Yogurt Ice Cream

I've adapted my basic Ice cream recipe to combine yogurt and cream for the perfect high protein creamy treat.  This will make 2 quarts of homemade goodness.

Yogurt Ice Cream

3 c. plain Greek yogurt (I use my homemade strained yogurt)

1 c. heavy cream

3/4 c. sugar or 1/2 c. raw honey

1 T. vanilla

1/4 t. salt

Stir together to dissolve the sugar.  Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.  

Churn in chilled ice cream bowl attached to kitchenaid mixer.  Be sure and start the mixer in the STIR speed before adding the chilled yogurt mixture.  Churn for 20 to 25 minutes.  If adding fruit or other mix ins add them the last 5 minutes of churning.  Enjoy immediately or chill for 3 to 4 hours for a firmer scoopable consistency.  

Note: Plain unstrained yogurt. contains too much water and will result in an icy dessert. Using full-fat Greek yogurt combined with heavy cream gives the fats needed for a creamy texture.  The use of  Greek yogurt adds considerable protein, 15 to 20 grams per serving, along with some great probiotics.  

Jam Packed & Berry Good

 I hosted Gardening Gems Garden Club In June this year with a Strawberry class.....Jam Packed and Berry Good.  We had a good time.  

Jam Packed & Berry Good                                                
 
FREEZER JAM (STRAWBERRY IS OUR FAVORITE)    This recipe can be doubled or tripled
Stir together in a large bowl with a wire whip, making sure the ingredients are well mixed together.
                2 c. sugar             1/3 c. heaping Instant Clear Jel            1 pkg. unsweetened Kool-Aid (flavor of berries)
Stir in:  3 ½ c. berry puree
Stir in: ½ c. light corn syrup
Sets up within 10 minutes.  Pour into containers.  Can be frozen or used immediately.

Strawberry Salad Dressing
1 c. olive or canola oil
½ to 1 c. sugar
6 large strawberries (fresh is best but frozen works and jam does too, be generous)
½ t. pepper
1 t. salt
1 t. dried parsley
½ c. apple cider vinegar
Place all ingredients in blender and blend.   Refrigerate.  Serve drizzled over spring lettuce, spinach, sliced strawberries and sugared almonds.

Homemade Ice Cream
4 c. cream
½ to 1 c. sugar
1 T. vanilla
¼ t. salt
Chill mixture for an hour and freeze ice cream maker bowl overnight.  Start mixer on stir setting and slowly pour in the mixture.  Churn for 20 to 25 minutes to freeze.  After 20 minutes add 1 c. strawberry puree and churn for 5 more minutes.  When adding other sweet things I cut the sugar back to ½ c. If no additions I use 1 c. sugar.  Best when frozen for 3 to 4 hours before serving. 
 

To keep your strawberries fresh and prevent them from getting mushy:
Storage Rules

• Keep them dry: Moisture is the main enemy that causes mold to grow.

• Leave stems on: Removing the green tops exposes the interior to bacteria.

• Keep them cold: Put them in the refrigerator immediately after buying/picking them.

• Give them space: Spread them out in a shallow container rather than stacking them.

• Ditch the plastic: Take them out of the tight, original plastic grocery packaging.

• Line the container: Place a paper towel at the bottom to absorb moisture.

• I think they last longer when stored in glass containers. 

Washing Rules

• Wash right before eating: Never wash strawberries until you are ready to eat them.

• Use cold water: Rinse them gently under a cold tap to remove dirt.

• Try vinegar baths: Soak them in one part vinegar and three parts water.

• Kill mold spores: The vinegar bath kills mold spores to extend shelf life.

• Spin them dry: Use a salad spinner lined with paper towels to dry.

• Air dry completely: Lay them flat on a towel before putting them away.

 Tips for using INSTANT CLEAR JEL (for uncooked things, like freezer jam)

• Clear Jel tends to lump so mix it with dry ingredients to prevent lumps.  If you need to add more later for added thickening, mix it with more dry ingredients.

• Mix with a wire whip or blender or mixer.

• Thickens within 10 minutes so you know right away if you need to add more thickening.

• If you are converting from cornstarch, flour or other thickener start by using half the amount of Clear Jel, in most cases I use the same amount called for. 

• Use for quick & easy sauces, jams, cookies, soups, puddings, toppings, syrups and salad dressing mixes. 

CLEAR JEL IS THE ONLY APPROVED THICKENER TO BE USED FOR CANNING! It will not break down in the jar after it has been canned.  It will come out of the jar the same consistency as it went in.  Use Regular Clear Jel for hot water bath canning, not Instant Clear Jel.

Here is the link to the National Center for Home Food Preservation

https://nchfp.uga.edu/

Some of those in attendance at the class.....Sorry we didn't catch all of you that were there.  

Homemade Ice Cream

I bought a 2 qt. ice cream maker for my Kitchen Aid Mixer with my birthday money from Granny!!  While I was waiting for it to arrive I did a little research and adjusted my favorite recipe so it would fit in the 2 qt. bowl without overflowing.  

Homemade Ice Cream Base Recipe 

1 c. milk

​3/4 c. sugar

Pinch of salt

2 c. heavy cream

​1 T. pure vanilla extract

​Alternative Liquid Bases

​Lighter Version (Half-and-Half): Replace the 2 cups of heavy cream and 1 cup of milk with 3 cups of Half-and-Half. This results in a lighter, less "buttery" mouthfeel.

​Dairy-Free (Coconut Milk): Replace all dairy with 2 cans (approx. 27 oz) of full-fat coconut milk. Ensure you whisk it well to incorporate the coconut cream.

​Extra Creamy: Use 2 ½ cups heavy cream and ½ cup whole milk for a very rich, premium texture.

​Instructions

​Mix: Whisk the milk (or alternative base), sugar, and salt until the sugar is fully dissolved. Stir in the cream and vanilla.

​Chill: Refrigerate the mixture for at least 2 hours (or overnight). A cold base churns faster and creates smaller ice crystals for a smoother result. Freeze the churning bowl so it is cold too.  

​Churn: Pour into your 2-quart freezer. Churn for 20–25 minutes until it reaches a soft-serve consistency.

​Add-ins: During the final 5 minutes of churning, fold in 1 cup of crushed cookies, chocolate chips, or fruit preserves.

Storage & Freezer Burn Prevention

​Surface Seal: Press plastic wrap directly onto the ice cream's surface before putting the lid on. This prevents a "skin" from forming and blocks ice crystals.

​Deep Freeze: Store the container in the back of the freezer (never the door) where the temperature is coldest and most consistent.

​Container Choice: Use a shallow, insulated container. This helps the ice cream freeze faster and stay creamy rather than becoming a hard block. 

Hint: add 1 T. corn syrup to base for a softer ice cream consistency.

My most recent batch:

5 c.  cream

1/2 to 1 c. sugar

1 1/2 T. vanilla 

1/4 t. salt

Chilled overnight and bowl in the freezer overnight.  Churned 25-30 minutes to freeze. 

The last few minutes I added 1/2 c. caramel syrup and 1/2 c. crushed pretzels.  Filled the 2 qt. bowl nicely.  

Another favorite is a half pint of jam added the last few minutes of churning.  

When adding other sweet things I cut the sugar back to 1/2 c.  If no additions I use 1 c. sugar. 

No Churn Ice Cream

No Churn Ice Cream

2 ½ c. heavy cream

7 oz. (½ can) sweetened condensed milk

1 T. vanilla extract

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Beat on high speed with an electric mixer until thick, stiff peaks form.

Pour the ice cream into an 8x5-inch loaf pan, and cover tightly with plastic wrap.

Transfer to the freezer and freeze until solid, at least 4 hours.

Serve with your favorite ice cream toppings.

Blackberry Ice Cream Sauce

Blackberry Ice Cream Sauce

3 T. lemon juice

3 T. cornstarch

4 c. blackberries

1/4 c. water (more if needed)

1/2 to 3/4 c. sugar (as needed)

1/2 t. cinnamon

1 t. lemon zest (optional)

In a small bowl mix together the lemon juice and cornstarch.  Set aside.

In a sauce pan combine berries, water and sugar.  Stir over medium high heat for about 3 minutes, until blackberries are broken down. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and cook 1 to 2 minutes more until thickened.  Remove from heat and stir in the cinnamon.  

Serve over ice cream.  Keeps in fridge for about 2 weeks.  

If using fresh lemon juice also add in 1 t. lemon zest.  

Cream Cheese Ice Cream

 Justin makes this every year for the 4th of July!  I made it this year too!!  I adjusted the recipe to make 1 gallon.  His version took 5 batches for 2 gallon of ice cream.  

Cream Cheese Ice Cream

4 c. cream

3 1/2 c. milk

3 1/4 c powdered sugar

5 eggs

16 to 20 oz. cream cheese

2 T. vanilla

 

Whisk together the first 4 ingredients in large heavy saucepan.  Cook over medium heat, while stirring for 10 minutes or until mixture thickens slightly.  Remove from heat and whisk in cream cheese and vanilla.  Cool and pour into ice cream tin.  Chill mixture for 8 to 24 hours.  Freeze according to ice cream maker directions.  Transfer ice cream to a sealed container and chill for 4 hours before serving. 

Blackberry Ice Cream

 This is my version of Blackberry Ice Cream.  There are so many blackberries out there and I needed another use for them!!  

Blackberry Ice Cream
10 to 12 c. blackberries (pureed and strained = 4 c. puree)

1 to 1 1/2 c. sugar (depending on how sweet your berries are)

1 T. lemon juice

1 T. vanilla

1/4 to 1/2 t. cinnamon

5 to 6 c. cream (only fill to fill line)

Place all ingredients in 1 gallon ice cream maker. Chill for 2 hours if possible.  Freeze according to ice cream maker directions.  Transfer ice cream to a sealed container and chill for 4 hours before serving. 

SNOW Ice Cream

With all this crazy snow we decided to put some of it to good use.  Katie shared this with us, she got it from Jenny Erickson.  

SNOW Ice Cream

1 gallon snow
1 cup sugar 
1 T. Vanilla
2 c. milk or cream

Mix well and enjoy 

Healthy Ice Cream......Neopolitan Loaf

A great non-dairy frozen treat, with no sugar.  It is really yummy!!  If you don't want to make a Neopolitan Loaf each flavor is great by itself.  

Vanilla 

Place in blender or food processor:

3 bananas, frozen chunks

1 t. vanilla

Process for about 5 minutes until it turns creamy.

Strawberry 

Place in blender or food processor:

1 c. frozen strawberries

2 bananas, frozen chunks

Process for about 5 minutes until it turns creamy.

Chocolate 

Place in blender or food processor:

3 T. cocoa

1 T. coconut oil

3 bananas, frozen chunks

Process for about 5 minutes until it turns creamy.

Neopolitan Loaf

Place each flavor in a loaf pan side by side.  Freeze until frozen solid.  

Brownie Bowls

Brownie Bowls
Spray muffin pan and fill half full with brownie batter.  Spray the back side of another muffin pan and place on top of the filled muffin pan.  Place in oven at 350 for 20 to 30 minutes. Cool.  Fill with ice cream and enjoy!! 

Soda Pop Ice Cream

A great summer treat....hopefully it will soon be warm enough to give this a try.

Soda Pop Ice Cream
4 c. cold soda pop, any flavor (Orange, Root Beer, Black Cherry
14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
1 c. whole milk
Mix all ingredients together and pour into 2 qt. ice cream maker.
Freeze as directed. Place in freezer after finished to harden up

Cruising Caramel Sauce.....

Since we got home from our cruise...I have made 3 batches of this.....yes we are still addicted to our evening Caramel Sundaes!!  Yes....I have adapted this recipe one more time!!!

Cruising Caramel Sauce....aka: 6 Minute Caramel Sauce
1/4 c. butter
1/2.c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2. c. light corn syrup
1 can sweetened condensed milk, divided

Place first 4 ingredients and 1/2 of the sweetened condensed milk in a 2 qt. glass measure and stir well.  **Microwave for 2 minutes.  Stir.  Repeat from ** two more times (3 total or 6 minutes).  Stir in remaining sweetened condensed milk.  If sauce is too thick stir in water 1 T. at a time until desired consistency.  Microwave for 20 to 30 seconds at serving time and pour over ice cream....top with nuts, whipped cream and more caramel sauce......YUMMY!

Scrumptious Sherbet

• Years ago I needed a fast dessert for a baby shower and my Mom said, "try this". She then rattled off this recipe. I've made it for years now and everyone loves it. This is the most refreshing summertime dessert you will ever taste. And the best part is it is fast and easy to make. I like it best when it is not frozen solid....still kinda soft and creamy...Scrumptious!!
• Scrumptious Sherbet
• 1/2 gal. Pineapple Sherbet softened
• 2 c. sliced strawberries fresh or frozen (save some for garnish)
• 2 large bananas broken in 1 inch pieces
• Place softened sherbet in mixer bowl. Turn on mixer and mix until sherbet is smooth. Add strawberries and bananas. Beat well. Pour into individual serving dishes. Garnish with a quartered strawberry. Place in freezer until serving time. Yield: serves 20
• A fresh sprig of mint would also be a nice garnish. 

Lemonade Ice Cream

This recipe is from Kate Ensign-Lewis.....one of the authors of "Our Best Bites"........When I think of summer, I think of this refreshing dessert.

There’s something about this recipe that just whispers to me across the sands of time. From summers spent eating it on the patio at my grandma’s house to stealing an extra piece after our Fourth of July celebration when I was 9 (and owning up, unsolicited, to the pilfered piece later, like a good little Mormon girl)—it just speaks of summer throughout. Maybe it’s the freshness of the lemon. Maybe it’s the cold sensation of ice cream. But I have a theory that it’s both.

It’s super easy:
She didn't name it and so I will call it "LEMONADE ICE CREAM"  and I am thinking that I would make it without the crust too just in an individual serving cup.  
1 box Nilla wafers
¼ cup butter, melted
1 ½ tablespoons sugar
½ gallon vanilla ice cream (softened)
8-ounce pink lemonade from freezer section (thawed)

Pulse 1 box (or about 36 cookies) of Nilla wafers in food processor until pulverized (like what you would expect in a graham cracker crust). Add butter and sugar and stir. Press into bottom of 9×13-inch pan.

Stir softened ice cream and lemonade in a large bowl until well combined. Spread over crust and allow to freeze until hardened, about 3 hours.

Homemade Ice Cream

Yesterday while judging at the fair this little girl came in with a fresh batch of this Homemade Ice Cream. It was very tasty and refreshing on a hot summer fair day!!! Yes, she got a BLUE RIBBON.

HOMEMADE ICE CREAM
4 eggs
1 T. vanilla
1 t. salt
1 c. sugar
2 cans sweetened condensed milk
1 c. whipping cream
8 c. milk (1/2 gallon)
Ice and 2-3 c. rock salt
Beat eggs, add; vanilla, salt, sugar, condensed milk and cream. Mix well. Pour mixture into 4 qt. ice cream freezer bucket and add the milk. Place bucket in ice tub and pack with layers of ice and salt. Plug in and let it churn until it turns to ice cream; adding more ice and salt as needed.