One-Ingredient Ice Cream

Man, I don't even know where to start talking about this recipe!  I've really been trying to save it for the summer because it's a perfect hot-weather treat.  But, I got impatient and decided to just give it to you now.  You'll forgive my impatience, won't you?  Please?  Yay, thanks!

Ok.  This recipe.  It's made from bananas.  And nothing else.  It seems super crazy, I know.  But I've made it twice now, and it was darn amazing both times, so you'll have to take my word for it.  Because it's made with just that one ingredient - a fruit - there are a million reasons why it's so perfect:  Sugar free? Check.  Nondairy? Check.  Gluten free? Check.  All natural? Check.  Weight Watchers points? Zero.  Along with my fruit rollups, this is an awesome way for me to get more fruit into my diet.

This recipe tastes amazing straight-up, but it's also super easy to mix in flavors.  I've tried it with honey, peanut butter, and cinnamon.  I've also tried it topped with chocolate syrup.  And, then, as I was lying in bed last night, I had the urge to rush downstairs and try it with sliced strawberries folded in.  Wouldn't that be so delicious?  The more I think about it, the more ideas jump into my head that I'm just dying to try.

Enjoy This!





One-Ingredient Ice Cream
from The Kitchn

3 bananas

Slice bananas into coins and place in a single layer onto plastic wrap and freeze.  Throw frozen banana coins into a food processor or blender, and blend.  Scrape banana down the sides often.  Continue blending and scraping until creamy.  Freeze any leftovers.  Freezing it also makes it a hard, scoopable ice cream, instead of soft-serve.  Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Potential Mix-Ins:
1 Tbsp. natural peanut butter
1 Tbsp. honey
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 Tbsp. cocoa

Ingredient Lineup:  Frozen bananas.  That's it!

 Throw the frozen banana coins into your processor or blender.

After 30 seconds, it will look mealy and crumbly.

As you continue blending it, the frozen bananas will start to fall in toward the center.

And it will begin to turn creamy.

(If you're adding mix-ins, do it now.)

This is nothing but frozen bananas.  Seriously.

Amazing, right?!

Ice cream sundae party at my house!

Taking It Easy

For the weekend we thought we would take it easy...just
post a quote, picture or short food article.

Thanks so much for joining us in our kitchens!

Cookies-and-Cream Milk Shakes
All You Magazine May 2010

5 chocolate sandwich cookies such as Oreos
2 cups vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
1/4 cup milk

Place 3 cookies in a ziplock bag. Seal bag and crush cooking with a rolling pin.

In a blender, combine ice cream and milk. Blend until smooth. Add crushed cookies and pulse a few times just to blend. Pour into 2 tall glasses and garish each with a cookie (or a dollop of whipped cream drizzled with chocolate syrup if desired).

Easy Peasy Popsicles

It seems to be heating up everywhere around the country right now, so I thought we could all use some easy - and relatively healthy - cooling off.  Basically, all you need to make popsicles at home is fruit, a blender, and a popsicle mold.  The directions are nearly always:  Blend, Pour, Freeze.  And the recipes can be modified and changed up a thousand different ways.

I opted to make a creamy coconutty popsicle because it sounded just so yum.  The Limber de Coco recipe ended up tasting like frozen rice pudding - Yum!  Because I limit my dairy, I may try making them next time with all coconut milk, or just substituting almond milk for the evaporated milk.  I gave this one a 4 Spoons.

The Berry popsicles are yummy and definitely an easy way to get in a ton of fruit.  They aren't as sweet as a grocery-store popsicle, so you can add more honey if you like.  I rated these a 4 Spoons.  I might try making them with strawberries next.

The Prosecco popsicles were a great idea in theory.  I think my mistake was in using a Prosecco that I don't absolutely love.  I'm pretty sure that if I made them with my favorite Moscato, they'd be to-die-for.  Yes, you can still taste the champagne flavor when you pull them out of the freezer.  So, if you love champagne, these could be fun.  I rated these a 3.5 Spoons (probably a 4 Spoons with my Moscato).

My popsicle mold is a cheapy from Ikea.  But I've seen them at craft stores, too.  Here's a link for snazzy ones onlines.  I'm seriously tempted to order them.  I'd be the coolest non-mom on the block, right? :)   Popsicle Molds on Amazon

Enjoy!

My favorites: Berry and Coconut Cream

Berry Popsicles

adapted from this lady

1 pint blueberries

3 Tbsp. agave or honey

1/2 100% fruit juice

squeeze of lemon juice

pinch salt

Dump all ingredients into your blender or food processor and blend to make a slurry.  Pour into your popsicle mold and freeze 5 hours or until solid.

Limber de Coco (Coconut Cream Popsicles)

courtesy of Tasty Kitchen

7 oz coconut milk (1/2 the can)

6 oz evaporated milk (1/2 the can)
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. shredded coconut, optional
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 egg yolk

Whisk all ingredients and pour into your popsicle mold.  Freeze 5 hours or until solid.  (Yes, there's an egg in here.  Crazy!  The original recipe says you don't have to use it, but I figured, why not.  I love raw cookie dough and egg nog; what's not to lose.)




Prosecco Popsicles
adapted from this lady
2 peaches, sliced
1 c. strawberries (I used frozen, whole strawberries)
3 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 bottle Prosecco (next time, I'll use Moscato)

Dump fruit, sugar, and a splash of Prosecco into your blender or food processor.  Blend until you have a slurry.  Stir in remaining Prosecco.  Pour into your popsicle mold and freeze 5 hours, or until solid.




The Prosecco popsicles expanded the most.  Note to self: When making popsicles with fizzy alcohol, don't fill the mold as high as usual.

Voila!

Ending It With Something Sweet: Ice Cream Tunnel Cake

Did you ever see a recipe in a magazine and think - that looks good enough - I could almost eat the picture?

That's what happened to me - this recipe looked that good!

But I royally messed it up by:

A. Not following the directions very carefully - I kept thinking - I know what I am doing!

B. Using a meatloaf pan instead of just foil. I spread the ice cream out way past the edge of the cake.

C. Trying to throw this together too quickly - we were headed out the door to go see Toy Story 3 and I wanted it to be ready for an after supper treat.

Learn from me People - Take your time, follow directions and maybe you will have a masterpiece on your hands!

It really does taste as good as it looked in the magazine!

Ice Cream Tunnel Cake
Parenting Magazine July 2010

Ingredients:

1 lb strawberries, sliced
2 Tbsp sugar, divided
2 cups fresh blueberries
1 15oz prepared angel food cake
2 cups strawberry ice cream, softened

Toss the strawberries and blueberries each with 1 Tbsp sugar.

Using a serrated knife, slice off the top inch of the cake and carefully set it aside. Leaving a 1 inch wall on either side, cut a "trench" in the bottom part of the cake. Stop at least 2 inches from the bottom.

Layer strawberries, ice cream and blueberries in the trench, taking care to stay level with the top of the walls at the end. (You'll have some fruit left over.) Place the cake "lid" back on and freeze two hours or overnight.

Just before serving, spoon the remaining fruit over the top of the cake or serve it with each slice.

This is most certainly a 5 spoon dessert - even if it looks like Miss Maddy made it.

Kids In The Kitchen: Ice Cream

When I discovered that Batter Up Kids has a mini ice cream maker, I practically cheered at my desk!  You see, I almost never eat dairy, and that most definitely includes ice cream.  So, when my ice cream maker arrived in the mail, I was beyond excited to try it out with my my new vegan cream. And since I don't have any of my own kids, I borrowed two adorable little ones from my friend :)

The source of immense squealing (on my part, not the kids, lol):

Because the Ice Cream Maker included instructions that didn't require an egg custard, I opted to try their method out first.  It only calls for a few ingredients, 3 steps, and 4 hours of freeze time - too easy! 

I modified their recipe a bit to make a different flavor, and we all gave it a hearty 5 Spoons Up!

Enjoy!

Brown Sugar Ice Cream (vegan cream optional):

2 c. heavy cream

dash salt

2/3 c. brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1/3 c. roasted, chopped pecans

Scald cream, but do not boil.  Add brown sugar and salt, stirring to dissolve.  Cool to room temperature and add vanilla.  Distribute between the two Ice Cream Maker cups.  Cover and press the Mix button to mix for 30 seconds.  Leaving the Mix button "on," press the Freeze button and place in the freezer for 3 hours.  Turn both buttons off, pour in the pecans, and turn Maker back on for an additional hour in the freezer.  Makes about 1 pint.

Our 8 year old, Vienne, measured the cream for me:

And her 5 year old sister, Naomi, measured brown sugar:

After I scalded the cream, the girls held the bowl reeeeeally still

for me while I whisked in the sugar and salt:

Vienne poured our mixture into the Ice Cream Maker:

Ready to freeze!

Oh, yes.  We all ended up screaming for ice cream:

Do ya think they liked it??

(And no - this so isn't posed.

I talked to their mom for 5 seconds, and turned back to see this.

Thank goodness for speedy cameras, ha!)

Thank you, Barbara, for awarding me the chance to finally make ice cream that I can eat!!!  I will definitely be making it again with other added ingredients!