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Category Archives: Desserts

Funny Bone Cupcakes

Posted on September 2, 2010 by amydeline

I love the feature on my blog stats page which shows me all of the search terms which have led people to my blog. As you might expect, most of the search terms have something to do with food; marinara using fresh tomatoes, best oatmeal cookie, Nick Tahou’s at the New York State Fair. But I also get a fair share of hits from search terms which leave me puzzled, for example, How to Make a Christmas Money Wreath. What’s a Christmas money wreath? I want one of those.

And then today, I awoke to find that someone had been led to my blog by the search term, Irresistible Hot Moms. HAHA! That’s absolutely awesome. I’m pretty sure it led the searcher to my post on Irresistible Spinach Dip with Wonton Pasta Chips, wherein the recipe included details about getting the cooking oil hot. Just a wild guess, but I suspect the searcher wasn’t looking for a spinach dip recipe. Funny stuff.

Speaking of funny stuff… Does it get any better than Funny Bones? You know, those delicious chocolatey-peanut buttery Drake’s cakes. As a child, I’d easily bypass the racks of Twinkies, Devil Dogs, Yodels, or Ding Dongs in search of my all-time favorite snack cake, Funny Bones! I could’ve eaten a whole box in one sitting and wouldn’t have even regretted the resulting bellyache. For some reason, as I grew up, Funny Bones seemed to be in shorter supply. Perhaps they have a limited distribution area and I was moving to all of the wrong places. But one day I woke up and realized I hadn’t seen a Funny Bone in ages. That realization was not so funny at all.

I don’t eat snack cakes very often these days. The deep-fried twinkie, which I recently devoured at the fair, was probably the first snack cake I’ve eaten all year. But, I’ve been feeling a bit nostalgic lately, so I’ve decided to build a cupcake inspired by childhood favorite. The only difference is that my cupcake will feature grown-up deep chocolate flavor. Moist, dark chocolate cupcakes, filled with sweet peanut butter filling, and decked with a smooth chocolate ganache. Funny Bones improved.

For the cake, I’m using a recipe I stumbled upon a few months ago while searching for a base for my Baked Alaska endeavor. The recipe for Deep Dark Chocolate Cake, found on the Hershey’s website, is perhaps the best chocolate cake I’ve ever tasted. I’ll never make another chocolate cake recipe. It’s rich, oh so moist, and a cinch to make. For the filling, I’m simply combining creamy peanut butter with confectioners sugar and a bit of cream for a sweet and creamy texture. My favorite simple chocolate ganache will deck the cupcake tops with a sprinkle of chopped peanuts as a finishing touch.

Tomorrow night, my girls are coming over to help me figure out a hairstyle for the big Bertolli Fashion Week event next week. I’m sure they’ll also be willing to help me take care of a few of these cupcakes!

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

(Barely adapted from Hershey’s Deep Dark Chocolate Cake recipe)

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Sugar
  • 1-3/4 cups All-purpose Flour
  • 3/4 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa or HERSHEY’S SPECIAL DARK Cocoa
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons Baking Soda
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 cup Milk
  • 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
  • 1 cup Boiling Water

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cupcakes pans with cupcake liners or grease and lightly flour.

In a large bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Beat for a couple minutes until well combined. Add the boiling water and stir. The batter will be thinner than you might expect. Pour the batter into the prepared cupcake pans. *Fill each cupcake about 2/3 full, to avoid overflowing. Bake for  25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely before filling and frosting.

Peanut Butter Filling

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
  • 1/2 cup Confectioners Sugar
  • 3 Tbsp Heavy Cream

Directions

Warm the peanut butter for a few seconds in the microwave to soften. Add the sugar and stir together until smooth. Add the cream, as necessary, to reach a consistency which is thick, but loose enough to easily squeeze through a pastry tip.

Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients

  • 6 ounces Semisweet Chocolate
  • 1/2 cup Heavy Cream

Directions

Give the chocolate a coarse chop. Place the chocolate pieces in a bowl. Heat the cream, just to a boil. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and stir until smooth.

To compose the cupcakes…

Spoon the peanut butter filling into a pastry bag fitted with a small/medium round tip. (You can also use a ziploc bag with the corner cut off and a pastry tip inserted.) Insert the pastry tip into the top of each cupcake and squeeze to fill the cakes with a small amount of peanut butter filling. Refrigerate for about 10 minutes to set the filling.

Prepare the ganache. One at a time, hold each cupcake by the base and dip the top into the ganache to evenly coat. Return to the cooling rack. Garnish the cupcakes with a few chopped peanuts. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Children will especially enjoy helping out with the dipping and tasting the results!

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Shrimp, Chorizo, and Pineapple Quesadillas

Posted on August 14, 2010 by amydeline

When I retrieved my ice cream maker from its hiatus in the basement, I told myself that I wouldn’t post too many ice cream related recipes. I recognize that not everyone has an ice cream maker lying around and I’d rather post recipes that don’t require any special equipment. I’m not doing a very good job of limiting the ice cream recipes though. It’s summer and I’m really enjoying the novelty of my ice cream maker. I’ve been finding myself dreaming of ways to use it. Some of my ideas are inarguably fantastic; others not so much. Last weekend, after a few glasses of wine, I was ready to whip out the machine to make some sort of Swedish Fish ice cream. I got some strange looks from the crowd, so we abandoned that mission. But I recently had another idea that I just had to try and since there was no one around to talk me out of it, I did. To make up for the fact that I’m sharing my third ice cream recipe in the past two weeks, I’m going to throw in a super simple, delicious bonus recipe which makes a easy, tasty dinner and requires no special equipment.

Remember earlier in the week when I mentioned the candy-sweet local corn, which I added to my pesto pasta with salmon and tomatoes? I wasn’t joking when I said it was candy-sweet. It seriously tastes like it’s been watered in syrup and grown in a bed of brown-sugar soil. I fed some to the kids and told them it was candy. They never paused for a second to question it. I’ve been dreaming about that corn ever since, plotting other ways to take advantage of its awesomeness. I wanted to use it as a dessert. It’s really that sweet. Sweet corn frozen custard came to mind.

Truth be told, this recipe was not a complete success. I contemplated whether I should share it or not, but I figured that if you’re crazy about corn, this recipe might be right up your alley. I fed a spoonful to my husband without telling him what it was and his reaction was less than enthusiastic. Confused would be the most appropriate description of the look on his face as he tried to process what he was tasting. His sentiments were that you can’t just feed people a bowl full of corn ice cream; that it needs to go with something. I agree. So, I made a homemade caramel sauce and served it with a graham cracker…sort of a caramel corn sundae, I suppose.

This frozen custard has a definite sweet corn flavor. The only added sweetener comes from a few tablespoons of honey. I used buttermilk to make up part of the cream base, sort of a play on my sweet honey cornbread with buttermilk, but I think the buttermilk was a mistake. The final custard was not nearly as creamy as I’d hoped. It had more of a firm, icy texture. I’m no ice cream making expert, but I suspect the iciness was a result of the buttermilk…perhaps a freezing point issue? If I were to repeat the recipe, I think I’d use an all cream base. Fairly certain that would produce a creamier result. The recipe I’m sharing with you excludes the buttermilk.

Summer Corn Frozen Custard

Ingredients

  • 3 Cobs of Sweet Corn
  • 2 cups Light Cream
  • 3 Tbsp Honey
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 2 Egg Yolks, lightly beaten

Directions

Boil the corn for 8 minutes. Cool. Cut the kernels off of the cob. Save the cobs. Use a blender or food processor to blend the kernels with the cream, honey, and vanilla extract. Pour the mixture in a saucepan and add the corn cobs. You can break the cobs, if necessary, to fit in the pan. Heat the mixture, stirring often, until it begins to bubble. Remove from heat. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve, pressing the mixture to remove all of the the corn-flavored cream. Add a small amount of the hot liquid to the egg yolks to temper the yolks. (Adding a small amount of the hot liquid allows the egg yolks to heat gradually and prevents them from scrambling.) Add the tempered egg yolk mixture to the hot cream. Return the mixture to a saucepan. Heat the mixture until it begins gently bubbling. Cook for about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and refrigerate until it is completely cooled. Then, pour the mixture into your frozen ice cream bowl and freeze according to your machine’s directions. Serve with caramel, if desired.

Now, on to that super easy, super delicious, no-special-equipment-required recipe. A few weeks ago, a friend of mine sent me a message wondering if I had any ideas for how to make use of some chorizo she had on hand. Yum. Chorizo. I gave her a few general ideas at the time. And then I couldn’t get chorizo off the brain. Chorizo is a spiced pork sausage that is typically available as chorizo picante (spicy) or chorizo dulce (mild). Spanish chorizo is cured and can be eaten as is. My supermarket carries cured chorizo near the deli and cheese section. Chorizo is also available as a fresh sausage which you would probably find in the meat section of your supermarket. Fresh sausage needs to be cooked prior to eating. I love the combination of chorizo with seafood, especially shrimp. It occurred to me that both shrimp and chorizo would pair well with pineapple. So, I decided to put together some super fast Shrimp, Chorizo, and Pineapple Quesadillas. I’ll definitely be making these again.

Shrimp, Chorizo, and Pineapple Quesadillas

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Spanish Chorizo, chopped
  • 1 cup cooked salad-size Shrimp
  • 1/2 cup Pineapple, finely chopped
  • 2 cups Mexican Blend Cheese
  • 8 Flour Tortillas

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat the chorizo in a pan over medium heat until it begins to release its oil. Add the shrimp and pineapple. Stir to combine. When the shrimp and pineapple are warm, remove from heat. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup cheese onto each of four tortillas. Evenly distribute the chorizo, shrimp, pineapple mixture over the four tortillas. Top with another 1/4 cup cheese on each. Cover with the remaining four tortillas. Bake for about 10-12 minutes until the insides are hot and melty and the tortillas feel slightly crisp. Press down on the quesadillas about halfway through to help them melt together. Allow the quesadillas to cool for a minute or two before cutting.

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Cream Pie

Posted on August 13, 2010 by amydeline

Like Batman spotting the bat-signal in the starry night sky or Spiderman sensing the tingle of his spidey-sense, I’ve been beckoned to help a family being torn apart by a culinary crisis. The trouble centers around a Chocolate Peanut Butter Cream Pie, a current featured dessert from our local grocery store, Wegmans. According to my sister-in-law, several battles have already ensued over the last piece of this dreamy, creamy pie. Even worse, there will come the day when Wegmans switches over to its seasonal pumpkin pie, leaving this poor family sorrowfully crying over the supermarket dessert case. No, no. This will not do. I must devise a suitable recipe to replicate this family’s beloved treat.

First, I need to know what we’re going after. So, I went down to the grocery store to purchase one of these battle-worthy pies. According to my son, who is a master of imagination, the grocery store is ridden with wolves. Luckily his younger brother was around to save his day and we left unharmed with the pie in hand.

Hmmm… Chocolate wafer crust, smooth moussey peanut butter filling, a layer of chocolate pudding (that was a surprise), fluffy whipped cream, peanut butter drizzle, peanut butter cup, chocolate curls…

Better taste it again, to make sure I’m not missing some important detail.

Is that a bit of vanilla? Let me just check…

Alright, I think I’ve got it. Seriously, I deserve some sort of hazard pay for this stuff.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cream Pie

Ingredients

For the Crust

  • 2 cups Chocolate Wafer Cookies, crushed*
  • 1 stick Unsalted Butter, melted

For the Dark Chocolate Pudding

  • 1/2 cup Sugar
  • 1/3 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
  • 3 Tbsp Cornstarch
  • 1/8 tsp Salt
  • 1 1/2 cup Whole Milk
  • 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
  • 3 oz Semisweet or Bittersweet Baking Chocolate, chopped
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

For the Peanut Butter Filling

  • 3/4 cup Peanut Butter
  • 1 8 oz. bar Cream Cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 1 cup Confectioner’s  Sugar, divided
  • 2 1/2 cup Heavy Cream

For the Peanut Butter Drizzle

  • 1/8 cup Peanut Butter
  • 1/4 cup Corn Syrup

For the Garnish

  • Mini Chocolate Chips
  • Mini Peanut Butter Cups

*The easiest way to crush the cookies is to place them in a ziploc bag and roll a rolling pin over them until they are completely crushed.

Directions

For the Crust

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the cookie crumbs with the melted butter. Press the mixture onto the sides and bottom of a deep pie shell. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

For the Pudding:

In a saucepan, mix together sugar, cornstarch, cocoa, and salt. Whisk in 1 cup of milk, stirring until combined. Whisk in the remaining 1/2 cup of milk and 1/2 cup of cream. Continue whisking over medium heat until the mixture begins to bubble and thicken, about 5 minutes. Whisking constantly, continue cooking for another minute or two. Be careful to whisk into the corners and along the sides of the pan. Remove from heat. Whisk in the chopped chocolate and vanilla, stirring until fully melted. Allow the pudding to cool at room temperature, stirring frequently to prevent a skin from forming. Meanwhile, prepare the peanut butter filling.

For the Peanut Butter Filling:

In a large bowl over an ice bath, beat 2 1/2 cups of heavy cream with 1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar until stiff peaks form. Keep the mixture cool over the ice bath. In a separate bowl, beat together peanut butter, cream cheese, and 2/3 cup confectioner’s sugar until evenly combined. Fold in 1/2 cup of the whipped cream to lighten the mixture. Then, gently fold in another 1/2 cup whipped cream, just until combined. The mixture should be light and fluffy. Keep the remaining whipped cream cool over the ice bath or in the fridge.

For the Peanut Butter drizzle:

Combine peanut butter and corn syrup. Mix to combine.

To Assemble the Pie:

Spoon the peanut butter filling into the cooled pie crust. Refrigerate for about 15 minutes to set the mixture. Pour the cooled pudding over the peanut butter filling. Refrigerate for about 15 minutes to set the pudding. Spread the remaining whipped cream over the top of the pudding. Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips. Drizzle with the peanut butter mixture. Garnish with a mini peanut butter cup. Refrigerate for at least an hour to allow the pie to cool completely.

Now, I have to be honest with you. There’s a reason why there’s not a lovely picture of a perfect slice of peanut butter heaven. When I cut the pie and tried to plate a pretty slice, it became a peanut butter, pudding, and cream mess. The pudding was the real issue. I substituted 2% milk instead of whole and as a result of a minor toddler crisis, I didn’t cook it as long as it should have cooked to properly thicken. If you follow the recipe as written, you shouldn’t have this problem. This is the same pudding recipe I wrote for the Chocolate-Covered Pretzel Squares a month or so ago. Cooked as written, it’s a thick, dark chocolate pudding, firm enough to stand up to slicing. So, do I as say, not as I did, and you should be golden.

Hey sis… You know where to find your pie! Better hurry!

Edited to add: After having that first tricky piece of pie removed and a few more hours of chilling in the fridge, it was much easier to slice and serve. Here is a pic of the chocolate-peanut-buttery treat…


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Peaches ‘n’ Cream Panna Cotta

Posted on August 11, 2010 by amydeline

As a child, I was a shrewd negotiator in the business of Barbie clothing.  I used my persuasive (and most likely devious) tactics to build an enviable collection of outfits for my Barbie. While my Barbie had bins full of outfits for every occasion, my two younger sisters’ Barbies were dressed in hair scrunchies. While my Barbie impressed her dinner guests with multiple stunning outfit changes, my sisters’ Barbies wore tattered hand-me-downs. I’ll never live it down. In fact, my brother-in-law claims that one of the first things my sister ever told him about me involved a warning about engaging in trades.

Out of the entire Barbie clothes collection that my sisters and I bartered over, the hands-down favorite was the elegant Peaches N Cream gown; a full peach chiffon skirt with a shiny, pearlescent bodice and a tiny flower applique. If a life-sized version of that dress existed, I may have worn it for my wedding. And I’m not even particularly fond of the color peach or full chiffon skirts. We must have passed that dress back and forth a hundred times, always the prized gem of a trade.

Mattel recently put out a reproduction of the Peaches N Cream Barbie. I shrieked when I saw it at Target and almost bought it at first sight, but the $50 price tag was enough to dissuade me. Part of me wanted to wrap it up and give it to my sisters as a fun gag gift. Perhaps I could then convince them to trade it back to me in return for a handful of scrunchies.

As a result of this bit of personal history, it’s hard for me to think about peaches without thinking of cream. So when I nearly tripped over the bin of ripe summer peaches, which my grocery store so conveniently placed directly in the entranceway, lest anyone forget that it’s peach season, I knew exactly what I needed to make; my very own panna cotta incarnation of Peaches ‘n’ Cream. This dish is, quite simply, roasted summer peaches enveloped in lightly sweetened cream. Peaches ‘n’ Cream.

Removing the skin from the peaches and roasting  them in the oven until they are extremely tender is key, so that your spoon will slip through the delicate peaches almost as easily as through the sweet cream. You can serve the panna cottas unmolded or serve them in their bowls. Puree some of the extra roasted peaches for a decorative and delicious coulis (pronouced koo-LEE). Add a bit of water and strain, if necessary, to achieve a smooth peach sauce.

Peaches and Cream Panna Cotta

Ingredients

  • 3 Ripe Peaches
  • 1/2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
  • 1 1/4 cup Milk
  • 1 cup Heavy Cream
  • 1 packet Unflavored Gelatin Powder (about 2 1/4 tsp)
  • 1 Vanilla Bean, split in half lengthwise, seeds scraped
  • 1/4 cup Sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use a paring knife to peel the peaches. Remove the pit and very thinly slice the peeled peaches. Place peach slices in a baking dish. Toss with the brown sugar. Place the baking dish in the oven and cook for about 30 minutes, until the peaches are very tender. The riper the peaches, the less time they’ll need to cook. Occasionally toss the peaches with a spoon as they cook. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl, sprinkle the gelatin powder over 1/4 cup of the milk. Set aside to allow the gelatin to bloom.

In a saucepan, combine the remaining milk, cream, sugar, vanilla bean seeds, and vanilla bean halves. Over medium/medium-low heat, gradually heat the mixture, whisking to dissolve the sugar and evenly disperse the vanilla bean seeds. Once the mixture begins to bubble around the edges and the sugar is fully dissolved, remove from heat. Remove the vanilla bean halves. Add the hot liquid to the gelatin. Whisk until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve. Set the mixture in an ice bath to begin cooling, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, arrange several peach slices on the bottom of 6 small bowls or ramekins. Pour some of the panna cotta mixture into each prepared dish. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours to set the panna cotta.

To unmold, dip the bottom of the dishes into warm water for a few seconds. Use a knife to loosen the edges. Invert over your serving dish.

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Peppermint Chocolate Chip Oreo Ice Cream

Posted on August 9, 2010 by amydeline

Gotta show the ice cream maker a little love. We don’t want it to become angry again.

I asked my visiting niece what her favorite ice cream flavor was. Mint Chocolate Chip was her reply. For good measure, we decided to throw in some crumbled Oreo cookies too. Hard to go wrong with that combination!

All of the kids enjoyed mixing up this tasty batch of homemade ice cream. My niece was especially intrigued. She intently watched the ice cream churn for several minutes before finally asking when it would turn green. She was visibly disappointed when I explained that it would not be turning green. So, we added a few drops of food coloring. The ice cream turned a lovely pale green, which delighted my niece. The color was lost after we added the cookies, but by that point, the color didn’t seem to matter as much.

All of the kids enjoyed taste testing the ice cream. They were also quite willing to take care of the extra cookies. Our labrosaurus rex would’ve helped too, if given the chance.

Peppermint Chocolate Chip Oreo Ice Cream

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cup Milk
  • 1 1/2 cup Light Cream
  • 2/3 cup Sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp Peppermint Extract
  • 1/2 cup Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
  • 10 Oreo Cookies, crushed

Directions

Combine milk and sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add cream and peppermint extract. Stir. Pour into your frozen ice cream bowl and freeze according to your machine’s directions. Once the ice cream begins to thicken, add the chocolate chips and cookies. Allow the ice cream to continue mixing in the ice cream maker until the chocolate and cookies are well blended and the ice cream is thick.

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Berry Pickin’

Posted on August 8, 2010 by amydeline

The weather couldn’t have been more perfect yesterday. It was warm, but not too hot. The sun was out, but it was not scalding. A refreshing breeze passed through the air. So, we took the boys and our niece berry picking. The beauty of living in an area which offers us the comfort of a quiet neighborhood, the convenience of being able to walk to the grocery store, and fields full of fresh berries within a few minutes drive is not lost on us.

We had the blueberry fields all to ourselves.

It was quiet, breezy, peaceful. A few shiny bugs were our only companions.

The kids enjoyed filling their buckets with the sweet berries.

More than a few berries were sampled by sneaky children.

But we managed to bring home enough berries for some fresh berry shortcake dessert.

I used an Alton Brown recipe for the shortcake, found here. I added about 1/4 cup additional milk to give the dough the right consistency. Next time, I’d also add a bit more sugar, but it was otherwise delicious!

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What a Watermelon Roll!

Posted on August 3, 2010 by amydeline

My ice cream maker hates me. Honestly, I don’t blame it. It’s been sitting in my basement, neglected for years. My husband bought it for me several years ago. I was thrilled at the time. I opened the box and tenderly caressed my new toy. I had big plans. I was going to be an ice cream maker extraordinaire, put Ben and Jerry’s to shame, give Mr. Baskin and Mr. Robbins a run for their money. And you know what? In all the years I’ve had the ice cream maker, I haven’t made even one single batch of ice cream.

Sort of reminds me of the summer my dad decided he was going to become an amateur fisherman. He went out and bought all of the supplies; a couple rods, lures, and a box to keep it all in. He fished for a summer, which is more than I can say about me and my ice cream maker. But then the fishing supplies got packed away alongside the abandoned bread machine and juicer. My sister blames Price Club for all of their tantalizing deals, which repeatedly sold our father on new hobbies alongside large tubs of mayonnaise and 100-packs of toilet paper.

But this post isn’t about fishing, juice-making, or other neglected hobbies. It’s about ice cream. I was inspired to give my ice cream maker its maiden whirl by a friend of mine, who recently started a wonderful blog with her sister, www.weknowstuff.us.com. They write about all sorts of interesting topics, including childcare, healthy eating, caring for an elderly relative, and my favorite topic, recipes! In one of their recent posts, they shared a step-by-step recipe for Watermelon Ice Cream, slightly modified from an Emeril Lagasse recipe. The little chocolate chip seeds are what really sold me. I was instantly reminded of the delicious Friendly’s Wattamelon Roll, which my husband goes gaga for, and set my mind on making one.

There’s a long story here, involving the mutilation of multiple innocent watermelons, an angry and uncooperative ice cream maker, and four (yes, four) batches of watermelon ice cream/sherbert and one batch of lemon sherbert. There are tales of too icy, too creamy, and too sweet. There are tales of repentance and forgiveness. I could regale you with stories of watermelon water content, ice-crystallization, cream vs. milk, and no-sugar added. I could explain why I chose to make a sherbert instead of an ice cream. But, I won’t bore you with the details. Suffice it to say, the ice cream maker and I are now the best of friends and I mastered two beautiful, melt-in-your-mouth sherbert recipes.

Enjoy either recipe on its own or use the two recipes together to make your own watermelon sherbert roll with all the same flavor of the original Wattamelon Roll, minus the Disodium Phosphate, Red 40, and Blue 1.

But first a few tips from my weekend of ice cream making:

  • Make sure your ice cream bowl is completely and thoroughly frozen. I turned the temperature down on my freezer to get the bowl to get the bowl cold enough.
  • Leave the ice cream bowl in the freezer until the last minute. It will begin defrosting quickly once you remove it.
  • Chill your ice cream mixture before pouring it into the ice cream maker.
  • You can make ice cream or sherbert with milk or cream, but what you use will affect the texture. Choose wisely. The recipes I have provided are what I found to be the best balance of texture and taste, while keeping waistlines in mind.
  • If you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can make a decent sherbert by allowing the mixture to freeze for 30 minutes or so, then blending the partially frozen mixture in a blender. Allow it to partially freeze again. Blend again. Then, allow it to completely freeze. This process will introduce some air into the mix as it freezes and breaks up some of the ice crystal formation. It will produce a tasty sherbert but the end result won’t be as creamy or smooth as with using an ice cream maker.

Lemon Sherbert

Ingredients

  • 1 Cup Light Cream
  • 1 Cup Milk
  • 1/2 Cup Sugar
  • 1/2 cup Lemon Juice (freshly squeezed, if possible)

Directions

Combine the cream, milk and sugar until completely dissolved. Add the lemon juice. Stir to combine. Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and freeze according to your machine’s directions.

Watermelon Sherbert

Ingredients

  • 4 cups Seedless Watermelon, chopped
  • 1 cup Light Cream
  • 1 cup Milk
  • 1/4 cup Sugar
  • 3 Tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 3/4 cup Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Directions

Puree the watermelon until it’s liquid. You should have about 3 cups of watermelon liquid. Pour the liquid in a saucepan and simmer until the liquid reduced to about 1 cup. It will appear thick and syrupy. Cool the liquid completely. In bowl, combine the milk, cream, and sugar. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the watermelon mixture to the cream mixture. Add the lemon juice. Stir to combine.  Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and freeze according to your machine’s directions. When the mixture has thickened, add the chocolate chips to the machine.

To create a watermelon roll, press lemon sherbert onto the bottom and sides of a round bowl. Fill the center with watermelon sherbert and freeze. If desired, paint the exterior with green food coloring.

Another alternative is to create watermelon pops.

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Merry Christmas (in July)

Posted on July 27, 2010 by amydeline

I love Christmas. I mean, I really, really LOVE Christmas. Not like the way a normal person enjoys the holidays. Much more like an irrational crazy person. I love the lights and the carols, the smell of a fresh Fraser Fir Christmas tree, the warmth and aroma of cookies baking in my oven. I love shopping for the perfect gifts for my loved ones and wrapping beautiful packages with high-quality paper (I spend a lot of time thinking about the paper) and perfectly coordinated organza ribbons. I love the smiles on my kids faces as they see the tree filled with gifts for the first time. I love having a house full of people and cooking a big meal. I love planning the color schemes for our Christmas trees and dining room table; burgandy and gold or a peacock theme of bright blues, greens, and purples, or maybe silver with shades of green. Our storage room is overrun with bins of ornaments, lights, nativity sets, snowmen, and festive jeweled fruits. The entire season puts a skip in my step, a perpetual grin on my face, and an extra pitter-patter in my heart.

Christmas Tree 2009

My anticipation and yearning for the Christmas season is so strong that it physically pains me. I’m aching for it right now as I write this. You’ll never hear me complaining about stores decorating for Christmas in October or radio stations who start playing nonstop Christmas carols as kids are trick-or-treating. You can fully expect this blog to get a little Christmas crazy sometime in early November. I sure hope you won’t hate me for it.

The Boys, Christmas 2009

When I was younger, I took the idea of Christmas in July very seriously. Each December, I’d spend large chunks of my hard-earned babysitting money on Christmas decorations; cardboard cut-outs of wreaths and Santas, tinsel garland, and long strands of blinking, musical lights. I’d bathe my small pink room in Christmas. Then, I’d pack it up after New Years and wait. Until July rolled around. At which point, I’d drag out the bin and decorate every square inch of my room. My parents didn’t mind, as long as I kept the Christmas carols at a low volume and my door closed. I brought the bin with me to college, where I added a 6 foot artificial tree to my collection and had easily the most festive room in the whole dorm. Thank you freshman year roomie, wherever you are, for tolerating my insanity.

Brie with Apricot Preserves, Christmas 2009

I don’t decorate my house for Christmas in July. My husband wouldn’t be nearly as tolerant of it as my parents were. But, I couldn’t let July pass without celebrating just a little. So, I decided I’d cook something that reminds me of Christmas. I went through the mental list of all of the foods that remind me of Christmas. The huge turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and gravy my family makes every year. The pork loin with peanuts, ambrosia, and green bean casserole my grandmother-in-law would make. The roast beef with bordelaise sauce, ham with pilaf, scalloped potatoes and biscuits, or beef bourgignon with potatoes au gratin and quiche lorraine that I’ve made. Or perhaps a dessert, like my Dad’s apple pie or the Friendly’s Jubilee Roll my husband’s family enjoys each year. And then I started thinking about Christmas cookies…

Baked Brie with Homemade Cranberry Orange Relish, Christmas 2008

And that’s when I knew exactly what I wanted to make for our Christmas in July celebration. Something so incredibly simple and so irresistibly delicious. I’m pretty sure the only reason we don’t make them all year round is because they are so utterly addicting. These little treats may seem more appropriate for a Halloween celebration, but they ring Christmas to me. My grammy and mom make them every year as part of the Christmas cookie collection. And every year, they are the first cookies to go. Actually, they’re not really cookies at all.

Chocolate-Covered Spiders

They are Chocolate-Covered Spiders.

I always thought of this recipe as my grammy’s special recipe. After running a search online, I now see that this recipe has been out there for a while. Sometimes called Haystacks and each recipe using slightly varying proportions of chocolate chips to butterscotch or peanut butter chips, the basic concept is the same. And I’ll always think of it as my grammy’s recipe.

Chocolate-Covered Spiders

Ingredients

  • 1 package Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
  • 1 cup Butterscotch Chips
  • 1 container Chow Mein Noodles
  • 1 cup Peanuts

Directions

Line a few baking sheets with wax paper. Melt the chocolate and butterscotch chips in a double boiler or in the microwave, stirring frequently. Fold in the chow mein noodles and peanuts until they are well coated in chocolate. Drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto the wax paper. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours, until the chocolate has hardened.

Merry Christmas (in July)!

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Black Bottom Banana Cream Pie

Posted on July 17, 2010 by amydeline

What a week this turned out to be! We started the week thinking that our son was almost fully recovered from an allergic reaction to antibiotics. Then, a new symptom suddenly appeared on Wednesday night, which resulted in an all-nighter at the ER. By Thursday, he seemed well again. Then, Friday morning we received a phone call from the ER regarding his blood work, which resulted in more doctor visits and testing. Thankfully, we got positive news today regarding the testing and I think we can rest easy now.

Sweet, sweet relief!

Speaking of sweet relief… I have a real treat for you today. There used to be a really fantastic bar and restaurant in Hoboken, New Jersey called Lady Jane’s. I’m told that it closed a few years ago, which is a shame. The place featured a huge, horseshoe-shaped bar in the front with a few tables and several booths along the walls. In the back, there was a small, elegant dining room. Regardless of where you sat, you could order from the same delicious and creative menu.

During one of our visits to Lady Jane’s I had the most luscious dessert and every so often, I get the itch to recreate it. So, in celebration of my sweet baby boy’s health, we’re having Black Bottom Banana Cream Pie tonight. It’s the perfect combination of chocolatey crust and rich ganache, layered with fresh bananas and vanilla custard. A mound of fresh whipped cream and a sprinkle of chocolate shavings complete the decadent pie.

Black Bottom Banana Cream Pie

Ingredients

For the Crust

  • 2 cups Chocolate Wafer Cookies, crushed
  • 1 stick Unsalted Butter, melted

For the Ganache

  • 4 ounces Semi-Sweet Chocolate (4 squares of semi-sweet baking chocolate)
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp Heavy Cream

For the Filling

  • 3 cups Whole Milk
  • 1/3 cup Cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup Sugar
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1 Vanilla Bean, split in half lengthwise, seeds scraped
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 3 Egg Yolks
  • 2-3 Bananas, sliced

For the Whipped Cream

  • 1 cup Heavy Cream
  • 2 Tbsp Sugar

Directions

For the Filling

Combine the sugar, salt and half of the cornstarch in a sauce pan. Pour in the milk and vanilla extract. Add the vanilla bean and seeds to the mixture. Stir. Cook over medium heat for about 5-6 minutes until the mixture just comes to a boil and the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat. In a bowl, lightly beat the egg yolks with the remaining cornstarch. Slowly add about 1/4 cup of the hot milk to the eggs and whisk to combine. Add another 1/4 cup of the hot milk and whisk to combine. (This slow addition of the hot liquid tempers the egg yolks and prevents them from scrambling when added to the hot liquid.) Pour the egg mixture into the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly. Cook for a few minutes until the mixture thickens. Remove the vanilla bean. Pour the filling into a bowl. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly against the filling. Refrigerate for about an hour to cool. Meanwhile, prepare the crust.

For the Crust

Combine the cookie crumbs with the melted butter. Press the mixture onto the sides and bottom of a pie shell. Refrigerate.

For the Ganache

Place the chocolate in a bowl. Heat the cream, until it just begins to boil. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and stir until the chocolate completely melts. Pour the warm ganache into the pie crust.

Arrange banana slices in the ganache. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

Pour about half of the filling on top of the ganache and banana slices. Arrange another even layer of banana slices on top of the filling.

Cover the banana slices with the remaining filling. Refrigerate until thoroughly cooled.

Beat the heavy cream with the sugar until thick.

Top the pie with the whipped cream. Sprinkle with chocolate shavings, if desired. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

**Tip** Banana slices which are exposed to air will begin to turn brown. If you want to decorate the pie with banana slices, either wait until the last minute or toss the banana slices in a bit of lemon juice to slow the browning.



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The Best Oatmeal Cookies

Posted on July 9, 2010 by amydeline

One of my best friends in the whole world is getting married this weekend. I am bursting out of my skin with excitement. We met at our college orientation and became instant friends. Many memories later, I am so excited to be celebrating this happy occasion with her! It is certain to be a blast.

Her special day will bring me home to Long Island for the weekend. Bagel sandwiches, here I come! I’ve decided to bring some cookies home with me. Everyone loves to receive cookies, especially my grandparents, and I’m happy to bake them. I’m making one of my favorite cookies recipes. I could easily devour an entire batch of these and wouldn’t even regret the resulting bellyache. To me, they’re the perfect oatmeal cookie; crunchy on the edges, chewy in the center, with just a hint of noticeable saltiness. Throw out the typical raisins in exchange for chocolate chips and dried apricot and you’ve got yourself a fantastic oatmeal cookie. I’ve made these cookies many times and people are always asking for the recipe. So, here you go!

This recipe is basically an adaptation of the Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookie recipe found on the inside cover of a canister of Quaker Oats. Specifically, I increase the vanilla and cinnamon, omit the raisins, and add chocolate chips and dried apricot. I also eliminate the margarine alternative, because frankly, I don’t really understand what margarine is and it freaks me out a little. But, if you’re a fan of margarine, it is listed as an alternative in the original recipe. So, go ahead and use it. I promise I won’t judge!

Don’t feel too guilty eating all these cookies. Oats are good for you, right?? It says so on the canister.

Oatmeal Chocolate-Chip Apricot Cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups Flour
  • 1 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 2 sticks Salted Butter, softened
  • 1 cup Light Brown Sugar, firmly packed
  • 1/2 cup White Sugar
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla
  • 3 cups Quaker Oats
  • 1 cup Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
  • 1/2 cup Dried Apricots, chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside. In another large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy. Add the vanilla and eggs to the butter mixture. Blend until well combined. Gradually add the flour mixture to the bowl and blend. Stir in the oats, chocolate chips, and apricots. Form into small balls, about 1 inch diameter, and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for about 14 minutes, until the edges begin to brown and the center appears cooked. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for a minute before transferring to a cooling rack.

Makes about 3 1/2 dozen


Recipe adapted from the Quaker Oats recipe for Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

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