Lock-n-Load Chicken Thighs

Lock-n-Load Chicken Thighs

by Aimee Self

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup brewed Lock-n-Load Java Coffee Double Barrel Black

3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 Tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice
2 Tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pepper
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
¼ cup julienned carrots
¼ cup julienned scallions

Mix all ingredients except for the chicken, carrots and scallions in a bowl. Pour over the chicken and marinate at least overnight. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken thighs in the skillet, about 7 minutes per side. Lower the heat, cover and finish cooking over low heat, another 5-10 minutes. Halfway through the cooking time, throw in the vegetables. Garnish the chicken with the sauteed carrots and scallions and serve with rice and a vegetable on the side.

Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Espresso Glaze and Chocolate Ganache Filling

I can can barely put into words how excited I was to do a coffee challenge! Coffee is, after all, my life blood. Coffee is the giver of all things wonderful, it takes away my cranky, it warms me up on frigid winter mornings, it lures me out of bed with its beautiful aroma every morning, and it gets me moving on that stress filled hour every day when it's time to get up, get baby up, get the poor sleepy child changed and fed and packed to go to Grandmom's, and get my butt moving out the door.

Coffee flavor is also one of my favorite things, I use it in my savory dishes, gravies, and stews for background depth and a flavor boost, but I also love, love, love it with chocolate. Why chocolate and peanut butter get all the love is beyond me. Chocolate and coffee is where it's at. So when it was time to do my first coffee recipe I turned to my favorite chocolate cake...I am sure you all know this recipe, it's been in every church cookbook since the dawn of church cookbooks, my Nana made this for every family member's birthday and whenever anyone was visiting. It is the very first cake I learned to make, and with classic white icing, straight out of the fridge it was good for breakfast, lunch or dinner as far as I was concerned.

But this cake didn't have any perceptible coffee flavor (even though there is a cup of coffee in the batter) so I needed to find a way to highlight all this goodness, because really, Lock and Load Java Double Tap is a fantastic brew that needs to get its due, its time in the spotlight, its MOMENT. So I turned to my second favorite thing, cream cheese icing. I played around, and tweaked, and you know what I found out? When you add coffee to cream cheese icing...it gets.....ruined. Hah!

It's a good thing cream cheese was on sale and I bought 2! Yes, the Gods were smiling on me that day. So back to the drawing board I went and I came up with this delicate, silky cream cheese glaze that is spiked with lots of roasted coffee flavor and is a perfect partner with the good old chocolate cake. The ganache in the middle was just gilding the lily, really....Enjoy!

Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Espresso Glaze and Chocolate Ganache Filling

by Carrie Mason

Basic Chocolate Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Sift together:

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder

add:

1 cup strong brewed ( I used double strength) Lock-n-Load Java Double Tap Special Reserve
1 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten

Mix well for about 2 minutes, pour into 2 greased and floured 9" round cake pans.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Allow the cakes to cool completely.

Chocolate Ganache Filling:

6 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips (half a standard bag)
4 ounces sour cream

Melt the chocolate chips over very low heat until melted and completely smooth. Add the sour cream and stir until completely blended and the mixture is dark and glossy. Spread the mixture over top of one of the 9" rounds, top with the other cake round.

Coffee Cream Cheese Glaze:

1 stick butter, room temperature
1 8-ounce bar cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup confectioners sugar
3 Tablespoons very strong brewed coffee, well chilled (Again, I used Lock-n-Load Java Double Tap Special Reserve.)

Combine all ingredients and mix until well blended and very smooth. Pour over the assembled cake, letting it pool around the edges. Chill well before serving to allow the glaze to set up...or be like me, and get yourself a big slab right away, wash down with a hot cup of coffee or an icy cold glass of milk. Be happy.

Kona Chocolate Cake with Toasted Coconut and Macadamia Nuts

Coffee and chocolate...oh my goodness, I don't know which I love more! This cake is the perfect marriage of the two. While the cake has a very subtle coffee flavor, the frosting is a mocha lover's dream!

Kona Chocolate Cake with Toasted Coconut and Macadamia Nuts
by Susan Whempner

For the cake:
1 cup cocoa powder
2 cups hot brewed Lock-n-Load Charlie Don't Surf Kona coffee
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
2 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and lightly flour three 9" cake pans. In a medium sized bowl, whisk the cocoa powder with hot coffee until smooth, and set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In large mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla on high speed until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes). Turn the speed to low and add the flour mixture alternately with the cocoa/coffee mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Divide the batter equally into prepared cake pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Check with a cake tester. If it comes out clean, remove the cakes from the oven. If not, bake a little longer until done (check every two minutes). Cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges and carefully remove from the pans and cool completely on a wire rack.

For the frosting:
1/2 cup plus 1 Tablespoon half and half
1 1/2 Tablespoons ground Lock-N-Load Charlie Don't Surf Kona coffee
1 (6-ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup butter
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pour the half and half into a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave on high until bubbles begin to form around the edge (about 2 1/2 to 3 minutes depending on your microwave). Stir the coffee grounds directly into the half and half and let sit for about 20 minutes. Now carefully strain the half and half into a medium-sized saucepan, and discard the coffee grounds (I used a little tea strainer and it worked perfectly). Add the chocolate chips and butter to the half and half. Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir until the chocolate and butter are melted and the mixture is nice and smooth. Stir in the vanilla extract. Remove from the heat and pour into a mixing bowl, making sure to scrape the sides and the bottom of the pan with a spatula. Now whisk in the powdered sugar. Set this bowl inside another, bigger bowl filled with ice and beat with a hand mixer until the frosting holds its shape (takes several minutes). Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the top:
1 cup chopped, toasted macadamia nuts
1 - 1 1/2 cups toasted coconut
1 plain milk chocolate candy bar

To toast macadamia nuts:
Preheat the oven to 325°F. On a foil-lined cookie sheet, spread out the macadamia nuts. Roast for 10 to 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool completely.

To toast coconut:
Preheat the oven to 325°F. On a foil-lined cookie sheet, spread out the coconut. Roast for 5 to 10 minutes. The coconut will toast quickly, so watch it carefully. I nearly over-toasted mine! Cool completely.

To make chocolate curls:
Run a vegetable peeler gently along the long sides of candy bar. Handle the curls very gently because they're fragile. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

To assemble the cake:
Lay the first layer on a cake plate, spread some frosting over the top. Add the second layer and do the same thing. Now add the last layer. Spread the frosting over the top and all around the sides. Top with the coconut and macadamia nuts. I also spread some coconut around the bottom for a pretty effect. Top with chocolate curls. Enjoy!

Lock-n-Load Coffee-Rubbed Filet with Guajillo-Garlic Butter, Chile Mashed Potatoes, and Coffee Beans and Cream

I can't lie: I'm not much of a coffee drinker. It's not for lack of interest. I love coffee. It's more that I don't have time for coffee. I could brew it in the morning to help me wake up, sure, but that would eat into valuable sleeping time. Paradox. And unfortunately, when you don't drink much caffeine, it affects you in a way that begins with a pleasant buzz and ends at 4 a.m. with tossing and turning in sweaty sheets, tears, and hushed whimpers of, "I just want to sleep!" Obviously, when we got a chance to try Lock-n-Load's coffee offerings, one of my choices was decaf.

And when you're cooking with coffee after dark, you might want to use decaf so you can sleep that night. These recipes make use of dried chiles for a little bit of Latin-inspired flavor, which is a perfect foil for the coffee. I love this combination of beef and coffee, which is perfect with a little sweetness from brown sugar. And on the side? Once you try simmering black beans in Lock-n-Load coffee, you'll never go back to plain beans cooked in water.

Lock-n-Load Coffee-Rubbed Filet with Guajillo-Garlic Butter, Coffee Beans and Cream, Chile Mashed Potatoes (just for fun)
by Julie Kozarsky

Locked and Loaded Coffee Rubbed Filet with Garlic-Guajillo Butter:

1 part cumin
1 part salt
1/2 part black pepper
1 part Lock-n-Load Sniper's Choice decaf coffee, freshly ground
1 healthy pinch cinnamon
1/2 part brown sugar
Enough thick-cut tenderloin steaks to feed your crew
A couple of tablespoons of canola oil

For guajillo-garlic butter:

4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
2 cloves garlic, grated on Microplane or finely minced
1 guajillo chile, seeds and stem removed, then toasted and ground

In a baggie or a small bowl, mix together the cumin, salt, pepper, ground coffee, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Generously coat the steaks with the coffee-spice rub. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. While it's heating, stir together the butter, garlic, and chile powder; set aside. When the skillet is very hot, cook the steaks. Immediately before cooking, rub canola oil over the outside of the steaks. Slap them down onto the cast iron, flipping frequently, until the outsides are seared but the interior is cooked to your liking. (I'd recommend rare). Serve with guajillo-garlic butter, Guajillo Mashed Potatoes and Locked and Loaded Coffee Beans and Cream.

Guajillo Mashed Potatoes:

4 medium to large Russet potatoes

1/2 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup milk
1 guajillo chile
salt and pepper to taste

Bake the potatoes until tender. Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium-high heat and toast the chile, turning frequently, until puffy. Remove the seeds and stem. Grind the chile and set the flakes aside.

When the potatoes are done, let them cool until you can handle them. Use a spoon to scoop out the flesh and pass it through a ricer. Stir in the butter, milk, chile powder, and salt and pepper to taste.

Locked and Loaded Coffee Beans and Cream:

2-3 Tablespoons vegetable oil

1 Tablespoon chile powder (I recommend a freshly-ground Marx Foods Dried Puya chile)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces dried black beans, soaked overnight
2 cups coffee (I used Lock-n-Load Sniper's Choice decaf coffee)
4 whole cloves
1 bay leaf
2 cups chopped tomato
1 avocado, sliced
1/2 cup sour cream
1 Tablespoon freshly-squeezed lime juice
big pinch of cumin

In a large saucepan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the chile powder and cumin. Saute until fragrant, then add the onion. Stirring occasionally, let the onion sweat for about ten minutes. Then add the minced garlic. Let it cook, stirring frequently, for a couple of minutes. Then add the beans, coffee, cloves, bay leaf, and if the beans aren't completely submerged, enough water to cover.

Meanwhile, put together the cream. In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream, lime juice, and cumin.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer. When the beans are almost tender, add the tomato. Let simmer for another 10-15 minutes until the flavors have melded and the beans are tender. Add salt to taste. Serve dolloped with the cream and sliced avocado to garnish.

Warrior's Reward Double Tap Caramel Martini

I recently had a taste of Smirnoff Kissed Caramel Flavored Vodka. It's like eating a piece of candy! When I got my coffee, I was so excited, I couldn't open it fast enough. I breathed in that aroma and knew exactly what I wanted to do with it. A cocktail. The richness of the coffee with the candy sweetness of the caramel just seemed like a perfect combination. I wasn't wrong. The perfect Double Tap. *CLINK*

Warrior's Reward Double Tap Caramel Martini

by Carol Ferguson

2 ½ ounces Smirnoff Kissed Caramel Flavored Vodka
1 ½ ounces strongly brewed Lock-n-Load Double Tap Special Reserve

I brewed 2 scoops of coffee with 8 ounces of boiling water in a French press and then chilled it. The vodka was chilled in the freezer. Once everything was icy cold, I swirled it together and poured it into a martini glass. I actually made 2, we enjoyed them immensely!

Lock n Coffee-Cream-Loaded Doughnuts with Charlie Don't Surf Glaze

Is there a more classic combination than coffee and doughnuts? Maybe some people love to dunk their doughnuts into coffee, but I prefer the contrast of switching between sweet bites of doughnut and perfectly bitter sips of coffee. This treat, however, would win over the the most dedicated non-dipper. The doughnuts fry up beautifully. If they don't look perfect -- mine didn't, I have a hard time getting the pretty dough cutouts from the sheet pan to the hot oil -- don't despair. They should still have a crunchy outside yielding to tender airy insides, thanks to the yeast. The cream filling will have the fluffy texture of buttercream with the rich flavor of coffee. And a Charlie Don't Surf glaze adds a final punch of flavor. These may not be the prettiest treats I've ever made, but they are certainly amongst the most delicious. Start the dough the day before, then make the coffee cream and glaze while it rises. It's a little involved, but a simple process. And the taste is more than worthwhile!

Lock n Coffee-Cream-Loaded Doughnuts with Charlie Don't Surf Glaze

by Julie Kozarsky

For the doughnuts:

I used this recipe from Brown Eyed Baker... and it is literally copied and pasted here.

2½ teaspoons active dry yeast
⅔ cup whole milk, at room temperature
3½ cups all-purpose flour
⅓ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 eggs
7 Tablespoons (3½ ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 8 pieces

Make the Dough: 

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, stir together yeast and milk; let stand until the yeast is dissolved, about 1 minute. Add the flour, sugar, salt and eggs; mix on low speed until the dough comes together, about 3 minutes. Add the butter, two pieces at a time, mixing after each addition and until the butter is fully incorporated and the dough is soft, a total of 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours and up to 15 hours.

Prepare the Doughnuts: 

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray; set aside. Place the refrigerated dough on a well-floured work surface and gently roll into a 12-inch square (it should be about ½-inch thick). Cut the dough into 9doughnuts using a 3½-inch round cutter. Transfer the doughnuts to the prepared baking sheet, cover with a piece of plastic wrap that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, and place in a warm spot until they've doubled in height and feel poufy and pillowy, 2 to 3 hours.

Fry the Doughnuts: 

Fill a large, heavy-bottomed pot with 3 inches of oil and place over medium-high heat until it reaches 350 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer. While the oil heats, line a baking sheet with a double layer of paper towels for draining the doughnuts. Place the sugar in a small bowl and set aside.

Working with three doughnuts at a time, carefully lower the doughnuts into the hot oil and fry until golden brown on the underside, 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully turn the doughnuts over and fry for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, or until the other side is golden brown as well. Using a slotted spoon or a spider strainer, remove the doughnuts to the paper towel-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining doughnuts.

For the coffee cream:

2 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons brewed Lock-n-Load Java Charlie Don't Surf coffee
1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste

In a small bowl, cream the butter with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add the remaining ingredients and beat until completely incorporated. Adjust the texture to your liking: add more powdered sugar to stiffen things up, or a touch extra coffee if you prefer a looser cream.

For the coffee glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon brewed Lock-n-Load Java Charlie Don't Surf coffee

In a small bowl, stir the sugar and coffee together until smooth.

Assembly:

After you've fried the doughnuts, slice each one almost in half. Dollop the coffee cream inside. Press the doughnut back together and drizzle with the coffee glaze. Garnish with extra coffee cream, if you'd like.

(Alternatively, you could use a pastry bag with a metal tip to fill the doughnuts with the cream).