I guess my thoughts have been on food quite a bit recently, probably due to the fact that I’m 35 weeks along and eating my way through the day. Chris has noticed my change in appetite, the other day he mentioned that I’m eating about the same amount as he is. I’m trying to keep it all balanced, trying to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables (the vegetable part is hardest for some reason) and good grains and proteins. However, my sweet tooth has become an insatiable monster!! All I want to do is make fun desserts and eat them.

We recently bought an ice cream maker. I really like it. The first thing I made was an orange sorbet for the kids in our Sunday school class. They really liked it. I did, too. Next I made Lemon Custard ice cream, which was pretty much the reason for buying the maker in the first place. The lemon custard ice cream turned out perfectly. It’s smooth, creamy and fabulously subtle. I’ve enjoyed eating it with fresh strawberries, it reminds me of summer and my dad. Chris seemed to enjoy it, but not with the same amount of enthusiasm (probably because he’s not pregnant).

LEMON CUSTARD ICE CREAM

4 T. flour
2 c. sugar
3/4 t. salt
3 eggs
6 c. milk
2 t. vanilla
1 T. lemon flavoring
3 c. cream, whipped

Combine flour, sugar, salt, eggs and milk and cook to a custard. Stir in vanilla and lemon flavoring. Cool custard until very cold. Blend in cream. Freeze in ice cream maker. Makes 4 quarts.

. . .

We had two of Chris’s sisters stay with us for Easter weekend, it was so great to have them with us. They are so fun to hang out with, and so helpful, too!! I really wanted Easter dinner to be special, but more importantly I wanted the dessert to be special. Nothing says Easter like a carrot cake. The taste just says spring, maybe it’s the correlation between carrots and the Easter bunny.

I was trying to find a round pan for the cake, but could only find a bunt pan (thank you, Kate!!). I think having the hole in the middle was brilliant, because more surface of the cake could be frosted! I’m a little weak in the knees for a good cream cheese frosting. I had a little too much fun frosting the thing. Shelley said that the designs kind of look like easy cheese, doesn’t it?!? Thanks Brooke and Shelley for your help around the kitchen. Seriously.

CARROT CAKE

1 c. oil
2 c. sugar 4 eggs
2 c. + 2 t. flour 1 t. vanilla
2 t. cinnamon 3 c. finely grated carrots
1 t. salt
2 t. soda

Cream oil and sugar, add eggs, vanilla & carrots. Add sifted dry ingredients. Mix well. Bake at 350 for 47 minutes.

When cool. Frost with cream cheese icing:

4 oz. cream cheese (room temp)
4 T. softened butter
1 1/4 c. powdered sugar
a little bit of milk to soften it up

Valentine’s day wasn’t that special for us, since we spent pretty much the whole day apart. Chris had to work during the day, and I had my bookbinding class for 3 hours that evening. I did manage to make a few special treats for my sweetheart, and I’m very happy to report that they worked out really well!!

During Christmas time there were a lot of tutorials on how to make your own marshmallows. Since I’m a huge marshmallow/peep fan, I’ve had this on my mind since then. I finally got the supplies and found the recipe. It was surprisingly easy! They taste so much better than store-bought marshmallows, and I like that the homemade marshmallows take on a square shape. It’s just different. I couldn’t find my food coloring to make the marshmallows a pink-ish red, so I guess I’ll have to make them again. I also made a family favorite; molasses cookies. I don’t think Chris has ever had molasses cookies before I made them, and I was very happy that he’s just as big of a fan as I am.

The marshmallow recipe can be found here. In the recipe it doesn’t say to dip them in chocolate, but it added a lot to the marshmallows. I think they’ll be very rich in a cup of hot cocoa. Below is the Molasses cookie recipe:

Molasses Cookies

Makes about 3 dozen

• 3/4 c. shortening (I like to do 1/2 cup butter, 1/4 cup greek yogurt)
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 c. molasses
• 2 1/4 c. flour
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1 1/2 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. cloves
• 1 t. cinnamon, ginger

Cream shortening & sugar, add egg. Beat well, add molasses. Sift together dry ingredients. Add to above. Roll into balls, then into granulated sugar. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

The only reason why Valentine’s day falls in February is because it’s the bleakest month out of the year, and people need something to brighten it up. Although for those not fortunate to have someone to share it with, it’s an even bleaker month. (is bleaker a word?)

Valentine, or no Valentine, I do love the red candy. I was reading a friend-of-a-friend’s blog, someone I don’t know(is that weird?)… and she was talking about how she loved the cherry hearts. All while reading this, I was thinking, “yeah, YEAH! Me too!!!” Then I promptly went to Walgreens and picked up two bags. She should get a commission from Brach’s if you ask me.

I also got chocolate at Walgreens, dark chocolate. YUM. During Christmas we (my mom, sisters and me) made chocolate dipped cinnamon bears which were delish! I wanted to do the same, except use dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate, and cherry flavored gummies, instead of cinnamon. Wednesday evening, Chris and I decided to try melting the Hershey’s chocolate and see if it would work. I know, I know, Hershey’s isn’t my first choice in chocolate, but it was the cheapest at the store. I have to say… by melting the chocolate and adding just a little bit of milk, the chocolate transformed into something divine! I’m really happy that they worked out as well as they did.

Now I’ve got to figure out what to do for Chris for Valentine’s day.