Tag: sugar

Summertime Ice Cream

 

summertime ice cream flavors

Nothing screams summertime to me more than homemade ice cream. Growing up, I lived on the same dirt road as my grandparents and many of my aunt, uncles, and cousins. We met at my grandparents house almost every weekend during the summer for ice cream gatherings. We would have four or five churns of ice cream, and it brings back such wonderful memories of time spent with my family. My cousins and I would run around, barefoot, catching lightening bugs while the men were in one circle talking and the ladies in another. There was always laughter, and I don’t think I understood just how blessed I was to grow up in that environment until many years later.

Our old six-quart freezer had been on its last leg for a few years until last summer when I finally threw it away.  I decided to try something different this year. Instead of purchasing another large ice cream churn I bought a 1 1/2 quart Cuisinart Commercial Quality Ice Cream and Gelato Maker. I have eyed it for several years and finally bit the bullet a few weeks ago.

This ice cream maker is so simple to use. There is no ice, you don’t have to pre-freeze the bowl, and most of the ice cream recipes that I have tried freezes in about 30 to 45 minutes. I am having a blast making new and delicious ice cream flavors!  Here are a few of our favorites.

The cinnamon ice cream is great with chocolate sauce or bananas foster. Try serving the coconut ice cream with chocolate sauce and toasted sliced almonds. You may substitute lower fat ingredients in these recipes but keep in mind this will result in a less creamy dessert and may also change the flavor somewhat. Substituting artificial sweeteners is also a way to cut down on the calories. These recipes are for 1 1/2 quart ice cream makers, but you may be able to adjust the ingredients for a bigger freezer.

Ice Cream for 1½ qt. ice cream makers
 
Author:
Print
 
Ingredients
  • Ice Cream Base:
  • 2 c, heavy whipping cream
  • 1 c. whole milk
  • ¾ c. sugar
  • pinch salt
  • Cinnamon Ice Cream:
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • Coconut Ice Cream:
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp. coconut extract
  • 1 (6-oz.) pkg. fresh frozen coconut
  • Key Lime Pie Ice Cream
  • ¾ c. Nellie & Joe's Key West Lime Juice
  • 1 to 2 drops green food coloring, if desired
  • 1 c. crushed graham cracker crumbs
  • Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • ½ to 1 tsp. peppermint extract, to taste
  • 3 drops green food coloring, if desired
  • 2 oz. Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate bar, finely chopped
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, whisk cream, milk, sugar, and salt together until sugar dissolves completely.
  2. For Cinnamon Ice Cream:
  3. Add vanilla and ground cinnamon to ice cream base and whisk until mixed well. Pour into the container of ice cream freezer and follow manufacturers directions for freezing. Serve or store in an airtight container in freezer.
  4. For Coconut Ice Cream:
  5. Add extracts and coconut to ice cream base and mix well. Pour into the container of ice cream freezer and follow manufacturers directions for freezing. Serve or store in an airtight container in freezer.
  6. For Key Lime Pie Ice Cream:
  7. Add lime juice and food coloring to ice cream base, mix well. Pour into the container of ice cream freezer and follow manufacturers directions for freezing. Five to ten minutes before mixing has completed add in the crushed graham crackers and allow the crackers to mix in completely. Serve or store in an airtight container in freezer.
  8. For Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream:
  9. Add extracts and food coloring to ice cream base and mix well. Pour into the container of ice cream freezer and follow manufacturers directions for freezing. Five to ten minutes before mixing has completed add the chopped chocolate and allow the chocolate to mix in completely. Serve or store in an airtight container in freezer.

Chocolate Sauce
 
Author:
Print
 
Ingredients
  • ½ c. granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp. cocoa powder
  • pinch salt
  • 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • ¼ c. hot water
  • ¼ tsp. vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. In a small saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa, and salt. Whisk in hot water and place over medium-high heat. Add butter and bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla extract. Serve warm.

 

Fresh Peach Pound Cake with Peach Glaze

Fresh Peach Poundcake

Have you visited your local farmers’ market lately? You can find wonderful, fresh produce, fresh eggs, freshly baked bread, plants and locally made cheeses at many farmers’ markets today. The farmer’s market is a great place to find fresh food while supporting local farmers in your community. Buying local only strengthens the local economy, but is also good for our planet. Food raised regionally is fresher, has more nutritional value, and tastes better. Sometimes food is in cold storage for days or even weeks. Did you know that studies show that while food is in transit from harvest to table that sugars turn into starches, plant cells shrink and produce loses its vitality?

This moist and delicious cake is a wonderful treat, with fresh peaches in the cake and the glaze. I have to buy these locally because I can’t seem to keep the deer from eating the peaches from the tree here at the farm. Luckily there are several farms nearby that grow many varieties of peaches.
Visit your local farmers’ market on Saturday morning to pick up fresh peaches. Make it a family affair, get the kids involved and let them help pick out their food. It’s fun, and there’s no comparison when it comes to taste.

 

Fresh Peach Pound Cake
 
Author:
Print
 
Ingredients
  • 4 c. all-purpose flour
  • 3 c. sugar
  • 2 c. butter, softened
  • ½ c. milk
  • ½ c. peach schnapps
  • 6 lg. eggs
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2½ c. diced fresh peaches
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 325°. Grease and flour a 10-inch (16-cup) tube pan.
  2. Place flour, sugar, butter, milk, peach schnapps, eggs, and vanilla (in that order) in a 4-qt. bowl of a heavy-duty electric stand mixer. Beat at low-speed for 1 minute, stopping to scrape down sides. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in peaches. Pour into prepared pan.
  3. Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack or 15 minutes. Remove from pan to wire rack; cool completely.

 
Peach Glaze
 
Author:
Print
 
Ingredients
  • 1 peach
  • 1¼ c. powdered sugar
  • ½ tsp. almond extract
Instructions
  1. Peel and pit the peach. Chop and add to a blender. Puree until smooth. Blend 3 tbsp. peach puree and almond extract into the powdered sugar. Stir until smooth. Spoon over cooled cake, allowing to run down sides of cake.

Bananas Foster Pancakes

2015May04_5400

 

I , like most mothers, love flowers and thoughtful gifts on Mother’s Day.  I enjoy going out for a lovely meal and the calls and cards are nice too.  However, I would love a day of pampering.  By pampering I do not mean that I want a gift certificate for a mani, a pedi, and a nice long massage.  Yes, that would be nice too, but what I’m referring to is a day sitting in my chair watching Lifetime all day long!  The television would not be on Nascar, or baseball, or anything remotely close to an ESPN channel!   I’d watch sappy chick flicks like You’ve Got Mail, While You Were Sleeping, and The Notebook, with a box of tissues and several diet Dr. Peppers.  I could laugh and cry all day long.  Oh, and no Criminal Minds marathons!  All the while Greg and the kids will be doing the laundry…all the laundry…which includes folding and putting away.  They could dust and vacuum, cook and clean up, and my most dreaded job, clean the bathroom!  Oh my, that sounds like the most perfect day ever!!!

Whether you plan to do all of the above for mom or not you can still start her day with a nice home-cooked breakfast, maybe even breakfast in bed.  This is a wonderful recipe for Bananas Foster Pancakes.  This bananas foster syrup is very simple, even the younger kids can help out with a little supervision from dad.  You can use the buttermilk pancake recipe or simply make Bisquick pancakes, which always turn out good.  Mom will love it!

Buttermilk Pancakes
 
Author:
Print
 
Ingredients
  • 2 c. all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 3 tbsp. sugar
  • 2 lg. eggs, beaten
  • 3 c. buttermilk
  • 4 tbsp. melted butter
Instructions
  1. Heat griddle to 350°.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, and melted butter. Gently fold egg mixture into dry ingredients. Some lumps will remain. Too much mixing makes tough pancakes.
  4. Butter griddle and pour batter by ¼-cup measure. Cook until edges look dry and there are bubbles on the surface. Turn and cook 2 to 3 more minutes. Serve warm with Bananas Foster Syrup, with whipped cream, if desired.

Bananas Foster Syrup
 
Author:
Print
 
Ingredients
  • ½ c. unsalted butter
  • ¼ c. light brown sugar, packed
  • ½ pure maple syrup
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 4 medium bananas, peeled and sliced
  • ½ c. chopped pecans
Instructions
  1. Heat butter, brown sugar, and maple syrup in a medium sauce pan. Cook over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes or until sugar dissolves.
  2. Add bananas and pecans and heat through (2 to 3 minutes).
  3. Serve warm over warm buttermilk pancakes.

 

Coconut Frosted Brownies

coconut frosted brownies

Easter is one of my favorite holidays.  When I was growing up Easter was centered around church and family.  It’s a special holiday with many customs and traditions.  My dad was a pastor and we always started the day early at sunrise service.  We would end up at my grandparents house for a big meal, posing for pictures in our new dresses or ties, and shiny new shoes, then off to hunt Easter eggs with my cousins.

As an adult, sunrise service is my favorite part of the day.  I enjoy spending time with family and friends and I enjoy the good food and the swapping of recipes. However, the spiritual meaning of Easter sunrise service is what it’s all about.  It was in the early morning, when it was yet dark, that the tomb was found empty.  Watching the sun rise and knowing what that empty tomb means for me humbles me.

As you make your Easter plans, I want to share a delicious and easy brownie recipe.  These brownies would be great on any Easter table.  They are chewy and fudgy and the coconut cream cheese frosting is the “icing on the cake”…yum, yum, yummy!

My one dilemma was to toast or not to toast.  If you look closely at my photo you may wonder if I toasted the coconut for the topping.  The original recipe from alaskafromscratch.com suggests toasting, and that’s what I started to do…until I changed my mind!  It was already in the oven when I decided that I did not want toasted coconut on top, so do what makes you happy.  For a fun Easter decoration, color the coconut green.  Place the coconut in a zip-lock bag with a drop or two of green food coloring, seal, then shake until evenly colored.  Sprinkle on top of your brownies before cutting.  Then, decorate each brownie with 3 jelly beans, if desired.

As always, thanks for taking the time out of your busy day to read Not Just Sunday Dinner.  I am wishing you a blessed Easter with family and friends.

 

Coconut Frosted Brownies
 
Author:
Print
 
Ingredients
  • ⅔ c. unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 lg. eggs
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp. coconut extract
  • 2 c. sugar
  • 1⅓ c. all-purpose flour
  • ¾ c. cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. baking soda
  • ½ c. strong brewed coffee
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 13-inch plan with aluminum foil, allowing enough foil to hang over the sides of the pan to use to lift brownies from pan later. Spray foil with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. In a mixing bowl, add the butter, eggs, extracts, and sugar. Whisk until smooth.
  3. In another bowl, stir together flour, cocoa, salt, and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir to incorporate. Pour in the coffee and mix just until combined.
  4. Spread batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or just until set in the center. Watch closely and do not over bake.
  5. Cool on a wire rack. When cooled, top with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting.

Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
 
Author:
Print
 
Ingredients
  • ½ c. unsalted butter, softened
  • 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • ½ tsp. coconut extract
  • ½ tsp. vanilla extract
  • 3 c. powdered sugar
  • ¾ c. shredded coconut (toasted optional)
Instructions
  1. Combine butter and cream cheese in a stand mixer. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Add extracts. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until incorporated, scraping sides and bottom of bowl as needed.
  2. Spread evenly over cooled brownies. Top with shredded coconut.
  3. Freeze for 1 hour before lifting brownies from pan and cutting. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Serve at room temperature.

 

Strawberry Yum Yum

Strawberry Yum

 

Are you looking for the perfect Easter dessert!  Here it is!  An old recipe, tried and true, and delicious every time.  It’s simple to make, you’ll be amazed at just how quickly it comes together.  This is a dessert that pleases both adults and children.

I can remember a time when I thought Cool Whip and Dream Whip were the same thing.  They could be, but in my opinion they taste differently.  Be sure to use the Dream Whip as the recipe suggest, it can be found on the baking aisle of the grocery store.  Also, you can find strawberry glaze in the produce section of the grocery store but I think this homemade version has a better taste and is very simple to make.

 

Strawberry Yum Yum
 
Author:
Print
 
Ingredients
  • ¾ c. unsalted butter
  • 2 c. graham cracker crumbs
  • 1 c. sugar
  • 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese
  • 2 envelopes Dream Whip
  • 1 qt. fresh strawberries, washed, and sliced
  • 3 tbsp. cornstarch
  • 1 c. sugar
  • 3 tbsp. strawberry Jello
  • 1 c. warm water
Instructions
  1. Combine cornstarch, Jello, sugar, and water in a saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring with a whisk, until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and cool. When the glaze has cooled, add strawberries.
  2. Melt butter and mix with graham cracker crumbs. Sprinkle half of the crumbs in the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch dish, set aside.
  3. Cream sugar and cream cheese together.
  4. In a separate bowl beat Dream Whip as directed on package.
  5. Mix cream cheese mixture with the Dream Whip until smooth.
  6. Drop spoonfuls of cream cheese mixture on the top of crumbs. Spread carefully, careful not to disturb crumbs.
  7. Top with strawberry glaze.
  8. Add the remaining cream cheese mixture and spread carefully to cover strawberries.
  9. Sprinkle on the remaining graham cracker crumb mixture.
Notes
If preferred, you can purchase strawberry glaze in the produce section of the grocery store to mix with your berries before adding to the dish.