Archive for the ‘food’ Category

Molasses Ice Cream

June 13th, 2011
17 Comments

We had some friends over on Saturday & while the kiddies were playing with playdough, one of them asked for ice cream. I remembered that I had heavy cream on hand, so I thought I’d whip up a batch. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find my ice cream recipe book. Before I looked up a recipe online, my friend told me that she had a recipe that would be great. The recipe called for 1/4 cup of maple syrup – which I didn’t have – so I ended up with this happy little discovery:

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Molasses Cookie Ice Cream!

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I used molasses instead of maple syrup. Since the ice cream doesn’t call for much sugar at all, it’s not incredibly sweet. Which I like. But to add a little bit more sweetness & depth to the simple ice cream, I rolled each scoop in ginger, cinnamon & sugar. Oh, it’s good. It’s the perfect amount of sweet. This particular recipe (probably because of the 2 cups of cream it calls for) sets up really well in the ice cream maker.

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• MOLASSES COOKIE ICE CREAM •

  • 2 egg yolks
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 2 cups heavy cream

Mix the egg yolks, sugar, vanilla and molasses well. Add the milk and blend well. Stir the cream just until blended. Pour into ice cream maker! Once it’s just about set, put ice cream in the freezer to finish setting up– about 2-3 hours. Scoop balls of ice cream onto a cookie tray & put them back into the freezer for a couple minutes. Add cinnamon, sugar & ginger (to taste) into a bowl. Remove ice cream scoops from freezer & roll in sugar mixture. Serve. Makes about 18 scoops. (adapted from this recipe)

Now that it’s finally warming up, I’m going to be making ice cream & granitas quite often. Growing up, we made it a tradition to make ice cream often during the summer. My favorite was making blackberry sorbet out of the fresh berries from my mom’s incredible garden. Do you make home made ice cream?

Thanks, Padgett!

June 6th, 2011
10 Comments

I got the most lovely surprise in the mail a few weeks ago: LEMONS! Friend & fellow blogger, Padgett sent me a bunch of meyer lemons from her parent’s house in San Diego. Lemme tell you, fresh-picked lemons are WORLDS better than the kind you buy at the store. I’m sort of a lemon snob. It was such a sweet & welcome surprise to get a bundle of sweet lemons at my door!

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I just finished off the rest of them this afternoon when I made a fresh lemon strawberry granita. After trying out Smitten Kitchen’s lemon mint granita a few years ago,  smoothie-style granitas are one of my most favorite summer treats. So refreshing & so delicious. My take on the granita is more of a smoothie & less of a snow cone – mostly because I lack the patience to put the smoothied yumminess back in the freezer to let it set.

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My version: Strawberry Lemon Granita

  • 1/4 cup simple syrup*
  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 pint fresh or frozen strawberries
  • ice cubes (or water)

Make the simple syrup. Add syrup, lemon juice & strawberries into blender & blend. Add ice cubes or cold water (depending on consistency) to taste. I usually add a handful or two of ice cubes.

To make simple syrup: pour 1 part sugar, 1 part water into a saucepan & heat until it starts to boil. Make sure all sugar is incorporated. No need to cool the mixture before adding it into the granita. The ice & frozen strawberries cool it down just fine.

Thanks again, Padgett, for the delicious lemons!!

Busy, Busy & A Giveaway

June 1st, 2011
38 Comments

Forgive me if I double-up posts these next few days. I’ve got a lot coming your way; a giveaway, a couple of reeeally fancy tutorials and ME! on TV. Oh yeah. I’m going to be famous or something like that.

Today, I’m over at the Rhodes Rolls blog, sharing a little experiment of mine. Let me tell you- it’s one tasty experiment!

As always, it’s a pleasure to do these posts for Rhodes. It forces me to go outside my quiver of standard recipes & discover something new & delicious! Rhodes is offering two ISLY readers a Rhodes Rolls cookbook! I love mine & I know you will, too. It’s FULL of pictures (I’m such a visual person, so pics are a must) & great recipe ideas.

To enter, please:

TWO winners will be chosen & announced on this post, Tuesday June 7. Good luck!

THE WINNERS ARE:

undefinedundefined I’ll be emailing you details. Congrats ladies!

Pinterest on an Empty Stomach

May 24th, 2011
12 Comments

Browsing Pinterest, a visual bookmarking site, is Trouble with a capital “T” on an empty stomach. Heck, browsing the whole internet is trouble. I came across this cinnamon roll recipe sometime last week (I forget how) & I’ve been scheming for the perfect chance to make them. Today was the day. We have no where to go & it’s raining (or at least it was).

 

undefinedPenelope was more than excited to see that I was making pancakes – it’s a big deal around our house if I make breakfast. Usually our morning fare consists of cold cereal.

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This recipe was incredibly easy & tasty, but I made a few changes. Instead of using margarine, I used butter. I had butter on hand & it just so happen to make the cinnamon mixture less gooey. Although, if I were to do it again, I’d use a legitimate pastery bag for piping out the cinnamon mixture. The butter solidified & I burst the ziplock I was using & made a tasty mess on the skillet.

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I’ve bookmarked a few of my favorite ‘to try’ recipes onto Pinterest & funny enough, they’re all desserts or sweet breakfast foods (thanks to Lyndsey for pointing that out). Maybe I need to get my sweet tooth under control.

Party with Me & Some Gourmet Cookies

May 4th, 2011
10 Comments

I went to Ruby Snap (a local cookie parlor) for a tasting party last Thursday & I’ve not been able to stop thinking about the Billie Ann cookie since. You can’t even tell what the cookie is from the picture, but it’s the most delicious cookie made with curry, coconut & carrots. It’s a very unlikely combination, but absolutely divine. The cookie was topped with a coconut whipped cream frosting that’s incredible.

I’m sounding like a fanatic; maybe it’s my recent low-carb menu talking, but this cookie truly is fantastic.

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We had a cookie making contest & I won!! I won a gift card for a dozen cookies. I don’t want to eat the cookies all by myself, so who wants to come over to my house for a little cookie tasting party Saturday afternoon, May 21st? R.S.V.P. by commenting on this post by Friday & I’ll pick six of you at random. I think it’d be so fun to get to know you & munch on delicious cookies!

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Attending the tasting party was a much-needed break. It was refreshing to hang out with fellow blog ladies, listen to a truly inspiring story about how Tami got started & how she’s overcome several bumps in the road with grace & success. I left feeling that much more excited to start pursuing my goals and hopefully I’ll maintain the energy to make those goals real.

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I love that she names her cookies & that Penelope is the name for her peanut butter cookie!! I took the chocolate-dipped cookie home to Penelope & she loved it. So did Chris!

It’s rare that I ever remember to take my camera to events like these, so I’m just so excited to share this with you. Read more about the event here.

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