The post Strawberry Ice Cream Sandwiches appeared first on Florida Girl Cooks.
]]>
Strawberry Ice Cream Sandwiches
Summer is finally here and ice cream recipes, like this one for Strawberry Ice Cream Sandwiches, will overfloweth from this food blog. If you’re just now jumping onto Florida Girl Cooks you’ll need to be properly warned about my obsession with ice cream. It’s a problem, I may need an intervention of sorts, but I will refuse. Haha! My love of ice cream came from my dad. Daily dessert tradition for us after dinner every evening involved my dad taking a tub of Breyer’s Vanilla Bean Ice Cream out of the fridge. From here I would add Chocolate Quik Powder. I know this sounds bizzare, but my saying to that is, don’t knock it until you try it. I have turned my sons onto this combination and they LOVE it. My dad passed away this past October and undoubtedly, everytime I sit down to enjoy ice cream with my sons he comes to mind instantly. This blog post is dedicated to my dad, whom I miss dearly.
The Scoop
Here’s the scoop on on what Florida Girl Cooks has churned in the ice cream world in past posts.
Bourbon Fig Butter and Vanilla Ice Cream
Did this list leave you curious for more? Are the strawberry ice cream sandwiches just whetting your palate? What recipes or flavors would you like to see featured? Comment below and I’ll see to it that I incorporate your suggestions! Thanks for reading!
Strawberry Ice Cream
Ingredients
2 cups strawberries
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
2 tbsp Cointreau, optional
2 cups half & half
1/4 cup light corn syrup
salt, to taste
fresh lemon juice
Prepare
1. Wash, hull, and quarter 1 cup of strawberries. Slice the quarters very thinly. Place in a mixing bowl and pour 1/2 cup of the sugar and the liquor over the berries. Mix, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, and as long as 2 days.
2. Wash, hull, and slice the remaining berries, and purée in a blender until very smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer to remove the seeds, then measure out 1 1/2 cups of the strained purée. Reserve any extra for another use.
3. Whisk in the 1 1/2 cups of purée, half & half, and corn syrup, whisking until fully combined. Add salt to taste and, if the mixture is too sweet, a few drops of fresh lemon juice.
4. Chill the base until very cold, then freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. In the last minute of churning, retrieve the sliced strawberries from the refrigerator, drain the liquid, and add to the ice cream for the final few turns.
5. Transfer the ice cream to a covered container and freeze for 2 to 3 hours before serving.
Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
1/3 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup supermarket-style smooth peanut butter
1 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Prepare
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.
2. Beat together the shortening, sugars, egg, vanilla, and peanut butter until smooth.
3. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt to the peanut-butter mixture, beating gently until everything is well combined. It may take awhile for this rather dry dough to come together; and when it does, it’ll be quite stiff. Only if necessary, drizzle in enough water to make the dough cohesive.
4. Drop the cookie dough by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets (a tablespoon cookie scoop works well here), leaving 2″ between them.
5. Use a fork to flatten each cookie to about 1/2″ thick, making a cross-hatch design.
6. Bake the cookies for 12 to 16 minutes, until they’re barely beginning to brown around the edges; the tops won’t have browned. Remove them from the oven, and cool on a rack.
Yield: about 2 dozen cookies.
- Strawberry Ice Cream
- 2 cups strawberries
- 1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
- 1/4 cup 80-proof liquor, such as vodka or Cointreau
- 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 2 cups half & half
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
- salt, to taste
- fresh lemon juice
- Almond Butter Cookies
- 1/3 cup vegetable shortening
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup supermarket-style smooth peanut butter
- 1 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Strawberry Ice Cream
- Wash, hull, and quarter 1 cup of strawberries. Slice the quarters very thinly. Place in a mixing bowl and pour 1/2 cup of the sugar and the liquor over the berries. Mix, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, and as long as 2 days.
- Wash, hull, and slice the remaining berries, and purée in a blender until very smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer to remove the seeds, then measure out 1 1/2 cups of the strained purée. Reserve any extra for another use.
- Whisk in the 1 1/2 cups of purée, half & half, and corn syrup, whisking until fully combined. Add salt to taste and, if the mixture is too sweet, a few drops of fresh lemon juice.
- Chill the base until very cold, then freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. In the last minute of churning, retrieve the sliced strawberries from the refrigerator, drain the liquid, and add to the ice cream for the final few turns.
- Transfer the ice cream to a covered container and freeze for 2 to 3 hours before serving.
- Almond Butter Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.
- Beat together the shortening, sugars, egg, vanilla, and peanut butter until smooth.
- Add the flour, baking soda, and salt to the peanut-butter mixture, beating gently until everything is well combined. It may take awhile for this rather dry dough to come together; and when it does, it'll be quite stiff. Only if necessary, drizzle in enough water to make the dough cohesive.
- Drop the cookie dough by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets (a tablespoon cookie scoop works well here), leaving 2" between them.
- Use a fork to flatten each cookie to about 1/2" thick, making a cross-hatch design.
- Bake the cookies for 12 to 16 minutes, until they're barely beginning to brown around the edges; the tops won't have browned. Remove them from the oven, and cool on a rack.
The post Strawberry Ice Cream Sandwiches appeared first on Florida Girl Cooks.
]]>The post ICE CREAM DINNER PARTY appeared first on Florida Girl Cooks.
]]>When she presented this idea of an ice cream dinner party I knew it was something that had to be done before the close of this summer. This, the menu for the ice cream party, is something to make children…and adults drool, incessantly. We all ate to our heart’s content…well more accurately I should say, the adults out-ate the children. It coincided perfectly with our children going back to school and was a nice culmination of our summer and celebration and well-wishes for their going back to school. We pray many blessings for our children, that they may have a successful school year and may the homework load be tolerable for us, the parents. Ha! Ha!
Ice Cream Dinner Party Menu and Recipes:
Photo by: Michelle Lara, Cupcakes, Cocktails, & Kids
Dulce de Leche with Banana Nut Sauce
Photo by: Michelle Lara, Cupcakes, Cocktails, & Kids
Photo by: Michelle Lara, Cupcakes, Cocktails, & Kids
Magic Chocolate Shell
Here are some more pictures from the ice cream dinner party, and our little taste-testers.
The post ICE CREAM DINNER PARTY appeared first on Florida Girl Cooks.
]]>The post PIÑA COLADA ICE CREAM appeared first on Florida Girl Cooks.
]]>Piña Colada Ice Cream
Ingredients
4 cups heavy cream
1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 cups Mr. & Mrs. T’s Piña Colada Mix
3/4 cup pineapple chunks, plus additional for topping
1/3 tsp coconut shreds for topping
1 tbsp Malibu Coconut Rum (optional)
Prepare
1. Heat heavy cream and sugar in a small sauce pan until all sugar has dissolved.
2. Place cream mixture in fridge and allow to cool for an hour.
3. Once cream has cooled place in blender along with Piña Colada mix, pineapple chunks, and Malibu Coconut Rum if using. Blend to desired consistency. I blended mine for a few second to leave behind some smaller, bite sized pineapple chunks.
4. Place mix into ice cream machine and set to make according to manufacturer’s instructions.
5. Serve with coconut shreds, additional pineapple chunks, and a sunny little drink umbrella, if desired. Enjoy!
- 4 cups heavy cream
- 1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 cups Mr. & Mrs. T's Piña Colada Mix
- 3/4 cup pineapple chunks, plus additional for topping
- 1/3 tsp coconut shreds for topping
- 1 tbsp Malibu Coconut Rum (optional)
- Heat heavy cream and sugar in a small sauce pan until all sugar has dissolved.
- Place cream mixture in fridge and allow to cool for an hour.
- Once cream has cooled place in blender along with Piña Colada mix, pineapple chunks, and Malibu Coconut Rum if using. Blend to desired consistency. I blended mine for a few second to leave behind some smaller, bite sized pineapple chunks.
- Place mix into ice cream machine and set to make according to manufacturer's instructions.
- Serve with coconut shreds, additional pineapple chunks, and a sunny little drink umbrella, if desired. Enjoy!
The post PIÑA COLADA ICE CREAM appeared first on Florida Girl Cooks.
]]>The post GRILLED SALMON WITH SMOKED TOMATO VINAIGRETTE appeared first on Florida Girl Cooks.
]]>So after this experience salmon wins and let’s just say that my small Foreman grill has been demoted and the Le Creuset skinny grill now takes it’s place in the kitchen.
Now moving on to what can be the more intricate part of creating this dish let’s talk about smoking the tomatoes. In class they introduced a poacher, which tends to be primarily used for cooking/smoking fish. They filled a thin layer of applewood chips at the bottom of the poacher, placed the metal tray with holes next, and placed the tomatoes on top. The holes allow the applewood chips to breathe through, thus smoking the tomatoes. Being that I have a possibly near kitchen tool hoarding problem I opted out of buying a poacher and decided to make my own. I took a large skillet, lined the bottom with a round piece aluminum foil and placed the applewood chips on top. I did this first step to avoid staining my skillet with the burnt applewood chips. From here I created a similar round piece of aluminum foil except I gently poked holes into it to mimic the inner tray of the poacher from class. I turned up the heat, placed the tomatoes on top, covered the skillet with a lid, and let the process of smoking begin. Voila! It came out just like the tomatoes we made in class. Discard the apple wood chips when you’re done. See my pictures below for an example of the wood-chips set-up. The rest is history! Well, at least it’s in the directions below so please consult with those…haha! 
Fire up your grill one last time and enjoy this savory grilled salmon with smoked tomato vinaigrette before summer comes to a close!
Grilled Salmon with Smoked Tomato Vinaigrette
Ingredients
Vinaigrette
Applewood Chips (not for consumption)
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp chopped thyme leaves
1 tsp light brown sugar
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Salmon
4, 5 oz. salmon fillets, skin on, bones removed
2 tbsp canola oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Prepare
1. Soak applewood chips in a bowl of water for an hour, drain water and set chips aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Set up a poacher with applewood chips underneath tray and heat on medium over two stove burners.
3. Once there is smoke coming from the poacher, place tomatoes inside the poacher and smoke for 10 minutes.
4. In a small mixing bowl, add tomatoes and remaining ingredients, stirring to combine. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper.
5. Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high. Coat grill grates or grill pan with a thin coat of canola oil, using a silicone pastry brush.
6. Brush salmon filets with canola oil and season both sides with salt and pepper.
7. Place salmon filets skin side down and grill for 3 – 4 minutes.
8. Using silicone spatula, carefully flip the filets over and grill to medium, 2 – 3 more minutes.
9. Bake salmon filets in oven for five minutes, remove and serve on four plates and top with smoked tomato and vinaigrette.
- 4, 5 oz. salmon fillets, skin on, bones removed
- 2 tbsp canola oil
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Soak applewood chips in a bowl of water for an hour, drain water and set chips aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Set up a poacher with applewood chips underneath tray and heat on medium over two stove burners.
- Once there is smoke coming from the poacher, place tomatoes inside the poacher and smoke for 10 minutes.
- In a small mixing bowl, add tomatoes and remaining ingredients, stirring to combine. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper.
- Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high. Coat grill grates or grill pan with a thin coat of canola oil, using a silicone pastry brush.
- Brush salmon filets with canola oil and season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Place salmon filets skin side down and grill for 3 - 4 minutes.
- Using silicone spatula, carefully flip the filets over and grill to medium, 2 – 3 more minutes.
- Bake salmon filets in oven for five minutes, remove and serve on four plates and top with smoked tomato and vinaigrette.
The post GRILLED SALMON WITH SMOKED TOMATO VINAIGRETTE appeared first on Florida Girl Cooks.
]]>The post PEACHES AND CREAM ICE CREAM appeared first on Florida Girl Cooks.
]]>Now you’ll note in the ingredients section that I specify to leave the skin on one of the peaches. I wanted the ice cream to have a strong peach flavor and a few specs of the darker flesh color for color sake and for a slight texture variance and it definitely worked. I also pan seared some slices of a 6th peach in honey so it would soak up all that gooey goodness and then sit atop this already unreal ice cream. Enjoy from my kitchen to yours as we put Georgia and it’s wonderful peaches on our minds and in our mouths.
Peaches and Cream Ice Cream
Ingredients
6 large ripe peaches, all pits removed, 4 peeled and 2 with flesh on
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup sugar
4 egg yolks
Prepare
1. Set one flesh-on peach to the side and run the rest of the peaches through a blender or food processor. The fruit has enough liquid to be pureed.
2. Slice one flesh-on peach into 8 slices and drizzle with honey. Pan sear the slices in a small pan, remove, and set aside.
3. Place pureed peaches in a small sauce pan and heat up until just beginning to fizz and bubble.
4. Whisk egg yolks in a small bowl and set aside.
5. Stir in sugar, heavy cream, and buttermilk into the small saucepan with the peaches until warm.
6. Remove from heat and slowly mix in a few tablespoons of the peach/cream mixture into bowl with eggs. Whisk vigorously. Continue to add the cream until completely incorporated.
7. Stir mixture back into saucepan and heat for 4-5 more minutes then remove from heat and place into fridge for 2 hours to cool.
8. Remove from fridge and process the mix into ice cream according to your ice cream machine’s manufacturer instructions.
9. Top ice cream with honey-peach slices and drizzle with additional honey if desired.
Go ahead…lean in a little closer…yes closer. You know you cannot resist!
- 5 large ripe peaches, all pits removed, 4 peeled and 1 with flesh on
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 4 egg yolks
- Set one flesh-on peach to the side and run the rest of the peaches through a blender or food processor. The fruit has enough liquid to be pureed.
- Slice one flesh-on peach into 8 slices and drizzle with honey. Pan sear the slices in a small pan, remove, and set aside.
- Place pureed peaches in a small sauce pan and heat up until just beginning to fizz and bubble.
- Whisk egg yolks in a small bowl and set aside.
- Stir in sugar, heavy cream, and buttermilk into the small saucepan with the peaches until warm.
- Remove from heat and slowly mix in a few tablespoons of the peach/cream mixture into bowl with eggs. Whisk vigorously. Continue to add the cream until completely incorporated.
- Stir mixture back into saucepan and heat for 4-5 more minutes then remove from heat and place into fridge for 2 hours to cool.
- Remove from fridge and process the mix into ice cream according to your ice cream machine's manufacturer instructions.
- Top ice cream with honey-peach slices and drizzle with additional honey if desired.
The post PEACHES AND CREAM ICE CREAM appeared first on Florida Girl Cooks.
]]>The post GRILLED PEACHES WITH SPINACH AND PROSCIUTTO appeared first on Florida Girl Cooks.
]]>If you are planning on going in South Florida/West Palm Beach area just know that the Palm Beach Gardens Sur La Table does not have cooking classes available. If you sign up at the Boca, Mizner Park location make it a point to take any of Chef Tom Deni’s classes. He’s extremely thorough, friendly and his courteous staff makes the experience fun and easy to follow and enjoy. You may also take your own wine as there is no corking fee and wine glasses are also provided for your use during the class.
Grilled Peaches with Spinach and Prosciutto
Ingredients
Honey for brushing
2 firm but ripe peaches, pitted, thick sliced (8 slices per peach)
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
4 cups spinach or watercress, washed and stemmed
Himalayan salt
8 thin sliced of prosciutto
2 tbsp aged balsamic vinegar
Prepare
1. Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Pour honey onto a flat plate and lightly brush the peach slices with the honey.
2. Place peach slices on grill and allow to cook for about 4 minutes, turn them over and then grill for 3 more minutes. Remove from grill and transfer to plate.
3. In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice until combined. Place watercress into a medium bowl and toss with enough dressing to lightly coat the leaves. 4. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
5. Divide spinach/watercress between 4 salad bowls, arrange the peaches, pancetta and arugula over the top and drizzle balsamic over each one.
- Honey for brushing
- 2 firm but ripe peaches, pitted, thick sliced (8 slices per peach)
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 4 cups spinach or watercress, washed and stemmed
- Himalayan salt
- 8 thin sliced of prosciutto
- 2 tbsp aged balsamic vinegar
- Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Pour honey onto a flat plate and lightly brush the peach slices with the honey.
- Place peach slices on grill and allow to cook for about 4 minutes, turn them over and then grill for 3 more minutes. Remove from grill and transfer to plate.
- In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice until combined. Place watercress into a medium bowl and toss with enough dressing to lightly coat the leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Divide spinach/watercress between 4 salad bowls, arrange the peaches, pancetta and arugula over the top and drizzle balsamic over each one.
The post GRILLED PEACHES WITH SPINACH AND PROSCIUTTO appeared first on Florida Girl Cooks.
]]>The post REVERSE CAFE CON LECHE appeared first on Florida Girl Cooks.
]]>Reverse Cafe Con Leche
Ingredients
10 oz. brewed coffee of choice (Bustello was used for these)
16 oz. milk
2 tbsp sugar in the raw
Prepare
1. Brew your coffee of choice.
2. Pour coffee into silicone ice cube trays and freeze overnight.
3. Pop out the cubes, distribute evenly into four tall drinking glasses.
4. Pour in milk in each glass.
5. Stir in sugar, until dissolved.
6. Refresh and re-energize simultaneously!
- 10 oz. brewed coffee of choice (Bustello was used for these)
- 16 oz. milk
- 4 tbsp sugar in the raw
- Brew your coffee of choice.
- Pour coffee into silicone ice cube trays and freeze overnight.
- Pop out the cubes, distribute evenly into four tall drinking glasses.
- Pour in milk in each glass.
- Stir in 1 tbsp of sugar into each glass, until dissolved.
- Refresh and re-energize simultaneously!
The post REVERSE CAFE CON LECHE appeared first on Florida Girl Cooks.
]]>The post CHOCOLATE SHAKE POPSICLES appeared first on Florida Girl Cooks.
]]>Chocolate Shake Popsicles
Ingredients
1.5 cups milk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
18 Oreo cookies
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Prepare
1. Pour milk it into a small mixing bowl and mix in the sugar and vanilla until the sugar has completely dissolved.
2. Place milk mixture and 8 cookies in a blender and pulse a few times until the cookies are coarsely crushed.
3. Place one Oreo cookie into each popsicle mold and pour a little bit of the mixture into each. This will help weight the Oreo cookie down in place so it doesn’t float to the base of the popsicle when you pour the rest of the milk mixture.
4. Pour the remaining milk mixture into popsicle mold and place a popsicle stick in each. Freeze for 8 or more hours.
5. Unmold the popsicles by running under warm water and place into small freezer bags. Enjoy!
- 1.5 cups milk
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 18 Oreo cookies
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Pour milk it into a small mixing bowl and mix in the sugar and vanilla until the sugar has completely dissolved.
- Place milk mixture and 8 cookies in a blender and pulse a few times until the cookies are coarsely crushed.
- Place one Oreo cookie into each popsicle mold and pour a little bit of the mixture into each. This will help weight the Oreo cookie down in place so it doesn't float to the base of the popsicle when you pour the rest of the milk mixture.
- Pour the remaining milk mixture into popsicle mold and place a popsicle stick in each. Freeze for 8 or more hours.
- Unmold the popsicles by running under warm water and place into small freezer bags. Enjoy!
The post CHOCOLATE SHAKE POPSICLES appeared first on Florida Girl Cooks.
]]>The post BRUSCHETTA FLATBREAD appeared first on Florida Girl Cooks.
]]>
Bruschetta on Flatbread
Ingredients
6 medium organic tomatoes, seeded and membranes removed, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
3 tbsp basil, finely chopped
4 tbsp aged balsamic vinegar
4 tbsp olive oil
sea salt
freshly creaked black pepper
Prepare
1. Chop vegetables and herbs as needed.
2. Place chopped vegetables and herbs in a medium sized mixing bowl and drizzle with the balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
3. Season with the salt and pepper to taste and turn to coat evenly.
4. Serve atop flatbread and drizzle with additional olive oil to taste. Enjoy!
- 6 medium organic tomatoes, seeded and membranes removed, diced
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 3 tbsp basil, finely chopped
- 4 tbsp aged balsamic vinegar
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- sea salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
- 6 medium organic tomatoes, seeded and membranes removed, diced
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 3 tbsp basil, finely chopped
- 4 tbsp aged balsamic vinegar
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- sea salt
- freshly creaked black pepper
- Prepare
- Chop vegetables and herbs as needed.
- Place chopped vegetables and herbs in a medium sized mixing bowl and drizzle with the balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
- Season with the salt and pepper to taste and turn to coat evenly.
- Serve atop flatbread and drizzle with additional olive oil to taste. Enjoy!
The post BRUSCHETTA FLATBREAD appeared first on Florida Girl Cooks.
]]>The post CAMPARI POPSICLES appeared first on Florida Girl Cooks.
]]>
Campari Popsicles
Ingredients
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup water
3 cups fresh orange juice
1 cup Campari
Juice of 1 lemon
Prepare
1. Make the simple syrup b combining the sugar and 2/3 water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Remove from heat and stir to dissolve the sugar. Let cool.
3. In a pitcher, combine the simple syrup, orange juice, Campari, and lemon juice.
4. Pour the mixture into the ice pop molds and add wooden sticks and freeze for at least 8 hours.
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2/3 cup water
- 3 cups fresh orange juice
- 1 cup Campari
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Make the simple syrup b combining the sugar and 2/3 water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Remove from heat and stir to dissolve the sugar. Let cool.
- In a pitcher, combine the simple syrup, orange juice, Campari, and lemon juice.
- Pour the mixture into the ice pop molds and add wooden sticks and freeze for at least 8 hours.
The post CAMPARI POPSICLES appeared first on Florida Girl Cooks.
]]>