Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream

So, I don’t want to jinx things but it seems like maybe, just maybe, spring weather is finally arriving around here (despite the fact that it snowed a bit earlier this week). It’s been in the sixties the past few days and forecasted for the 70s next week. Can’t complain about that! Hopefully, it just stays this way and the heat doesn’t come and slap us across the face right away.

But in case it does, I have this ice cream in my arsenal to help cool us off. And now you all do too!

Joel’s favorite ice cream is cookie dough and I have made it for him several times (please forgive me for the pictures, it was in my early days). But when I saw this, I knew it was all over. Why just make plain old vanilla ice cream and add cookie dough when you could make cookie dough flavored ice cream with cookie dough chunks mixed in. And so much cookie dough that it is literally bursting full and difficult to mix in. Now that’s what Joel’s dreams are made of…brown sugar, browned butter, chocolate chip-y goodness.

Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream
recipe from Annie’s Eats

For the cookie dough:
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

For the ice cream:
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
4 large egg yolks
Pinch of coarse salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 cup mini chocolate chips

1. For the cookie dough: stir together the butter, salt and brown sugar in a small bowl. Once combined, mix in the flour, vanilla and chocolate chips. Spread the dough out onto a piece of saran wrap and tightly cover. Refrigerate for at least an hour.

2. For the ice cream, melt the butter over medium high heat. Stir constantly and continue cooking until the butter begins to brown and smell nutty. Whisk in the heavy cream and bring to a simmer. While waiting for the cream to simmer, whisk together the egg yolks and brown sugar until thickened and pale. Slowly stream in a bit of the warm cream into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Once combined, stir in the rest of the cream then pour it back into the pan. Stir in the salt then cook until thickened and the mixture reaches 170-175 degrees F. Remove the mixture from the heat and pour through a fine mesh sieve into a large, clean mixing bowl. Stir in the vanilla and milk. Cover, place in the refrigerator and chill for at least a few hours.

3. Once chilled, freeze your ice cream according to your manufacturers instructions. Meanwhile, cut the cookie dough into small, bite-size chunks. During the last five minutes of freezing, slowly add in the cookie dough and chocolate chips so that they can mix in thoroughly. If your ice cream maker doesn’t allow this, wait until the freezing is done then quickly mix in the dough and chocolate chips. Freeze until firm or enjoy immediately.

Spring Sangria

Looking for the perfect cocktail to serve at all your spring and summer barbeques? Well, I’m sharing it with you today! While I can’t report on the full tastiness of this because of that big news I told you on Friday I can say I sampled it before the wine was added and it was so yummy. I can only imagine how much more tasty it was with the Moscato.

But, don’t worry, I got the full report from the peeps I made it for and I totally trust their opinions! It was light, refreshing, citrusy, bubbly and (a bit to Joel’s disappointment) not very boozy. It’s a wine cocktail for goodness sakes, it’s just supposed to taste good. That’s what I think at least. I personally really don’t like the taste of any kind of alcohol and would almost always opt for a cherry coke over a cocktail. I’m not a big wine fan (and now you are wondering why I’m writing about wine) but if I am going to drink it, I like the fruity, bubbly, juice tasting variety. So, I know I would have liked the spiked version of this.

It was just amazingly refreshing and will be especially perfect once the hot, humid weather strikes! I can’t wait to be able to try the full version of this.

Spring Sangria
recipe from Eat, Drink, Love

1 (750 mL) fruity white wine (I used Moscato)
3 cups lemon lime soda
2 cups pineapple juice
1/2 cup orange juice
Sliced lemons, limes and oranges
Sugar, optional

1. In a large pitcher, stir together the wine, lemon lime soda, pineapple juice and the orange juice. Then gently stir in the slices of fruit.

2. Place the sangria in the refrigerator for about 2 hours and serve. This is something you don’t want to make ahead of time because of the fruit. If you do need to make this more than two hours in advance, mix all the liquid ingredients together and chill. Then right before serving, add the sliced fruit.

3. If you want to pretty up the rims of your glasses, dip them lightly in water then in a shallow dish filled with sugar. Then fill ‘em up and enjoy!

Cucumber Tomato Salad

So, I know I have already shared a couple cucumber salad recipes with you all (here and here) but Noah and I are big cucumber fans and we go through quite a few every week. Because of this, we are always looking for new ways to eat them and this is our current favorite. My mom whipped this up one night when we were over for dinner and it was amazing and so simple.

And the ingredients are ones I almost always have on hand. I don’t think I have to tell you how much I love those kinds of recipes!

The recipe recommends making this two hours before you are going to serve it but it is soo much better the next day so if you have the time, mix it up the night before so that it has time to marinate and soak up the delicious dressing.

This is going to be my official summer side dish. Delish!

Cucumber Tomato Salad

3 English cucumbers, washed and thinly sliced
3 medium tomatoes, washed and diced into bite size chunks
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup vinegar (I used plain ‘ole white but red wine vinegar would be really tasty too)
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/4 cup oil (veggie or canola)
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. course ground pepper

Place cucumbers, tomatoes and onions in a medium sized bowl. Add vinegar, sugar, water, oil, salt and pepper to a mason jar or some container with a tight seal. Shake until thoroughly combined. Pour over veggies and stir to combine. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours (preferably overnight) before serving.

A Little Cupcake

I don’t have a recipe to share with you all today but instead, some very exciting news! See.

We are expecting a sweet little cupcake on October 8th! But if he or she is anything like their brother, it will be more like mid-September.

This pregnancy has been a lot different from my first. With Noah I was a little tired but that was all. No morning sickness, no vomiting, no aches and pains, no heightened sense of smell…nothing. I can’t say the same this time around. I was nauseous most my first trimester but luckily had a few days of reprieve every once and awhile. So that’s why I haven’t been bringing you as much deliciousness as I normally do. Cooking hasn’t been happening all that much around here. It’s amazing what you can make of leftovers or random stuff in the fridge when you are really desperate and just the thought of smelling anything makes your stomach turn. I only got sick a few times so I’ve been lucky in that sense. I also turned into an old lady and napped while Noah did then I went to bed around 9. It made me a lot more pleasant to be around the next day, trust me.

Luckily, I have been feeling much better the last couple weeks and am back to my regular ‘ole self in the kitchen. So hopefully, I will be back to my regular programming of 3 recipes a week soon.

We decided that this time around we are not going to find out the gender. We found out with Noah because I am a crazy person that has to be totally and utterly prepared or else I freak just a tad. But we thought since we kind of know what we are in for this time around it would be fun to be surprised. Ok, let’s be honest….Joel had to talk me into it. I have several friends that have never found out the gender and they all say it’s the best surprise and one of the only ones left these days. Plus, it will give me motivation during labor.

In between the spells of nausea (in the first trimester) I’ve been craving fruity candy (jelly beans, sour gummy worms, orange slices) and cheesecake. I may have indulged a bit in the candy but have yet to enjoy cheesecake. I have to admit, I love those stupid Jello No Bake cheesecake mixes in the baking aisle and it has taken all of my will power to resist buying one and eating it all by myself. Judge all you want, they are delicious. I’m happy to report that the cravings are pretty much gone too so that will help in the weight gain department!

Well, that’s all I’ve got for now. I will bring you updates throughout my pregnancy and maybe some bump pictures too.

No-Knead Crusty Artisan Bread

Did I have you at no-knead? Well, if I didn’t keep reading because I will have even more perks that will totally convince you to whip up this simple bread right away.

This bread dough literally comes together in less than 5 minutes because of the use of instant yeast which doesn’t have to set in warm water to activate. All you do is throw the ingredients in your mixer or in a mix bowl and stir it up. Then you are done. For reals. Well, besides the rising time. But that can be done in the fridge if you have to head to work or bed.

Another amazing perk? This recipe makes enough for 3 or 4 loaves and the dough can be refrigerated for up to a week. That means fresh bread every few days with only a few minutes of work! I whipped this up on Saturday and so far we have had fresh bread Saturday and last night. I’m holding off on the last bit for Saturday to see how tangy the dough gets after refrigerating for 7 days.

If you can’t use up all the dough with the week, it can be frozen too! Just thaw it out and then bake as directed below.

Have I convinced you yet? I sure hope so because this bread is amazing and incredibly easy!

No-Knead Crusty Artisan Bread
recipe from King Arthur Flour via Cogs and Cupcakes
yields 3-4 loaves

3 cups lukewarm water (about 105 degrees F)
6 1/2 to 7 1/2 unbleached all-purpose or bread flour
1 tablespoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons instant yeast

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl, a large (6-quart), food-safe plastic bucket or a stand mixer.

2. Mix and stir everything together to make a very sticky, rough dough. If you have a stand mixer, beat at medium speed with the beater blade for 30 to 60 seconds. If you don’t have a mixer, just stir with a big spoon or dough whisk till everything is combined.

3. Next, you’re going to let the dough rise. If you’ve made the dough in a plastic ice cream bucket, you’re all set — just let it stay there, covering the bucket with a lid or plastic wrap; a shower cap actually works well here. If you’ve made the dough in a bowl that’s not at least 6-quart capacity, transfer it to a large bowl; it’s going to rise a lot. There’s no need to grease the bowl, though you can if you like; it makes it a bit easier to get the dough out when it’s time to bake bread (I sprayed mine with non-stick spray).

4. Cover the bowl or bucket, and let the dough rise at room temperature for 2 hours. (If you’re pressed for time, skip the room-temperature rise, and stick it right into the fridge). Then refrigerate it for at least 2 hours, or for up to about 7 days. The longer you keep it in the fridge, the tangier it’ll get; if you chill it for 7 days, it will taste like sourdough. Over the course of the first day or so, it’ll rise, then fall. That’s OK; that’s what it’s supposed to do.

5. When you’re ready to make bread, sprinkle the top of the dough with flour; this will make it easier to grab a hunk. Grease your hands, and pull off about 1/4 to 1/3 of the dough — a 14-ounce to 19-ounce piece, if you have a scale. It’ll be about the size of a softball, or a large grapefruit.

6. Plop the sticky dough onto a floured work surface, and round it into a ball, or a longer log. Don’t fuss around trying to make it perfect; just do the best you can.

7. Place the dough on a piece of parchment (if you’re going to use a baking stone); or onto a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Sift a light coating of flour over the top; this will help keep the dough moist as it rests before baking.

8. Let the dough rise for about 45 to 60 minutes. It won’t appear to rise upwards that much; rather, it’ll seem to settle and expand. Preheat your oven (and baking stone, if you’re using one) to 450°F while the dough rests. Place a shallow metal or cast iron pan (not glass, Pyrex, or ceramic) on the lowest oven rack, and have 1 cup of hot water ready to go.

9. When you’re ready to bake, take a sharp knife and slash the bread 2 or 3 times, making a cut about 1/2″ deep. The bread may deflate a bit; that’s OK, it’ll pick right up in the hot oven.

10. Place the bread in the oven, and carefully pour the 1 cup hot water into the shallow pan on the rack beneath. It’ll bubble and steam; close the oven door quickly.

11. Bake the bread for 25 to 35 minutes, until it’s a deep, golden brown.

12. Remove the bread from the oven, and cool it on a rack. Store leftover bread in a plastic bag at room temperature.

5 Cheese Pasta Bake

My dad doesn’t like cheese. Seriously, it’s lucky I love him because otherwise he would have to be disowned. Who doesn’t like cheese? I truly don’t understand what would cause such a thing? I totally get people not liking blue cheese or gorgonzola. Those are strong cheeses and a bit too much sometimes. But cheddar, mozzarella, gouda….I can’t fathom a life without them! Cheese is pretty much it’s own food group in our house. So when I saw this recipe, I knew it would have to grace our table.

This was a great weeknight meal as it was easy to throw together and has a quick cooking time. The boys loved it because, well, there are five cheeses. That was a no-brainer for them. I thought it was yummy and cheesy but it lacked a bit of flavor for me. Next time I would definitely switch out the swiss or provolone for sharp cheddar for a bit more of punch (they aren’t my favorite cheeses anyway so I wouldn’t miss them). I also think some cayenne would be nice if you don’t have a bunch of wimps in your house like I do.

It’s definitely a calorie-buster but would be worth it when you are craving some warm, cheesy, ooey-gooey pasta.

5 Cheese Pasta Bake
recipe from allrecipes

1 pkg. (16 oz) elbow noodles or other small pasta
1 cup mozzarella, shredded
1 cup swiss, shredded
1 cup Parmesan, shredded
1 cup provolone, shredded
1/2 cup ricotta (I used part-skim)
1/2 cup sour cream (I used light)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add macaroni, and cook until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain.

2. In a large bowl, toss together the mozzarella cheese, Swiss cheese, Parmesan cheese and Provolone cheese. Remove about 1/2 cup for topping and set aside. In a separate bowl, stir together the ricotta cheese, sour cream and heavy cream. Season with parsley, Italian seasoning, pepper and garlic salt.

3. Pour the ricotta cheese mixture and drained macaroni into the bowl with the cheeses and toss lightly. Do not mix too thoroughly, it’s better left messy. Pour into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the reserved cheese over the top.

4. Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted, about 10 minutes, then turn the oven to broil. Broil for 3-5 minutes to brown the top (keep a close eye so it doesn’t burn).

Banana Biscoff Muffins

I haven’t posted a muffin recipe in almost 3 months…say what? I think that may be a new record for me. We always seem to have tons of bananas sitting around so I love using them up in banana bread and of course, muffins!

This recipe immediately grabbed my attention because of the use of biscoff spread. If you have never tried this, you must run out and get some right away. It consists of ground up cookies with other ingredients that we don’t want to talk about to make a creamy or crunchy spread that tastes absolutely amazing. I may or may not have eaten it straight out of the jar…. Maybe we shouldn’t talk about it anymore.

I changed this from a loaf to muffins because I was running short on time and didn’t have an hour to bake. Sometimes I have a hard time finding crunchy biscoff spread so you can use the creamy version but the crunchy is sooo much better in my opinion.

The banana and cinnamon-y cookie combination is simply delicious and makes for the perfect quick breakfast or snack on the go!

Banana Biscoff Muffins
recipe from Sugar Plum Blog

1 cup mashed ripe banana
3/4 cup Crunchy Biscoff
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
Banana chips, for garnish (optional)

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Coat muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray or line them with paper muffin wrappers.

2. In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together banana, biscoff, sugar and eggs until well combined and doubled in volume – about 3 minutes.  Beat in baking powder, baking soda, salt and vanilla until combined.  Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour until just combined.  Place batter into tins; top with banana chips.  Bake 15-20 minutes or until deep golden brown, well risen, and a toothpick inserted into muffins comes out with moist crumbs attached.  Cool on a wire rack before inhaling.