There are a few steps involved in this so it’s not like you can decide you want ice cream and 5 minutes later it’s there. This isn’t magic people!

Start by placing the cream and half-and-half into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring the creams to a simmer and then remove from the heat.

In a medium mixing bowl whip the egg yolks until they turn pale in color. This will be your workout for the day to make room for the ice cream calories.  Add in the sugar and whisk to combine. You’ll want to temper the warmed cream into the eggs so that you don’t cook your eggs. Slowly add in the cream mixture about 1/4 cup at a time and whisk to combine. Once about 1/3 of the cream mixture is added you can pour the remaining mixture into the bowl and whisk to combine.

Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and return to medium heat. Stir the mixture frequently until it thickens and reaches 170°.  Pour the mixture into a container and allow it to sit for 30 minutes before placing it uncovered in the refrigerator. This is where I added a few drops of green food coloring but that is up to you.  Allow the mixture to cool enough so that you when you cover it,  no condensation will appear on the lid.  Cool for 4-8 hours or overnight.

Final step! Pour the mixture into your ice cream mixer and process according to the mixer instructions.  After about 10 minutes of churning, add in the chocolate chips. Continue to churn until the ice cream is finished. You can serve it as soft serve or store the ice cream in a container and all it to continue to freeze in the freezer. Yum!

Chime in below and tell me your favorite ice cream flavor!

So where were we…Strawberry Jam Biscuits. Not too sweet to where you can serve them for breakfast on a Saturday morning but just sweet enough to serve with a side of vanilla bean ice cream. Very versatile. So grab your strawberry huller and join me on this biscuit excursion.

Let’s start by making the jam. Place the strawberries and sugar into a medium saucepan turned to low. Slowly cool down the strawberries until they turn into a jam-like texture and then add in the lime zest and juice. Place the jam in a small shallow bowl to cool while you prepare the biscuits.

Preheat oven to 400°.  Whisk the sugar, flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Add in the butter and with your fingers crumble the butter into the flour mixture until it becomes very crumbly. Add in the buttermilk and mix until it moistens the dough.

Pour the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and kneed 4-5 times to combine the dough. It should still be flaky and a bit crumbly. With a floured rolling pin, roll the dough out into a 1/2″ thick sheet. Using a biscuit cutter or the bottom of a glass, cut out your biscuits and place them onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Use your thumb to make a divot in the top of each biscuit. Brush the top of each biscuit with the egg, sprinkle with sugar and pour some of the jelly into each divot. Try to avoid putting too much of the juices onto the biscuit. Bake until golden brown, about 18-22 minutes.

Serve these beauties up with a cup of java or a side of ice cream for dessert. And don’t forget to comment below for your chance to win a fancy strawberry huller!

Recipe via Bon Appetit

Combine the first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl and stir with a whisk.  This is where it’s nice to keep a bottle of white wine on hand for cooking. Add in the peppers, cucumber, chives and parsley and toss to coat.

Serve the salad immediately for cover and store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve it.  I will say that because of the olive oil on the salad it probably will not store well for more than 48 hours. Happy Monday!

Start by preheating your oven to 350°. Grease or butter a 13×9 baking dish and set to the side.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, whipping cream, Romano cheese, oregano and salt and set to the side. Since the sausage is already precooked you’ll simply slice the sausages into 1/4″ thick slices to use in the strata.

Slice the bread into 1/2″ thick slices. Arrange half of the slices in the bottom of your prepared dish and then pour half of the egg mixture over the top. Sprinkle with half of the cheese and sausage and 1/2 of the red pepper that has been thinly sliced. Repeat by layering the remaining bread on top and topping with the remaining egg mixture, cheese, sausage and pepper.

Press the bread down into the pan to allow it to soak up the egg mixture and let it sit for 20 minutes. Bake the strata for 1 hour, until it is puffy and golden on top.

So do you want to win a shipment of Amylu sausages to try for yourself?

 
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Start by baking the cake according to the package instructions. You’re going to want to divide both boxes of batter between 3 9″ round cake pans that have been greased and floured. Allow them to cool completely before constructing your cake. You’re also going to want to level the tops of each cake completely for the best result when you build your cake. I have found that using a tool to do this works best.

Now to make the nougat…this is going to get sticky. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and then add in the sugar and condensed milk. Stir the mixture until the sugar dissolves and then bring to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and add in the marshmallow fluff, peanut butter and vanilla extract and stir until well combined. Fold in the peanuts and then allow the nougat to cool to room temperature before using on the cake.

For the frosting you’ll want to beat together the butter and cream cheese on medium-high for about 5 minutes until the mixture is smooth. Pour in the caramel and beat until combined. Reduce the speed to medium-low and slowly add in the powdered sugar, making sure it is well integrated into the frosting before the next addition. Once you’ve added in all of the powdered sugar continue to beat for an additional 2-3 minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy.

So now let’s start on the cake. Start with the first layer and spread an even layer of nougat over the top. The nougat will spread out so leave about a 1″ space between the nougat and edge of the cake. Drizzle with a little bit of caramel and then place the second layer of cake on top. Repeat with the nougat and caramel and then place the final layer on top of the cake. Frost the cake with the salted caramel buttercream and then place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Prepare the ganache by placing the milk chocolate into a small bowl. In a saucepan over medium heat you will want to warm up the whipping cream to a slow boil. Pour the warmed cream over the chocolate and allow it to sit for 1-2 minutes. Stir the chocolate until it is smooth. Remove the cake from the refrigerator and pour the ganache into the center of the cake, allowing it to spread to the outer edge and drip down the sides. Drizzle the top of the cake with the remaining caramel and sprinkle with peanuts. Place the cake back into the refrigerator for at least and hour to set before serving.

So I had pretty much all but given up on making my own pizza until I found a package of ultra-thin crusts at my local grocery store recently. I can’t even remember the name of the brand but they are pretty much amazing. They only take about 5 minutes once you pop them in the oven but they turn out cracker crispy and are great for whipping up a quick meal. I made traditional pizza on them along with some other variations, including today’s pizza post. This flavor combination is amazing, no matter what kind of crust you choose. Oh, and it’s low in calories because it comes from Cooking Light.

Preheat your broiler to high with a baking sheet or pizza stone inside.

While the broiler is heating up, place the crust onto a large cutting board to assemble. Spread the pesto evenly over the crust, leaving a 1 inch border around the edge. Sprinkle the crust with the mozzarella and evenly dollop the ricotta by teaspoonfuls around the pizza.  Slide the pizza onto the preheated pizza stone or baking sheet and place in the broiler for 5 minutes, until the cheese begins to melt.

Remove the pizza from the oven and top with the tomatoes, black pepper and basil. Cut into 8 wedges and enjoy!  Only 352 calories in 2 slices! Mama mia!

Today I’m bringing you 3 salads to try this upcoming summer and if you read all the way through, there’s also an opportunity to win a collection of organicgirl greens!

Kale & Pink Grapefruit Salad - 1 pink grapefruit, 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, salt & pepper, 8 cups ‘i heart baby kale’, 1 avocado

Use a sharp knife to peel and remove the white pith from the grapefruit. Over a bowl, segment the grapefruit and then squeeze the juices from the membrane of the grapefruit into a separate bowl. Whisk the oil into the juice along with the salt & pepper. Place the kale into a large bowl and drizzle with 3 tablespoons of the dressing.  Allow the kale to set for 10 minutes, toss again and drizzle with remaining dressing. Add in the grapefruit segments, avocado and serve.

Spinach & Peach Salad with Creamy Chive Vinaigrette – 2 large ripe peaches, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1 1/2 tabelspoons whipping cream, 1/3 cup freshly chopped chives, 12 cups baby spinach

Wash peaches to remove the fuzz, remove the pit and thinly slice. Place the peaches in a large bowl and add in 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice. Toss the peaches to coat with the juice. In a small bowl combine the remaining lemon juice and olive oil. Whisk in the cream, chives, salt & pepper. Add the spinach to the bowl with the peaches, drizzle with the dressing and toss to coat. Season with additional salt & pepper to taste.

Avocado & Mango Salad with Passion Fruit Vinaigrette – 3 tablespoons passion fruit juice concentrate, 3 tablespoons minced shallot, 4 teaspoons sherry wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds that have been coarsely chopped, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 8 cups SUPERGREENS!, 1 large ripened mango, 1 avocado

Whisk the first 5 ingredients in a bowl to blend and then whisk in the olive oil. Season the dressing with salt & pepper. In a large bowl toss the salad with 1/4 cup of the dressing.  Divide the salad amongst 4 plates and evenly divide the mango and avocado. Drizzle with remaining dressing and add additional salt & pepper to serve.

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My box this month included Terre Di Murgia pasta, Heartbreaking Dawns Hot Sauce, Bel Frantoio White Truffle Oil and some itty bars of Askinosie Chocolate. While I was unable to incorporate all of these into a recipe I did craft a tasty pasta with the truffle oil. Have you tried white truffles? Delicious. That’s all I can say. So let’s get to it.

Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain, but save 1 cup of water and set aside.

Set the pot back over medium heat and add in the olive oil. Saute the garlic and shallots until translucent and fragrant. Add in the olives and cook for an additional minute. Add in the wine, stir and cook for 2-3 more minutes. Add in the butter and tomato paste and stir until dissolved.

Add the pasta back into the pot and stir until coated with the sauce, adding back in some of the reserved water if the pasta appears dry.  Drizzle the pasta with the truffle oil and stir to combine. Toss the pasta with Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley. Divide amongst the bowls and top with the sliced proscuitto and additional cheese.

So do you want your own Gourmet Spotting box to try? The folks over there are giving 1 lucky reader their own shipment of tasty goods! Read the details below for how to enter. AND if you’re ready to sign up for your own monthly subscription you can use the code FOODFOCUS5 for $5 off your first month! Good luck!

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Combine the water, sugar and yeast in a large bowl and stir to combine. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes until the mixture becomes bubbly. In a separate bowl combine 5.63 ounces of flour and the salt. Stir the yogurt and the egg into the yeast mixture and then add in the flour and stir until a ball of dough forms. It will be rather sticky.

Pour the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and kneed until smooth and elastic. Continue to add the remaining flour to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands. Place the ball into a lightly greased bowl, cover and allow to rise for 1 hour.

Punch down the dough and then divide into 36 equal portions, rolling each portion into a ball. Place the balls on a baking sheet, cover with a piece of plastic wrap coated in cooking spray and allow to rise for an additional 30 minutes.

Place the oil into a medium saucepan and clip a candy thermometer to the side. Heat oil to 375°. While the oil is heating, cook the bacon and pat dry, and then crumble. Combine the powdered sugar, syrup and water in a small bowl and set to the side.

When the oil is to temperature, place 5-6 doughnuts into the oil and fry for 2 minutes, until golden brown. Place on a plate lined with paper towel. Repeat with the remaining balls of dough. When you’re finished frying all of the doughnuts, roll them in the powdered sugar mixture and place them on a cooling rack over a baking sheet. Before the glaze hardens, sprinkle each doughnut with a pinch of bacon crumbles. Allow the doughnuts to cool completely before serving. You can store these up to 3 days in an airtight container.

Let’s craft the sauce first. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and add in the flour. Cook for 2-3 minutes until it turns golden in color. In a separate saucepan bring the water to a boil and then add in the soup base. Cook for 2 minutes to a rolling boil and then add in the tomato sauce and chili powder. I also added in a teaspoon of chipotle chile powder to turn up the heat. Continue to boil the base and then add in half of the butter mixture. Whisk until well combined and then add in additional butter mixture as needed.  The sauce will be thick but pourable and you should keep it warm until you’re ready to make the enchiladas.

For the fajita vegetables you’ll want to sauté them in oil until they are tender. Season them with the adobo and pepper.  Remove from the heat and keep them warm.

Now you can start assembling the enchiladas.  I’m a fan of flour tortillas for my enchiladas but you can also use soft corn tortillas. If using corn tortillas you’ll want to heat a little bit of oil in a pan and swirl the tortilla around briefly to soften them. Fill each tortilla with a generous amount of chicken and vegetables, roll and place seam side down in a 13×9 baking dish.  Finish rolling all of the tortillas and then top with 3 cups of the sauce and cheese.  Bake at 350° for 25 minutes.

Garnish your plates with sour cream, guacamole, rice and beans and serve.