Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

So on Sunday I decided I wanted to try to make some ice cream. I bought a vanilla bean on Saturday to have because I've seen them used on cooking shows and I wanted to try it. And I did and today I tried the ice cream. It is good, and I will use that recipe again. And I will continue to use real vanilla beans from time to time, but because they cost a bit more than vanilla extract, it won't be in everything I make. For special occasions, though, worth the extra cost!!

The ice cream freezer I use is made by Cuisinart. I have had it for years, and have not used it in years. The freezer bowl goes in the freezer at least 24 hours before you want to use it, no salt or ice is required. The paddle fits inside and turn it on and in about an hour or so, you will have ice cream. These can be bought at Macy's and Dillard's I know. I don't have an old fashioned ice cream freezer that uses ice and rock salt. I might get one of those this summer though. 

Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

by Ree Drummond

Ingredients

   1 whole Vanilla Bean, split and scraped

   3 cups half and half

   2 cups sugar

   8 or 9 egg yolks

   3 cups heavy cream

Directions

Heat half and half with the sugar in a saucepan over low heat, add the scraping from the vanilla bean to this mixture and then place the remainder of the bean into the mix. Remember to remove and discard the bean after heating. 

Beat the egg yolks until pale yellow and thickened. You may use a mixer if you wish, it takes a few minutes by hand. Then, after the hot mixture is ready, temper the eggs by slowly adding half the hot liquid, a little at a time, to the beaten eggs, whisking slowly while adding. After you have added about half, pour the egg mixture into the hot mixture and cook slowly over low heat until it thickens. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and pour into the heavy cream. Stir well to incorporate. 

Chill mixture completely and freeze in an ice cream freezer until thick. You may eat this, but it is very soft. You can put it into a freezer safe container and freeze about 6-8 hours until firm. Enjoy! It is good. And it has flecks of vanilla throughout like Breyers Vanilla Ice Cream. It is good. 

Link to Pioneer Woman blog post with the ice cream recipe. There are photos and step by step instructions. 

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/07/vanilla-bean-ice-cream/

It is how I was raised

I was raised in the 60s and 70s. When I was raised, when someone close to you passed away, you cooked food and took it to the home of the closest relative. When Rick died, people brought food. No, you really don't feel like eating, but you must eat. Our bodies do need food to keep going. It is helpful to have that food brought in and that way, those who are grieving don't have to worry about cooking.

I did have some pans and plates to return and that really wasn't a problem because they all lived very close. I was very grateful to not have to worry about fixing food. There was plenty. 

Yesterday I took food to the Woosleys who lost their son early yesterday morning. I fixed a caramel pie with whipped cream, 2 coconut cream pies, and meatballs in spicy sauce. Everything, including the whipped cream was in a container that they don't have to get back to me. I picked up the disposable aluminum pans and a reusable but also disposable plastic container for the whipped cream when I went to the grocery yesterday. That is one thing I am going to stock from now on. Disposable pans and containers for these very times. People do die. And taking food has continued in our circle of friends. So, Stock up and when it's your turn to take, you can use the disposable items and not have to worry about (not that you would really worry, just a figure of speech) them having to get your pie plates and other containers back to you.

Disposable pie pans

Homemade coconut cream pie in a disposable pie pan. This pan had a plastic under thingy and a cover so the pie snapped securely in it and the meringue was safe as well as keeping the pie covered. The plastic was strong enough to help support the pie.  I made my favorite pie crust recipe and it worked very well. Next time I am out, I am buying more of these pans and I am going to make the crusts ahead of time and freeze. Then in a couple of weeks, I will take one out and use it. If Pillsbury can freeze pie dough, then I should be able to as well. I know, no preservatives in mine so they are healthier,, but they won't store as long as the dough-boys. But, I wont make many at least at first. I have had a few opportunities to use them lately unfortunately. I will let you know in a future post how it turns out. I may make a post about this as I go. We will see. 

Larger disposable pan, great for meats.

This pan had a lid as well, and I placed the meatballs in it and covered them. They made it over to the Woosleys without incident. And there is no cleanup after - they just toss the pan and done. And they can reheat the meatballs in the oven in that pan if needed.

These meatballs went in the disposable foil pan. 

Psalm 31:9

Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and body with grief.

I love all y'all❤️

To be continued..........

Brownies for 2!

So, did you ever have one of those days you just want a little bit of something sweet? Well, now here's your chance to have something without having to make a whole batch. These brownies are delicious. And they are just right for one or two people. And quick and easy to boot!

preheat oven to 300 degrees

Spray loaf pan with cooking spray, do not use larger pan

Melt butter 25 seconds in microwave, stir in sugar, add vanilla and egg then flour and cocoa; mix well

spread batter evenly in loaf pan, larger pan will cause batter to be too thin

bake for about 20-25 minutes until done

After baking, top with about 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips if desired

Cool, cut and enjoy. Makes 3-6 brownies depending on size

Snack size brownies:

Ingredients

1/4 cup salted butter

1/2 cups sugar

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup flour

3 TBSP cocoa

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Spray a small loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray, such as Pam.

Use a microwave safe bowl. Heat butter in microwave approximately 25 seconds - until mostly melted. Stir in sugar, stir until well mixed and butter has melted in. Next, mix in egg and stir until well incorporated. Stir in vanilla. Add flour and cocoa and stir just until mixed. Pour into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes. (Check at 20.) Makes 3-6 brownies depending on size of cut. 

Recipe found on Pinterest 

Recipe source: Cooking Classy

Enjoy!!

I love all y'all! ❤️

To be continued.............

Using a bread machine

Have you ever used a bread machine to make a loaf of bread? Do you have one and you are intimidated by it? I have owned 3 bread machines in my life. The first one was horrible. The loaf was tall like this image from Google. It was difficult to get a "good" loaf from this machine. The next machine I bought made a "traditional" loaf. It was simple to use and made great bread. Then our house burned. I replaced that machine over 15 years ago with my West Bend Baker's Choice Plus machine. It bakes a traditional loaf in about 3 1/2 hours. And it is good.

tall loaf, image from Google

When I first started making bread in the bread machine, I had a difficult time. It wouldn't rise, so, I called the help line. That was when they recommended "jar" yeast for bread machines. My favorite is Red Star. You can't always find that though so I also use, and like, Fleichmann's Rapid Rise in the jar. It is for bread machines, and you can use it for regular baking as well.

                              

I have always used White Lily Unbleached Bread Flour for my bread making. I tried many, many brands including Martha White and Pillsbury. I felt White Lily was best. Then I used King Arthur and oh, my. It is the softest flour to the touch and nothing I have made with it has ever failed. Flour does make a difference. I will now and forever use King Arthur Unbleached All Purpose flour for my bread making. For ever.  AND NEVER, EVER use margarine in your bread making! If it calls for butter, USE BUTTER!! It makes it so much better, plus the water content of margarine can flatten your loaf!

google image, old fav

google image, new fav

So today I got an email from the King Arthur folks. Sunday Recipe Roundup. The King Arthur baking site is also linked on this blog to the left if you are on a PC. There was a recipe at the bottom of the email with a recipe for bread, and since I had already considered making a loaf, I opened the link and read the recipe. I decided to try the loaf and wow. What a loaf of bread! It is super!! Best bread I ever made, and not to brag, but I am a pretty great baker.

Always use real butter in the bread recipes that call for butter! NO margarine substitution!! 

So the recipe is as follows: (ALWAYS follow the ingredient add order recommended by your machine!!)

for large (1 1/2 to 2-pound) machine

• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 1/3 cup lukewarm milk
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 3/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast or instant yeast

1) Put all of the ingredients into your machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer.

2) Program the machine for basic white bread, and press Start.

3) When the loaf is done, remove the pan from the machine. After about 5 minutes, gently shake the pan to dislodge the loaf, and turn it out onto a rack to cool.

Yield: 1 loaf.

Set your machine accordingly and turn it on! In about 3 1/2 hours you will have a perfect loaf of bread! Good luck!  Cut the butter into small cubes and have it be close to room temperature for better mixing. 

So hard to wait for it to cool enough to slather it with Land O Lakes butter!

Happy baking!

I love all y'all❤️
To be continued...................

some images are mine, some from google and some from King Arthur email

Pioneer Woman Strawberry Sparkle Cake

Yesterday my grandbabies spent the day and night with me. They are still here this morning, playing angry birds on my iPhone. They are mesmerized.  We made (yes made) an angel food cake yesterday. My first angel food cake. Ever. It isn't bad at all and was much easier to make than I thought. The recipe can be found on http://thepioneerwoman.com and is called Strawberry Sparkle Cake. Search the cooking section, it comes up with step by step instructions. Read it all the way through before you start. Easy!

Like my Fiesta cake plate? I do!! The finished product looks wonderful on it!!

The pictures of the cake on the website look much better than mine but it still tastes very good!

Homemade angel food cake after it cooled

Slice off part of the top and set it aside, then dig a trench and place strawberry filling in the trench and replace the top. 

whip cream with a little powdered sugar and use as frosting then top with strawberries

Enjoy!

Tobi says it is 1000% good!

Bubba just likes it

To make the strawberry filling, take a small box of strawberry jello and add the hot water as called for, stir and dissolve completely. Then instead of cold water or ice, take one package frozen sliced strawberries and place in jello. Stir until well coated, jello with thicken as it sits. Don't thaw the strawberries or use fresh at this point. You need the frozen berries to gel the jello. You won't use all of it. 

Yummy. My babies got it right!

I love all y'all!❤️

To be continued............

March 14 is "Pi " day

In honor of pi day, I made a lemon meringue pie. Complete with candied lemons as garnish I might add. 

To make the candied lemons, I followed the recipe in the February 2014 Southern Living magazine, page 120. 

Cut 2 medium lemons into 1/8 inch slices, discard seeds. 

Stir together 2 cups sugar and 4 cups water in a large heave saucepan. Bring to a light boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add lemon slices, reduce heat to medium low and gently simmer about 45 minutes until rinds are soft and lemons are translucent. Turn lemons about every 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Save the syrup! You can use it in tea or in the meringue for this delish lemon pie! 

Pie Crust

1 1/2 cups pillsbury unbleached all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp brown sugar

1/2 cup crisco

1 egg yolk (save white!)

5-7 TBSP ice water

Combine flour salt and brown sugar. Cut shortening into flour mixture until it is coarse crumbles 

Lightly beat egg yolk and add 4-5 TBSP ice water 

and add to flour, toss with fork until mixture comes together well. Shape into a ball, chill dough 30 minutes for easier rolling. Roll dough on pastry cloth to fit 9 inch pie plate, fold and gently place into pie plate, poke holes in bottom of pie crust to prevent air pockets, trim and crimp edges.

 Bake in 375 degree oven until browned. Remove from oven. 

Now for the lemon pie filling

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/8 tsp salt

4 egg yolks (save whites!)

1 3/4 cup water

2/3 cup lemon juice

1/2 stick Land O' Lakes butter

Combine dry ingredients in heavy saucepan, stir together with whisk. Next, take the egg yolks and lightly whip. Stir in the water and add to the dry mixture. 

Begin to cook over medium heat stirring continuously. Add lemon juice and bring mixture to boil, stirring until thickened to desired consistency. Remove from heat, add butter and stir occasionally to incorporate butter.  Place in baked pie crust.

Remember that syrup? Here's your chance to use it! Place syrup back on burner and heat to boil. 

Place egg whites (remember the one from the pie crust) in bowl and beat on high with whisk attachment of stand mixer. When soft peaks begin to form, begin to gently and carefully pour hot syrup (from candied lemons) into egg whites, using about 1/2 cup at a time and whip until desired sweetness and consistency, (stiff peaks) I used 1 1/2 cups syrup and 2 tsp lemon juice. Top hot pie filling with meringue and return to oven to brown. When meringue begins to brown, turn off oven and leave pie in oven about ten minutes more- watching to prevent over browning! Done! Garnish with candied lemon slices. It's too pretty to cut!! 

Homemade Apple Pie

Crust for 2 crust pie.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees

6 cups peeled sliced apples - I used Granny Smith tossed with 1 TBSP lemon juice (prevents browning of the apples)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 TBSP flour

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp nutmeg

Stir together 

Place bottom crust into pie plate. Carefully push crust into plate without air pockets. Don't trim yet! Next, carefully place apples in pie plate mounding up slightly in center. Dot with 2 TBSP Land O Lakes butter. Carefully cover with top crust, positioned as evenly as possible. Next, trim excess crust and crimp edges. Cut vent holes in decorative pattern.  Cover edges with aluminum foil. Bake for 25 minutes with edges covered, then remove foil and bake 25-35 minutes more until nicely browned.

 During last 10 minutes, remove from oven carefully, brush crust with a little melted butter and sprinkle with a little sugar. Finish browning pie. Remove and cool and enjoy!