Coupons, cafes and coffee shops

I have to confess something. If you give me a coupon, I will drive 30 miles out of my way to use it. I’m saving money! Really. (That’s what I tell myself...)

My best friend was given a Happenings book in October, just a few weeks before all the coupons expired, and so we were off checking out coffee shops all over the Twin Cities area. Hey, it gave us an excuse to explore and get out of the house in the middle of a dreary October. Did I mention I love coupons? I don’t understand folks who don’t, but apparently there are some who don’t experience the lure of a coupon.

I sold Chinnook books this fall, and was amazed at how many people turned down the amazing opportunity to carry around an entire book of fantastic coupons. I bought a book for myself, of course, for $20 and just a month after using my first one, I’ve saved $28. I feel pretty good about that. And I didn’t go out of my way (much) to use up any of these ones. I mostly just went to different grocery stores. There’s an amazing amount of grocery coupons in the Chinook book. And what I love best is they all sell the kind of food I want to buy, locally grown, natural stuff.

New this year - The Chinook book has a mobile app. Never leave a coupon home again!

Anyway, I digress.

Our coupon-inspired tour of coffee shops included a jaunt out to Anoka in October. I didn’t bother Googling the place as I’m familiar with the city. Instead we just headed down Main Street in search of 530 W. Main Street. We expected it to be right downtown, but found ourselves heading west over the bridge. We discovered the “Anoka Coffee Shop” sign highlighting a small stripmall across from the cemetery. I know that good things can be found in strip malls, but (here’s another confession) I do usually turn up my nose at them. They’re usually just So. Ugly.

We walked in expecting mochas and grilled panini sandwiches. Instead, we were greeted by the sight of 800 cookie jars.

And a menu that looked exactly like the Creamery Cafe in Isanti, a mom-and-pop restaurant in the town we both grew up around. It was almost like going back home — except the drive was 30 minutes shorter.

Even the coffee cups were the exact same the Creamery Cafe uses. And that People’s Cafe in Cambridge uses, one of the many restaurants where I spent a stint waitressing. The sight of those brought back my teenage years... And the day I dropped an entire tray in front of everyone. I was sure the entire town was packed into that restaurant that day...

Although it was far from the Caribou-style coffee shop we expected, we enjoyed our lunch at the Anoka Coffee Shop. (I thought about suggesting to the owners that they change their name to “cafe”, but decided, hey, go with what you love). The girls really enjoyed checking out the shelves and shelves of cookie jars hugging the walls of the small cafe. Apparently, the owner started with just a few jars, and then customers supplied the rest. And they just keep bringing them in. His wife has threatened to leave him if he gets one more... But somehow that one more always manages to find a home on one of the shelves. There’s a running tab of the current number of the specials board.

We ate your basic greasy cafe food, eggs (for the gluten-free in our group), and a ham and cheese sandwich with a salad for the others.

We left laughing. It was a fun excursion to cheer up a dreary day.

Anoka Coffee Shop

530 W. Main St.

Anoka, MN 55303

(763) 421-9749

So cool you'll want to hang out there all day

Diamonds Coffee Shop off University Avenue in Northeast Minneapolis reminds me of the coffee joints I used to hang out for hours on end while I was an undergraduate. The place is just plain cool.

Billed as the “Atomic Coffee Shop,” the place caters to both gearheads with motorcycle/car shows and your average Joe looking for a great cup of coffee. We loved the decor. The place is like a labyrinth, with room after room full of secret delights. Each room is different, offering a place for quiet or noise, depending on what you’re looking for. The cool vibe shouldn’t be surprising as the coffee shop is located in the heart of the Northeast Arts District.

Drop by on the second Saturday of the month for the pancake breakfast. In the summer, food is served by the loading dock so you can take advantage of the sun and trains; in the winter, cozy up inside.

The staff are quick with a recommendation and a smile at Diamonds.

Enjoy a delicious sandwich with your cup of joe. My pregnant self was delighted by the pickle that came with the sandwich. Ah. The little things.

The menu includes both drinks and food (pastries, breakfast, sandwiches, salads). If you don’t like coffee, grab a Naked juice or Sprecher Ginger Ale. Feeling hungry? The place has yogurt parfaits, homemade hummus, quesadillas, chef salads, soup, and grilled and deli sandwiches. Pick from five different kinds of meat, four types of bread, five varieties of cheese, and lots of toppings when you create the perfect sandwich to fit your craving of the day.

As they say: Come for the caffeine, stay for the camaraderie.

There are some days I would love an intravenous coffee drip.

Located in the Northeast Arts District, Diamonds offers plenty of parking and a funky vibe.

Diamonds Coffee Shoppe

http://www.diamondscoffeeshoppe.com/

1618 Central Avenue NE

Minneapolis, MN 55413

612.789.JAVA

HOURS:

Monday-Thursday..... 6am - 10pm

Fridays...................... 6am - 8pm

Saturdays................. 7am - 8pm

Sundays.................... 8am - 7pm

The kids will love the train, you’ll love the time to yourself

Need to get out of the house? Head over to the Java Train Cafe in St. Paul for a midmorning getaway that’ll please both you and the kids.

Inside the Java Train Cafe.

Hanging out inside the two-story train.

There’s a train playhouse inside this cafe. The top floor offers a bird’s-eye view of the cafe, and is eye-level with a model train that clickity-clacks around the kids. If you go in the summer, there’s another playhouse outside. I love a restaurant that provides activities for kids so their parents can enjoy a real conversation with other adults.

The Java Train menu is extensive, with sandwich options such as quesadillas, beef and horseradish and  chicken ceasar wraps. Or, make your own pizza. You can also opt for breakfast, which is served all day.

The drink menu includes espressos, cold-press coffee, hot chocolates and a variety of teas, as well as a wild berry yogurt smoothie, steamers and Italian sodas.

And did I mention they have ice cream?

Yep, the owners of Java Cafe definitely had families in mind when they fashioned this cafe, situated just off Como between the state fairgrounds and Como Park.

The Java Train Cafe is midway between the state fairgrounds and Como Zoo.

Java Train Cafe

1341 Pascal Street N.

St. Paul, MN 55108

http://javatraincafe.com

651-646-9179

Hours: Sunday - Thursday 7am - 9pm, Friday & Saturday 7am - 9pm

When I need to do SOMETHING for the sick

When someone’s sick, I feel compelled to DO SOMETHING. And so, I cook them casseroles.  Or more precisely, “bakes”, because I had the word “casserole.” It’s too church potlucky for me.

I think these disposable aluminum baking pans are useful when sending casseroles to others. Then no one has to worry about returning a dish. I also pick up used glass ones at garage sales and thrift shops.

I’ll never forget when my husband’s friend stopped by after I gave birth to my daughter. She had two frozen pizzas in her hands. What a lifesaver. There was no way I was thinking about cooking dinner, and because of those two frozen pizzas I didn’t have to for a few days.

And so since, I’ve decided that cooking and freezing a few meals is something I can do after someone has a baby or after they’ve been in the hospital. It’s often hard to figure out what you can do when, say, someone’s been diagnosed with cancer. You really want to help, but how? Making meals is a great option.

I bought “Can I freeze it?”, a book about freezing foods, in order to discover what I can and cannot put in a casserole. There are some recipes in the book, but not really what I was looking for: too complicated. What I most appreciate is the short section at the start where author Susie Theodorou talks about how to freeze foods and what foods don’t freeze well. Stay away from eggs, mayonnaise, cabbage, celery, and salad greens. I haven’t experiemented much with recipes that require rice or potatoes, but I do a lot with noodles. Plus, I think  that spaghetti-type meals are comfort food for most Americans. A better "How to" source is www.budget101.com/tips-n-tricks/59819-how-freeze-casseroles.html.

I like to pop an extra bit of “health” in all the stuff I cook, so I use frozen spinach like herbs (it’s high in iron and other great nutrients): break it up with your fingers as you add it to a dish. I am known to throw shredded carrots into lots of different stuff. I also like to throw beans into casseroles for that extra protein punch.

I buy those disposible tin pans to freeze the bakes in. That way neither I nor the folks I send the food home with have to worry about returning dishes.

Be sure to write the name of the dish and recipes for cooking it on the cover. It takes longer to cook a frozen casserole; a good rule of thumb is one hour at 350º.

Another option is to freeze part of a batch of soup you make. Throw it in a ziplock bag and then spread it flat in the freezer so it is easier to stack when fully frozen.

Here are a few recipes I like. I’ve removed the bake at for how long information, as you don’t need to bake the casseroles before you freeze them.

Italian Pasta and Bean Casserole

(Taste of Home web site)

1 pound sweet or hot Italian sausage, casings removed

1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)

1 large onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 can (28 ounces) Italian plum tomatoes, drained and chopped

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 can (15-1/2 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 pound mostaccioli, rigatoni or macaroni, cooked and drained

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 pound shredded Fontina or mozzarella cheese

Directions

In a large skillet, saute first six ingredients, crumbling with a fork, until the meat is browned

and done. Drain. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, pepper and kidney beans; heat through.

Add pasta, Parmesan cheese and parsley; toss well. Spoon into a greased shallow 4-qt. baking

dish; sprinkle with Fontina or mozzarella cheese.  Yield: 8-10 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 cup) equals 579 calories, 26 g fat (13 g saturated fat), 96 mg

cholesterol, 1,417 mg sodium, 50 g carbohydrate, 5 g fiber, 36 g protein.

PIzza Casserole

(Taste of Home web site)

3 pounds ground beef

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 jar (28 ounces) spaghetti sauce

2 jars (4-1/2 ounces each) sliced mushrooms, drained

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Dash pepper

1 package (16 ounces) wide egg noodles, cooked and drained

2 packages (3-1/2 ounces each) sliced pepperoni

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions

In a Dutch oven, brown beef and onion over medium heat until meat is

no longer pink; drain. Add spaghetti sauce, mushrooms, salt, garlic

powder, oregano and pepper; heat through. Spoon 4 cups of meat mixture into your dish. Top with half of the noodles, pepperoni and cheeses. Repeat layers. Yield: 12 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 each) equals 534 calories, 26 g fat (13 g

saturated fat), 131 mg cholesterol, 1,009 mg sodium, 36 g carbohydrate,

3 g fiber, 37 g protein.

Greek Pasta Bake

(Taste of Home web site)

1 package (13-1/4 ounces) whole wheat penne pasta

4 cups cubed cooked chicken breast

1 can (29 ounces) tomato sauce

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained

1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

2 cans (2-1/4 ounces each) sliced ripe olives, drained

1/4 cup chopped red onion

2 tablespoons chopped green pepper

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. In a large bowl, combine the pasta, chicken, tomato sauce, tomatoes, spinach, olives, onion, green pepper, basil and oregano. Transfer to a 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with cheeses.  Yield: 8 servings.

Nutrition Facts: One serving: 1-1/2 cups; Calories: 366; Fat: 7 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Cholesterol: 62 mg; Sodium: 847 mg; Carbohydrate: 43 g; Fiber: 6 g; Protein: 32 g

Diabetic Exchange: 3 very lean meat,2-1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1/2 fat.