My ice cream maker is working overtime - next up was this tropical watermelon sorbet from Giada deLaurentis. Fruity, cold, and refreshing. So easy, too! Once you freeze it, it isn't very scoopable - more like a snow cone texture. (Snow cones - another one of my summer favorites!).
We hosted a game night this week, which I thought was the perfect excuse to make ice cream. First up was this tart and tangy blackberry-lime sorbet from my usual source, The Perfect Scoop. I followed the recipe as is, but I skipped the straining step out of laziness. (The seeds weren't totally offensive, but Robert requested I strain it next time). Also, it needed a few minutes at room temperature before it was scoopable. This sorbet is refreshing and delicious!! Ingredients:
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
4 cups blackberries, fresh or frozen
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 7-8 limes)
Directions:
In a small saucepan, bring the sugar and water to a boil, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
Puree the blackberries in a blender or food processor with the sugar syrup. Press the mixture through a large mesh sieve to remove the seeds, then stir the lime juice into the sweetened puree.
Chill the mixture thoroughly, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
We made banana bread cobbler a few weeks ago at the lake, and it was a big hit! This was Robert's perfect dessert because he isn't as much of a chocolate fan as the rest of us. It's easy to make, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream makes it extra-special!
My latest batch of homemade ice cream was Paula Deen's recipe for peach ice cream. I love peach season, and this recipe is creamy and delicious! I love the flavor of the brown sugar instead of regular granulated sugar. My only comment is that we don't taste a difference in recipes that call for a custard base vs. an (egg-free) milk and cream mixture where the machine does all the work, so I'm not sure the extra steps are worth the trouble.
Dinner tonight was steak and grilled pineapple spears with lime and honey. We seasoned the steak and grilled it outside, then cooked the pineapple inside on a grill pan. The fruit is a great tart and sweet combination, and the perfect side dish next to a big chunk of meat!
Between the holidays, Robert's business trip, and an unsuccessful recipe not worth posting about, I haven't had anything to share lately. I realized I didn't post about Lucy's birthday though, so I'm doing that now. We had her party on Christmas Eve morning so it was a brunch menu. Two of my favorite recipes were the Basil-Lime Fruit Salad, and instead of birthday cake, dessert was Monkey Bread Minis. Robert is allergic to strawberries, so I substituted red grapes in the fruit salad. Also, the web version of the monkey bread recipe doesn't have the glaze instructions, so I've added them here. The magazine called this step "optional", but who doesn't want extra sugar on top?!
