Snow Ice Cream

Dawn's Snow Ice Cream

Ingredients:8 to 10 packed cups freshly fallen snow (avoid the yellow stuff!)
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 or 2 handfuls mini chocolate chips (optional)

OR Peppermint extract mixed with a tiny bit of cocoa powder...yum.

Directions:
If you know in advance that it’s going to snow, place a clean container outside to collect the snow. If the snow is already on the ground, just find a clean area and scoop some up. Place 8 cups of the snow in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the sweetened condensed milk and extract, then check the consistency. If it’s too mushy, add some more snow. When you’ve got it just right, stir in the chocolate chips. Spoon into cones or serving bowls and enjoy immediately.

This ice cream won’t freeze well. You’ll end up with a brick. So plan to make it just in time to enjoy!

Makes about 6 to 8 servings.

This recipe shown is a "shortcut" recipe and not a very good one at that. If you've ever had real Snow Cream, you would notice the difference at first bite.

I use my grandmother's recipe, which she got from her mother. My grandmother passed away last year just shy of her 101st birthday. It's the real deal and tried and true!

Shelley's Snow Cream

1 egg, slightly beaten
1 - 2 teaspoons vanilla
3 - 4 cups milk
Sugar to taste (about 2 cups)
A dash of salt
1 large bowl of fresh, clean, powdery snow (not crusty or packed)

Pour milk and beaten egg into a saucepan and heat on low, stirring constantly. Do not allow to boil. When the mix begins to form tiny bubbles, slowly add the vanilla and then the sugar, all the while stirring the mixture. Turn off heat and allow to cool a bit. Gather fresh snow and divide into individual dishes. Carefully pour the milk mixture over the snow, stirring until you get the consistency you want. Add more snow or milk mixture, if needed. Refrigerate leftover milk mixture.

Chocolate Decadence Cake

I will make this cake again! I discovered it searching easy decadent gourmet chocolate cakes to make for a friend's birthday who wanted chocolate.  Described as “The perfect, fudgy chocolate cake recipe” and originally from the Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé book I decided to give it a try.

Chocolate Decadence Cake

Ingredients:


8 3/4 oz. bittersweet chocolate finely chopped
(she used Valrhona, 71%, I used Lindt 80%)
2 1/4 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs at room temperature
1/2 cup plus 1 Tb. all-purpose flour


Preheat oven to 350F. Butter a 9 inch cake pan, line the bottom with parchment, butter the parchment and flour the pan or I used a 9x3 spring form pan with baking spray.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, set it aside to cool. It should be just warm when you mix it in with the rest of the ingredients.

Beat the butter and sugar in a mixer with the paddle attachment for about 4 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating between each egg for about one minute.

With the mixer still running (not too high), add the chocolate and beat until just incorporated.

Again with the mixer still running (not too high), add the flour and beat until just incorporated. Finish mixing the ingredients with a rubber spatula, being sure all the flour has been incorporated into the batter.

Fill the cake pan and bake for about 28 minutes or so. When you take the cake out, the middle will look like it's not yet cooked. That is normal. A knife inserted in the center will come out with some batter on it. That too is normal. You don't want to over-bake the cake.

Cool on a wire rack. When the cake is at room temperature, place the cake in the refrigerator for an hour or two, this makes it easier to remove from pan. I did this, but with a spring-form pan it’s easier.

Un hinge the spring-form and place cake onto a wire rack and then invert onto a serving platter.

It said this cake is fabulous with whipped cream or ice cream, so I spread Jello’s white chocolate instant pudding made with whipping cream instead of milk over the top.  Then I simply decorated with fresh raspberries marking the 8 portions then drizzled a black raspberry vanilla syrup my husband previously made over it when plating it to serve.

The cake can be kept wrapped at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 3 - 4 days, or frozen for up to a month.

Quinoa has quite a bit of protein

Sunday, we tried quinoa for the first time with great success as our dinner guests liked it.  It is tasty and so full of protein and fiber.  Here's a 5 star recipe from allcooks for the quinoa salad we served for the vegetarian option in our roast beef Sunday dinner.   Just click on the title for the link where you'll find a photo. 

Quinoa Veggie Salad with Zesty Vinaigrette

Ingredients

• 4 cups quinoa
• 4 cups water
•  
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 cup canola oil
•  
• 2 cucumbers, peeled and chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 (15 ounce) can black olives, chopped

Directions

1. Bring the quinoa and water to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender and the water has been absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes. Scrape the cooked quinoa into a large bowl and refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.
2. Place the vinegar, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and mustard into a blender. Drizzle in the oil while blending at high speed until the dressing is thick.
3. Add the cucumbers, bell pepper, red onion, tomato, and olives to the bowl with the quinoa. Pour the dressing overtop and gently fold until evenly mixed.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 215 | Total Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 0mg

Father's Day included prime rib, strawberry salad, key lime pie

When I was asking some friends for a new salad recipe, K recommended this strawberry salad everyone enjoyed when she served it at Easter, so I took it to Father's Day dinner at B&D's with a similar result.  You add strawberry jam to the dressing and strawberries to the salad.  We love strawberries and I learned to add fruit to a green salad from K! 

I thrill to find my Mother's handwritten menus of dinner parties so I'll include D's menu with the recipe below. This strawberry salad is pictured in the back left corner in the wooden bowl my Mother loved to serve salad in.


D's Father's Day Menu
prime rib w/ horseradish
mashed potatoes w/ gravy
corn
jello salad
green salad

fresh fruit:
cherries, grapes, strawberries
pineapple, honeydew and cantaloupe
Drinks: 
cucumber water
raspberry lemonade
Desserts:
chocolate pie
pineapple pie
*key lime pie

Here's a link to * Paula Deen's key lime pie recipe! Once you get there just scroll down to see the recipe and comments.  D used chopped pecans in the crust and grated white chocolate on top.

Strawberry Salad
Lion House Cookbook


Dressing:
2 T red wine vinegar
3 T sugar
1/2 c canola oil
1/2 t dry mustard
1/2 t salt
1/2 c strawberry jam
Mix and let sit in refrigerator to let flavors blend.


Salad:
1 head of red leaf lettuce
1 pkg of spinach
1/2 c red bell pepper chopped
1 purple onion sliced
Mix these vegetable salad ingredients together.  

Then prepare the remaining ingredients but wait to add them 

along with the dressing until right before serving,
so they don't become soft or soggy.
1 c strawberries sliced
1 c cashew pieces
1/3 c bacon pieces
1/2 pkg wonton skins (cut in 1/2 (strips) and fried)

Cowboy Cookies

Our daughter stayed up last night to make these for class.  I decided to make a batch for a group of boys who were coming over after school today. I haven't made these in forever. Now I'll have this recipe handy online as well. My sister-in-law's sister gave me this recipe a few years ago.

Cowboy Cookies
1 c butter
1 c brown sugar
1 c white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
dash salt
2 c flour
2 c oatmeal
2 c chocolate chips
nuts if desired

Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs. Add vanilla, baking soda, and baking powder and salt. Stir in flour, oatmeal, chocolate chips and nuts.

Drop by spoonful onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes.