Just One Mom Trying: ice cream

Showing posts with label ice cream. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Fresh Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream

One of my favorite summertime treats is homemade ice cream! I love the way it tastes, the texture, the way it melts, and the memories. As a kid we would have gatherings with my extended family once a month at my great aunt's house behind a grove of orange trees in California. I loved being with family while smelling the sweet orange blossoms, and hearing the motors of the ice cream makers with their constant buzz in the background, ready to surprise us with a treat at any moment. As a kid it seemed like it took forever for the ice cream to be done but it was worth it when the adults would finally give us a paper cup filled with mint, lemon, or fresh banana ice cream. It was heaven!

Now that I am older and we live far away from California and any extended family, I get to create new memories with my own family. This year I made FRESH HOMEMADE STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM and it was delicious! I just might make it again for Date Night.

Here's my recipe for Fresh Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream:

Ingredients:
4 c. sugar
2 (14.5 oz) cans evaporated milk
1 tsp. salt
3 quarts half & half
1 pint heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp. vanilla extract
2 pounds of fresh, washed strawberries, hulled and pureed
3 bags ice
1 qt. rock salt

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, evaporated milk, and salt and heat until luke warm. Pour into large (6 qt.) ice cream freezer container. (I have a 4-qt. freezer and this recipe made 2 batches.)
Add the half & half, whipping cream, vanilla, and strawberry puree to freezer container.
Freeze in ice cream freezer by surrounding the container with ice until it reaches the top of the container. Generously sprinkle rock salt on the ice. As the ice melts, add more ice and salt. I end up using about 3 bags of ice and 1 quart rock salt for a large freezer. The freezer motor will stop when the ice cream is thick and ready.

ENJOY!

Monday, November 28, 2011

Holiday Chocolate Fudge Caramel Sauce

Emily 7:53 AM 6 Comments

One of the reasons I love Christmastime is because I get to make A LOT of this chocolate fudge caramel sauce. It makes the perfect gift for family, friends, teachers, co-workers, party hosts, etc. This is my favorite recipe and it is so easy. You can easily double, triple, or quadruple this recipe to fulfill your needs.

Ingredients:

2 cups light corn syrup

1- 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup salted butter

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. In a medium pot, combine the light corn syrup, sweetened condensed milk, and butter together. Over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, mix ingredients together until butter is completely melted.

2. Add the chocolate chips. Continue stirring about 10 minutes or until chocolate is melted and mixture just begins to boil. Remove from heat.

3. With an electric mixer, beat the hot chocolate for 2 minutes on medium-high speed.

4. Fill clean and sterilized mason jars.

5. Fit lid and ring snuggly. Quickly move jars to a safe location where they won't be jostled. Jar lids will seal within a couple hours. Jars may be moved after they have been sealed.

Drizzle over ice cream, brownies, cheesecake (or just eat it out of the jar with a spoon, like I do).

Refrigerate after opening. Can be stored in refrigerator for up to 3 months.

Enjoy!

# Christmas # dessert

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Easy Chocolate Banana "Ice Cream"

Emily 10:57 AM 0 Comments

What do you do with the over ripe bananas at your house? Toss them in a smoothie? Make banana bread (great recipe to come)? Throw them away?

Here's another option: Make Ice Cream!

I would prefer making homemade ice cream with my bananas but it takes forever! This recipe is easy and done in minutes.

What you're going to do:

Freeze a couple over ripe bananas. When they're frozen, put them in a blender with some milk (or cream) and some chocolate syrup. Blend it up. DONE!

Much "healthier" than regular ice cream and it still tastes good!

My 3-year old thought she was eating real ice cream. She loved it!

# ice cream # kid food

Monday, July 25, 2011

Chocolate Bowls: My 2 Cents

Emily 5:10 AM 16 Comments

So, you've seen those cute, fancy chocolate bowls made with the balloons? I tried it. They turned out okay. A couple suggestions:

*Don't use water balloons. They stuck to the chocolate after popping them. (Yes, I used cooking spray before dipping the balloons in chocolate) Use thicker balloons, but still small enough for a cute bowl.

*Make sure you wash the balloons and let them air dry- as most instructions suggest. Don't skip this step.

*Make sure your chocolate isn't the slightest bit warm or else the balloon will pop.

* I would melt a bag of chocolate chips with a bag of Reese's Peanut Butter Chips. THAT would make one heck of a delicious bowl.

*I would also decorate the bowl after it is dry for extra cuteness. Pipe a little icing on the bowl with cute polka dots or something fun.

If you don't have a ton of time, these are also quick and easy and fun. Just paint chocolate onto the side of cupcake liners and put them in the freezer to harden. Once they are done, just peel the paper off and voila! You're done! The paper comes of so easy! (Just work quickly so the chocolate doesn't melt in your hand.) Next time I would use the LARGE cupcake liners. These are standard. These would work great if you are filling them with smaller portions.

# dessert # ice cream

Friday, July 15, 2011

Dating At Home

Emily 11:05 AM 0 Comments

You and your spouse will have fun with this date night idea tonight...or sometime when ice cream is on sale:

Sculpt whole blocks of ice cream. Add toppings to make it more detailed and make sure the ice cream is well frozen. Get an off brand so it's not soft of smooth. It's messy and sticky but tasty and fun.

This is a perfect idea for warm summer nights.

# dating at home # dessert

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Pudding Pops!

Emily 6:08 AM 1 Comments

I crave chocolate, in almost any form, almost everyday. Today is supposed to be a nice warm summer day so I decided we were going to make Pudding Pops! (Are you thinking about Bill Cosby saying "Puddin' Pops" right now? I am!)

These were super easy to make. Three ingredients to yum! This recipe comes from Our Best Bites as you know is one of my favorite recipe blogs and cookbooks. Check out their website for really great pictures. (I'm no photographer.) Their recipe calls for peppermint extract if you want to make them minty. I decided to keep it out.

1- 3/4 c. Half & Half

1 small pkg. sugar-free instant chocolate Jell-O pudding mix

10 Oreo cookies, crushed

Blend Half & Half and pudding mix in blender until smooth. Add crushed Oreos by hand.

Spoon into popsicle molds (or ice cube trays with toothpicks) and freeze!

When they are finished freezing, dip the mold in a little warm water until pops slide out of mold. If you are using an ice cube tray, it's easier to just run a butter knife along the edges and it will pop right out.

Final product. Take my word for it when I say they were so yummers. (I believe that's the technical term to describe these.) The cookie pieces were so fun in it. I give these pudding pops two thumbs up!