Espresso Chocolate Chip Shortbread

You simply just have to make this.  It is so good and so easy.  A perfect little treat to have with coffee or to give as a gift.  Here's the skinny...
Ingredients
1 Tablespoon espresso shot or extra dark coffee, room temperature
1 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon espresso grounds (or dark coffee grounds)
2 cups flour
1/2 cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips
Directions
Cream butter and confectioners sugar for a few minutes until smooth.  Beat in vanilla, espresso shot, and espresso grounds.  On low speed beat in flour just until it is incorporated.  Using a spoon, fold in the chocolate chips.  Transfer dough to a gallon size Zip-loc bag.  Roll dough out inside of bag until dough is flat (about 1/4 inch) and fills up the entire bag.  Make sure to fix the plastic as you roll so there are no crease marks in your dough.  Zip the bag up and place on cookie sheet.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Remove dough from fridge & using scissors cut off the plastic bag (be careful not to make marks in your dough).  Using a pizza cutter or knife cut dough into 1 1/2 inch squares.  Place squared onto ungreased cooking sheet.  Bake for 18-20 minutes.  Cool and enjoy!  (makes about 36 short breads)

Homemade Flavored Coffee Creamer

 I've been meaning to try to make my own flavored creamer for a while now.  When my sis-in-law came over & said she had tried it & it was so easy & good I got motivated.  The next day I whipped up a batch & I don't think I'll ever go back to buying flavored creamers.  It is that easy & that cheap.  Plus way healthier for you.  Here's how...
Ingredients
1 can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk
14 oz milk (just measure using the empty can of sweetened condensed milk)
2 teaspoons of flavoring
Directions
In a pitcher or mason jar pour in all the ingredients.  Shake or whisk until mixed well.  Pour it in your coffee & enjoy!
If you have actual coffee syrups they work great for flavoring your creamer, you may need to use just a little less.  Or you can use cooking flavorings & extracts.
I like just basic sweet cream, so I didn't add any flavoring to half the batch.  The other half I put in vanilla (the kind you cook with).  Both tasted amazing!  Next time I'm going to try french vanilla (1 tsp vanilla & 1 tsp hazelnut).  I also want to try to make a peppermint mocha flavor.  For this I think I'll add chocolate syrup & peppermint extract.  If you have any creamer flavor ideas or experience I'd love to hear it.