Irish bartender. It was a warm and cozy drink for the first Westerners to visit Ireland. Maybe it was because they were moved, but the unique of Irish coffee truly has many affecionados.

Since our recipes focuses on healthy, we cut down on cream unless it is absolutely needed. Of course, some dishes don't taste like the original once the heavy cream is gone. However, that does not mean it won't taste good! For the coffee that has the taste of Irish cream, people who have tasted it still love it. They would always want seconds.

Instructions

1. 1 c. coffee, brewed
2. 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
3. 1 shot whiskey (about 1.5 oz.)
4. 1/4 cup cream

Directions

1. Fill a warmed glass with coffee until 3/4 c. full.
2. Add sugar and stir.
3. Add the cold cream on top of liquid.

Tips

1. This serving is for 10-12 oz. cups. If you want to use a smaller cup, as shown in the photo, you can scale it down.
2. You can slightly beldn the heavy cream, but not too much (i.e., a few seconds).
3. If you're a health nut and don't want to use so much cream, you can check the method that my mother used: add 2 tsp. white sugar to the prepared coffee, and mix well and stir in one pack of CoffeeMate creamer. Finally, add two tsp. of Bailey's Irish cream and mix well. It tastes very, very good.

Recipe #10: cafe mocha

If you liked the previous recipe (cappuchino), you'll love this one as well!

Ingredients

1. 1/2 c. fresh coffee, brewed
2. 2 Tbsp. chocolate syrup
3. 1/2 c. whole milk

Directions

1. Using a blender, beat the milk until it gets foamy
2. Microwave the milk for about 45 seconds on high
3. Prepare a 10-oz. cup. Pour syrup in.
4. Pour coffee in and mix well using a spoon.
5. Add the milk.

Tips

1. If you want something sweeter, add more syrup or sugar.
2. If you want something rich, you can substitute the milk with heavy cream. Alternatively, you can do half-and-half. You can also use whole milk, and add a packet of creamer in the coffee first.
3. For mugs over 10 oz., you can adjust the amount of milk or coffee to your liking.
4. Chocolate syrup can be subsituted with a combination of cocoa powder and sugar.

Cappuccino, cappuccino and cappuccino
Recipe #9: You guessed it, cappuccino!

Both of my parents enjoy coffee. Mom brews it every morning, so my father and I literally "wake up and smell the coffee" at breakfast time. This is the luckiest thing in the world - every day is like a good start.

Because I like the smell of coffee and the taste of ice cream bars, I once asked my mother to buy a box of cappuccino-flavored bars at a supermarket, which was made by a well-known coffee brand.

Every day after dinner, I would eat one of them... it was heavenly. Although I go to bed late, I felt pretty wired up, and one day, I was unable to fall asleep until I 2:00 a.m. I was a bit worried. My mother thought it was unusual, so she decided to find out the cause of my insomnia. Looking for the root of the cause, she suspected that the caffeine in the cappuccino-flavored bars (to a young kid, the caffeine was probably too strong). Since then, I have known caffeine was to be avoided at all costs, so I would never drink any coffee.

When I was in college, some of my buddies would like to go to coffee shop. Since I did not, I felt I was not in their circle. My mother made two kinds of coffee, mocha and cappuccino, for me to try. I tasted it, and it was a wonderful drink; it was even better than the brand I mentioned (or maybe it was because our coffee was better). In a delightful weekend, the start of one day is marked by the delightful coffee. All of our friends love coming to our house, probably because her coffee is so good. Anyways, it's a treat for all of us.

Ingredients

1. 1/2 c. strong coffee, brewed
2. 1/4 c. milk
3. 1 tsp. sugar
4. Cocoa powder (optional)

Directions

1. Prepare the freshly brewed coffee, hot and strong, and add sugar.
2. Using a blender, beat the milk until it gets foamy
3. Microwave the foamy milk for about 30 seconds on high, and pour into the hot coffee.
4. Use a spoon and put the foam on top of the coffee.

Tips

1. If you have an espresso machine, you can make espresso. Otherwise, use a brewer. If you're using espresso, reduce the coffee to 1/4 cups and increase the milk to 1/2 cups.
2. You can use skim milk.
3. Sugar is optional. It is totally up to you.
4. If you like the taste, you can add some cocoa powder.
5. Different microwaves have different power, so be sure to stop the microwave before the coffee boils over.