Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Summer Fresh Tomato Salad

I love fresh summer produce.  I love stopping at our local produce stands to pick up the best of local produce. There is nothing like a "home-grown" tomato.

Chris doesn't always like "hot" food in the summer so we often have a BLT or Taco Salad, etc.  Tonight we had Air-Fryer Chicken, Roasted Cauliflower and this yummy Summer Tomato Salad.




** If you live in Omaha or the surrounding area, please visit Nelson Produce.  Follow them on Instagram.  They have two produce stands (one on 204th near Dairy Chef and the other one is on I street....but visiting their farm is the best.  You can have lunch and the children or grandchildren can play.  The Nelson Farm is at 10505 North 234th Street in Valley, Nebraska.  I know this Fall will be fun on the farm too!

Summer Fresh Tomato Salad (adapted from Two Peas and their Pod)

2 lbs of a mixture of fresh summer tomatoes - different shapes and colors, cut into chunks
1/4 red onion, cut into very think slices
1-2  Tbsp olive oil
1/2 - 1Tbsp red wine vinegar
8-10 basil leaves, chopped
fresh Mozzerella balls or feta cheese crumbles, optional
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Place chopped tomatoes and onions in a large bow.  Drizzle with olive oil and red wine vinegar and toss gently.  Add cheese if desired and chopped fresh basil (I use kitchen shears) and season with salt and pepper.  You can serve immediately or let the salad sit, tossing occasionally for about 30 minutes allowing the flavors to mingle!

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

3rd flavor of No Churn Ice Cream - Coconut Almond Fudge

YAY - We are loving this No-Churn Ice Cream.  I LOVE coconut and chocolate.  I made the base and then added chopped Mounds bars, toasted slivered almonds and swirled hot fudge.  I thought it was fabulous.  However, the Mounds bars got a little hard and chewy when frozen.  Chris said he would have preferred the coconut ice cream with just toasted coconut and slivered almonds with the swirl fudge.

Give it a try.  Be creative.  I was talking to my friend Barb and she and her family made a No Churn ice cream with chocolate chunks and slivered almonds.  They also made a Cherry Crumble similar to the Blackberry Crumble one I made.  I do have a few other ones I would like to try - maybe Banana Pudding and one involving Toffee and Chocolate.

              I did grab a quick pic just before putting it in the freezer!  Yummo!

Coconut Almond Fudge No-Churn Ice Cream

16 oz whipping cream
14 oz Cream of Coconut (I found in the alcohol section of the grocery store)

Chopped Mounds Candy Bars
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted (reserve a few to sprinkle on top)
1/2 - 1 cup of jarred hot fudge, softened

Using a mixer, beat the whipping cream on high for 8 minutes or so or until a stiff peak is formed when the beater if lifted.  When stiff, fold in the Cream of Coconut until it is very well blended.  Use mixer if needed.

Fold in as many chopped Mounds bars as you would like.... or toasted coconut.  The ice cream is so amazing, leave out the Mounds and toasted coconut and just add 1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds.  Layer half of the mixture in a loaf pan.  Swirl several tablespoons over the ice cream, add the rest of the ice cream and swirl more fudge.  Sprinkle with reserved toasted slivered almonds. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze 8 hours or over night.

Enjoy!  Be creative!

Sunday, July 28, 2019

More No-Churn Ice Cream....Peanut Butter Ice Cream with Butterfinger and Fudge Swirl

Once we made one No Churn Ice Cream, we wouldn't stop thinking about other yummy flavors.  The girls were in town for a wedding and we immediately went for Peanut Butter Ice Cream with Chopped Butterfingers and Fudge Swirl - It was AH-MAZING!  We truly couldn't stay out of it.  I don't think we hardly even scooped it - we just ate right out of the container!





Start with the same Vanilla Ice Cream base mentioned in the previous post.

16 oz heavy whipping cream
14 oz can of condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla (optional)
pinch of salt (optional)

Using a stand mixer or a hand mixer, whip whipping cream on high for 8 minutes or so or until a stiff peak is formed. Slowly fold in the condensed milk, pinch of salt and vanilla. 

Soften 1 cup cream peanut butter in microwave for about 30 seconds.  Fold into vanilla base...keep streaks or completely fold in to have peanut butter ice cream.  I layer because I like lots of texture. 

Layer four times or whatever you desire. 

Put a jar of hot fudge in the microwave and soften fudge for about 30 seconds. Put peanut butter in another bowl and soften for about 30 seconds. Put at least six fun-size Butterfingers in a ziploc, seal and pound with a mallet. Layer ice cream, swirl fudge on top, swirl peanut butter and sprinkle with chopped Butterfinger.  End with chopped Butterfinger to make it all pretty! Cover with plastic wrap and place in freezer for at least 8 hours or over night.

Enjoy being creative.  We have one more flavor that I will share soon!

Monday, July 22, 2019

No Churn Blackberry Crumble Ice Cream

Okay- this No-Churn Ice Cream is a game-changer. I have heard of this before but recently saw this
Sally’s Baking Addiction where she made No-Churn Blueberry Crumble. I remembered our summer beach trips when we would all dive into a half gallon of Bluebell Blackberry Cobbler Ice Cream. I could never copy Bluebell but I thought I would try my own variation.

The ice cream turned out amazing. I don’t think I will mess with an ice cream maker again. Basically- two ingredients for the base and then add what you want.  We made the Blackberry Crumble first....and it was oh so yummy.  Jenna took this fabulous pic for me.  We made two other varieties - Peanut Butter Butterfinger Fudge Swirl and Coconut Swirled with Fudge and Toasted Almonds.  Thinking of other varieties as I type....

Please visit Sally's Baking Addiction  - you will love it!




I truly cannot say enough about this ice cream!  Be creative and try a different flavor every week.

No-Churn Vanilla Ice Cream (prepare other ingredients before making base)

16 oz heavy whipping cream
8 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Using a stand mixer if possible, beat whipping cream on medium high for 5-10 minutes or until the cream is thicker and comes to a stiff peak when lift up beater. Once a stiff peak is reached, gently fold in 1 can of sweetened condensed milk and vanilla.

If want vanilla ice cream, fold in another tsp vanilla extract. Pour into a container. I used a loaf pan. Cover and freeze 8 hours or overnight.

If making another flavor, prepare the other ingredients before making the ice cream base.

For Blackberry (or blueberry) sauce - buy pie filling or make your own with...

1/2 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp water
1 cup fresh or frozen blackberries or blueberries (do not thaw)  I used fresh!
1 Tbsp granulated sugar

Mix the cornstarch and water together in a very small bowl. Set aside.  Combine the berries and granulated sugar over medium-low heat, stirring constantly squishing the blackberries.  Once the blackberries are squished and have released liquid, add the cornstarch/water.  Turn the heat up to medium and stir and cook for 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.  It will thicken as it cools.  You can place in fridge to cool down more quickly.


For Crumble, use a fork and mix together and set aside...

2 Tbsp butter, melted
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 Tbsp light or dark brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon

For Ice Cream, make the vanilla base and pour into a large bowl.  Gently fold in pieces of crumble.  Gently swirl in blackberry puree so to keep the swirl and not turn the ice cream purple.  We kept the seeds for texture.

Pour into loaf pan and freeze at least 8 hours or it is even best overnight.  Scoop and serve!