No-Churn Blueberry-Cheesecake Ice Cream

Blueberry-Cheesecake Ice Cream

     I thought today would be a good day to post a recipe for ice cream. Especially since it is suppose to get to 92 today in Minnesota. What better way to cool off than by eating some ice cream?

     This is recipe for Blueberry-Cheesecake ice cream was in the July/August  Food Networks magazine and it sounded so good that I just had to make it. My picture looks a little more blueberry then the one in the magazine but it still tastes amazing. I'm thinking I should have folded more into the ice cream mixture, but once you scoop it out it is just fine.
   
     You can definitely taste the cheesecake and blueberries with this recipe. It actually tastes like you are eating blueberry cheesecake that has been frozen. I wasn't sure how I would like having the graham cracker crust part in the ice cream, but believe me it is worth doing. Without the graham cracker crust I don't know if you'd get the feel of eating cheesecake.

     I pretty much followed the directions in the magazine with one minor slip up. I added extra sugar to the graham cracker mixture by mistake. Instead of 1 tablespoon of sugar I put in 3 tablespoons. Oops! But it was ok. No one even noticed. What's a little extra sugar?

     One other thing that I had a problem with is when I had to blend the ice cream mixture. The recipe told me to blend it in my food processor. Sounds simple right? Well, my new Hamilton Beach food processor leaked out the bottom all over the place. What a mess! I have no idea why it did that. It would have been better if I used my Ninja Blender. Still debating if I should bring my food processor back or what.

Look at all those blueberries!

     Well after trying this ice cream recipe it make me want to try making some more ice cream. Heck I might even take out the regular ice cream maker and try making ice cream that way. There is nothing better than homemade ice cream. I just tastes sooo good.

    Give this one a try. It is super easy to do it just takes time to freeze so plan ahead.

No-Churn Blueberry-Cheesecake Ice Cream

For the Cheesecake Bites
2/3 Cup graham cracker crumbs (from 4 sheets)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons sugar
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Blueberry Sauce
3 Cups fresh blueberries (about 1 1/2pints)
1/2 Cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 Cup water

For the Ice Cream
2 Cups heavy cream 9minus the 2 tablespoons you already used)
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
2/3 Cup sour cream
2/3 Cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon lemon juice
Pinch of salt

 Directions
Cheesecake bites
Toss the graham cracker crumbs with the melted butter and 1 tablespoon sugar in a medium bowl. Press mixture into a small brownie pan.  Put the cream cheese in the medium bowl; stir with a spatula. Add the heavy cream, lemon juice, vanilla and remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar; mix until smooth. Spoon into the prepared bowls, cover and freeze until firm, about 2 hours. Remove the bowls from the freezer and run a knife around the edges and turn out onto a cutting board and roughly chop. Cover and keep frozen until ready to use.

Blueberry sauce
While cheesecake bites are freezing, make the blueberry sauce; Combine the blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and 1 cup water in a medium saucepan; bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Cook, stirring occasionally, gently squashing the berries as they soften, until the mixture is thick and shiny, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and refrigerate until cold.

Ice Cream
Put the heavy cream, cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, vanilla, lemon juice and salt in a food processor; process until very think and fluffy. Layer the ice cream mixture, blueberry sauce and cheesecake bites in a shallow 2 quart baking dish (aka cake pan). Put cake pan cover on and freeze at least 3 hours ( I froze mine over night). Let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before scooping.

Adapted from Food Network Magazine

Chocolate Banana Cake

Chocolate Banana Cake

     Well it's finally summer and I can finally do some baking and cooking. I had been so busy with work that I just didn't have much time to blog. I really didn't get the chance to try a whole lot of new things, but now that it's summer I can hopefully try some more recipes. I do have a few new recipes that I tried these past couple months to share with you.

     Today I'm going to share this super moist Chocolate Banana cake. Of course I had several bananas that had gotten bad so I just had to find something to make with them. I just hate to throw them out and banana bread gets a little old too. I was also in the mood for chocolate and this cake fit the bill.

     The original recipe was for an 8X8 pan, but that would never last in my house so I simply doubled the original recipe and made a 9X13 pan instead. I also had to replace the applesauce with oil, because believe it or not I had no plain applesauce on hand. I usually keep those small individual servings on hand for baking, but all I had was cinnamon flavor and cranberry flavored, so oil is a great substitute for applesauce.

    There is no need for frosting on this cake. Chocolate chips are added to the top when baking and of course to the batter its self. This cake could easily be brought on a picnic or taken to a family reunion or potluck. I know you will not have any left to bring home if you take this to any occasion.

Chocolate Banana Cake
4 very ripe bananas
1 Cup sugar
1/2 Cup brown sugar
1 Cup Canola oil
1/3 Cup water
2 teaspoons white vinegar
2 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
1/2 Cup unsweetened baking cocoa
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 salt
1 1/3 Cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9X13 pan with cooking spray.
Peel your bananas and beat with your mixer until smooth. Add sugars, oil, water and vinegar and mix thoroughly.
Stir in flour, cocoa, soda and salt. Fold in 2/3 cup of chocolate chips. Pour batter in prepared pan. Sprinkle 2/3 cup of chocolate chips on top.
Bake for 33-37 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let it cool and then slice and serve.

Adapted from www.momontimeout.com


    

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

     Last night I needed a little bit of therapy. You see, things are just falling apart around me. It seems every day it's something new. And just when I think " O.K., I can deal with this," I get hit with another thing.

     Well last night I was pretty much at my breaking point and it was time for therapy!

     Now I could have gone out and done some retail therapy, but I'm on a strict budget. I don't buy it unless I need it. I'm trying to live a minimalistic life. I feel like people on a whole have too much stuff. I just don't want to be one of those people with too much stuff. In fact, even though I would love to go buy some more fabric to sew with or even some new cake decorating stuff, I am refraining from going to the store to spend money. I have save quite a chunk of change already. Yeah!

     My other type of therapy would be to do some sewing, but I did that the night before. I finished a quilt and sewed a cozy bowl. I still have stuff to finish up, but I just wasn't in the mood.

     So my last choice was baking. I needed something with chocolate in it. After all chocolate is what I go to when I've had a tough day and boy these last few weeks have been that and more. After perusing my pinterest cupcake board I found the perfect treat to make.

     I give you the

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CUPCAKE!!!!!! 

     Not only does it have chocolate it has peanut butter. And the icing on the cupcake has a mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cup on it.

     Now I had a little trouble with the frosting on this one. It started out super stiff, so I added milk. Well, too much milk, so I had to add some more powdered sugar to stiffen it up some. After a little messing around I got it back to the right consistency and it was perfect.

     So if you're have a tough day, week or month give these little cupcakes a try. I guarantee you'll feel a little better....at least while you're eating it.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
2 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
1 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup canola oil
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 Cup sour milk*
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Frosting
1/3 Cup peanut butter
4 1/2 Cups powdered sugar
1/4 Cup milk
2 teaspoon vanilla
24 mini Reese's Peanut Butter cup

Instructions for cupcakes
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 muffin tins with cupcake liners and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl mix sugar, canola, eggs and vanilla until the mixture is smooth. Alternately add the flour/cocoa mixture with the sour milk. Be careful not to over mix. Fold in the chocolate chips.
3. Using an ice cream scoop, add the batter to the muffin tins and bake the cupcakes for 23-27 minutes. Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 10 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.

Instructions for Frosting
1.Unwrap 24 peanut butter cups and place in a bowl and set aside. Beat the peanut butter in a bowl of a stand mixer until lightened, about 2 minutes on medium-high speed. Drop the speed to low, and begin adding half the powdered sugar, a little at a time. Add the vanilla, and slowly stream in the milk. Add the remaining powdered sugar.
2. Once all the powdered sugar has been added, increased the speed back to medium-high, and beat 1-2 minutes.
3. Using a M1 tip and a disposable bag frost your cooled cupcake. Decorate with a mini peanut butter cup.

*To make sour milk, place 1 Tablespoon of white vinegar into a measuring cup. Fill the remaining 8oz cup with milk. Stir together, then allow to sit for 5 minutes before using.

Recipe adapted from Tramplingrose.com