Category: Make Ahead

Homemade French Vanilla Ice Cream

Note: I was sent samples of Vanilla Bean Powder, Vanilla Beans, and Vanilla Extract from The Sweet Bean in order to write this post for Homemade French Vanilla Ice Cream. All opinions are my own.

I am still madly in love with my ice cream maker (paid link) and the delicious homemade ice creams I can now make! Today, I am excited to share a classic: Homemade French Vanilla Ice Cream, featuring The Sweetest Bean‘s Pure Vanilla Bean Powder.

The Sweetest Bean, a woman-owned company based in Colorado, sources its organic, whole-bean vanilla from Uganda where they employ a team who hand cures all of their gourmet vanilla. The company has a purpose of building an economy on the other side of the world, and is committed to one-single-supplier, their workers, their children, their futures, with the hope of true sustainable economic growth. Ugandan vanilla beans are known for their strong vanilla flavor, so the flavor stands out more in recipes.

source: thesweetestbean.com

The Sweetest Bean’s Pure Vanilla Bean Powder is made from 100% pure, ground, Ugandan bourbon vanilla beans. The vanilla beans spend months curing our beans in the sun, and then are ground fresh, to produce a fine powder rich in flavor and aroma. Pure vanilla bean powder was touted recently by the Wall Street Journal as the next spice you need to own.  The powder can be used in both savory and sweet recipes, including barbecue rubs, soups, stews, fish, pork, smoothies, and coffee — vanilla adds a touch of sweetness without additional sugar.

The Sweetest Bean sent me their 3 Product Gift Set and have generously offered an additional set to one lucky I Can Cook That reader! Details for the giveaway after the recipe.

So let’s get churning! This Homemade French Vanilla Ice Cream has just 6 ingredients. The egg yolks, which makes this ice cream “French Vanilla,” adds wonderful richness without competing with the vanilla flavor.

Recommended tools (paid links):

 

Ingredients (makes 1 pint, multiply as desired):

  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Bean Powder (or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

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Irish Vegetable Soup

The weather has yet to turn cold (in fact, we just had a week-long heatwave!) but I’m already thinking about colder weather foods. One of my favorite comfort foods is traditional Irish Vegetable Soup.

Unlike a chunky vegetable soup commonly found in the US, Irish Vegetable Soup is a blended soup made of potatoes, leeks, carrots, and onions that feels creamy and comforting without any cream!

The absolute best way to enjoy an Irish Vegetable Soup is with some Irish Brown Bread, but because that’s somewhat difficult to come across in the US, I substituted in a loaf of Italian bread to sop up all that vegetable goodness.

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 leek, cut into half moons
  • 2 potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 3 stalks celery, chopped
  • 1 (32 oz) container vegetable stock
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
  • minced chives, for garnish (optional)

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Homemade Avocado Ice Cream

I’m sure you’re thinking to yourself, “Avocado Ice Cream? Really??”

Me making a Homemade Avocado Ice Cream is actually a long time coming. I have a coworker who absolutely loves avocados. And years ago, I mentioned that (the now shuttered and very much missed) Capogiro Gelato in Philadelphia had an avocado ice cream, and that I’d buy her a pint the next time I saw it. Well. Capogiro sadly closed at the end of 2018 without me ever bringing her a pint. So, now that I am feeling more comfortable making my own homemade ice cream, it was time to finally deliver on my promise!

This recipe might be my easiest ice cream recipe to date. It has just 4 ingredients, does not require heating the cream mixture, and doesn’t even need to refrigerate overnight!

Ingredients (makes about 3/4 quarts, or 1 1/2 pints):

  • 4 ripe avocados
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract

Equipment Needed (paid links):

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Homemade Ube Ice Cream

When I first realized how surprisingly easy it is to make homemade ice cream, Homemade Ube Ice Cream was at the top of my list. I’ve been doing my best to space out my ice cream recipes so you don’t think this has completely changed into just an ice cream blog, but this one is too good to keep to myself much longer!

If you haven’t had ube before, ube is a sweet purple yam with a slightly nutty and vanilla flavor which lends itself perfectly for desserts. To add ube flavor, this recipe uses both Ube Halaya and Ube Flavor. Ube Halaya is mashed purple yam combined with condensed milk. Ube Flavor, or extract, obviously adds more ube flavor, but it also contains purple dye in it to amp up that beautiful purple color. Both ube halaya and ube flavor can be found at most Asian grocery stores.

Let’s get churning!

Recommended tools (paid links):

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon ube flavor
  • 1/2 cup ube halaya

Continue reading Homemade Ube Ice Cream

Homemade Nutella Ice Cream

Well, I’m sure this comes as no surprise but now that I know how easy it is to make homemade ice cream, I’m trying out more and more flavors. This recipe for Homemade Nutella Ice Cream was one of my husband’s first requests.

(He’s a HUGE Nutella fan, which is why I have quite a few Nutella-filled recipes on my blog.)

This recipe is actually even easier than the pistachio one, so I was happy to make this for him. It does not have any egg yolks in the recipe, and you don’t even have to heat the cream mixture! With just five ingredients, it comes together in no time as well!

You will still need some equipment to help make this recipe (paid links):

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 3/4 cup Nutella
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon coffee extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

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Tropical Margarita

Note: I was sent bottles of OCEAN SPRAY CRAN•TROPICAL™ CRANBERRY TROPICAL JUICE DRINK in order to make this post. Opinions are mine alone.

Outdoor summer events call for fun cocktails, don’t you think? And this oh so pretty (and tasty) Tropical Margarita from Ocean Spray is sure to become one of your favorites outdoor sips!

This spin on a traditional margarita uses Ocean Spray’s Cran-Tropical Cranberry Tropical Juice Drink to add the delicious flavors of cranberry, mango, guava, and orange.

The result is a super refreshing and summery drink you’ll enjoy all season!

Ingredients (makes one serving, multiply as needed):

  • 1 lime, sliced into wedges
  • salt or sugar, for garnish
  • 2 1/2 ounces Ocean Spray® Cran∙Tropical™ Juice Drink
  • 1 ounce tequila
  • 1/2 ounce triple sec
  • 1 teaspoon agave nectar

Continue reading Tropical Margarita

Homemade Pistachio Ice Cream

It’s no secret how much I love ice cream, but I haven’t really tried to make much at home. With the beautiful weather we have been having, I figured it was time to try! I happened to have some shelled pistachios on hand, so why not make some Homemade Pistachio Ice Cream?

Pistachio ice cream is one of my absolute favorite flavors, and I had no clue how easy it was to make my own homemade version!

Recommended tools (paid links):

Ingredients (makes 2 pints):

  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups shelled pistachios, divided
  • 1 (12 oz can) evaporated milk
  • 3 cups heavy cream
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tablespoon almond extract

Continue reading Homemade Pistachio Ice Cream

Italian Sausage Bread

Some recipes, like this one for Italian Sausage Bread, are so easy and yet are oh so satisfying. My mother-in-law seems to have an endless supply of sausage bread prepared at her house, so I never really thought to make it myself until this past year. Now that I have, I know it is the perfect make-ahead option to keep in your freezer!

This sausage bread can be made with either hot Italian sausage or sweet Italian sausage. I suggest changing the color of the pepper you use inside so that when you have it out for snacking, everyone knows what they are about to bite into. (I used red in these photos because I was making one with hot Italian sausage; I use green in my sweet Italian sausage breads.)

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 or 2 bell peppers, chopped
  • 1 lb hot or sweet Italian sausage
  • 1 (13.8 oz) tube of refrigerated pizza crust
  • 1 (8 oz bag) shredded mozzarella
  • 1 egg, beaten

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Honey Ginger Lemonade

I’m still trying out some recipes for my sister’s upcoming baby shower, which is going to be bumble bee themed. I’m working on making a beehive cake and have already determined a batch cocktail with honey to serve. Because it is a baby shower, it seemed only appropriate to also serve an alcohol-free beverage. After testing a few versions, this recipe for Honey Ginger Lemonade the perfect nonalcoholic drink for my sister to enjoy!

This recipe has just four ingredients and feels special enough for a baby shower or other celebration!

Ingredients:

  • 6 cups water, divided
  • 1 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice (about 8-10 lemons)

Continue reading Honey Ginger Lemonade

Slow Cooker Baked Ziti

A friend reached out to me with a food challenge: how to make baked ziti that will be hot and ready when they come back from a christening. A Slow Cooker Baked Ziti recipe seemed like the perfect solution!

Naturally, I had to do some experimenting so that I could give her a recipe to use that I know will work for her needs.

This recipe for Slow Cooker Baked Ziti involves layering ingredients in your slow cooker (paid link). letting it cook for 2 1/2 hours, and then adding some mozzarella cheese on top for ultimate cheesiness!

Ingredients:

  • 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 (28 oz) can tomato puree
  • 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 (15 oz) container ricotta cheese
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 (16 oz) box ziti pasta
  • 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

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Bacon Cheddar Chive Scones

Note: I was sent a copy of Father Dominic Garramone’s Breakfast Breads & Sweet Treats in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.

I’m back with another awesome recipe from the Bread Monk himself, Father Dominic Garramone, with this recipe for Bacon Cheddar Chive Scones is from his latest cookbook Breakfast Breads & Sweet Treats (paid link). What better way to start off 2023?

I have only made “real” scones once before (as well as kind of a “cheat” drop scone), so this was a fun opportunity for me to do something I don’t often bake!

Breakfast Breads & Sweet Treats is a great cookbook for any breakfast afficionado in your life. Father Dominic really covers it all, from how to make puff pastry from scratch to baking mixes, to even a recipe for English muffin bread!

There is also an entire chapter dedicated to scones, which is where I found this mouthwatering recipe for Bacon Cheddar Chive Scones.

Ingredients (Serves 8):

  • 8 oz bacon, cooked crisp and chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup (one stick) cold butter
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I went with sharp)
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh chives (the original recipe had 1/2 cup; I only had enough for 1/4 cup!)
  • 1 cup sour cream

Continue reading Bacon Cheddar Chive Scones

Homemade Spiced Nuts

I hope you’ll allow me one more festive holiday recipe. Honestly, these Holiday Spiced Nuts are so tasty, they can (and should!) be enjoyed all year!

Around Thanksgiving, I was in Lancaster, PA and popped into Lancaster Central Market. While there, I stumbled upon Totally Nutz, which sells various cinnamon glazed nuts. They were so addicting, I wanted to try my own at home!

This recipe includes a bit more of the “holiday” spices than just cinnamon and includes four different types of nuts: pecans, walnuts, almonds, and cashews for a tasty sweet and spiced mixture!

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup shelled pecans
  • 1 cup shelled walnuts
  • 1 cup roasted unsalted almonds
  • 1 cup unsalted roasted cashews
  • 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar, lightly packed
  • 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tablespoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

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Eggnog Date Nut Bread

Note: I was sent a copy of Baking Secrets from the Bread Monk (paid link) in order to write this post for an Eggnog Date Nut Bread. Opinions are mine alone.

We hosted Christmas this year for the first time, so my house is stocked with half opened and half eaten, well, everything. My husband, a lifetime grazer, is in his element, but I am still trying to best use up ingredients to make new recipes, like using up any remaining eggnog to make this Eggnog Date Nut Bread!

I had exactly one cup of eggnog left in my fridge, so when I was paging through Baking Secrets from the Bread Monk (paid link) and found this recipe for Eggnog Date Nut Bread that uses one cup of eggnog, it felt a bit like destiny.

Baking Secrets from the Bread Monk is filled with Father Dominic’s favorite tips and tricks for baking, so this cookbook is a lovely read. He even includes substitutes for common ingredients, hints for kitchen organization and storage, advice on the best baking tools for the job, and fun historical facts and kitchen wisdom.

Some of you may know Father Dominic Garramone, known as “The Bread Monk,” from the PBS cooking show Baking Bread with Father Dominic that aired from 1999 to 2001. He also has a number of cookbooks (I have another cookbook I’m excited to share with you in the new year). I recently was lucky enough to catch him at a virtual event hosted by the Hillside Public Library and loved hearing about his passion for baking.

This specific recipe for Eggnog Date Nut Bread is found in the “Food Holiday Mash-ups and Recipes for All Seasons” chapter under December and doesn’t require yeast to make, or any kneading at all.

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus flour for dusting pan
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 cup chopped dates
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature, beaten
  • 1 cup eggnog
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Continue reading Eggnog Date Nut Bread

Lamb and Eggplant Casserole

I have made this Lamb and Eggplant Casserole, adapted from Maureen Abood’s Eggplant with Lamb, Tomato and Pine Nuts recipe, multiple times. And there is only one word for my feelings about this recipe: obsessed.

This Lebanese dish made with layers of eggplant, spiced lamb, and tomato sauce topped with cheese is going to become one of your absolute favorites!

Ingredients:

  • 3 lbs eggplant, cut into ½-inch slices
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 pound ground lamb
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ground pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup pine nuts
  • 1 (28-ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 12 ounces mozzarella, sliced
  • hot rice, for serving

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Homemade Smoked Salmon Board

Note: I was sent an affiliate box of Oshēn Salmon’s Date Night Box in order to make this Homemade Smoked Salmon Board post. Opinions are mine alone.

You know I love a good appetizer board, especially this time of year. Charcuterie and cheese boards have always been my go-to for guests, largely because I can keep most ingredients on hand, so it makes it easy to throw something together. (I totally have an entire drawer in my fridge dedicated to cheese, so yeah, I’m usually prepared for an impromptu cheese board.)

But, as we’ve seen in recent years, boards have expanded quite a long way from your traditional charcuterie boards. So when Oshēn Salmon reached out with some awesome sounding recipes, including one for a homemade hot smoked salmon, my mind when right to making a Smoked Salmon Board.

Before I jump into the recipe, I wanted to share a bit about Oshēn Salmon. Oshēn Salmon is a salmon delivery company serving sustainably raised salmon to consumers nationwide in eco-friendly packaging.

Oshēn arrives seven days fresher than any retailer, which is a huge plus in my book!

source: oshensalmon.com

The team behind Oshēn set out to reframe the salmon-in-a-box concept into something more meaningful and aspirational. Everything from the packaging to the sustainable aquaculture practices, Oshēn’s mission is to lead the industry toward a cleaner environment for all.

source: oshensalmon.com

Back to the board! This Homemade Smoked Salmon Board is inspired by the impressive spread my in-laws tend to lay out for holiday breakfasts. Instead of a breakfast spread to layer on bagels, this version is more appetizer-like, perfect for brunch or as a party app. Also, instead of store-bought smoked salmon, I made my own hot smoked salmon, using Oshen Salmon’s recipe. The best part is you can make it right in your oven, no smoker needed!

Ingredients:

Hot Smoked Salmon:

  • 2 pounds fresh salmon fillets (Oshen Salmon’s Date Night Box is the perfect size for this)
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground pepper
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons liquid smoke

Smoked Salmon Board:

  • 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 plum tomato, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup cream cheese
  • 1/4 cup hummus, such as everything bagel hummus (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon capers, drained
  • 1 lemon, cut into wedges, for the salmon
  • 1/2 cup bagel chips
  • 2 slices marble rye, cut into eighths

Continue reading Homemade Smoked Salmon Board

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