Joey's Easy Eggnog Ice Cream

 It seems to me that people either LOVE eggnog, or they absolutely despise it. There never seems to be any in-between, am I right? It's true!! I happen to fall squarely into the first category. Frankly, I've never met an eggnog I didn't like. So, of course, I like finding recipes that use it as a prominent ingredient. I've made eggnog cookies, eggnog spritz cookies, eggnog fudge, eggnog bread, and even an eggnog and cherry trifle. I LOVE it all!! So then I thought, oh! why not make ice cream? When you make ice cream, you start with a base, often with eggs and cream, then you add a few flavorings and then freeze it. Well, with eggnog, you already have the base, so it's perfect! And then all you need to do is add a few things to bump up the flavor. EASY! Yes, I thought of starting by making homemade eggnog, but then that would defeat the purpose of using the eggnog as a ready made ice cream base. Know what I mean? So I just threw a few things together, tasted it, adjusted it, tasted it again, and here's where I landed! I asked a few of my friends to taste it for me and they all gave a BIG thumbs ups! I must say, I'm pretty pleased with it as well.
 So if you're as much of a fan of eggnog as I am, you should ABSOLUTELY make this! And if you don't own an ice cream maker, perhaps you can add one to your Christmas wishlist! Enjoy!

1 1/2 cups eggnog
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp rum flavoring
1 tsp grated nutmeg

Simply stir all ingredients together and then chill in your ice cream maker according to package directions. Then transfer it to another container and place in the freezer until firm. That's all there is to it! Serve with gingersnaps or your favorite sugar cookies. 

Tips:
If you want to cut back a bit on the sugar, you can pull it back to 1/2 cup, but I wouldn't cut it back any further than that. Otherwise your finished product will be bland.

Joey's Fruit Juice Sorbet

 Lately I've been turning to delicious ice cold fruit juices instead of carbonated soft drinks to quench a thirst. Whenever I go to the grocery store, my cart fills with several of my favorite kinds of juice, and of course I always try a new juice flavor if I happen to see it. I also like to combine different juices together. As I was drinking an ice cold glass of Pom Wonderful and orange juice, I thought "Wouldn't it be awesome if this was frozen?" Well, there's only one way to find out!! And let me just tell you....the answer to that question is a big fat YES!! So then I tried it with other juices. The apple was big hit with my friend Denny and I must admit that it's my personal favorite as well. It's so flavorful and frosty! It's just the thing for a warm day, or as a palate cleanser between courses during your next elegant full course dinner! Enjoy!

4 cups fruit juice, (apple, orange, pomegranate, mango, blueberry, cranberry, any kind!)
1 cup sugar
juice from one lemon
2 tbs light corn syrup

Pour all ingredients into a saucepan.
Gently heat until all the sugar is dissolved.
Chill the syrup in the fridge until it's very cold.
Pour the syrup into a pre-chilled electric ice-cream maker and churn for 30 minutes.
Scoop into a freezer-proof container and freeze for at least 2 hours until it's firm.


Tips:
 Use any favorite juice you like! Do a blend of juices! Blueberry mango would be SO refreshing! Or how about cherry with lime, or cranberry with peach? Yum! But whatever combination you try, be sure to include the lemon juice. It wakes up the flavor of any juice you choose!
 If you do not have an ice cream maker, pour the sorbet mixture into a freezer proof container and freeze for an hour. Whisk with a fork. Return to the freezer, stirring the mixture with a fork every hour or so to break up any large ice crystals. You won't get the same product, but it'll still be delicious and refreshing.

Red Velvet Cherry Cobbler with Cream Cheese Ice Cream and Blueberries

 Are you all set for your 4th of July BBQ? Burgers, check. Hot dogs, check. Watermelon, corn on the cob, Check! Oh, and definitely be sure to wear red white and blue!! That's what we always do in my family! And to go with your Patriotic attire, I have the perfect Patriotic dessert for you! I found this year's 4th of July recipe while I was browsing recipes LAST 4th of July. As soon as I saw it, I thought YES! Simple, easy to make, deliciously decadent, and red white & blue! Perfect! I couldn't wait to make it for this year's post!
 I made it for Chris and Claire and they both just loved it. Claire loved that it wasn't overly sweet, and Chris said he liked how the cream cheese ice cream was the perfect thing to go with the cobbler and the berries. It's best when you have the perfect bite of all three things in one go. LOVE that! Oh, and the other great thing about this recipe is that it's a total do-ahead. I made mine the night before I was planning to serve it and it was perfect.
 So, lets talk about the recipes for a minute, shall we? The recipe for the cobbler is from Southern Living and I found it on Myrecipes.com. Great recipe, yes, but I did tweak it, slightly. I changed it from the original mixed berry cobbler to a fresh cherry cobbler, just because the fresh cherries at the market looked so good, and I was going for a deep red velvet color. And who doesn't love chocolate and cherry together?? Feel free to make whichever kind of cobbler you like!
 The ice cream recipe is from Epicurious.com. I looked at several recipes, and most of the ones I saw contained eggs. I was looking for an ice CREAM, not a frozen custard (which is technically what the addition of eggs would be), and I wasn't in the mood to cook the custard, and let it cool, etc. I just wanted to mix up the cream base, freeze it in my ice cream maker and enjoy. Perhaps next time I'll try one of the frozen custard recipes, but for now, I'm fine with the regular ice cream!
 So there you have it. Red velvet cobbler, white ice cream, and fresh blueberries. It just may be one of my favorite 4th of July recipes ever! I think you'll enjoy it too! Try it!


For the cobbler:
1 tablespoon cornstarch 
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided 
4 cups assorted fresh cherries, pitted and halved
1/2 cup butter, softened 
2 large eggs 
2 tablespoons red liquid food coloring 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 
1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa 
1/4 teaspoon salt 
1/2 cup buttermilk 
1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar 
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  Preheat oven to 350°. Stir together cornstarch and 1/2 cup sugar. Toss cherries with cornstarch mixture, and spoon into a lightly greased 11- x 7-inch baking dish. (btw, I added a little squeeze of fresh lemon juice to the fruit/cornstarch mixture, just to brighten up the flavor a bit. Just sayin!)
 Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy; gradually add remaining 3/4 cup sugar, beating well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Stir in red food coloring and vanilla until blended. Combine flour, cocoa, and salt. Stir together buttermilk, vinegar, and baking soda in a 2-cup liquid measuring cup. (Mixture will bubble.) Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Spoon batter over berry mixture. Bake at 350° for 45 to 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of cake topping comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack 10 minutes.




For the ice cream:
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup whole milk
1 tbs fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup heavy cream

Blend cream cheese, milk, lemon juice, sugar, and salt in a blender until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, then stir in cream. Freeze cream cheese mixture in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions. Transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden, at least 2 hours. Let ice cream soften 5 minutes before serving.


Tips:
As I said before, use whatever kind of fruit you like. Not a cherry fan? Use strawberries or raspberries! Or both! I'm sure you can use any other kind of fruit you like, but then you'll be introducing other colors instead of just red white and blue.
When you're making the ice cream, be sure to add the lemon juice. Tbh, at first, I wasn't even going to add it. Here's the thing... when I make a cheesecake, I like it to be a PLAIN cheesecake instead of a lemony one. I figured this would be the same sort of situation, but no. You definitely want the tang from the lemon in this instance. It makes the ice cream taste more like cream cheese! And one other thing..this ice cream recipe makes a small batch. If you have a big crowd, you may want to plan on making several batches ahead of time. Just sayin'!

Pumpkin Ice Cream

 Are you a pumpkin person? Every Autumn, there always seems to be a pumpkin version of EVERYTHING from coffee, to doughnuts, to breads, to pies, to cakes, and on and on. Some people love EVERYTHING pumpkin, and some people definitely do NOT. So again, I'll ask you, are you a pumpkin person??? I am happy to say that I am MOST DEFINITELY a pumpkin person. In fact, I've never met a pumpkin ANYTHING that I didn't like. Which brings me to this recipe...
 Have you ever had pumpkin ice cream?? Basically it tastes like a frozen pumpkin pie. How can you not love that?? And it couldn't be easier. You don't even have to deal with making custards, or tempering eggs, or even cooking anything at all. You just stir everything together, chill it for a bit, and then freeze it in your ice cream maker! And if you STILL don't have an ice cream maker, what are you waiting for??? Go buy one!  And then make this recipe. SO good!

1/2 cup cold whole milk 
1 tbs pure vanilla extract 
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk 
1 cup pumpkin puree 
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice 
1/2 tsp salt 
1 pint heavy cream

Stir together all ingredients in a medium bowl. Set aside in the fridge until chilled. Pour into canister of your ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's directions. Transfer to an airtight container and place in freezer until firm.


Tips:
 I like to soften it in the microwave for about 30 seconds before serving. (Not to the point of being soft serve, but just so that it's the perfect consistency for scooping!)
I'm sure there are many brands of ice cream makers, but I use a Cuisinart, and it's awesome. And it's not very expensive at all! It kills me how people think that 50 bucks is too much to spend on an ice cream maker, but are willing to spend 5.00 or more on a coffee EVERY morning!  Go fig!
 

Cheery Cherry Ice Cream

 Here's an easy frozen something to keep you cool during the summer heat. I saw it on a site called Just a Pinch, and figured it was the perfect thing since it's been so hot out lately. Now, I have to say, I didn't do it exactly as the recipe directed. The original recipe required you to whip the cream and then fold it into the cherry mixture, then freeze it in the freezer. Since I have an ice cream maker, I just stirred everything together in a bowl and then processed it for about 30 minutes. It worked perfectly! If you like maraschino cherries, you're gonna LOVE this!

1 jar(s) (10 ounce) maraschino cherries, undrained and cut into fourths (or smaller, if preferred).

1 can(s) (14 ounce) sweetened condensed milk

3 Tbsp lime juice

1 tsp grated lime zest, optional

1 c heavy whipping cream

  Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Pour into canister of your ice cream maker. Freeze for 20-30 minutes. Transfer to a freezer safe container and place in freezer until firm.

-OR-

 Combine undrained Maraschino Cherries and juice, sweetened condensed milk, lime juice and lime zest in a large bowl. Whip cream in a medium bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until stiff peaks form. Fold Whipped Cream into Cherry mixture. Pour into a 2 quart freezer-safe container or a 9x5-inch loaf pan to freeze her ice cream. Cover and freeze until firm. Or you can leave in the freezer overnight.


Tips:
I think the next time I make this, I won't add the lime zest. I think the lime juice added plenty enough lime flavor to the ice cream. Otherwise it becomes VERY tart.
I also might try this with another kind of cherries. Maybe if I can find Bing cherries in a syrup. Yum! That would be awesome.And perhaps I'll add a little vanilla extract, just to give it more of that cherry vanilla flavor that I love.
Btw, as you can see, I added a little chocolate syrup over the top. Just like a chocolate covered cherry cordial!! SO good.

Fresh Orange Sherbet

 Whenever we get our first really big heatwave, I'm always inspired to make something cool and refreshing. To be honest, I couldn't decide if I wanted a creamy rich ice cream or a frozen fruit sorbet. So I decided to make a cross between the two! Basically, if ice cream and fruit sorbet had a baby, it would be sherbet. It's creamier than a sorbet, but just as fruity and fresh. Perfect for a hot day! This is a slightly tweaked version of an Alton Brown recipe. I also saw it on Disneyfamily.com. Its SO delicious you MUST try it!
Have you bought an ice cream maker yet???
What are you waiting for???

1 cup sugar
2 cups fresh orange juice
grated zest from 1 orange
1 tbs fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups milk

In a medium bowl, stir all ingredients together until the sugar is dissolved. Place the bowl in the fridge until completely chilled.
Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and process until it is the consistency of soft serve ice cream, about 20-30 minutes. Serve immediately or transfer to a lidded container and store in the freezer.

Tip:
I like it best when it's not frozen solid. So I usually give it a minute in the microwave and then a quick stir before serving it.
If you'd prefer not to have bits of orange zest in your sherbet, simply use a hand blender to puree all the orange bits or whir the whole mixture up in a food processor or blender before chilling and freezing.

Joey's Cream Cheese Frosting Ice Cream

When I made carrot cake for Danny and Emma's wedding reception, I had a ton of leftover cream cheese frosting. Well, I certainly wasn't gonna throw it out (because, seriously...it's cream cheese frosting!), so I just kept it in the fridge for a couple days, waiting for a moment of brilliance to hit me. Then I had the AHA moment! I remembered the Carrot Spoon Cake that I saw Sandra Lee semi home making once upon a time, and I thought why not make ice cream? Every carrot cakes needs cream cheese frosting, right? And every warm pudding cake needs a scoop of ice cream on top. So why not put the two together? So I mixed up a few things, poured it into my ice cream maker, and VOILA! It's the perfect thing! It's almost like eating frozen cheesecake! Pretty cool, huh? If you don't have an ice cream maker, maybe this is your perfect excuse to buy one!
It's totally worth it!

2 cups cream cheese frosting, either purchased or home made
1 1/2 cup milk, either whole or 2%
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream

Place all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix until it is completely smooth. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours, or overnight. Pour into the freezer bowl of your ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's directions. The ice cream will have a soft, creamy texture. Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and place in freezer for about 2 hours, or until it firms up a bit. It may not freeze hard (depending on your cream cheese frosting), but if it does, just let it sit on the counter for a few minutes before scooping.

Serve over warm Heirloom Carrot Spoon Cake, over grilled peaches or pineapples, or with fresh Blueberry Sauce. (Or use the blueberry sauce recipe to make a sauce of strawberries or raspberries!)

Tips:
You really don't even need to add any sugar because there's plenty of sugar in the frosting, but go ahead and give it a quick taste before you freeze it. If you like it super sweet, add a half cup of sugar and then mix it up until the sugar is dissolved.
I usually use salted butter when I make the frosting, so if you like, add a little pinch of salt to your cream mixture before you freeze it. It makes it taste SO good!!

Ice Cream Sandwiches

 

 This is more of an idea rather than a recipe.  I'm certainly not the first person to do this, but I made them recently and I'm absolutely amazed at how well received they were!

 I was having friends over and money was a little tight that week. I wanted to come up with a dessert, but I needed to use what I already had on hand. At first I thought I'd just whip up a batch of cookies and leave it at that, but then remembered I had a half gallon of ice cream in the freezer. Suddenly something yummy turned into something fun and AMAZING! I have to say, they were pretty awesome. Several days later, I mentioned them to my friend, White, and she said "You MADE the cookies?" Um, HELLO have you met me? Of course I made the cookies!!  That's what made them extra special!! Are you kidding? If I had the time and ingredients, I'd have made the ice cream too!  hehehehehe

 Anyway, so here's proof that you don't need to be a chef to come up with a yummy fabulous and fun dessert, especially on a hot summer day.

 Simply choose any favorite Cookies and pair them with any favorite Ice Cream and you're all set to go! You can make everything home made or just pick some up from the store on the way home. Either way, there won't be any left! Promise!!

Tips:

If you're baking your own cookies, underbake them slightly so that they're soft and chewy when they cool. It's easier to squish a scoop of ice cream between them when they're not as crumbly.

Also, when you bake your cookies, use something to measure them so that they're all the same. A tbs measuring spoon or a small ice cream scoop works really well. Then roll the dough into balls before you put them onto the sheet. They'll bake into perfectly round cookies that are all the same size, perfect for sandwiches!

Special thanx to Davin Boshnack for making this photo possible!!

 

Kathleen's Candy Cane Ice Cream

Well, once again, my high school classmate, Kathleen, has sent me another fabulous recipe. She used a recipe that came with her ice cream maker, and then she added a few things to make it her own. The result? A fabulously festive treat that your family will love!
I love the fact that this recipe uses egg beaters instead of whole eggs so there's no need to cook the eggs into a custard before freezing. And it's so festive! Just imagine a few scoops of this ice cream floating in a punch bowl full of eggnog. Brilliant!
Thanx again Kath! And thanx for taking the beautiful picture too!!

Joey,

Hope you get to make some and try it for yourself!  

You can have fun with this because you can change up the color and the candies in it.

Try Andes candies, or mini choc chips, or shaved dark choc, or even M&M's in holiday colors!

We love this in our house and hope you love it, too!!!

Hugs,

K

4 oz egg beaters
1 cup sugar
1 cup half and half (or milk...NOT skim milk!!!)
2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
candy canes
a few drops of red food coloring

Combine eggs, sugar, vanilla, peppermint extract, red food coloring (to the shade of pink that you want) in a mixing bowl, blender or food processor. Add cream, half and half (or milk). Mix well and chill thoroughly.

Crush the candy canes to the size chunks you prefer. I use about four candy canes and try not to pulverize the crap out of them. Shards are good. Powder...not so much.

**I use a blender. Works beautifully!**

Follow the instructions for your ice cream maker. Mine is a "Deni" ice cream maker and it takes about 25 minutes in my machine to reach soft-serve stage. The last three minutes I pour the candy cane pieces in the top of the machine as it's running.

Once done, pour immediately into a container and freeze for a few hours or overnight, until it reaches the hardness you want.

ENJOY!!!!! Merry Christmas everyone!!!\

Kathleen's Tips:
Be sure to use only REAL vanilla extract, and do NOT buy the "mint" extract. MUST be "peppermint"!!! Unfortunately I found out the hard way this summer that "mint" tastes like toothpaste!! YUCK!!!!!!

Peanut Butter Sauce

When I first made the Peanut Butter Cake, I topped it with a chocolate ganache. Kristin decided that, as much as she loved the cake, it needed to have a peanut butter glaze instead of the chocolate. I wondered if that might be too much peanut butter, but then realized that I had obviously taken leave of my senses because there's no such thing as too much peanut butter. Am I right, Kristin?
So I decided to see if I could find a really good peanut butter sauce recipe. It needed to be sweet enough to pour over a dessert, such as vanilla ice cream, but it also needed to be rich enough to act as a ganache over the Peanut Butter Cake.
Well, ladies and gents, this is the one. I tried it out when the WDHS gang came over for dinner. I had made a Warm Chocolate Pudding Cake and decided that this sauce would be the perfect topping, along with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Needless to say, it was a huge hit! As usual, Katie was an immediate fan, because basically she can never get enough peanut butter, and Brooke loved it so much, she made it for her whole family. She even took the picture! Thanx Brooke!
Give it a try. I know you'll love it!


1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (you can use half and half)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup creamy peanut butter
pinch kosher salt

Combine all ingredients except peanut butter in a saucepan stirring constantly until all ingredients are dissolved. Let the mixture cool completely then add the peanut butter and stir well. It will look like a hot mess, but keep stirring and it will turn out smooth.
That's all there is to it! Easy, right? Serious Yum.

Tip:
One of the key ingredients is the pinch of salt. It might not seem like a big deal, but it's that little bit of saltiness that makes it. Make sure you include it!
Serve this on anything chocolate or banana, or as a sundae topping with Reese's Pieces.
I know the recipe only calls for a cup of peanut butter, but I always just add the rest of the 12 oz jar. More is more!!!

Carrot Cake Ice Cream

When I first got my ice cream maker, I knew I'd eventually be trying new and different recipes. I've always loved ice cream flavors that are a little outside the box. I definitely think this one fits the bill. When I told my niece, Kelli, that I wanted to try a carrot cake ice cream, she gave me a look as if she was seeing the Holy Grail. She LOVES my carrot cake! So, of course, this is what I decided to make for Kelli's birthday. She absolutely LOVED it and I know you will too.
Happy Birthday, Kel!


2 cups whole or 2% milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup packed grated carrots
1/2 cup shredded coconut
5 egg yolks
1/3 cup white sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
tiny pinch of salt


Combine the milk, cream, carrots, and coconut in a medium saucepan. Bring mixture just to under a boil, then reduce heat to very low. Let simmer, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes. (Do not let boil.)

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat the egg yolks with the sugars and spices until fluffy and lighter in color.
While beating the egg yolk mixture, pour in a little of the hot milk mixture and continue to beat. Do this a few times, adding a just a little at a time, until all of the milk mixture is added to the egg mixture. (This will temper the eggs, so that you don't wind up with scrambled eggs.) Pour everything back into the saucepan and set heat to medium-low. Cook about 8-10 minutes longer, stirring frequently with a spatula to scrape all corners of the bottom of the pot. Do not let boil. The custard should be just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Let custard cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container and completely chill in the refrigerator. Follow your machine’s instructions for churning length. Transfer ice cream to an airtight container and freeze for 2 hours or until it reaches desired firmness. Serve with the Cream Cheese Sauce.

Butter Pecan Ice Cream

What's your favorite ice cream flavor??
This was the question that I posed to my friends and family as soon as I got my ice cream maker. I figured if I'm going to be making ice cream, I might as well find out what everyone's favorites are, right? Right.
Well, I have to say I was a little surprised at some of the answers. First of all, most people gave me BRANDS of ice cream, rather than FLAVORS of ice cream. They'd say "Breyer's" or "Ben and Jerry's." I had to go back and say, "No, I mean I want to know what FLAVOR of ice cream is your favorite." And even then, they'd say a brand name plus the flavor, like "Häagen-Dazs Dulce de Leche", or "Ben and Jerry's Coffee Coffee Buzz Buzz Buzz". "Ok, lets try this again, just tell me what FLAVOR you like!" Whew! I didn't think I was asking such a complicated question!!!!
It wasn't until I finally just decided to Google it that I found out that Vanilla and Chocolate are first and second (respectively) in the favorite flavor department, and Butter Pecan comes in a very honorable third.
So, clearly, Butter Pecan needed to be included in my birthday week of ice cream making. Well, not only that, but also it was one of my Mom's favorites, and it's also my BFF Paul's favorite too. Even if pecans are not your thing, I think you should try this recipe. Just leave the pecans out! Yes, it's true that they add a yummy toasty flavor to the ice cream, but the browned butter brown sugar ice cream is so yummy, you won't even miss 'em!


6 tbs butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups whole milk
6 large egg yolks
2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup pecans


In a medium thick-bottomed saucepan on medium heat, melt the butter stirring constantly, until it just begins to brown. Add the brown sugar and salt. Stir until the sugar melts. Be careful not to burn!
Slowly add the milk, stirring to incorporate. It will foam up initially, so make sure you are using a pan with high enough sides. Heat until all of the sugar is completely dissolved. Do not let it boil or the mixture may curdle.
Whisk the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Slowly pour half of the milk/sugar mixture into the eggs, whisking constantly to incorporate. Then add the warmed egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk/sugar mixture.
Stir constantly over medium heat, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 5-7 minutes.
Pour the custard through the sieve and stir it into the cream. Add vanilla. Chill mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator.
While the mixture is chilling, place pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat and toast them for a minute or two, just until they become aromatic. Be careful not to burn them! Add a tablespoon of butter and a pinch or two of salt. Give them another toss and then place them on a tray to cool. Once cooled, give them a rough chop.
Once the ice cream mixture is thoroughly chilled, freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Fold in the chopped pecans. Scoop the soft ice cream into an airtight container and place in the freezer for at least an hour, preferably several hours. If it has been frozen for more than a day, you may need to let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften it before serving.


Tip:
To speed up the cooling process, place your cooked custard base in a bowl, then place the bowl in a larger bowl full of water and ice. Be careful not to get any of the water in the custard! The ice water bath will chill the base for you in no time!

Favorite Double Chocolate Ice Cream

I'm sure I must have said it before, but I'll say it again. When it comes to chocolate, it just doesn't get any better than Hershey's. You have your dark chocolate, and your classic milk chocolate. And of course we can't forget about white chocolate. Of course, the other brands are great too, but it seems to me that Hershey's chocolate is the standard against which all others are compared. Don't you agree?
My personal favorite is the Symphony milk chocolate bar. It's so smooth and creamy! Come to think of it, I've never met a bar of Hershey's chocolate that I didn't like, and every one of them is guaranteed to hit the spot when you're in the mood for a bite of chocolate.
This recipe will surely satisfy your chocolate cravings. The next time you're in the mood for a little chocolate indulgence, just whip up a quick batch, and use whatever kind of chocolate is YOUR favorite!

1/2 cup Hershey's unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups half-and-half
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp instant coffee granules
8 large egg yolks
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 (4.25 oz) Hershey's Symphony milk chocolate Bar

Place the cocoa powder along with 1 cup of the half-and-half into a medium saucepan over medium heat and whisk to combine. Add the remaining half-and-half, the heavy cream, and the coffee granules. Bring the mixture just to a simmer, stirring occasionally, and remove from the heat.
In a medium mixing bowl whisk the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Gradually add the sugar and whisk to combine. Temper the cream mixture into the eggs and sugar by gradually adding small amounts, until about 1/3 of the cream mixture has been added. Pour in the remainder and return the entire mixture to the saucepan and place over low heat. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon. Pour the mixture into a container and allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Stir in the vanilla extract. Place the mixture into the refrigerator until completely chilled.
Pour into an ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer's directions. This should take approximately 25 to 35 minutes. Stir in chopped bar of milk chocolate. Serve as is for soft serve or freeze for another 3 to 4 hours to allow the ice cream to harden.

Coffee Ice Cream

A few years ago, I was in the mood for a sort of Ben and Jerry's flavor of ice cream with lots of things mixed in. So I went to a Cold Stone Creamery and this was my fabulous Cold Stone "custom creation": coffee ice cream with brownies, chocolate chip cookie dough, and a caramel swirl. Doesn't that sound HEAVENLY? I asked a few friends what this flavor should be called, you know, just in case Ben and Jerry call me asking for ice cream ideas. Several ideas were suggested including "Mocha Choca Latte", "Cocoa Jitters", and my favorite one... "Cookie Dough Brownie Buzz".
What do YOU think it should be called?


3 egg yolks
2 whole eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 tbs instant coffee granules dissolved in 1/2 cup hot water
1 tsp PURE vanilla extract



Combine eggs, yolks, and sugar in a bowl and blend thoroughly with a whisk or electric beater for about 5 minutes.
Heat milk and cream in a medium saucepan; do not let boil, just “scorch” it until it is near-boiling hot.
Very slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture, beating rapidly with a whisk. Pour the egg/milk mixture back into the saucepan.
Heat mixture over medium low heat, stirring constantly, for a few more minutes or until the consistency is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Strain mixture into a clean bowl and add coffee and vanilla extract.
Place in fridge until completely cool.
Pour into ice cream maker canister and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Place in freezer until firm.

Tip:
If you'd like to add the mix-ins as described above, stir them into the soft ice cream just before you place in the freezer.

Home Made Caramel Sauce

Often times when one thinks of an ice cream sundae, one thinks of gobs of hot fudge, right? Well, I have to say that's not always the case, at least not with me. Yes, I love a hot fudge sundae as much as the next person. But for me, it's all about the caramel. It's true! Ever since I was a child, every time there was a choice between chocolate and caramel, I pretty much pushed the chocolate aside. To this day, my hands-down favorite dessert of all time is a deep dish hot apple pie with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce. Nothing else compares! So, I hope you'll give this sauce a try. It's really simple to make and it's ready in no time. And seriously, home made caramel? Are you kidding me? It just doesn't get any better!!


1 cup of sugar
1/4 cup water
6 tbs butter
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

Normally I'd list any tips and hints at the END of the recipe, but this time, you should read them BEFORE you make it. Safety first!!


Tips:
-First and foremost, be extra careful when you make this!
-The sugar is SCREAMING hot when it melts and you could seriously burn yourself. If you have little toddlers running around, wait until it's time for today's nap, or let them watch something Disneytastic to keep them occupied.
-Be sure to use a high sided saucepan because adding the butter and cream causes the caramel to dramatically bubble up. You definitely don't want it to overflow!
-You may wonder why the recipe calls for 1/4 cup of water since it only evaporates from the pan anyway. Why bother adding it, right? To be honest, you don't need it. You can just add sugar to the pan and let it melt when you put it over heat. I like to add the water because it makes the sugar caramelize a little more evenly and you're less likely to burn it. It takes a few more minutes since you have to wait for the water to evaporate, but I think it's worth having a little extra insurance.
-It's best to have everything ready when you start. As soon as the sugar starts to change color, it goes pretty quickly. You don't want to be routing around in the fridge looking for that last stick of butter while the sugar is burning.
-After the vanilla is mixed in, let it cool for a while before pouring it into a heat resistant container, such as a mason jar. For heaven's sake, don't pour it into a plastic container! It might melt the plastic! And be sure to use oven mits when handling the hot jar. Whew! That was a lot. Ok NOW we're ready to begin!


Place sugar and water in a 2 qt saucepan. Place over medium heat. Don't use any utensils to stir it. This will cause the sugar to crystallize. Just hold the handle and swirl the saucepan in a small circular motion. Cook the syrup until the water has evaporated and the sugar has turned to a lovely amber color. In the meantime, have the butter and cream ready. As soon as you've reached the amber color, carefully add the butter. Whisk until the butter is melted. Remove from heat. Add cream, whisking until well incorporated. Let it cool for just a bit before stirring in the vanilla. It will thicken to the perfect pouring consistency when it cools.

Fresh Strawberry Ice Cream

If I were to choose a favorite berry, I think the strawberry wins. Blueberries are an EXTREMELY close second, but strawberries win. Apparently I'm not the only one who feels this way, since strawberry is the fourth most popular ice cream flavor in the USA. (vanilla, chocolate, and butter pecan are the top three).
When Josh and Tony came over for dinner, I had just gotten my ice cream maker and they were happy to be my taste testers for my very first batch of ice cream which was , you guessed it, fresh strawberry. They loved it and I know you will too!
I hope you'll give it a try!


1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped
2 tbs fresh lemon juice
1 cup sugar, divided
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Combine strawberries, lemon juice, and 1/4 cup sugar in a mixing bowl, set aside in fridge for 1 hour. In a medium saucepan, stir together milk and 3/4 cup sugar. Heat over low heat until you reach a low simmer, but not boiling. Meanwhile, in large mixing bowl beat eggs until light, about 2 minutes. Slowly pour the milk/sugar mixture into the beaten eggs stirring constantly. Pour everything back into the saucepan and continue to cook and stir over low heat until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Strain custard into a clean mixing bowl. Add cream. Drain the liquid from the strawberries and add it to the bowl along with the vanilla. Place bowl in fridge until completely chilled. Pour into ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. Stir the strawberries into the ice cream. Place in a freezer safe container and freeze until firm.

Tip:
I found that it's best to chop up the fruit into small pieces because larger pieces are harder to eat when they're frozen solid. Makes sense, right?
Use this recipe for any kind of berries or fruit. Be sure to add the lemon juice because wakes up the flavor of the fruit/berries. Try fresh peaches, blueberries, or raspberries. YUM!

Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream

When I asked Michael if he likes peanut butter, he said "a little too much."
When I asked Katie to tell me what comes to her mind at the mere thought of peanut butter, she said "It's my thing! I eat it out of the jar with a spoon!"
I won't even tell you what April told me when I asked her how she feels about peanut butter. (so funny!)
Anyway, when I decided to do a bunch of ice cream recipes, I knew I'd have to include something sinfully peanut butter, and this one DEFINITELY fits that description. You MUST try it!
Serious yum.

1 cup whole milk
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter, creamy not chunky
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups heavy cream
1 tbs PURE vanilla extract
8 regular size peanut butter cups, chopped


Heat a pan and add milk, bringing it to a simmer.
Meanwhile, blend the sugar and eggs together until creamy.
Pour the milk into the bowl with the egg and sugar mixture. Blend together. After mixture is well blended, place mixture back into saucepan on low heat. Continue to stir the mixture with a wire whisk continuously for about 3 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the stove top and add peanut butter and salt, mixing well.
Take the whole mixture and pour contents through a strainer into a clean bowl. Add the cream and vanilla and stir. Pour into ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to a freezer safe container. Stir in chopped peanut butter cups. Place container in the freezer and freeze until firm.

Tips:
Don't forget to add the salt! It really makes it taste more like salted peanuts!
Before adding the peanut butter cups, I unwrap them, place them on a plate and then place them in the freezer for about an hour. It makes the chopping much easier and they won't break apart when you stir them into the ice cream.
Feel free to add any other kinds of chopped candy or cookies. I added chopped Oreos to the batch pictured above. SO good!

Vanilla Ice Cream

It's true that I like all kinds of ice cream, but when you get right down to it, vanilla is my favorite. Whenever there's a choice of vanilla or chocolate, I'm going for the vanilla. Even as a child waiting in line to buy a Mister Softee cone, I always picked vanilla. It's the basis for a perfect sundae. It's the go-to ice cream to serve on top of pies and cobblers. Pour a little caramel sauce on top and I'm in heaven!
LOVE it!

1 cup whole milk
pinch of salt
3/4 cups sugar
5 egg yolks
2 cups heavy cream
1 tbs PURE vanilla extract

Heat the milk, salt, and sugar in a saucepan. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and gradually add some of the warmed milk, stirring constantly as you pour. Pour the warmed yolk/milk mixture back into the saucepan.
Cook over low heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom with a heat-resistant spatula until the custard thickens enough to coat the spatula. Strain the custard into the heavy cream. Add vanilla extract. Place bowl in the fridge until completely chilled. Freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturers instructions. Transfer to a freezer safe container and freeze until firm.

Variations - Stir in about a cup of any of the following just before you place it in the freezer:

Cookies and Cream: Simply chop some Oreos or other favorite chocolate sandwich cookie.

Heath Bar Crunch: Just as the name says, simply add chopped Heath bars or toffee bits.

Cookie Dough - Mix up a batch of cookie dough (using pasteurized eggs or pasteurized liquid egg products). Roll dough into a log and chill until firm. Slice dough into wheels then cut each wheel into small pieces.

Chocolate Chip: Chop up a bar of your favorite chocolate or simply use mini toll house morsels.

Mint Chocolate Chip: it's the same as regular chocolate chip, but add about 1/2 tsp pure mint extract when you add the vanilla extract. You can also add a few drops of green food coloring when you stir in the chips, if you like.

Fudge or Caramel Swirl: Place "soft serve" ice cream in freezer container. Pour caramel or fudge topping on top. Using a knife or spatula, cut through the topping all the way to the bottom of the container and then swirl back up to the top. Do this only once or twice more. It works much better when your container is more shallow than tall.


Tips:
When I began testing different ice cream recipes, I discovered that I prefer those recipes which include eggs in the base. (Technically, this makes it a custard, btw). I found that the eggs make the final product richer and creamier.
You can use a vanilla bean instead of the vanilla extract. Using a sharp knife, split the bean lenthwise, and then scrape out the tiny seeds inside. Add them to the other base ingredients before heating. You can add the bean pod to the mixture as well, but just remove it after the mixture thickens.

Frozen Pumpkin Creams

My sister in law, Marianne, gave me this recipe many years ago, and every time I make them, I think "why don't I make these more often?" They're so delicious! They taste just like frozen pumpkin pie! And they're easy to make too! They'd be a perfect 'make ahead' treat for a Halloween party or you can also make them for your Thanksgiving dessert. Kids love them too! You could even get the little ones involved when you're making them. Who knows? you might even inspire a future chef!

Nabisco Gingersnaps
1 cup pumpkin
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
pinch salt
2 pints vanilla ice cream, softened
(Ben and Jerry's is my favorite!)

Line muffin tins with foil or paper cups. Place a gingersnap in each cup. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Fold in softened ice cream. Spoon mixture into prepared cups, spreading evenly to edges. Freeze until firm. Remove from freezer 5-10 minutes before serving. Top each cup with whipped cream and a sprinkling of crushed gingersnap crumbs.

Tip:
I usually don't mention a specific brand unless there's a specific reason. In this case, I use Nabisco Gingersnaps because of their size. They're smaller than the usual Ivin's Spiced Wafers (you know, the ones that come in the orange and black box), which are too big to fit in the bottom of the muffin cups. If you already have the spiced wafers, don't fret. You can still use them. Just break them into pieces and drop a few into the bottom of each cup, then fill as usual.

Hershey's Brownie Pie a'la Mode

So, how could I do a pie week without including a decadent chocolate something from Hershey? Clearly, this recipe fits the bill. If you ever need a chocolate fix, I think this should be your 'go to' dessert! Don't forget the chocolate sauce. That's what puts it over the top!!

1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons water
1-1/3 cups HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Chocolate Chips or HERSHEY'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
2 eggs
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup chopped nuts(optional)
FUDGE SAUCE(recipe follows, optional)
Ice cream(any flavor)


1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 9-inch pie plate.
2. Combine sugar, butter and water in medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, just until mixture boils. Remove from heat. Immediately add chocolate chips; stir until melted. Add eggs; beat with spoon until well blended.
3. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; add to chocolate mixture, stirring until well blended. Stir in vanilla and nuts, if desired; pour into prepared pie plate.
4. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until almost set. (Pie will not test done in center.) Cool. Prepare FUDGE SAUCE, if desired. Top pie with scoops of ice cream and prepared sauce. 8 to 10 servings.


FUDGE SAUCE
1 cup HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Chocolate Chips or HERSHEY'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon butter or margarine

Combine all ingredients in medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 1 to 1-1/2 minutes or until hot. Using whisk, beat until chips are melted and mixture is smooth. About 1-1/2 cups sauce.

CONVENTIONAL METHOD: Combine all ingredients in small saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until chips are melted and mixture is smooth.