Ice Cream Yumminess

I think I could have this kind of party several times a year, instead of just once a year. Unfortunately we had a few cancellations, so we only ended up with 6 different ice creams, but we all concluded that this definitely needs to be an annual event. Here is a recap:

I ended up making that Deeply Chocolate Gelato, and unless you are a serious dark chocolate lover, this isn't for you. Me, on the other hand, LOVED it. It was kind of like a mix between ice cream and fudge. Just a small bowl full was all you needed, and it was pure dark chocolate bliss.

Not knowing how the gelato would turn out, I also ended up making Blackberry Ice Cream. It did not disapoint. It was so creamy, and black berryee. Definitely a keeper.

The other tasty flavors were: Peach, Chocolate Cherry Jalapeno (interestingly good), German Chocolate, and Mixed Berry.  I wasn't so good at taking pictures, so you'll just have to imagine how dreamy a countertop full of homemade ice creams was.

I had a scoop of every one of them, and honestly couldn't pick a favorite. They were all so good. I need to send out a request for all of the recipes. Luckily I still have plenty of the two I made in the freezer downstairs. Maybe I'll go have some now. Oh, and some leftover salsa. Ahhh, life after the party is good (except for the mess, but we'll address that another day).

If you love Andes Mints . . . .

. . . . then you'll love these cookies.
{I know, I said enough food talk, but these were sooo good, I had to share}

Guittard Polka Dot Cookies

2 cups (12oz) Guittard Semisweet Chocolate Chips
1/2 cup Butter
1 1/2 cups all-purpose Flour
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/8 tsp Salt
3 large Eggs
1/2 cup Sugar
2 tsp Sugar
2 tsp Vanilla
2 cups (12oz) Guittard Green Mint Chips

Melt semisweet chips and butter, stirring constantly until smooth. Set aside to cool. In small bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

In large bowl, beat eggs, sugar and vanilla until light. Blend in melted chocolate then dry ingredients. Stir in green mint chips and chill for 10-15 minutes or until stiff. Drop by well rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes; cookies will be soft in centers but will harden as they cool.

Makes 4-5 dozen 2-inch cookies.

My notes: Dave said there were too many mint chips - I thought it was perfect (but I really like mint). I baked them closer to the 10 minutes (or so). The ones that were only 8 minutes were too soft and gooey. These chocolate chips are a bit of a splurge, but oh these were good cookies, so if you need some for something special, go for it.

Gelato

The summer is almost over, and we never had another homemade ice cream social.  Oops.  So, last minute, we planned it for this weekend.

I've been searching for the perfect ice cream to make, and while Foodnetwork was playing (it plays a lot during the day, and if its something interesting, I record it and come back to it later) I saw it.  Ina was making Deeply Chocolate Gelato.  It looked so good, I wanted to lick the tv.  Seriously. I'm going to try it, so wish me luck.  If it's good, I'll let you know, so you can whip some up before summer is over.

If you have any more ice cream recipes to recommend, feel free to post them.  Maybe I'll make a couple of kinds.  You can never have too much home made ice cream, right??  I'm planning on loading up the counter with some different salsa's again too.  It should be fun!  Wish you guys lived closer!

Strawberry Spinach Salad

I love strawberries.  I love bacon.  I love almonds.  I love spinach.  I love poppy seed dressing.

Put them all together, and you have true love.  I've had this salad on many occasions, and was craving it the other day.  I didn't have the yummy store bought poppy seed dressing that you usually use, and I wasn't about to make a trip to town to buy some, so I googled it.  And now, I'll never go back.  This is my new  favoritest dressing ever!!  The salad is pretty good too (only you have to add bacon to this recipe, for some reason they left it out)  Strawberry Spinach Salad.  Enjoy!!

Boston Creme Pie

Almost every year my dad's birthday request is Boston Creme Pie. I don't know why it's called a pie, because it's a pretty darn good cake. Dave has since fallen in love with it, and now he requests it every year too. This year I got to make my dad's cake. I like that, because I like licking the pan.

Boston Creme Pie:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup shortening (or butter, I like butter)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

Mix well, pour into a well greased & floured round cake pan. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Let cool completely. Then the fun begins.

Using a really long knife, cut the cake in half, making two thin layers.

Filling:
1/3 cup sugar
2 TBSP corn starch
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup milk
2 beaten egg yolks
2 tsp vanilla

Stir together sugar, corn starch, and salt in sauce pan. Add milk and heat untill beginning to thicken. Add egg yolks (temper first with the warm filling, then add to the rest). Continue cooking until thick and boiling. Cook another minute. Add vanilla. Let this mixture cool a few minutes (sometimes a I put it in the fridge to be a little quicker). (If making pudding scares you, you can use instant pudding, but I promise, you'll love the real stuff!)

Put the pudding over the first layer of cake. Then top it with the 2nd layer. Now make the chocolate.

Glaze:
Melt 2 oz. unsweetened chocolate and 3 TBS butter over low heat. Remove. Beat with 1 cup powdered sugar and 1/4 tsp vanilla and 2 TBSP water to make a smooth and shiny glaze.

Pour this warm over the top of your cake - letting it drip down the sides.

Refridgerate to let it set up - maybe an hour or so, then enjoy!!

Happy Birthday Dad!!

Zucchini Brownies

Since summer = zucchini around here, we are always looking for new ways to use it.  A friend of mine's mom used to make these for us in high school.  They are tasty, give them a try.

Chocolate Zucchini Brownies
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
4 TBSP cocoa (or more :)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp soda
2 cups shreaded zucchini (just washed - leave the skin on)
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped toasted almonds (opt.)

Cream butter, oil, eggs and sugar.  Mix in dry ingredients.  Add zucchini.  Put in 9x13 pan.  Sprinkle with chocolate chips and almonds.  Bake at 325 for 30 minutes.

Salsa

This one's for you, Amelia. Mo and I made oodles of this last year - it's pretty tasty. This makes a fairly mild salsa. You can add more peppers, or leave the seeds in to make it hotter.

Salsa
6# tomatoes (13 1/2 cups) - chopped & peeled
5-6 jalepenos (no seeds) - chopped
2 onions - chopped
1 1/2 bell peppers - chopped
4 cloves garlic - minced
2 TBSP. salt
1 TBSP. mexican oregano
1 bunch cilantro - chopped
2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 - 6oz can tomato paste
1 - 4oz can diced green chiles
10 hot yellow wax peppers - chopped

Cook down for atleast 1 hour
Process PINTS in Boiling water bath canner for 20 minutes.
Makes 6-8 pints

Ice Cream Cake

My sister made one of my birthday cakes this year.  And it was soooooo good, and sooooo easy.

Ice Cream Cake

Pick your 3 favorite flavors of ice cream (simple is sometimes better in this case)

She did Vanilla, Chocolate, and Mint Chocolate Chip

2 Packages of Oreos

1 Cube Melted Butter

Blend the butter with the oreos in the blender or a food processor, then start layering:

Oreo Crust

Softened Ice Cream

(you can't really spread it, so just scoop up thin layers and lay it over the oreos - a 9x13 doesn't quite fit the entire quart, but the one just bigger does)

Oreo Crust

Softened Ice Cream

Oreo Crust

Softened Ice Cream

Top it off with a few chunkily (is that a word) crushed oreos

Cover with plastic wrap and foil freeze until party time.

Typing this up makes me want some.  Now.

And when you are really old, and your sisters think you must have oodles of candles on your cake, the kids have a blast licking ice cream off them.