Best Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream

Sunday, September 29, 2013


What a delightful treat for the fall with this refreshing pumpkin spice ice cream. This also takes on the characteristics of pumpkin pie with a little bits of chocolate and crust. This delicious confection will surely bring a smile to all that love pumpkin. The best part about it is, that you will now be able to make the recipe all year long. Of course, waiting for fall will make you look forward to this treat in those cooler months and certainly put a smile on your face.  I like to save certain flavors that remind me of spring, summer, fall or winter,  to make the seasons more special and make those treasured recipes those times of the year.  Give this a try you will be pleasantly surprised as it is truly the best pumpkin ice cream I have ever imagined and it goes along famously with a piece of pumpkin pie for the Holiday!



If you must use the old-fashioned stir method and don't own an ice cream maker, no problem!  Have patience and stir every 15 minutes when placing it in your freezer container. Freeze and keep stirring until smooth and set, it takes a lot of stirring to be super creamy. This one is done in an ice cream maker and is so worth the investment!


Here's the Recipe! Enjoy

Make sure milk and cream are well chilled:

1 1/2 cup whole milk or half and half
1 cup light brown sugar
1 3/4 cup fresh or canned pumpkin puree (do not use pumpkin pie filling) my pumpkin is freshly homemade click here or use canned
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of each pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, and ginger
2 tablespoon molasses
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

Last added at the end:

1 cup semi-sweet grated, shaved or small pieces of chocolate
1 cup crumbled cinnamon graham crackers.

In a large bowl whisk together the sugar, milk, brown sugar, and molasses, for around 3 minutes.  Add and whisk in the puree, spices, and vanilla. Pour in the heavy cream and blend well.
Place in the ice cream maker.


Let churn for at least 25 minutes then check, I taste it, sometimes takes 30 minutes or according to the directions on your ice cream maker.


Scoop in the ice cream into your container and layer with chocolate and graham cracker filling into a freezer container alternating ice cream then the chocolate and crumbled graham crackers ending with ice cream. Smooth over.  Freeze for at least 2 to 3 hours before serving.



For more recipes using Pumpkin see the links below:

Pumpkin Pistachio Biscotti
Glazed Pumpkin Spiced Breakfast Scones
Pumpkin Mini Turnovers
Baked Mini Pumpkin Donuts



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Artichoke,Tomato Chicken Pasta Recipe

Saturday, September 28, 2013
This amazing pasta dish has all the freshness of spring, summer and fall with the vegetables in this one. I can never have enough of this dish. Serve it as a side dish with a steak dinner or as a whole meal in itself.




 Artichoke, Tomato Chicken Pasta Recipe

2  boneless chicken breasts chopped into small cube chunks or use loose or sliced Italian sausage
1 bag fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1 can artichoke heart halves
1 lb penne pasta
2 chopped plum tomatoes or use grape tomatoes
4 cloves fresh chopped garlic
1 yellow or green bell pepper sliced
salt, pepper, to taste
canola oil around 2 or 3 tablespoons
grated cheese for garnish
1/4 cup white wine
3 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup chicken broth
chopped fresh parsley and basil around 2 tablespoons each

Boil pasta in saltwater to package instructions set aside and keep warm.

In a large frypan add 2 tablespoon canola or olive oil and saute chicken or sausage until the pink is gone, add the peppers around 8 minutes, turning. 

Add the garlic saute 1 minute. 

Add the tomatoes, mushrooms, artichokes, and spinach, saute until wilted around 6 minutes. 

Add the white wine, chicken broth, and heat through and simmer around 4 more minutes.

Salt and pepper to taste and add cayenne pepper if you like heat.

Toss with the drained pasta. Sprinkle generously with grated cheese.

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Chilies Rellenos Casserole Recipe

Friday, September 20, 2013
Yes I know this isn't anywhere near an Italian recipe, however, I absolutely loved the flavors in this.

It was exciting to see this bake all together like a Mexican Style Potpie! Who can resist?

The authentic version is a poblano pepper stuffed with cheese and then dipped into an egg batter and deep fried. They are delicious, but take a bit of work to get them just right.

The chile relleno is a dish in Mexican cuisine that originated in the city of Puebla.

In 1858 it was described as a "green chile pepper stuffed with minced meat and coated with eggs" a bit more work than this easy casserole dish.




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Rocky Road Homemade Ice Cream Recipe Video

Friday, September 13, 2013

Summer Winter or Fall, ice cream is still going to be a favorite anywhere we live. Maybe not as popular where it snows. Here is fun treat to keep that summer smile in us all year round. I have to say I have been on an homemade kick for the past several months now. I first thought my favorite was peanut butter cup, then it was pistachio, then came the eggless cookie dough, oh boy was that delicious!  Then the strawberry was amazing. Guess what my favorite is now? Yes you guessed it's Rocky Road! Hope you give this a try it really put the kid back into you! What a fun ice cream! The video clearly gives you the idea of how easy this is to make!



Rocky Road Ice Cream Recipe

1 cup whole milk
2/3 cup sugar (if you like less sweet go with a 1/2 cup)
8 ounces good grade bittersweet or semi sweet chocolate chopped into small chunks
2 cups heavy cream well chilled
1 or 2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup mini marshmallows
1/2 mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup whole or chopped pecans

Heat the milk until it starts to just bubble on the sides. In a blender using a metal blade, plus the chocolate chunks and sugar together until fine. Add the hot milk, beat until smooth. Place in a bowl and into the refrigerator to cool. When cool, add the heavy cream and vanilla. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
Add to your ice cream maker follow the package instructions.



 Around 35 minutes. 5 minutes before this is done add the chips, marshmallows and pecans. Turn into a freezer container with lid.  Freeze for at least two more hours before serving.

Note: you can put this in a regular freezer container and stir every 1/2 hour, once it's thick enough and not soupy, stir in the marshmallows, chips and nuts. Return to the freezer until solid still stirring every half hour.

+claudia lamascolo  Author
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Italian Fresh Tomato Cucumber Salad

Wednesday, September 11, 2013
This fresh Italian tomato salad (Insalata di Pomodori) with cucumbers is a simple, easy peasant dish grandma made from garden-fresh off-the-vine tomatoes in the summertime.

Back in the 1950s and 60s when I grew up, money was tight, dad had a huge garden and we had tomato salad just about every day all summer long for lunch or dinner.

The salad is absolutely bursting with fresh flavors and makes a fantastic lunch dipping hard-crusted Italian bread into the marvelous dressing grandma would make.

You'll love the combination of fresh tomatoes and aromatic herbs and when we had cucumbers or other vegetables like peppers in season, those would go into this bowl of freshly made tomato salad also.

I am a fan of crispy and fresh vegetables and not marinated to the point of them getting soggy, so when we make this it's just for one or two people and eaten the same day.

Dad grew his own fresh herbs also, so nothing in here was store-bought, however, if you're not fortunate to have your own garden, get everything from a farmers market to get the true Italian fresh salad for the best results.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention this isn't really a recipe for anything other than the fantastic Italian dressing on the salad.

How we made simple vegetables taste like a banquet of flavors and a very economical way to feed many when struggling to make ends meet.

If you need a delicious Artisan Bread Recipe this is perfect for our salad dressing for dipping.

Tomato salad is on many Italian menus and can be quite costly as just an appetizer, so this easy recipe will be something to keep in your collection for a terrific side dish with any meal.


tomato and cucumber salad with mozzarella and Italian bread to dip in the olive oil


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Sweetest Summer Dessert Recipes

Monday, September 2, 2013
If you need some fabulous cool summer dessert treats, you're at the right blog, these are the best of the best that just shouts summer deliciousness.


Our fluffy cream pies, Italian ice. marshmallow-topped brownies, mini Boston cream pies and so much more are just a few of the easy and decadent recipes we have today.


I will warn you, it's hard to pick just one so as you scroll through your mouth will water for a cyber taste.


One thing I learned over the years is variety is the spice of life and everyone is so different so that's why we have a wide assortment to make everyone happy.


Sometimes you just have a chocolate lover, then there are those who are fruit and cream lovers so let's get the best of the best summer's sweetest desserts on your tables.


Each recipe below has a link to the page the recipe is one with step-by-step easy instructions for scrumptious summer desserts.



summer dessert collage roundup of recipes



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