Ice Cream Friday Recap and a Giveaway

Before I'm retiring my Ice Cream Series this Friday for the year, I thought it would be fun to take a trip down memory lane and pull all the Ice Cream posts together. 15 Ice cream Fridays to be correct, and with summer almost over it is time to say goodbye to my trusty ice cream maker for the time being. But don't you all worry, I might run the occasional, seasonal flavor even in the colder months, and Ice Cream Fridays will be back for sure next year. Also make sure to look for my giveaway at the end of this post. Without further ado, here are the posts in order of their release.


Oatmeal Raisin Ice Cream

Super Lemon Ice Cream

Loaded Peanut Butter Ice Cream

Aztec "Hot" Chocolate Ice Cream

Toasted Coconut Ice Cream

Mango Sorbet

Blueberries and Cream Ice Cream

Coconut-Almond Gelato

Nutella Ice Cream

Date, Rum and Pecan Ice Cream

Whoppers Ice Cream

Banana Cajeta Cashew Ice Cream

Brown Butter Candied Bacon Ice Cream

Honey Peach Ice Cream

Vietnamese Coffee Ice Cream

* The Giveaway is Now Officially Closed*

Here is the scoop on the giveaway:

1 lucky reader will have the chance to win one (1) copy of one of my most used Ice Cream books this year:

"The Perfect Scoop" by David Lebovitz

All you have to do is leave me a comment and let me know which one of my featured ice creams was your favorite.

You can earn additional entries by:

Follow my blog on Google Friend Connect, or let me know that you already do so
"Like" me on Facebook, or let me know that you already do so
Follow me on Twitter, or let me know that you already do so

Please leave me a separate comment for each of the entries (even if you already fit the requirements), which means if you play along you can get up to 4 (four) chances to be entered in the drawing. Also please leave me your email so I have a way to contact you if you win.

This giveaway is open to U.S. Residents only (sorry my International friends) and ends at 9:00 pm (PST) on 09/02/2010 (so only a couple of days).

Stay tuned for the announcement of the winner AND my final Ice Cream Friday, on, yes, what else, Friday!

Full disclosure: This giveaway is not sponsored by anyone but myself!

Not Your Average Sloppy Joe

 

If you've been reading my blog for a while you have come to see that our family likes to indulge every once in a while. I know that I have featured quite some decadent and rich recipes in the past, but I need to clarify that we don't eat like this on a daily basis. Most of these "special" meals are reserved for weekend indulgences. During the week my kitchen has a much quicker, more efficient, and most of all fairly healthy approach to dinner time.

This recipe for Sloppy Joe has been cooked and served in our home for many years. Unfortunately I'm not sure where it came from anymore, so I can't even give credit. Since then, it has been shared with several friends and relatives who have come to love this dish as well. It is a great, healthier take on the classic comfort food. Sloppy Joe is another one of those foods, I did not grow up with. My husband on the other hand, had his fair share growing up. When I first found this recipe, after getting the request for this particular meal from him, I wasn't sure if his "refined" palate, that had only been exposed to the "Manwich" kind, would be happy with my version. I worried for absolutely nothing and he hasn't requested the canned kind since. This recipe is also a great way to "sneak" in a decent amount of vegetables, and even the pickiest of eaters will happily eat this as long as it is disguised as "junk food" and served on a hamburger bun with a sprinkle of cheese.

This meal has always been my go-to recipe for when I'm short on time. It is made quickly, and you can even make it a day ahead and warm it up later. Chopping the vegetables ahead of time is another great way to get this dinner quickly on the table. Since the dish needs very little babysitting once the ingredients are added (besides the occasional stir), this will free you up to fix a side salad or an additional side dish. I like to serve this on top of hamburger buns with extra onions and shredded cheddar cheese, but pickled jalapenos are another great way to impart additional flavor to the finished sandwich along with a little kick (this is the way my husband loves it). I hope you'll give my "healthier" version a try, maybe it will make your dinner time a success as well!

Not Your Average Sloppy Joe

~serves 6~

(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds ground beef (I use 93 %)

1 medium onion, chopped

1 1/2 green bell peppers, chopped

2 stalks celery, finely diced

1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce

1/2 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons steak sauce (I use A1)

2 teaspoons mustard

3/4 teaspoon garlic salt

1 1/2 teaspoons paprika powder

6 Hamburger buns

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded (optional)

Diced onion (optional)

Preparation:

In a Dutch oven over medium heat, cook beef, onion, green pepper, and celery until the meat is no longer pink and the vegetables are tender. Add the next nine ingredients; mix well.

Simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve on hamburger buns with shredded cheddar cheese and onions if desired.

Ice Cream Fridays: Vietnamese Coffee Ice Cream

Welcome to another edition of Ice Cream Fridays. Every Friday you can look forward to a new ice cream recipe which will hopefully inspire you to break out your old dust covered ice cream maker that is hiding somewhere in a closet (yes, I'm talking about you). Since I'm always looking for inspiration and ideas, feel free to leave me a comment here on my blog or on my facebook page, and let me know what ice cream flavor you would like to see.

If you are like me, there is no way to get the day started without a couple of cups of decent coffee. In fact, my family knows not to mess with me until I'm properly caffeinated. Strange thing is, I never liked coffee or anything coffee flavored while growing up. This all changed when I met my husband. He couldn't start his day without a few cups of coffee and would continue drinking coffee throughout the day. There was always freshly brewed coffee around, and I started getting hooked on the brown stuff as well. The adults take coffee serious in our home!

So, when I was looking over my list of ice cream flavors still left to make before I retire Ice Cream Fridays for the year, I realized I had yet to make a coffee ice cream. Well, I definitely knew that needed to be changed. Again, I was torn between several different recipes, but this one simply won out for it's ease of preparation. The recipe calls for only a handful of ingredients and is made in 5 minutes flat. Strong coffee or espresso is mixed with sweetened condensed milk (the nectar of the gods) and a bit of half-and-half with a pinch of finely ground coffee. That's all there is to it. I think one of my easiest ice creams to date. After a good chill in the refrigerator it is churned in the ice cream maker. Done!

Whoa, can I just say buzz! This flavor was strong, delicious, and melted in your mouth. It was like eating your morning coffee in a bowl. Definite hit, and because of the ease-of-preparation factor, it deserves one of the highest ratings. My teenage daughter, who by the way is NOT a coffee lover, thought this was one incredible flavor that should be packaged and sold (if only this was my recipe). This will go into my top 5 ice creams I have made this year for sure.
So, if you are one of those coffee addicts as well, don't wait, and make this ice cream as soon as possible, and thank me later ;o)

Vietnamese Coffee Ice Cream
(adapted from "The Perfect Scoop")
(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups brewed espresso or very strongly brewed coffee
1/2 cup half-and-half
Big pinch of finely ground dark roast coffee

Preparation:

Whisk together the condensed milk, espresso, half-and-half, and ground coffee. Chill the mixture thoroughly, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.