frothy milk without fancy equipment

Good morning! This post comes with a story. Normally I hate that, so scroll to the bottom to skip it.

There's a reason why I care so much about foaming milk without fancy equipment.

It starts with my preference for strong black coffee. My stomach became irritated with it, so I tried adding unsweetened almond milk to buffer the jet fuel. It helps. A LOT.

My stomach has felt better, but I don't exactly like the way it tastes. I still prefer that bitter, un-adultered cup of coffee. Do you know what it's like to wake up in the morning and NOT look forward to your coffee? It sucks.

I recently visited a friend who likes lattes in the morning. She uses a milk steamer and it got me thinking... I like lattes, and I could get on board with being fancy every day. I almost bought myself a milk steamer, but we already have 2 coffeemakers and I don't want another gadget cluttering the kitchen counter.

Luckily, all I needed was a glass jar.
(I happen to have a glass jar problem and have plenty laying around. I think this one is an old pizza sauce jar- I like it because it has markings on the side for easy measuring.)

Here are the steps to get frothy almond milk:

1. Add almond milk to the jar. Sometimes I add turmeric or cinnamon.

2. Microwave it for 1 minute (with the lid OFF)

3. Feed the cat while it's heating

4. Place the lid on the jar

5. Shake for a few seconds

6. Pour into a cup of dark, strong coffee

Now, I look forward to my cup of coffee again.

PSA: Knife sharpener

FYI: If you're in the market for a great little knife sharpener, I've been using this one for years and I love it.

It's compact, it's under $5, and it does a really great job.

ode to a citrus juicer

Who knew this 50-cent garage sale find would become one of my top-used kitchen tools? Raise your hand if you hate biting into a seed or accidentally slurping one up through a straw. I can't be the only one, because these things exist!

Not that I juice citrus that much in everyday cooking. Since I bought it about a year ago, I use it several times a week, but it's mostly used for beverages; lemon water has become a common thing for me to carry around lately. Plus lime juice is essential for moscow mules and tacos and even on salads.

I love being able to get every last drop out of the fruit using the reamer. Why waste those bright sunny flavors?

The design fits over a measuring cup, but also fits perfectly over my everyday glasses, which  means I can juice directly into the cup I'm using and avoid dirtying another dish. You KNOW how much that makes my heart sing.

No fancy model needed. This aluminum version is great. Plus cleanup is a snap; juice, rinse, and repeat. I love my citrus juicer. I love even more that I got it for 50 cents.

Ode to a Citrus Juicer:

This 50 cent garage sale find is great!
No slurping seeds up, which I always hate.
Fresh lemon water carried with me now
and moscow mules for happy hour- pow!
And with this tool I get every last drop
of sunny flavor in my tall glass cup.
The handy shape fits over beverage rims.
You just don't want to stop.
This tool is handy and it peps me up.
Using this juicer fills me with the wins!

Ok, those last few lines were a stretch, but that's an ode for you.