Mmmmm Donuts...

And what goes best with donuts?

Hey! Who said, "Milk"? No, it's not milk! It's coffee, of course. scoffing at person who said "milk"

And more precisely, Dunkin' Donuts coffee!

Need any last minute gift ideas for teachers, babysitters, mail carriers, hair dressers, etc? Dunkin' Donuts has an awesome gift pack of 2 pounds of their original coffee and 2 thermal commuter mugs for $19.99! You can even split it into 2 gifts for $10 each! Not bad! Or Dunkin' Donuts offers rechargeable gift cards in any amount between $5 and $200. (Man, I'd love me one of these because let me tell ya, I run on Dunkin'!)

Anyway, for every holiday-themed Dunkin' Donuts Card you purchase in December, Dunkin' Donuts will donate $1 to the Dunkin' Brands Community Foundation, which supports emergency response organizations. You can even upload a photo to create your own custom Dunkin' Donuts Card and send it with a personalized greeting card when ordering them online. How cool is that?!

And coffee's not just for breakfast anymore, oh no! Here are a couple coffee inspired recipes you've got to check out!

Espresso with Warmed Eggnog

For an 8-oz serving (1 mug)
¾ cup Golden Eggnog
¼ cup minus 1 tablespoon Dunkin' Donuts espresso (approximately 1 shot)
2 tablespoon spiced rum (optional)
Cinnamon (optional)

Heat eggnog in a microwave-safe container for about 1 minute. Add the shot of espresso and the warmed eggnog to your mug. If desired, add spiced rum. Stir and dust with cinnamon.


Scallops with Bacon, Baby Spinach with Warm Coffee and Balsamic Glaze

16 oz sea scallops
1 package bacon, sliced
3 tablespoon shallots, thin sliced
½ cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup brown sugar
½ cup Dunkin' Donuts original blend coffee, brewed
2 cups baby spinach

Cut bacon strips in half, wrap scallop in bacon half and hold in place with toothpicks. Set aside.

Heat large skillet (medium heat). When hot add 1 tablespoon oil. Sear scallop and bacon in small batches till cooked through, (about 5 min. per batch) - set cooked scallops aside on plate.

Remove pan from heat; discard all but 2 Tbsp of rendered oil. Add thin sliced shallots and stir. Add brown sugar and stir to dissolve. Add balsamic vinegar and coffee and stir. In a stainless steel mixing bowl toss warm vinaigrette with baby spinach and 2 tablespoon oil.

Arrange spinach on salad plates and top with 4-5 scallops (remove toothpicks before serving), serve immediately.

Serves 4 people.

So hurry to your nearest Dunkin' Donuts or go online to DunkinDonuts.com and get those last minute gifts taken care of. But first, leave me a comment here for a chance to win one of FOUR gift sets (each contains 1 pound of their Original Blend Coffee and one thermal travel mug). I'll choose four random winners on Monday, Dec. 22.