You have the coffee to make mom feel extra special on Mother’s Day morning, but what to serve with it?  We have a slew of favorite recipes from Amber to wow your mom (her Wild Mountain Blueberry™ pound cake comes to mind), but how about a salute to mom's favorite full-bodied, artisanal flavor with a tender slice of coffee cake from our Vermont kitchen? 

Tully’s^® Coffee Cake

Ingredients

Streusel:

- ¾ cup sugar

- 1 teaspoon cinnamon

- ¾ cup walnuts or pecans

Cake:

- 3 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour

- 2 teaspoons baking powder

- 1 teaspoon baking soda

- 1 ½ teaspoons salt

- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

- 6 ounces Tully’s® Italian Roast, cold

- ¾ cup sour cream

- 12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened

- 1 ¾ cups sugar

- 3 large eggs

Glaze:

- 2 ounces Tully’s® Italian Roast, cold

- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted

Directions

- Brew 8 ounces Tully’s® Italian Roast (available in bags, K-Cup® and Vue® packs). Place in refrigerator to cool for at least 2 hours prior to using.

- Preheat oven to 350° F.

- Butter and flour either a Bundt pan or a 13x9 inch baking pan. Set aside.

Prepare streusel. Finely chop nuts, and then combine with sugar and cinnamon. Set aside for later use.

- Prepare dry ingredients of cake. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Mix well. Set aside.

- In a separate bowl prepare, combine 6 ounces cold Tully’s® Italian Roast, vanilla, and sour cream. Whisk. Set aside.

- In a separate bowl, beat together the softened butter and 1 ¾ cups sugar until fluffy and light. If using a standing mixer, beat on medium for about 5 minutes. If using a hand mixer, beat on medium for about 10 minutes. Then, mix in 1 egg at a time on the low setting.

- Combine the coffee, vanilla, and sour cream mixture (previously set aside) with the butter, sugar, and egg mixture.

- Combine wet and dry ingredients in the following manner, stirring after each step. Combine ⅓ of dry mix with ½ wet mix and stir. Add ⅓ dry mix and remaining wet mix and stir. Add the remaining dry mix and stir. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure the batter is well mixed.

- Pour half of the batter into your baking pan. Add all of the streusel mixture, spread in an even layer. Top with remaining batter.

- Bake at 350° for about 60 - 70 minutes, until golden brown and the cake begins to pull away from sides of pan, and a knife or skewer, once inserted, comes out cleanly.

- Transfer cake to a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes. Then, if using a Bundt pan, invert cake onto rack or a serving plate; carefully remove pan (gently slide a knife around the side of the pan if necessary to loosen cake) and let cake cool completely.

- For glaze, mix sifted powdered sugar with remaining 2 ounces of cold Tully’s® Italian Roast until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cake.

- Let glaze harden for a few minutes, and then serve (with even more Tully’s® Italian Roast paired with it).

Breakfast in bed is the quintessential way to kick-off a quality Mother’s Day.  Mom gets to lounge, kids get creative in the kitchen, and dad gets to coordinate to make it all happen (and clean it all up)!  To simplify the process but still give mom that special, “For me?” moment, how about brewing her up a little something sweet and tropical in your Keurig® brewer?

Coconut Vanilla Cream

Ingredients

- Green Mountain Coffee® Island Coconut® K-Cup® pack, Vue® pack, or bagged coffee

- 1 tablespoon of brown sugar

- ½ - 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

- 2 teaspoons of heavy cream or whipped cream

Directions

- Add 1 tablespoon of brown sugar into a large mug

- Brew or pour 6-8 ounces of Green Mountain Coffee® Island Coconut® into the mug

- Add ½ - 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract to taste

- Stir

- Pour 2 teaspoons of heavy cream over the backside of a spoon into the mug creating a layered effect or top with whipped cream

Tip from the Brew Team

- Don’t stir again after adding the heavy cream or whipped cream. Sip the coffee through the cream and transport your senses!

If you’ve got a Keurig® K-Cup® or Vue® brewer, there are lots of options for trying something new to “Renew Your Brew.” Things like flavored coffees – Limited Edition Island Coconut comes to mind – and Brew Over Ice flavors like lemonade, iced coffee, and iced tea. (You did know that every Keurig® brewer can make iced beverages, right?)

The point is, single-serve packs are a really convenient way to enjoy a great cup of coffee any time of day. But being able to use your brewer to make iced coffee, iced tea, lemonade and other fruit drinks is a little like discovering that your washing machine can also fold and do ironing. Sigh…if only.

So in case you need a little more motivation, here are 10 Ways to Renew Your Brew that you may see floating around as you travel through cyberspace in the next few weeks. And if you do try something new – beverage related or not – please leave a comment; we’d love to hear about it.

10 Ways to Renew Your Brew

1. Start chillin’ with your Keurig® brewer. Enjoy iced coffee, iced tea, and more.

2. Raise a mug to Mom. Order a special Mother’s Day Brewer Bundle to make her morning easy.

3. Think outside the bean. Try Brew Over Ice lemonade by Green Mountain Naturals® and other fruit brews.

4. Stockpile your favorite flavors with 15% off storewide, now through May 7. Just use keycode RENEWBREW at check-out.

5. Give a gift of good taste to someone special (see #4 regarding storewide sale).

6. Take a sip to paradise with Green Mountain Coffee® Island Coconut® seasonal coffee.

7. Get a special delivery. Café Express® members enjoy regular automatic delivery of their favorite items AND save 15% on every order.

8. Get a newer brewer. Check out the Keurig® Vue® V500.

9. Make time for tea with Bigelow and Celestial Seasonings K-Cup® and Vue® packs.

10. Try something new to you. Fair Trade Certified™ selections, Tully’s Hawaiian Blend, and more!

You know where to find all these great options, but here’s a shortcut to get you started: www.GreenMountainCoffee.com

Mother’s Day isn’t too far away, so make sure it’s time to make sure you get her the perfect gift. Struggling for some ideas? We wanted to make things easier for you this year with a gift guide of things to buy mom on her special day to go with that Keurig^® brewer you got her last year.

1. When you were younger, you probably got one of those “#1 MOM” coffee mugs. You can still let your mom know she is #1 with a beautiful mug like, the Guatemalan Teal Mug. A lot of care went into making these hand painted Guatemalan mugs, and she'll know it, too.

2. You can’t always be there for her to help tidy up the house, but the Black and Silver K-Cup® Pack Storage Tower  will help her organizing the kitchen and keep things neat.

3. To make her day extra special, buy her some of her favorite Keurig® brewed beverages, like some Café Escapes® if your mom needs some “me time”, or maybe some Barista Prima® coffee for mothers who want to transport themselves to a European coffee house for the afternoon!

We have a lot more ideas on our website, in case your mom is more of a maple syrup or biscotti lover. No matter what you end up getting mom for Mother’s Day, make sure you give her all of the love and appreciation she deserves.

While I’m no glue gun goddess, I’ve been known to enjoy a good crafting session.  With Easter just around the corner, I have my DIY Easter list narrowed down to one project: K-Cup^® pack Easter Baskets!  This little beauty came from Karen on our Sustainability team.  Cute and bunny-sized, how could I not give it a try?  Here’s how to do it: 

1. Brew your favorite Keurig Brewed^® coffee – perhaps Green Mountain Coffee^® Island Coconut^® to welcome in spring?  Sip, savor, and enjoy that cup!  (And let the brewed K-Cup^® pack cool down a touch.)

2. Once cooled, carefully remove the foil lid, filter, and coffee grounds.  Your soon-to-be planted garden will appreciate a little coffee ground compost.

3. Gently wash out and towel-dry the empty K-Cup^® pack.*   

4. Poke two small holes on each side of the K-Cup^® pack below the lip and thread each end of your pipe cleaner through to create a handle.

5. Fill with Eater grass and your favorite candies.  Jelly beans and candy coated chocolate eggs are our favorites. 

6. Delight your family with this bunny-sized treat on Easter morning!

*Psst - If you want to add more color, grab some paint, glue, rhinestones, - you name it - , and decorate the pack before putting in the pipe cleaner handle.

Your wait is over: Green Mountain Coffee^® Island Coconut^® is back for the spring and summer!   It’s time to brew yourself into a tropical getaway – even if you never leave your cubicle.

We’ve captured the lush aroma of fruity, exotic coconut and blended it with the subtle sweetness of a lightly-roasted, Central American coffee. The result is as refreshing as it is unexpected.  Enjoy it in bags, K-Cup^® packs, and, for the first time, Vue^® packs for your Keurig Vue^® brewer!  Remember: It’s Limited Edition – brew it while supplies last!

Are you going to take a trip to paradise with Island Coconut this season?

If you’ve ever spent a February in Vermont, the answer to “Are you available to work at event in Miami Beach this month?” is always a resounding “Yes!” Nothing against Vermont, mind you. After all, I’ve called it home for 13 years and counting, but yikes it can get mighty cold up here sometimes!

So with high hopes the Barista Prima Coffeehouse® team and I prepared for several days of sampling at The Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival. Upon arrival, we were thrilled – and somewhat taken aback – by the setting and scope of the event. Against a backdrop of cosmopolitan sheen, art deco elegance, and miles of white sand and blue water, the SOBE WFF (as it’s so called) is in a class by itself. Under huge white tents, right on the beach, dozens of vendors prepared themselves for 3 days of sharing samples of fine wine, mouthwatering food, innovative accessories, and in our case, amazing European coffee house-inspired Barista Prima® K-Cup® packs. 

When the gates opened on Friday, our preparation was put to the test, as a rush of attendees kept us engaged and busy while we doled out cup after cup of complimentary Barista Prima samples. During the equally busy sampling days on Saturday and Sunday, we met quite a few loyal customers (people who already have a love-love relationship with Barista Prima), and we made some new friends as well. The pace was fast and furious, but our team tackled the challenge with energy and enthusiasm.  With stylish fedoras like ours, how could we not?

Between the setting, the atmosphere, the throngs of interested attendees, the celebrity sightings (foodie royalty like Rachael Ray, Guy Fieri, Bobby Flay, Andrew Zimmern, Anne Burrell, Gail Simmons, and many others), the stellar support staff, and the non-Vermont temperatures, this south Florida “event of the year” was a great showcase for Barista Prima’s elegant cup of coffee. 

Are you a South Beach Barista Prima fan? 

Have a passion for coffee? Crazy for chocolate? Have a minty swish in your step as you imagine yourself on a piazza in Italy?  Then our resident K-Cup® mixologist in has a recipe for you:

Italian Peppermint Mocha

Ingredients

• - One Barista Prima Coffeehouse® Italian Roast K-Cup® or Vue® pack
• - 1/4 teaspoon of peppermint extract
• - 2+ tablespoons of chocolate syrup
• - Half & Half to taste
• - Whipped Cream
•  -Crushed peppermint candies (optional)

Directions

Brew 6-8 ounces (make it Strong brew on your Vue® brewer if you're in for a tres forte mocha) of Barista Prima® Italian Roast into a large mug

Add peppermint extract

Add 2 tablespoons of chocolate syrup

Add Half & Half, gently stir

Top with whipped cream

Drizzle chocolate syrup and sprinkle crushed peppermint candies on top

Enjoy!

Today marks Single Awareness Day. While couples take time to show they care for their other half on Valentine’s Day, singles everywhere should take today to show some love to themselves. And what better way than to brew something just for yourself, one cup at a time?  Here is a list of our teams’ favorite K-Cup® packs that will make your Single Awareness Day the best it can be.

1. 1.  Café Escapes® Chai Latte is a black tea blended with spices and sweet and creamy milk. It’s okay to take a little "me-time" for once and fully enjoy a delicious beverage, just for you.

2. 2.  It’s all about you and your wellness when you brew a cup of Green Mountain Coffee® Focus Blend™. Part of our Wellness Collection, this coffee helps make sure you are primed to get the most out of your day.

3. 3.   Take a sip of Barista Prima® Italian Roast  and close your eyes. Instantly, you will be transported to one of Europe’s finest coffee houses. Who doesn’t love a mini vacation?

4. 4.   Green Mountain Coffee® Special Reserve Colombia Geisha  is the rarest coffee that we offer. Try a cup of this limited edition brew and treat yourself to the finer things in life.  

5. 5.   Celestial Seasonings® Sleepytime® K-Cup® Herbal Tea is the perfect way to help you unwind and get a good night's sleep. Nothing is more important than getting that full seven hours a night, so you can be the best you can be!

Which will you treat yourself to today?

Every once in a while I find that it is good to change things up. Whether it’s reorganizing my living room or going to a restaurant I wouldn’t normally frequent.  At Green Mountain Coffee we’ve found the same to be true with our K-Cup® and Vue® packs. That said, we have taken the time to add some serious pizzazz to K-Cup® and Vue® pack lids across our family of brands so that you can enjoy the same great beverages with a new and exciting twist! Have you seen the new lid art? Let us know what you think!

Earlier this month, SingleServeCoffee.com gave Hot Apple Cider by Green Mountain Naturals™ Vue® packs a perfect score: 100-out-of-100!  But who’s really surprised? With a total of five all natural ingredients and no artificial flavors or preservatives, this drink should be at the top of the list for hot apple cider lovers (Like me!).

The review was sure to highlight the “rich notes of sweet apples with bursts of spicy cinnamon” and the “silky smooth” consistency. Overall, it was decided that Green Mountain Natural’s Hot Apple Cider was, “spot-on with real mulled apple cider.”

Don’t just read about how great the apple cider is, taste it!  Hot Apple Cider by Green Mountain Naturals is available in both in Vue® packs and K-Cup® packs on our website, as well as in grocery stores and retailers nationwide.

During this time of year I often find myself sleeping in as late as possible on those Saturday mornings when I clearly have an agenda filled with errands to run and tasks to complete. In fact just the other weekend, I was awoken by the aroma of French Toast wafting up the stairs and down the hallway. I immediately knew it was going to be the start of a good day. However, for those of us who do not have a personal chef (or significant other), we have good news. Golden French Toast® coffee is back in K-Cup® packs and bags! Featuring a maple aroma, and buttery, golden toasty flavors, there is more than one reason to start off a busy weekend morning with this cold weather classic from Green Mountain Coffee®. Stock up on this sensational flavored coffee before its too late!

With only a few days until Christmas, how’s the last minute planning and gift shopping going?  Are all the gifts wrapped and under the tree, or are you a bit frazzled and still trying to pull together menus, not to mention still struggling to figure out what to get that mother-in-law of yours? (Trust me: We're all there!)

To help out, we tapped into some of our K-Cup® Ambassadors to provide a few tips to help you check off some of those final tasks. 

• Take a break.  Kelby of Type-A Parent says, “It is so easy to get caught up in your endless to-do list for the holidays (and unfortunately, holidays are on the calendar and come with a definite deadline). Take a break to do something holiday-related just for the sheer fun of it. Almost every town or city has some sort of holiday displays, events, festivals or even just holiday lights driving through neighborhoods. Take one day to just enjoy the holidays. Believe me, all the other stuff can wait one day (unless, perhaps, you are reading this on Christmas Eve). 

• Do-ahead appetizers.  When planning appetizers, Amber of Bluebonnets & Brownies says to always include a few dips that can be made ahead of time, and quickly too, like this homemade salsa recipe. Throw some tortilla chips in a bowl, and you're ready to go. It's my mother's recipe, and I serve it at every party we host, no matter the time of year. It's always a hit, and it comes together in the food processor in about 3 minutes flat. Add to that, it can be made up to 3 days ahead of time, and the flavors only get better the longer it sits."
• Hostess Gifts.  Julie from The Little Kitchen loves to give little gift baskets with coffee and cookies in them - or even a cute coffee mug with a little baggie with a sampling of your favorite K-Cup® packs and some homemade biscotti or cookies.

• Take a “Me Moment”.  Kristen of Dine & Dish carves out a bit of “me” time each day. “I do that by sitting down to a cup of coffee. There is a reason coffee is hot… it’s meant to be sipped and savored, not rushed.  I use that 15 minutes in my day to get a grip on the day and it truly does work.”

Life is always interesting in the event marketing world, and you never know where the opportunities may take you or who you may be rubbing elbows with. From both a professional and personal standpoint, you can mark down the Green Mountain Coffee® sponsorship of the 46^th Annual Country Music Association (known as the CMAs to us fans) Awards in Nashville in the time-well-spent column.

In October, the Green Mountain Coffee brand sponsored a massive 2-day marathon of remote radio broadcasts preceding the Country Music Association Awards (CMA) Show in Nashville, TN. Personnel from 50 Country stations from around the U.S. were there, all part of the Clear Channel Premiere Radio Network. Naturally, all those radio personalities need people to interview, so also in attendance were over 100 of the biggest names in Country music today. Artists and bands like Faith Hill, Luke Bryan, Little Big Town and Kelly Clarkson were there, along with Tim McGraw, Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert, Darius Rucker, Zac Brown Band, Eric Church, Lady Antebellum, Jason Aldean, Taylor Swift, and many more. Many of them enjoyed the unlimited access to our Keurig® sampling array and tasty lattes and cappuccinos served up by a talented local barista that we partnered with.  To say the least, it was an elbow rubbing time.

(My strictly un-scientific poll revealed that the Green Mountain Coffee Caramel Vanilla Cream K-Cup® packs were the belle of the ball, and seemed to be the variety of choice for many country fans.)

We also served free samples of great K-Cup® pack varieties like Fair Trade Organic Sumatran Reserve and Fair Trade Vermont Country Blend® to all the fans lined up in front of the hotel, waiting patiently for photos and autographs from some of their favorite Country stars. 

Another part of our sponsorship entailed working with a great new band called The Henningsens. The band is currently in the midst of a ten-city promotional tour, and are criss-crossing the country in a beautifully wrapped Green Mountain Coffee bus. Let us know if you happen to spy the bus in your area!

Hope to rub elbows with you at an event sometime soon…

Today marks a first for Green Mountain Coffee® Special Reserve.  For years we’ve offered exquisite, rare coffees in limited supply through our Special Reserve collection, but this marks the first time it is also available in K-Cup® packs for Keurig® brewers, and we couldn’t be more excited about it!  Introducing the latest Green Mountain Coffee Special Reserve, Colombia Geisha:

I recently had the opportunity to visit the farm where this coffee is grown and to get a rare, first-hand glimpse into the process that is meticulously followed to bring you this amazing coffee.  I was astounded to learn of the care and dedication that is put into each step of growing, harvesting and processing this coffee.  For example, only the tiny plants in the nurseries with straight roots are used for growing the Geisha varietal.   The coffee cherry pickers are trained for four-twelve months to ensure only the best cherries are selected.  Plus, once harvested, the coffee is processed in a wet mill that is dedicated for Geisha and is then dried in a mechanical dryer so the flavors are preserved.   That’s a lot of extra care and consideration – which you can taste in every cup. 

While we were in Colombia at Finca Cerro Azul, we had the opportunity to go and cup a variety of coffees, and when I got to Sample #4, I had my ah-ha moment.  I instantly knew that the coffee I just tasted was this Special Reserve – it was no ordinary coffee.  This coffee is known for its sweet, dynamic citrus-like flavor profile.  As you sip it, it turns gently from honey to blood orange, with hints of juicy cherry, lime and orange blossoms. 

I’ll take a lot away from this trip, but the most important is that the coffee I sip on while getting ready each morning will never be seen as “just a cup of coffee” ever again!  I hope you enjoy this coffee as much as I do!

Colombia Geisha  is available online in whole bean bags and K-Cup®  packs, while supplies last, exclusively on www.GreenMountainCoffee.com and www.Keurig.com.

As the days grow shorter I often find myself daydreaming of that tropical destination somewhere just out of reach. Tully's Hawaiian Blend K-Cup® packs, like a well deserved get away, hold a special place in my imagination. After the first sip you might just realize that the Island of flavor that this coffee takes you to is just the place you'll want to be. 

It's the most wonderful time of the year!  And yes, I am singing that line - because right now is Fair Trade Pumpkin Spice time. My favorite of all Green Mountain Coffee® blends, made even better because it is Fair Trade Certified™. I big puffy heart developing recipes around all the Green Mountain Coffees that I do, but anyone who's known me for a while knows that Fair Trade Pumpkin Spice is the end-all, be-all in my coffee world. Developing a recipe with this scrumptious coffee is a highlight for me every Fall.

Let's talk about classic combinations for a second. Peanut butter and jelly. Cookies and milk. Doughnuts and coffee. Just a few simple ingredients: pumpkin doughnuts from your favorite bakery, vanilla pudding with a Fair Trade Pumpkin Spice kick, and fresh, decadent whipped cream. Put them together and what have you got? Fair Trade Pumpkin Spice Coffee & Doughnuts Trifle! Fair Trade Pumpkin Spice coffee provides the perfect flavor profile for a decadent Autumnal dessert fancy enough for Thanksgiving, but also at home on a Tuesday. These trifles are make-ahead, and look adorable in mini trifle cups or Mason jars, which also means they'd be easy to transport to the next football tailgate too. Just a couple of Fair Trade Pumpkin Spice K-Cup® packs and you'll be on your way. Just make sure you get your K-Cup® packs ordered soon. They're known to sell out quickly!

Fair Trade Pumpkin Spice Coffee & Doughnuts Trifle

serves 8

Ingredients

4 Pumpkin doughnuts from your favorite bakery (Cake doughnuts with a sugar glaze work best.)
1 3 oz package Vanilla Cook & Serve Pudding
3 8 fl oz cups Green Mountain Coffee Fair Trade Pumpkin Spice coffee, divided
2 pints heavy whipping cream, divided
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
4 tablespoons granulated sugar Pumpkin Pie Spice for garnish

Directions

Prepare the vanilla pudding mix. The cook and serve style calls for 2 cups of milk on the package. Instead, use 1 cup of heavy whipping cream (You will have 3 cups of heavy whipping cream left over) and brew one cup of Fair Trade Pumpkin Spice coffee. Add both to a small saucepan, and then add the pudding mix.

Stir constantly over medium heat until just reaching a bubbling boil. Remove from heat, place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place the pudding in the refrigerator - it will thicken as it cools.

After about an hour, the pudding should be the perfect consistency, and nicely chilled.

Slice each of the doughnuts in half, and then chop each halve into smaller pieces. Fit 1/2 a donut into each vessel, whether it be a mini trifle cup or an 8 oz mason jar.

Brew two 8 oz cups of Fair Trade Pumpkin Spice Coffee. Pour 2 oz (the size of a shot glass) over the pumpkin doughnut pieces in each vessel and set aside.

Spoon about 3-4 tablespoonfuls of pudding over the donuts in each serving glass. Distribute evenly among the glasses until all the pudding is used.

Add the remaining cream to a large bowl, along with the pure vanilla extract and granulated sugar. Whip on high speed in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer until the cream has stiff peaks.

Spoon whipped cream over the pudding layer in each trifle, making sure each cup gets an equal amount until the cream is all gone.

Cover each trifle with plastic wrap (or screw on lids if you're using mason jars) and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Just before serving, sprinkle each trifle lightly with pumpkin pie spice for garnish.

Trifles can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.

[Psst - if you go over to Bluebonnets & Brownies, there's a Pumpkin Spice giveaway going on, too!  Go on over and check-it out!]

There has never been a better time to save on a new Keurig® brewer. Through October 28^th, anyone who purchases a Keurig Vue® or K-Cup® brewer on GreenMountainCoffee.com will get up to $50 off with a mail in rebate. This rebate can also be downloaded by customers who have recently purchased a brewer (online or in a retail store). Add Keurig Brewed® packs and accessories to your order for additional savings. (Café Express® 15% savings and benefits are eligible for purchase.)

We are very happy to announce yet another addition to our Family of Brands. 8 O’Clock® Coffee is now available in K-Cup® packs. With coffees such as Dark Italian Roast, Colombian and Hazelnut, you are sure to find the brew that is right for you!

For those of us in New England, the fall season conjures up images of brilliant fall foliage, apple picking, pumpkins, and a hint of chill in the air.  With the onset of this glorious season comes another highlight to fans of the Green Mountain Coffee® Family of Brands: our fall catalog! The fall edition of our catalog is jam-packed with a large assortment of coffees, teas, and beverages, as well as a variety of food, mugs, and gift baskets to help get you started with your holiday shopping.