Early Morning Writing and a recipe

I'm trying something new for the week. Unfortunately, it can only last for this week. Wake before 6am and write until the hubby and kiddos drag themselves out of bed. Originally, I thought I'd throw on clothes and hit the local Starbucks (they open at 5:30). But this morning, I didn't feel like dressing. And my homemade lattes are much cheaper.

Today, so far, so good. I've got a lot of solid editing time in. Don't know if I'll make it up so early tomorrow after going out tonight for my weekly crit group meeting. We'll see.

Next week it will be back to the regular work schedule, where I'm at work by 7am and pick up my kindergartner around 3:30. Fitting writing time in on normal work days is a pain. I either stay up late (so I'm exhausted at work), or pay for after-school activities so I can write before picking my daughter up from school. In theory, I only work 4 days a week, but that "day off" is frequently needed for kids doctor appointments, schools out days, and catching up on hours at work for when I don't quite arrive by 7am. But the writing goes, if slowly.

Back to those homemade lattes. I don't have an espresso maker, so I'm doing the next best thing. Instant coffee. Seriously, it works.

I've found that if I use brewed coffee, then all the extra water waters down the flavor. By using mostly milk plus instant coffee, I come closer to a real coffee-shop latte experience. And one of these days I want one of those silly hand milk-frother whisks to try and give my drink that signature foam cap.

I also picked up three bottles of Torani flavored syrup at World Market a month or so ago, complete with pumps--sugar free vanilla, sugar free caramel, and peppermint (which does not come sugar free, alas). My Starbucks yesterday had their own brand of flavored syrups on after-Christmas clearance.

Directions for the poor-writer's skinny latte:

1. Fill a coffee cup with skim milk. Nuke for ~2 minutes (I use the "beverage" button on the microwave).


2. Add a heaping teaspoon of instant coffee (I use Nescafe Clasico at the moment) and stir.


3. • Add 2 1/2 pumps of flavored syrup.
   
   
   • For a peppermint mocha, add 2 pumps peppermint syrup, plus a tablespoon or so of sugar free Hershey's syrup. I don't recommend the sugar free choc. syrup on its own, but that peppermint syrup is pretty sweet so it balances.
   
   
   • You could also use a little sweetener + maybe 1/2 tsp vanilla extract if you don't have the syrup.

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Note: Yes, I mention a few brand names here. No one pays me or provides me free anything to mention them. Truthfully, I've never tried to attract advertisers. Don't want to. If I mention a brand name, its because I found it on my own and tried it and maybe liked it.