Iced Coffee

I don’t know why I didn’t think of this before… We cold brew our coffee in a Coffee Toddy cold brewing system. It makes a truly superior cup of coffee with less acid and less oils than a traditionally brewed coffee. Since we make it in bulk, we freeze it for an instant cup of coffee plopped into a cup of boiling water. If you are curious about the Coffee Toddy, check them out HERE.

All I need for an instant cup of iced coffee is 3 to 4 super-concentrated coffee cubes with milk poured over them. I like vanilla almond milk or just plain whole milk with a Torani syrup.

This combination made for a lovely drink!

I’m not sure which I love more??? The drink or the jar??? Aren’t those just the cutest lids??? You can buy them HERE at The Tomcat Studio for just $5 for 6 lids!

Pineapple Salsa

Having 5 fresh pineapples this week (they were $1 each), meant thinking of new ways to eat pineapple. I had a fish taco once years ago that had pineapple salsa on it… I’ve often thought about that fish taco and figured this was the perfect time to make me one!

So I grilled up some tilapia and made up a batch of fresh pineapple salsa. I also threw in some white rice in the tortillas… I think these were even better than the ones in my memory banks! ;o)

Such a cool refreshing meal on a hot summer evening!

Here’s the recipe for the salsa…

1 small pineapple, peeled, cored and finely chopped

1 red pepper, finely chopped

1/2 red onion, finely chopped

1 whole jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (you can seed it and use less for a milder salsa)

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

juice from 1 lime

Mix and then chill for a few hours to let flavors combine. Serve with tortilla chips or with fish or chicken tacos.

Strawberry Sorbet Daiquiris

Here’s another ice cream cocktail recipe.

Place 2-3 small scoops of strawberry sorbet (see recipe HERE) in a cup with sugared rim.

Pour 1 shot of light rum over sorbet.

Let melt a bit and give it a stir before drinking.

Snakebite Shakes

When my hubby tried my homemade lime sherbet, the first thing he said was, “This would be great with some Yukon!” And that’s how snakebite shakes were born.

Mix 1 to 1 1/2 cups lime sherbet (my recipe is HERE) and 2 shots of Yukon Jack in a blender just until smooth. Pour into two glasses and enjoy!

Peppermint Mocha Brownie Ice Cream Cake

Ice cream, brownies and chocolate ganache combine to make an absolutely decadent cake.

First start by making brownies in 2 round 8” pans. I used my favorite brownie recipe, you can find it HERE.

Remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

The best part of this recipe is the filling of peppermint mocha ice cream.

1 cup whole milk

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 Tablespoons instant coffee or espresso

1 1/2 Tablespoons Dutch cocoa

2 cups heavy cream

2 teaspoons peppermint extract

Mix milk, sugar, coffee and cocoa with electric mixer until sugar is dissolved. Stir in cream and peppermint.

Prepare according to ice cream maker’s instructions.

While ice cream is still soft, spread between layers of the brownie “cakes”.

Place in the freezer for about 1-2 hours.

Make a chocolate ganache by heating 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream until just boiling. Pour over 1 cup of chocolate chips and let stand 1-2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Spread over cake.

Place cake back in freezer until ganache is set or you are ready to serve.

Remove from freezer to let soften a bit before cutting cake.

Fresh Strawberry Sorbet

This refreshing, sweet, strawberry sorbet is so easy to make and so much better than anything I’ve bought at the store! So far it has been my husband’s favorite! If you pick up some fresh strawberries, grab a few extra to whip up a batch of this frozen berry delight!

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

1 quart fresh strawberries, washed and quartered

4 Tablespoons lemon or lime juice

1/4 cup corn syrup

Bring water and sugar to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat, stir and simmer until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

Process strawberries and lemon or lime juice in food processor until completely pureed. Press puree through a fine sieve to remove seeds (they won’t all come out).

Combine puree, corn syrup and sugar syrup.

Chill for 1 hour.

Pour into ice cream maker and make according to instructions.

Pour into container and store in freezer until ready to serve.

White Licorice Ice Cream

Licorice ice cream takes me to a happy place of warm memories of my grandpa. When we were little, every Halloween meant a box of black licorice and orange sherbet. I loved it! My lips, teeth and tongue would turn this ghastly purplish color that always made us laugh. Then the quit making it… Halloween didn’t seem the same after that. :o(

Years later, while touring the Tillamook Cheese Factory I discovered white licorice ice cream. It was like being 6 again! I fell in love! Every time we visited, I eagerly awaited a bowl of the stuff.

Then they too, stopped making licorice ice cream…

Thanks to my ice cream maker, it’s back in my life again!

1 1/2 cups half & half

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1-2 teaspoons of anise extract

Mix half & half and sugar with a whisk or mixer until sugar is dissolved.

Stir in cream and anise extract, to taste.

Prepare according to ice cream maker’s instructions.

Sherbet

This is the easiest creamiest yummiest sherbet ever! And you could make it any flavor you want by changing the flavor of concentrate and throwing in a bit of… whatever! :o)

The lime I made was the perfect combination of tart and sweet with the zest of one lime thrown in for good measure.

Here are some other options…

Orange with orange zest

Pineapple with crushed pineapple and maybe some coconut milk in place of some of the half & half

I was wondering how strawberry, orange, pineapple sherbet would be???

I may just have to try them all!!!

Here’s the basic recipe:

3 cups half & half

1 cup frozen juice concentrate, thawed

2-3 tablespoons of sugar, depending on taste and how tart your concentrate is

Combine ingredients in a blender and mix until sugar is dissolved. *I used my stick blender, worked great!

Pour into ice cream maker and follow manufacture’s instructions.