Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

 
I made this yummy frozen concoction for dessert at the Black Family gathering on Sunday. I'm afraid that I forgot to take any pictures, so these ones "borrowed" from the internet will have to do. But rest assured that they are incredibly close to the real thing. As I was in the process of making ice cream, Michael's dad asked me if I had ever made ice cream before meeting Michael. I said, "I've seen it done and helped with it before, but no, I definitely have not made as MUCH ice cream before Michael came into my life!" Basically what that translates into is that Michael and his family LOVE ice cream. 

Every time we visit, Michael opens the freezer to see what new ice cream his parents have that week. And they buy the good stuff too. So we have to be extra careful when we frequent their house or else we'll eat an entire carton during our stay. Because we just love it so much.

I could eat it everyday, even during the winter when it's cold and snowy outside. There's just something about the sweetness and creamy texture that causes cravings at all times of year, and hours of the night. Personally, I'm a fan of basic flavors, such as vanilla or sweet cream, mixed with fruit or something chocolate-y. So that's why I decided to make Cheesecake as the base flavor. Michael's mother had a bunch of blueberries in her freezer, and so Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream emerged. It was a success and everybody loved it. 

I think this is the perfect ice cream to make at this time of year, when berries and other fresh fruits are at their peak. The cheesecake flavor pairs incredibly well with the tartness of the berries and sort of "mellows" them out. It's a brilliant combination! I'm sure you will love it as much as I did!

Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
(cheesecake ice cream recipe adapted from Tartelette)

Ingredients:
2 cups whole milk
3 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 egg yolks
8 oz. cream cheese
6 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen (thawed)

Directions:

1. Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar. In a saucepan set on medium heat, bring the milk and the cream to boiling point, slowly pour a small amount on the egg yolks to temper. Pour the remaining over the yolks and sugar. 
2. Stir well then pour back in the saucepan and cook over medium low heat until the cream thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon. 
3. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cream cheese until completely melted and incorporated. Cool to room temperature then cover and refrigerate until cold. 
4. Process in an ice cream maker until it has reached soft-serve stage and almost doubled in size. 
5. Mash blueberries lightly, then mix in with ice cream and place in the freezer to harden, which will take about 2 hours. Serve in bowls or ice cream cones and enjoy! 

Makes about 2 1/2 quarts

A Sad Post

 Yesterday Michael and I found out that a friend of ours from our church passed away. He was young and married to a wonderful woman, Shantai, whom I served with in the Young Women program for at least a year.

I am heartbroken. Words cannot express the depth of sorrow I feel for his dear wife and family. As long as we have known them, they have been the cutest couple. Kind, sweet, fun-loving, serving...are just a few of the things to describe Brandon and Shantai. 

During our prayers last night, Michael offered a sweet prayer for the family (in French). After he had already fallen asleep, I just struggled to give in to sleep myself. So, I prayed. I prayed for comfort for the family and comfort for myself. It is always so hard when someone young and healthy is no longer here with us. I can barely comprehend it. 

I thought of Michael and how much I love him. And even though we've only been married 2 years (and known each other almost 3), it would break my heart if he suddenly wasn't there one day. I wouldn't know what to do with myself. Shantai is my age and she and Brandon have been married since she was 19 and known each other quite longer than that. So I can only imagine what she is feeling right now. But I do feel comfort in eternal families. They have been sealed for time and all eternity in the temple, and that is the greatest blessing and comfort at this painful time.

If you have any room in your prayers, I ask that you please take a small moment for the Kartchner family.

Ratatouille with Spicy Sausage

Now this may not be the Ratatouille from Disney's "Ratatouille", but don't let looks deceive you. I've been wanting to make Ratatouille for some time, and finally came across a recipe that interested me. Thank you Biggest Loser Club for your weekly emails of scrumptious (and healthy) recipes!

And don't worry, I have a goal to recreate the masterpiece featured in the computer-animated movie. But that is for another time and by other time I mean when I own a mandolin so I can slice the ingredients paper thin and with ease.

Michael, who was lucky enough to spend two years in France whilst serving an LDS mission, happened upon Ratatouille quite a few times during his time there. When I told him I was going to make it for dinner one day this week, he was excited beyond my expectations. That's when I became nervous. "What if it doesn't taste right? What if I cook it incorrectly? What if I'm not French enough?" Okay, that last one is a little over the top, because hey, I do have French blood in me. All these worries were nothing that a little ingenuity and experimentation in the kitchen couldn't fix.

To make a long story short, he loved it. He said it tasted just perfect, then cleaned his plate and distributed himself a second helping. Yes! Apparently, all I forgot was to serve it with couscous on the side. He said it's the French thing to do. So, next time I make it I will pair it with some good old-fashioned couscous. And what can hardly get more perfect, will finally reach true perfection. Until then, enjoy this super simple and super flavorful recipe of a classic French Provencal dish.

Ratatouille with Spicy Sausage
(adapted from The Biggest Loser Club)

Ingredients:
2 (4-ounce) links spicy Italian turkey sausage
3 zucchini (yellow or green)
1 medium yellow onion
1 eggplant (about 1 1/2 pounds)
2 red, yellow, or green bell peppers
2 large tomatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tbs. grated lemon zest
1 tbs. chopped fresh basil
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
Ground black pepper
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, for garnish

Directions:

1. Cook the sausage in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until there is no more pink. Drain well, crumble, and set aside.
2. Preheat an oven to 425 degrees. Dice the zucchini, onion, eggplant, bell peppers, and tomatoes into 1/2 inch pieces and place in a large bowl. Lightly coat the vegetables with the olive oil and season with lemon zest, basil, thyme, rosemary, black pepper, and garlic. 
3. Mix all ingredients together and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until the vegetables have softened and slightly browned on the outside.
4. Once the vegetables are cooked, combine with the sausage and garnish with the parsley.

Makes 4 servings

Testing Testing 1 2 3...

The hubby and I finally made it into the realm of smartphones. Took us long enough! We had previously been on a family plan with his parents via Verizon Wireless, but the time came to make a change. Michael's Motorola RAZR was close to death and mine had kicked the bucket (or should I say toilet) a few months back, causing me to have to borrow an incredibly old Motorola "Brick" phone from his sister Janessa. I was grateful, because at least it worked. 

Anyway, the time came to shop around for a cell phone provider, and even though Verizon was always a personal favorite of mine as far as coverage and service goes, they were just a bit too expensive for out tastes. We were looking for a more economical route in our family. And so we found Virgin Mobile.

They offered us 300 minutes each, unlimited web, text, and data for just $25 a line each month. No contract, no activation fees. We did have to purchase the phones though. But, since we went through Best Buy and as they have a 30 day return policy, we are in the "testing" phase. If we like Virgin Mobile's service (which I should mention is on the ever growing Sprint network), then we will keep it. If not, we can return the phones to Best Buy for a full refund, and only be out $50. Pretty sweet deal if you ask me!

We're paying at least half of what we would through Verizon or AT&T and so far we are getting great service. And we looked up their coverage for Tallahassee and it is HUGE, so we should be fine there. I don't foresee any problems in the future (other than some roaming difficulties during long travel), but this is what the testing phase is for. 

Right now we are just enjoying our LG Optimus V phones, which are Androids. I've been fighting the smart phone for a long time, mostly because I don't want to be super attached to it like I've seen many people do. But I have found some great benefits with the many applications and the fact that I can have all my email, contacts, and calendar synced together in one place. It is pretty convenient I'll admit!

So what do you think? What providers do you like and how have they treated you in the various places you live? I'm really interested in some cross-country opinions here.

Perfect Sunday Dinner Rolls

For a very long time I have been playing with different versions of dinner roll recipes. I tried some more complicated versions from a variety of cookbooks, I used a bread machine to do the mixing/kneading, I shaped the rolls into crescents, balls, and just worried about them all too much! Some turned out better than others, but I eventually decided to just give in and use a recipe from Michael's family. I tried them one time, then saw the recipe, and knew that the simplicity of everything was a good sign. Surely I could tweak the recipe to my taste and make yummy dinner rolls whenever I wanted (and not necessarily on a Sunday)?!?

Now Michael's father likes to shape them into the Parker House style, where you roll out the dough, cut out little circles, dip in butter, then fold over. Which is quite good I might add. Michael's mother loves the Bundt pan route (a personal favorite of mine and the only reason I really have requested such a pan for a present). She pours melted butter into the pan and coats the insides completely, layers the small circles of dough, then pours a little more melted butter on the top. The rolls come out crispy and buttery on the outside from being drenched in all the fattening goodness. You should try it...for it will blow your mind!

Even through all those wonderful examples, I learned and use my favorite way to "roll" the rolls from the Egan family, as I was in attendance to their family dinners quite a lot during my freshman year at LSU. Now their roll recipe is dang good and trust me, I remember many times just sitting at their counter with their daughter Emily (my BFF from the BR),  raspberry freezer jam in one hand and a roll in the other. It was sublime. But what I took home was their way of preparing the rolls for baking. The secret is to roll the dough out into a circle, cut it into 12 triangles (like a pizza), then roll them in to crescents, and here's the clincher: tucking the ends underneath. This way you can make the rolls more compact, thus fitting more on one sheet so they can become close to each other in the oven and stay dense, moist, and just a tad doughy. Which is my favorite way to have a dinner roll be!

Then all there's left to do is top the rolls with butter, and eat them straight out of the oven while they are hot and fresh. Oh boy are these good! We frequently are asked to make these for friendly gatherings and it seems like no time before they are gone. I personally love the "whole wheat" factor, as it makes me feel a bit healthier than just straight "white" rolls, but you can choose for yourself which flavors you like. Either way, if you make these I'm sure you will be remembered for their perfect homemade taste and smell. People will be begging for the recipe!

Perfect Sunday Dinner Rolls

Ingredients:

2 tbs. yeast

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/4 cup warm water

3 eggs, well-beaten

1/2 cup shortening

2 tsp. salt

3 cups all-purpose flour

3 cups whole-wheat flour

Directions:

1. Combine yeast, sugar, and water in standing mixer fitted with dough hook. Mix and let sit until it starts to bubble. 
2. Add eggs, shortening, and salt and mix just until combined with other ingredients (shortening will still be lumpy).
3. Add flour and mix until dough comes off sides of bowl, but still barely sticks to bottom. Knead for 5 minutes and let rise in greased bowl until doubled in size, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
4. After dough has risen, divide it in half and roll each half into a large circle, about 1/4 inch thick. With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut dough into 12 triangles, like you would a pizza. Roll each triangle from the larger end to the tip, into a crescent shape. Tuck the outer ends underneath the roll and place on a greased baking sheet. 
5. Let rolls rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes. Preheat an oven to 400 degrees and bake the rolls for 15 minutes, just until the tops are a nice browned color. 
6. Remove from oven and brush the tops of the rolls with melted butter. Serve immediately!

Makes 24 large rolls

Fruity Pizza Stars

 I made these little beauties for a neighborhood BBQ on the 4th of July. When Michael and I walked up the driveway carrying pans filled with these everyone's eye got big, there were gasps of excitement, and I heard a few "oohs" and "ahhs"! I always love that reaction. 

The inspiration came partly from the fact that my friend Camille and her cute boyfriend, late one night, brought us a couple slices from a fruit pizza they had made. It was darn good. I haven't made one in so long that I knew I just had to whenever I got the chance. The other source of inspiration was, of course, from numerous food blogs I read. It seems fruit pizzas have been on everybody's minds lately.

 

 So, when the hubby and I were invited to a neighborhood BBQ for Independence Day, I knew immediately knew what I would bring! But not only were these going to be fruit pizzas, but they were going to be little star-shaped cookies shaped with only strawberries and blueberries on top (keeping in with the festive theme). My vision turned out pretty cute I'll say!

 And these did not disappoint in the flavor category either. People kept coming back for more and before I knew it, the plates were empty. The son of our neighbors who hosted the party (who is about 18 months) kept making yummy noises when munching on the blueberries and cookie. Apparently blueberries are his favorite. I definitely couldn't have catered to the consumer better. :)

Anyway, I'll get to the recipe sharing, since that is really the purpose of this post, is it not?

 Fruity Pizza Stars
(adapted from Our Best Bites)

Sugar Cookie Dough
Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract

3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

Zest of 1 orange

Directions:

1. For the cookies, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy–about 2 minutes. Add in egg and extract and mix to incorporate. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. 
2. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until completely combined. Add the orange zest and mix until combined.
3. Wrap in cellophane and chill in the fridge for about an hour. 
4. When you're ready to roll out your dough, lightly sprinkle flour onto work surface and roll our dough with a rolling pin. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutter (stars, for instance).
5. Bake on a greased baking sheet at 350 degrees for 8-9 minutes. The key is to keep them soft and take them out before they brown on the edges.
6. Remove from oven and cool on cooling rack until ready to add the topping.

Creamy Topping
Ingredients:
1 8-oz. package cream cheese (light neufchatel is good too)

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

1. When the cookies are cooling, use an electric mixer to combine the cream cheese, vanilla extract, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. 
2. In a separate bowl, whip the cream and powdered sugar until medium peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture and combine well.
3. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the cooled crust.

Fruity Topping
Ingredients:
1 pint strawberries, washed, hulled, sliced, and patted dry

1 pint blueberries, washed and patted dry

Directions:

1. Arrange the berries over the top of the cookies as desired. 
2. If desired, can add additional fruit (kiwi, bananas, or mandarin oranges), as seen below. 

 As you can see, I decorated some cookies with mandarin oranges that I had leftover from another recipe, just waiting to be used. What is great about this recipe is that is completely adaptable to whatever you have on hand and in whatever way you would like to use it. Side note: the creamy topping also make for a really yummy fruit dip, just set it on a platter with a bunch of different types of fruit and you're good to go.

The dough can be rolled out onto a pizza pan to make an authentic fruit pizza, and you can also add different extracts besides vanilla (like almond, orange, or maybe even mint...that sounds interesting)! What I like about the cookies with the mandarin oranges is that they turned out a bit Picasso-esque. Don't you agree? Many of them look like skewed versions of faces. So fun!

Mexican Shredded Sweet Pork Salad

I know this is a day later than I promised, but we had some family come in this weekend and ended up being so busy with camping, playing, and entertaining that I simply had no time to post! Maybe the anticipation will make you even more excited for this recipe. So, here goes.

This is the classic Cafe Rio/Costa Vida Sweet Pork Salad, just my version. Don't worry, all the flavors are the same, and you can add or take away whatever you prefer. Either way, it's super easy to make if you have a little patience and the will. Where there's a will, there's a way!

Mexican Shredded Sweet Pork Salad
(Adapted from Our Best Bites)

Ingredients:
Homemade Flour Tortillas
Shredded Sweet Pork
Lime-Cilantro Rice with Pineapple
Black Beans
Shredded Lettuce
Tomatoes, diced
Cheese, grated
Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

Directions:

1. Assemble how you will. This particular time I did not use rice or tortillas, but they certainly make the meal extra special. 

Mexican Shredded Sweet Pork
(Adapted from Our Best Bites)

Ingredients:
Boneless pork shoulder roast
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup salsa
20 oz. bottle Dr. Pepper or Coca-Cola

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker. Cook on low 7-8 hours, until meat is tender. 
2. Pull meat apart with forks and discard any pieces of fat. Serve immediately, setting slow cooker to low to keep meat warm.

Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette
(Adapted from Our Best Bites)

Ingredients:
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup rice vinegar
4-5 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. granulated sugar
1 cup canola oil
1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro
1/4 cup milk

Directions:

1. Combine lime juice, vinegar, garlic, salt, and sugar in blender. Blend until ingredients are completely combined. 
2. With blender running, add oil in steady stream. Add milk also. Then add cilantro and blend until cilantro has broken down but still maintains some texture. Refrigerate for a couple hours before serving, if possible. 

Notes:
- Can be used as a marinade for fish or chicken. 
- I like to add a little milk to just make it a bit creamier. 

If creamier texture is what you are going for in this dressing, then try the recipe for Creamy Cilantro-Lime Ranch Dressing down below. It's darn good too!

Creamy Cilantro-Lime Ranch Dressing

(Recipe from Our Best Bites cookbook)

Ingredients:

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup milk or buttermilk

1 lime, juiced (about 2 tbs. juice)

1 packet Ranch dressing mix (ignore directions on packet)

2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro

1/2 cup green salsa

Hot sauce (Cholula or Tabasco), to taste

Directions:

1. Combine mayo, milk, lime juice, and contents of ranch packet in a blender. 
2. Add garlic, cilantro, and green salsa and blend to thoroughly mix all ingredients.
3. Season with hot sauce, if desired. If possible, refrigerate for several hours to allow dressing to thicken and flavors to meld.

And there you have it friends, your very own recipe for a Cafe Rio/Costa Vida Sweet Pork Salad. Make it your own, I know you'll love it.