Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

Back when I thought the worst of the summer heat had finally retreated, we had a week of gorgeous weather in the 70s... but then, much to my dismay, the sweltering 90+ degree days came creeping back! YUCK! Thankfully, we're back in the 70's again!

But during the last scorching week, I decided to make some ice cream!

Jon bought me an Ice Cream maker a few years ago. I've only used it a couple of times. You might remember the Espresso Ice Cream I made last year. It was WICKED good!!

Anyway... this time I went with straight up vanilla.

What better recipe to choose for this endeavor, than an Alton Brown recipe!



Serious Vanilla Ice Cream
2 C half-and-half
1 C whipping cream
1 C minus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 TBLS peach preserves (not jelly) (I omitted this)
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped

Combine all ingredients (including the bean and its pulp) in a large saucepan and place over medium heat. Attach a frying or candy thermometer to inside of pan. (see note below) Stirring occasionally, bring the mixture to 170 degrees F. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Remove the hull of the vanilla bean, pour mixture into lidded container and refrigerate mixture overnight to mellow flavors and texture.

Freeze mixture in ice cream freezer according to unit's instructions. The mixture will not freeze hard in the machine. Once the volume has increased by 1/2 to 3/4 times, and reached a soft serve consistency, spoon the mixture back into a lidded container and harden in the freezer at least 1 hour before serving.

NOTE: If you do not have a thermometer, bring the mixture just barely to a simmer. As soon as you see a bubble hit the surface, remove it from the heat. Do not let it boil.

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Ok... so I thought I could double this recipe and it would fit in my ice cream maker, but it didn't quite fit!


Combine all ingredients (including the bean and its pulp) in a large saucepan and place over medium heat.


I omitted the peach preserves. I was afraid of little peach chunks... so I just decided to leave them out.

I had to whisk the heck outta this to break up all of the vanilla pulp.

Also, I no longer have a functional thermometer. So I just made sure that it didn't boil.


Let it cool a bit and pour it into a covered container.


Then into the fridge overnight to cool and let the flavors get all blendy.

Fast forward to the next day...

Pour it into your ice cream maker.





This is where I found out that I couldn't really do a double batch. I could have done an extra half batch.

Follow your ice cream maker instructions.

It's getting thicker...


And thicker...


In the machine, it will only get to soft serve consistency.

Pour it a container with a cover.


And back into the freezer for at least an hour... several hours would be better!

I scream! You scream! We all scream! For Ice Cream!!


This was some seriously delicious vanilla ice cream!! And it was so easy! Also a perfect base for all kinds of add ins!

I'll definitely be making some variations of this!

Oh yeah... that leftover unfrozen ice cream that didn't fit in the ice cream machine? I kept it in the fridge and used it as a base for Milk Shakes! YUM!!!!

Meatballs

Tawny loves meatballs. She loves homemade meatballs. There is no way to sneak a frozen meatball past her lips. She knows. She always knows! Lots of people say they know... but lots of those same people really don't. They can be tricked. But not Tawny.

She left for college last week and Spaghetti & Homemade Meatballs was on her list of dinners she'd like me to make before she leaves.

So I made homemade meatballs.

They really aren't much work. I have no idea why, more often than not, I resort to frozen meatballs. Well, yeah I do. They are WAY faster on a work night. But that's no excuse for using frozen more often than homemade. I could take a little time on the weekend, make my homemade meatballs then freeze them and store them in the freezer in FoodSaver bags. Then they'd be just as easy as frozen wouldn't they?

Ok... I'm done arguing with myself.

Homemade Meatballs! They are easy and can be just as convenient as frozen!

Most of these measurements are approximate.

Meatballs
2 lbs. ground beef (or beef/veal/pork combo)
1 medium onion, grated
3 - 4 large cloves of garlic, grated
2 TBLS Italian herbs
1 C Parmesan/Romano/Asiago blend, grated
2 C bread crumbs
1 C tomato sauce
1 egg
salt & pepper

Combine all ingredients until well mixed.
Roll into balls. I usually do 1 inch meatballs, but these are 2 inch meatballs. Place on wire rack in a baking sheet with sides. Bake at 350F 20 - 30 minutes, depending on how big you make your meatballs. You just want them to be cooked through. Now they're ready to eat! I always simmer mine a in a pot of sauce after I take them out of the oven.

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Mix it all up!




Roll into balls.

I usually like to make 1 inch balls. Then they fit perfectly in a Meatball Sub. Tawny wanted big meatballs. So these are big. I guess they'd be nice cut in half in subs. Anyway... this time I made big ones, at least 2 inches.



Bake them until cooked through.


I don't know why I started baking them. My mom always cooked her meatballs IN the sauce. Most of the recipes I see online call for frying them. I remember baking them when I first moved out on my own. It started as just baking on a baking sheet. But I think the little puddle of grease around them grossed me out, so I started baking them on a rack.



If I was going to make a big batch and freeze some for later. This is where I'd stop and flash freeze them, then put them in vacuum-sealed bags.

Now into the pot of sauce!




They're ready to serve with whatever you like!


Enjoy!

Narcisi Sangria

Ok, this is kind of a cheater sangria, since it's already sangria ready to drink from the bottle.

I started with a bottle of Narcisi Sangria.


I found that in my wine cabinet. My mom bought it for me when we went out to Narcisi Winery for a little wine tasting.

I added some Brandy & Fruit.


A couple of nectarines, some raspberries, an orange and an apple.
(I LOVE nectarines!)

Mix it all up and let it rest overnight in the fridge.


Add some nice cold gingerale... and it's cocktail time!


The Narcisi Sangria is really delicious right out of the bottle... but if you can add more spirits & fruit, why not right? Cheers!

Berry Sangria = FAIL

I had high hopes for this Berry Sangria. But it was a miserable FAIL!

While up in Pymatuning, Whitney and I snuck off to Wilhelm Winery for a little wine tasting. Whitney had some of their Edelweiss at The Naked Grape and really wanted to pick up some more. She also grabbed a bottle of their Fredonia. I tried a Riesling that was ok and also their Blueberry and Blackberry wines.

I decided that Blackberry would make a great Berry Sangria. The fruit wines only come in the small bottles, so I bought two.

Some gorgeous berries...


Some Brandy & Blackberry Wine




I didn't have any clear soda... but I did have some cold Prosecco...


Bubbly and delicious... should be great right?


O.M.G. YUCK!!!!

I really don't know what went wrong with it. The ingredients were all tasty on their own, but combined... total YUCK.

We couldn't even choke it down... it got poured into the sink... all the beautiful fruit wasted.

Oh well... can't win 'em all!

Check HERE for some awesome Sangria Recipes!

Footlongs are Fun!

Need a quick easy fun dinner?

How about Footlong Chili Cheese Dogs?



A long time ago, Jon noticed that the footlong hotdogs and the footlong hotdog buns each have 6 per package. Nice! No leftover weird sized dogs or buns.

Use your favorite chili... or use my Easy Skillet Chili whatever you like!

I bought some footlong hotdogs & buns.

When I got them home I was thinking I didn't have anything big enough to cook them on. It was a gazillion degrees outside and there was no way I was going to grill them. Then Jon reminded me that I have a nice cast iron griddle! YAY!

They fit on there just fine!


Fry them up in a little butter!


Load them into some footlong buns...


Add some chili...


Add some cheese and it's dinner time!!


These were SO good! I make Chili Cheese Dogs pretty often, but these ROCKED!

They stay together really well. I think the footlongs are a little skinnier than the hotdogs I typically have at the house. So all the filling stays put!

Cook up some fun and have Footlong Chili Cheese Dogs for dinner!

Jon's Cocoa CocoNut Cereal Bars

Our friends Jeff & Whitney invite us up to their place on Lake Pymatuning every summer. Whitney and I try to put together a weekend menu and do most of the prep before we head up to the lake.

When I was thinking it over in my head, I realized that there wasn't a chocolate dessert. I don't really care for chocolate, but pretty much everyone else loves it.

Jon made this recipe up standing in the kitchen as I was headed out the door to pick up everything I needed for my share of the cooking.

He's the brains in this operation (ummm recipe) I'm the muscle (I did the work!)



Jon's Cocoa CocoNut Cereal Bars
1 box Cocoa Pebbles (the small box I think it's 13oz)
1 bag mini-marshmallows
1/4 C butter
9 little bags (1.5oz) Coconut M&Ms (about 2 cups)

Melt the butter in a big pot. Add marshmallows and stir until coated. Cook over medium low heat, stirring until all marshmallows are melted. Pour in Cocoa Pebbles and still until well coated in marshmallow. Fold in Coconut M&Ms. Pour into a parchment paper lined or non-stick 13x9 pan. Press firmly. Cool. Cut. Enjoy!

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I started by opening all those bags of Coconut M&Ms.


Then it's your basic cereal bar recipe!

Melt the butter...


Add the marshmallows...


Stir...


Until melty...


Add cereal...


Stir some more...


Add M&Ms...


Fold them in...


I try to do that as gently as I can. I don't want to mush up the M&Ms since the marshmallow is still warm.

Press it into a 13x9 pan...


Cool... Cut... Enjoy!


If you like Chocolate and Coconut... you'll love these!