Pineapple Coconut Ice Cream

Anyone out there interested in participating in the Vegan Month of Food 2013?  (VeganMoFo) The fun starts in September. You can see my VeganMoFo2012 posts by clicking here. 

Becoming vegetarian/almost vegan has come naturally to me – I guess because I love food and I love to cook and I love to experiment in the kitchen. Using new foods and flavors was not really that difficult for me.  I can understand, however, why people might think it’s radical to have so many beans and grains in the pantry, and not one slice of cheese in the fridge. Some might comment that new foods are strange or unappetizing, but I think that’s just because they haven’t attempted to incorporate them into their diets. Tofu is an example of one of these foods I am talking about. It’s still pretty new to me, but I no longer FEAR tofu!! I actually EAT it !!

And this is where the idea of a learning curve comes in. Remember learning how to cook a boneless, skinless chicken breast…. how to keep it juicy and tender….. how to create the various sauces and flavors to overcome the ‘sameness’ of the meat? Remember all the dry, unforgiving chewy chicken early in your cooking career? Well, it’s kinda the same when using any new food, like tofu. There is a learning curve. Some failures at first, true, but then you get the hang of it.

I will publicly admit that only a year ago, I had no idea what tofu even was! Talk about growth and learning! I now not only know what it is, I understand the different types of tofu and I’m even starting to use them in my weekly menus.

Come on, try a new food. Don’t be put off by the thought of failure. Just remember the early days of the boneless skinless chicken breast staring you in the eye and the dread of creating something appetizing from that dull piece of meat. If you can conquer that, you can conquer anything. 

The weather is pretty cool up here in Michigan today, but it's never too cool for ice cream. This one is fantastic! 

Here’s what you need:

2 C fresh pineapple chunks

1 can coconut milk (full fat)

1/3 C agave nectar

½ C coconut milk beverage (Silk brand, for example) 

1 t vanilla

Here’s what you do:

Blend in high speed blender until smooth. Chill for at least 3 hours. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions. 

lime ice cream

Hello blogger friends,
I am going way back in the vaults of my 'draft' folder to bring this to you today..... This was actually something I wrote 2 years ago.... yes, TWO years ago....I just never got around to posting it! I remember eating this as if it were yesterday - if you like lime, like I do, then you will love this. And I guess this one is still valid, I mean, it has been hotter than blazes around here lately. Plus, who doesn't love ice cream? 

This was unbelievable delicious! Fresh, creamy, quick, inexpensive and best of all low-cal! I used all low fat products and the result was really, really good. I have an older model Waring Brand Frozen Dessert Maker. While the ice cream was whirling around in the machine, I browsed through the little recipe book that came with the machine and I was surprised to see their lime ice cream has sugar, egg yolks, marshmallows, heavy cream and food dye..... I'm here to tell you, none of that is necessary. See below for proof!

Here's what you need:

1 1/2 C skim milk

3/4 C lime juice (recipe called for 2/3 C Key lime juice, which would be great)

1/2 C low-fat half and half

1/8 t salt

1 can fat-free sweetened condensed milk

(Since taking this photo, my poor old ice cream maker has hit the dust..... I would love another!! Who can recommend a good one? )

Here's what you do:

Mix it all together with a whisk, and while your machine is running, slowly pour in cold liquid. The electric part of my machine did not really work well today, so I ended up using the hand crank. The ice cream was ready in about 1/2 hour. I supposed you would have to follow the directions for your own machine, or get creative and freeze it the old fashioned way.

Memorial Day 2012

Great Memorial Day Ideas Right Here!! 

Have a great holiday weekend everyone...

.(am I really dreaming of my 3 day weekend already??? )

You bet 'cha!  

Green Salsa - Wow your company and friends with this easy and outstanding salsa. One of my favorite flavors! 

Sunshine Chicken - This is one of my favorite dinners after a busy day - Perfect for the grill! Great on a sandwich! Slice thin and serve in a salad!  Earns 4 exclamation marks! 

Chicken Queso Burger - Melty Pepperjack cheese and loads of avocados! The marinade is full of citrus goodness! A+

Jamaican Kebabs - These are sweet and spicy. Just the tiniest step up from burgers and chicken - Great for company because of the nice presentation!  Serve on a wooden cutting board and call it good. :)

Lime Cilantro Cole Slaw - Looking for something different? If you like cilantro, you will LOVE this salad. Great as a side or on a sandwich. (I love a sloppy sammy!)

Couscous Chickpea Salad - I almost forgot about this one! It's light and healthy and fresh and lemony and clean-tasting! Perfect next to chicken or beef! 

Lemon-Lime Frozen Dessert - a very dull name for a very nice (and easy) dessert. I have always loved frozen desserts! 

Many heart-felt thanks to all those who have served in the US Military 

 and have paid the highest cost for freedom. I thank you. Happy Memorial Day to my fellow Americans and to those who honor freedom everywhere. 

A True Story: Told in Two Chapters:

Another of the promised recipes: This one told in a delightful prose format!

Chapter One:

Once upon a time there was a handsome and wonderful husband who came home from work one night and volunteered to make bean soup for dinner.

“Of course!” said his thankful and over-worked wife. (that's me, just in case you didn't figure it out yet....) “You know how I love to eat a healthy meal!”

Veggies were chopped, beans were simmered, broth was lovingly added.

“Dinner sure smells great,” said the appreciative wife.  “Thank you, honey, for keeping it low calorie and high fiber tonight!”

The generous husband served the soup to a grateful wife and they ate their healthy meal in peace.

The evening continued in the usual manner, a little TV, some computer time, reading and light discussion about various topics.

Chapter Two:

While the husband tidied up after the meal (aren't I blessed?), the Mrs. plopped down with her huge pile of cooking magazines. Things progressed peacefully, until….. she came upon ….”Dark Chocolate Fudge Sauce.” 

What came next can only be described as frantic! A type of crazed frenzy! She stood up, scribbled a grocery list, grabbed the car keys, zipped to and from the grocery store, made a full batch of the glorious stuff, and proceeded to eat two huge bowls of mint chocolate chip ice cream smothered in the dark goodness……

So much for the healthy and light meal! (Thanks, anyway, honey!)

½ C packed brown sugar

¼ C unsweetened cocoa powder

5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

¼ C butter

¼ C buttermilk OR ¼ C milk and 1 t lemon juice

1 C whipping cream

½ C light-colored corn syrup

1 t vanilla

½ t salt 

Slowly heat it all together in a heavy saucepan. 

cannoli ice cream cake

I’m right in the middle of creating a menu for an Italian Dinner party that I’m donating to my son’s marching band silent auction. I’ve already decided to make minestrone soup and braciola (more about that later), but I wanted something special for dessert. I’ve made chocolate mousse for this dinner before, but that’s not really Italian, is it?  Then I came across this outstanding recipe! It is from the 2010 Cook’s Illustrated Italian Favorites magazine. The only change I will make for the action dinner is to add more marmalade and more cinnamon.

This dessert is really great. Good enough for a fancy dinner but easy enough for the family. And I like that you must make it ahead of time.

Here’s what you need:

4 C good vanilla ice cream

1 C whole milk ricotta cheese (low fat will get crystallized when frozen… you want a creamy end result… throw calories to the wind this time, I think)

½ C orange marmalade (I think 2/3 C would be better…..)

¼ C mini chocolate chips

¼  C shelled pistachios, rough chopped

1/8 t vanilla

1/8 t cinnamon (I think ¼ t would be better……)

3 almond biscotti cookies (I had to go to Starbucks to buy mine…. Spent too much time scouring the various grocery stores in my town with no luck…. Do yourself a favor and just go directly to Starbucks)

2 T butter, melted

Here’s what you do:

Melt butter and break biscotti into large chunks. Whirl butter and cookies together in a food processor. Toast in a 350 degree oven for about 8 minutes, stirring once. When they are done, remove them from the baking sheet and allow them to cool – you don’t want the warm crumbs to melt the ice cream.

Shell and chop pistachios (I almost forgot to add them today – how sad would that have been?)

Scoop out the ice cream into a big bowl and allow it to soften a bit. Use a wooden spoon to work it around.  Add the cheese, marmalade, chocolate chips, pistachios, vanilla, and cinnamon. Continue to mix until well incorporated.

Pour into a 9x5 loaf pan which has been lined with plastic wrap. Make sure the plastic wrap extends about 6 inches on each end, so it can fold over the ice cream.

Cover the ice cream with the toasted cookie crumbs, wrap securely with plastic, and refreeze for at least 6 hours.

Before serving allow the dessert to sit for about 10 minutes and then turn out onto serving plate. Peel away the plastic carefully. Beautiful and very easy!

(printable recipe)

lemon-lime frozen dessert

Lemon-Lime Frozen Dessert

I love ice cream in all its varieties. I must have inherited it from my dad (are you reading this, Dad?) The great thing about ice cream is that is can be simple enough for a child's birthday party, or fancy enough for a sit down dinner party. This recipe is somewhere in between. I made it for a business lunch I had last week and it got rave reviews.

Recipe comes from Taste of Home Magazine. I tweaked it only a bit by adding more lemon juice .

Here’s what you need:

A foil lined 9X5 in loaf pan – I’ll tell you now that this wasn’t really big enough for all the creamy goodness, but for me it was not a problem because I simply put the excess ‘white’ layer in the sherbet tub with the excess sherbet. (Chef’s treat I think this is called.) It would be fun to experiment with all kinds of shapes of containers – it unmolded beautifully.

2 C lime sherbet – you can see I softened mine for a bit in the microwave and then whisked it so it had no lumps or chunks.

8 oz whipped cream cheese. I used Philadelphia brand because off-brand cream cheese is one ingredient that I have found is never equal to the real stuff. I think next time I will try fat free… why not?

1 can fat-free sweetened condensed milk

¾ C lemon juice

8 oz fat-free Cool Whip- softened

Here’s what you do:

Pour the softened sherbet in the pan and re-freeze for about 10 minutes.

Beat the cream cheese and sweetened milk with a mixer until light and then add the lemon juice

Fold in the Cool Whip – careful to get all the lumps….

Pour the ‘white’ layer over the ‘green’ layer

Freeze.

To unmold, I carefully ran lukewarm water over the sides of the loaf pan and inverted the whole thing on a big plate. The foil peeled off beautifully!