Peanut Butter Ice Cream

 1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups heavy cream, divided
pinch of salt
6 egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla extract
------
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter, for the swirl--melted & cooled slightly

In medium-size saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the milk, sugars, 1/2 cup peanut butter, 1 cup of heavy cream, and salt, stirring until the sugar dissolves and peanut butter melts. Continue cooking until the mixture comes to a slight simmer, bubbling around the edges of the pan.

Meanwhile, pour the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream in a bowl and place a fine sieve on top.

Whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl. Slowly pour some of the hot mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. When egg yolk mixture has been warmed up by hot milk mixture, pour the whole thing back into the medium-sized pan and stir constantly (making sure to scrape pan), until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon--170-175 degrees on a digital thermometer.

Pour the custard through the sieve and stir it into the remaining cream. Stir in the vanilla and allow the whole mixture to cool completely before putting it into the ice cream freezer. 

After it has churned in the ice cream freezer, remove to a container and drop dollops of the melted peanut butter and swirl slightly through the ice cream.  Freeze well! 

Fresh Peach Pie Topping and Glaze

Those yummy summer peaches are perfect for this fresh take on peach pie!  

Make a quick and easy cream cheese pie and top it with this yummy glaze for a delicious chilled summertime dessert!  Can also be used to top pancakes or waffles for a fruity breakfast!

Blanch several ripe peaches in boiling water for 1 minute and then put in ice water.  Peel and slice into a bowl containing 1/2 cup water and 1 Tbl. "fruit fresh" to prevent browning.

1 cup peach puree (blended peaches)
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
3 Tbl. cornstarch
1/8 tsp. salt
1 Tbl. lemon juice
1 Tbl. butter
4 cups sliced, treated peaches

In a medium saucepan, whisk together the pureed peaches and water.  Cook over medium heat and allow to simmer for a few minutes. Add the sugar, cornstarch and salt.  Continue to cook and whisk until thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice and butter. Stir.  Allow to cool in fridge. After cooled, fold in 4 cups sliced peaches.  Top pie and chill for a few hours until ready to serve.

Chewy Chip S'mores Cookies

2-3/4 cups flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 cup (1-1/2 cubes) real butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 packed cup mini marshmallows
32-36 graham cracker squares
1 package/roll of Rolos, halved

Cream butter, brown sugar and sugar in stand mixer about 3 min until fluffy.  Add eggs and vanilla and mix until smooth.  Add dry ingredients.  Fold in the chocolate chips and marshmallows.  

Using a medium scoop (about 1-1/2 Tbl.), scoop dough into balls and place them close together on parchment to freeze at least one hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 390-400 degrees.  Put 12 squares of graham crackers out on parchment-lined cookie sheet. Place a frozen ball of dough on each square.  Bake until cookies are golden.  Remove from oven and immediately press a half-Rolo into the crispy top of each cookie. 

Chocolate Zucchini Brownies

...A good mix between Zucchini Bread and a yummy brownie!  If using frozen, grated zucchini, drain and squeeze out liquid before using.

Cream together well:
1 cube real butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1-3/4  cups sugar

Add and mix:
2 eggs
2 cups zucchini, peeled and finely grated 
1 tsp. vanilla
3 Tbl. cocoa powder
1/3 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt

Add and mix only until combined:
2-1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. soda
1/2 cup buttermilk (or 1/4 cup sour cream mixed with 1/4 cup milk)

Stir in:
1-1/4 cups chocolate chips

Prepare a 9x13 pan with non-stick spray.  Bake at 325 degrees for 35-45 min. until center is not jiggly. Don't overbake.  Allow to cool if you choose to frost it with chocolate frosting.  Can also be eaten warm without frosting!

Pineapple Mango Salsa

1/2 of a fresh pineapple, finely diced
2 mangos, finely diced
1/4 cup (or less) chopped cilantro
2 tsp. cider vinegar
1 Tbl. sugar
1/3 tsp. salt
1 Tbl. fresh lime juice
1 Tbl. finely diced red onion
1/4 cup finely diced sweet red pepper
1/2 of a jalapeno (seeded and cored), finely diced

Saute onion, red pepper, and jalapeno in a bit of avocado oil on stove until fully cooked...even charred a bit for flavor!  Stir all ingredients together. Chill before serving with chips or other Mexican food. 

Blackberry Frozen Custard

4 cups blackberries
1-1/4 cups sugar
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1-1/2 cups half-and-half
5 egg yolks
1-1/2 cups heavy cream

In a medium saucepan, combine blackberries with 1/4 cup sugar and lemon juice. Cook over low heat until blackberries are broken down and all is juicy...about 20 minutes.  Pour the mixture through a mesh strainer, forcing as much liquid through as you can.  Set it aside to cool.  Discard the blackberry pulp and seeds.

Heat the half-and-half and remaining 1 cup sugar in a saucepan over medium heat.  In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks.  Temper the eggs by adding a bit of warm cream, whisking constantly.  Pour the tempered yolks into the saucepan, stirring.  Cook over medium-low heat until thick, stirring constantly until it has thickened.  Don't over-heat or it will curdle.

Pour heavy cream into the bowl with the berry juice, then add custard and stir to combine.  Refrigerate this mixture.  Freeze in an ice cream maker.

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Looking for a recipe that tastes like those mammoth chocolate-chocolate chip muffins from Sam's Club?  This is it!  I bake it in mini loaves, but it would work for "muffins" as well!

4 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
3 cups finely grated zucchini (don't squeeze out liquid)
1-1/4 cups mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 5 mini loaf pans with non-stick spray.
With mixer, combine eggs, oil, sour cream, sugar, and vanilla.  Add in flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Fold in grated zucchini and mini chocolate chips.  Pour batter into prepared pans.  Bake until edges are done and pulled away from sides...testing center as needed.  

Blueberry Pie Filling and Topping

Although fresh blueberries are expensive in Utah, this is a great recipe to make when they go on sale!  This topping is wonderful on crepes and cream cheese pie!

4 cups fresh blueberries
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup Clear Jel
1 cup cold water
1 Tbl. bottled lemon juice

Wash the blueberries and discard any stems.
Get a pot of water boiling to blanch berries.  Also prepare a large bowl of ice water.  Once the water is boiling, put the blueberries in and time for one minute.  Immediately lift berries out of water (using a strainer or colander) and put in an bowl full of ice water.  After they sit in ice water for a minute or so, lift out and allow to drain while you make the sauce.
Whisk together sugar, Clear Jel, and water in a large saucepan.  Heat over medium and continue whisking until mixture thickens and begins to bubble.  Add lemon juice and continue to stir.  Remove from heat.
Add drained berries to sauce and gently fold together until they are well-combined.  
Fill jars to within 1/2" from top.  Wipe rims and screw on canning lids with rings.
Process in boiling water bath: Use rack in large canning pot.  Heat water to almost boiling as you are preparing jars and filling them.  Put jars into hot water. Fill pot with more water so it is at least 1 inch above top of jars.  Put on lid.  When water begins to boil, start timing for 40 minutes and turn heat to Med-Low.  When time is done, lift jars out onto towel and allow to cool at room temperature.

Lemon Custard Ice Cream

1 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
4 egg yolks

3/4 cup half-and-half or whole milk
1 recipe lemon curd

In large saucepan over med-high heat, combine 1 cup of the cream with the milk.  Whisk in sugar and salt.  Meanwhile, in separate bowl, whisk egg yolks.  When milk mixture is steamy, remove from heat.  Add about 1/4 cup hot milk mixture to whisked eggs and whisk rapidly.  Return egg mixture to saucepan and return all to medium heat, stirring constantly. Mixture should start to thicken.  Just as mixture begins to bubble, remove from heat and place bottom of pan into bowl of ice water to cool quickly.  Mixture can be poured through a strainer if you're worried about any eggy granules.  Whisk as it cools.  Add 3/4 cup half-and-half or whole milk.  Pour cooled mixture into ice cream freezer.  When it is about done freezing, stir lemon curd into ice cream and allow it to continue to churn until mixed well.  Transfer ice cream to covered container and put in freezer to harden until ready to serve.

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
pinch of salt
2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 tsp. mint extract (not peppermint)
5 drops green food coloring (or to desired tint)
1/3 cup crushed chocolate chips shavings...done in food processor

Whisk together all ingredients except chocolate chips in a bowl.  Pour into ice cream freezer to freeze!  During last 5 minutes, add crushed chocolate chips.  After it's done, spoon into container and freeze for soft-scooping later!

Banana Ice Cream

Looking for a frozen treat to satisfy your craving for banana cream pie? Here it is!  You could even add some crushed graham crackers for the "crust" or some mini chocolate chips and nuts to turn it into "Chunky Monkey" ice cream!

1-3/4 cups half-and-half
1-1/4 cups sugar
Dash of salt
4 eggs yolks, lightly beaten
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup mashed overripe banana

In large saucepan, heat half-and-half over medium-high heat.  Whisk in sugar and salt until dissolved. Remove from heat.  Add about 1/4 cup hot mixture to whisked egg yolks in separate bowl and whisk rapidly.  Return egg mixture to saucepan, and return saucepan to medium heat, stirring constantly.  Mixture should start to thicken.  Don't over-heat or it will curdle.  (If this happens, just put it in the blender for a second.) Remove from heat and place bottom of pan into a bowl of ice water to cool quickly.  Whisk mixture while it is cooling.  Stir in heavy cream and vanilla.  When mixture is cooled, stir in mashed bananas and pour into ice cream freezer.  (If there is too much mixture, just use whatever amount your freezer will take...cover the rest and refrigerate.)  Ice cream is yummy eaten right after freezing...or frozen and scooped the next day!

Lemon Zucchini Bundt Cake

1-1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup oil
3 large eggs
1 Tbl. lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. lemon extract
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1-1/2 cups finely shredded zucchini (don't squeeze out liquid)

For glaze:
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
Milk to thin

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Prepare a bundt pan with shortening and flour.
Beat sugar, oil and eggs until well-blended.  Add lemon zest, lemon juice, and lemon extract. Mix well. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Beat for 2 min.  Fold in shredded zucchini.  Pour into prepared pan.  Bake for 55-60 min. on middle rack of oven.  Allow to cool for a few minutes in the pan before removing.  Cool completely before glazing.

For the glaze: Whisk ingredients together to desired consistency.  Drizzle over cooled cake.

Water Punch

This is a refreshing alternative to a cold glass of summertime lemonade...just be sure to serve it icy cold over more ice!

5 quarts water
2-1/2 cups sugar
1 Tbl. lemon extract
1 Tbl. citric acid powder
Lots of ice!

Brazilian Limeade

4 limes with thin, smooth skins
1 cup sugar
6 cups water
6 Tbl. sweetened condensed milk
Ice

Scrub limes with soap & water and rinse well.  Cut each lime into 8 pieces.  In large blender combine sliced limes (skin and all!) with sugar and 4 cups water.  Blend for a minute until limes are chopped up well.  Place wire mesh strainer over serving pitcher and pour lime mixture through strainer.  Press through until all water is out.  Add remaining two cups of water and sweetened condensed milk to pitcher.  Whisk well.  Pour into serving glasses over lots of ice.  Serve cold!

Coconut Ice Cream

This ice cream is best after churned and frozen in freezer for a few hours and scooped, as regular ice cream.

2-1/4 cups whole milk

1-1/4 cups heavy cream

1-3/4 cups coconut milk

1 cup coconut

8 egg yolks

1-1/2 cups sugar

1/8 tsp. salt

1 Tbl. coconut extract

In large saucepan over med-high heat, bring to boil milk, cream, coconut milk, and coconut.  Bring to a boil and turn to med-low.  Allow to simmer, while stirring, for 5 min.  Take off of heat and let sit for 10 min.  Meanwhile, in bowl, whisk well together egg yolks, sugar, and salt.  After milk mixture has been allowed to sit for 10 min., take 1/4 cup hot mixture and quickly whisk it well into the egg mixture.  Then repeat with another 1/4 cup hot mixture.  (This is called "tempering" the mixture.)  The egg mixture should now be a little warm.  Now, dump the entire egg mixture into the pan of hot milk mixture and whisk well together.  Turn heat back to medium and whisk the entire time until it starts to thicken.  Put mixture in the fridge to chill.  When it is almost cold, add coconut extract to desired coconut taste.  Put in ice cream freezer to churn...you may need to hold out a cup of mixture if the freezer is not large enough--this cup of mixture you hold out makes a great bowl of pudding when chilled!  

Oreo Muddy Buddies

12 cups Rice Chex (12 oz. box = 10 cups)
1 pkg. Oreos (14.3 oz.)
1 pkg. white chocolate chips (about 11-12 oz.)
1 pkg. milk chocolate chips (about 11-12 oz.)
1-2 cups powdered sugar

For white pieces:
In food processor, finely crush 8 Oreos.  Set aside.  Melt 1 pkg. white chocolate chips slowly in the microwave on reduced power, stirring every minute or 30 seconds so you don't over-cook it.  Stir until completely melted.  Pour over 6 cups Rice Chex in a mixing bowl until cereal is all coated.  Pour crushed Oreos over cereal and stir gently to coat.  Then add 1/2 cup powdered sugar and stir gently to coat.  Add more powdered sugar as needed. Spread mixture out on wax paper or cookie sheet to cool and set.

For brown pieces:
In food processor, finely crush 8 Oreos.  Set aside.  Melt 1 pkg. milk chocolate chips slowly in the microwave on reduced power, stirring every minute or 30 seconds so you don't over-cook it.  Stir until completely melted.  Pour over 6 cups Rice Chex in a mixing bowl until cereal is all coated.  Pour crushed Oreos over cereal and stir gently to coat.  Then add 1/2 cup powdered sugar and stir gently to coat.  Add more powdered sugar as needed.  Spread mixture out on wax paper or cookie sheet to cool and set.

Cut remaining Oreos into quarters.  Fold two types of cereal mixture together and add Oreo pieces.

Orange Dream Ice Cream

In blender combine:
2 tsp. orange zest
2/3 cup orange juice
1/2 cup Tang powder
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup whole milk

After it is blended, combine with 1-1/2 cups heavy cream in ice cream freezer.
This stays soft and doesn't go icy after being frozen!

Fruit Salad

This is one of those recipes where you can add whatever ingredients you have!  We serve this with dinner at least once a week!

After cutting desired fruits, stir in 1 small container (about 1 cup) of any flavored yogurt.
It's also yummy to add a dollop of whipped topping and stir that in as well!
Here are some possibilities:
1 apple, cored and diced
1 orange, peeled, sectioned and diced
1 banana
1 cup pineapple tidbits...or diced fresh pineapple!
1/2 cup raisins or craisins
1/2 cup coconut
Diced peach
Diced pear
Sliced strawberries
Handful of raspberries
Handful of blueberries

Fruit Smoothie

2 cups frozen fruit (could be a berry mixture, peaches, strawberries, mango & pineapple mixture, etc.)
1 frozen banana (see below)
1/2 cup yogurt, kefir, or almond milk
1/3 cup juice concentrate (orange juice, apple juice, white grape juice)
1 cup water

Put all in blender and mix until smooth.

For frozen bananas: If you can see that you'll not be eating all those bananas you bought, freeze them for smoothies before they spoil!  Just peel them and break them into two or three pieces.  Put the chunks in a freezer bag and pull out a few when you're ready for a smoothie!

Vanilla Ice Cream

1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tbl. vanilla
Pinch of salt
2 cups heavy cream

In blender, mix milk, sugar, vanilla and salt.  Pour into ice cream maker with cream.  Freeze and serve!  Can also be made ahead of time and frozen in a container...Scoops nicely later!
Serve with fruit syrup, caramel topping, hot fudge, or your favorite dessert!