Peppermint Patty Ice Cream

I bopped into Williams-Sonoma a couple weeks ago to make a few returns and came out with this amazing ice cream book. I was on the hunt for David Lebovitz's The Perfect Scoop, but when they didn't have it, I settled on another option that looked equally as impressive: Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams At Home.

Upon browsing through the ice cream recipes, I was immediately struck by the fact that most of the recipes were different than those I had seen before. The recipes didn't use egg yolks and required that you create a slurry made of milk and corn starch to thicken the ice cream instead.

The results were amazingly delicious. Ice cream that was some of the creamiest I've ever tasted without any of the ice crystal formation or grainy texture that's typically associated with homemade creamy desserts. And by making at home, it allowed me to fill the ice cream with big chunks of chopped peppermint patties, a quality I find most commercially-produced ice creams to be lacking.

With that said, I'm off to go finish watching a movie with Joey before an absolutely crazy week of work. It appears that a hectic July is only going to transfer over into a manic August!

Peppermint Patty Ice Cream
Adapted from Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams At Home 


Ingredients
*2 cups whole milk
*1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon corn starch
*1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
*1 1/4 cups heavy cream
*2/3 cups sugar
*1 teaspoon mint extract
1 (12-ounce) bag peppermint patties, chopped

Instructions
*Mix about 2 tablespoons of the milk with the cornstarch in a small bowl to make a smooth slurry. Add in the sea salt and stir to combine.
*Combine the remaining milk, the cream and the sugar in a large saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil over medium high heat. Boil for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and gradually whisk in the cornstarch slurry.
*Bring the mixture back to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring with a heatproof spatula, until slightly thickened, about 1 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in the mint extract.
*Stir in half the chopped peppermint patties and stir until candies are melted and incorporated into the milk mixture.
*Pour mixture through a mesh sieve set atop a large bowl to sift our any chocolate bits that didn't melt.
*Refrigerate mixture for 4 to 12 hours, preferably overnight. Pour mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions.

Happy Cooking!

Madison

Parmesan Roasted Asparagus

It's been hot in this part of the country lately. We're talking majorly hot for Iowa, and pretty humid, too. But that hasn't stopped me from firing up the oven and roasting some asparagus. Thank goodness for air conditioning.

Summer or winter, it doesn't really matter to me. Roasting is an absolute necessity in my everyday cooking, mainly because it's easy and requires very little hands-on time. But you already know how much I love roasting, don't you?

I make this asparagus quite frequently. Last fall when Joey and I visited our aunt, uncle and cousins in Wisconsin, I made this asparagus to go with dinner. The four kiddos we were feeding were all under the age of 11 and this asparagus was a major hit! If I remember correctly, there were even requests for seconds. Now that's a sign of a good recipe if I've ever seen one.

Parmesan Roasted Asparagus

Ingredients
*1 bunch asparagus with the ends trimmed
*1/2 tablespoon olive oil
*1 clove garlic, minced
*Salt and black pepper 
*1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions
*Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking pan with foil. Line asparagus on baking sheet.
*In a small bowl, combine the olive oil and garlic. Drizzle over the asparagus in the baking pan. Toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper.
*Bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on how thick your asparagus is. During the last two minutes of baking, sprinkle Parmesan cheese atop asparagus and bake for the remaining two minutes.

Happy Cooking!

Madison

What I Ate Tuesday...

 

It's been a while since I posted a daily food log. Now that I'm back at work and settled into real life again, I figured it was high time I shared.

Breakfast
*2 slices whole wheat toast spread with 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter each and 1/2 sliced banana
*Almond milk latte

Mid-morning snack
*Vitamin Water Zero 
*Taste panel day at work so I sampled a few small bites of a few different recipes.

Lunch
*2 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
*2 tablespoons honey-roasted peanuts
*1 oz. crumbled feta cheese
*6 baby carrots
*2 tablespoons light honey mustard dressing

*Fage 2% Greek Yogurt with Strawberry
*1/3 cup Banana Nut Cheerios

Snack
*24 oz. water
*1 medium pear

Dinner
*Parmesan-Roasted Asparagus (recipe coming your way tomorrow)
*Sliced, roasted sweet potato with ketchup
*Boca Vegan Veggie Burger

Dessert
*A small slice of pie leftover from our wedding :)

Question of the day: What new food discoveries have you made lately? Anything I absolutely need to add into the weekly food rotation? 

This Week....

Last weekend I...

1. Made a pasta bake filled with veggies, multigrain pasta and sausage (on the right, for him) in hopes that it would be a dinner success. Instead, it was flat, bland and dull.

2. Played every board game we own (well, those suitable for two people) with Joey over the course of two days.

3. Explored our new town while hunting down a disc golf course we spotted online. Joey played and Nutmeg and I walk alonside.

4. Took a glorious, hour-long nap on Sunday afternoon.

5. Started our search for a new church in the area. We were met with a little success, but I don't think the search is over just yet.

Overall, it was just what we needed. Relaxing, low-key and it involved very little driving and it appears as if next weekend is going to be the same. Bliss!

Do you have any exciting plans for the weekend ahead?

Madison

Coffee Blondies

 

Call me crazy, but I've always been more of a vanilla girl than I am chocolate. It's not exactly as if I would turn down a chocolate dessert (hey, I'm not crazy), but I just prefer the simplicity and clean flavor of a vanilla-centric treat.

Personally, I've always had a bit of a soft spot for blondies. They often get thought of as the brownie's less-attractive sibling, but I dare to disagree. What they lack in chocolate they make up for in rich vanilla and caramel flavors.

Since Joey grew up in a house that frequently had a large sheet pan full of homemade bars on the kitchen island, I figured I would do my best to recreate that experience for him in our new home. And while this recipe makes a full jellyroll pan full of bars, they are thinner and lighter than a traditional brownie would be. If you want a more brownie-like consistency, pour the batter into a 13x9-inch pan instead and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

Edited to add: Joey took one bite of these bars and said they were the best thing I have ever made. Ever! He continued to rave, saying the flavor was, 'like the best things about kettle corn (salty, sweet and caramel-y) all in one bar.' If that isn't a ringing endorsement, I don't know what is! 

Coffee Blondies
Recipe adapted from SimplyRecipes.com
Ingredients
*2 sticks unsalted butter
*2 large eggs
*1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
*2 teaspoons vanilla extract
*1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
*1 tablespoon instant coffee
*2 cups brown sugar
*1 teaspoon baking powder
*1/4 teaspoon baking soda
*2 cups whole wheat flour

Instructions
*Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a large jellyroll pan with butter. Set aside.
*In a mixing bowl, beat together the butter, eggs, salt, vanilla, cinnamon, coffee and brown sugar. Beat in the baking powder and baking soda, followed by the flour. Stir until just combined.
*Spread mixture into the prepared pan in a thin, even layer.
*Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until edges are lightly browned and center is puffed and golden. Cool on wire rack. Serve with coffee ice cream, if desired.

Happy Baking!


Madison

My Beauty Routine

This isn't a post I ever thought I would be writing. To be completely honest, I'm pretty low maintenance and definitely find it hard to spend loads of money on expensive beauty products, no matter how wonderful they may be. But when reader Carla e-mailed me asking for my routine, I figured it would make a fun mix-up from my typical recipe-related ramblings. So, here it goes...

Neutrogena Naturals Fresh Cleansing + Makeup Remover  
Use: Morning and Night 
Lately I've been trying to move toward using more natural skincare products. Seeing as that our skin is our largest organ, it only makes sense that we try to eliminate the number of chemicals we use in regards to it. That's why I was so excited when Neutrogena came out with a line of natural skincare products. For years, my dermatologist recommended I use Neutrogena Fresh Foaming Cleanser, which I loved. This product is it's more eco-friendly, natural cousin. For years I struggled with acne-prone, oily skin. My derm also told me that over-washing oily skin can make symptoms worse so I try and stick to only washing my face in the morning and before bed now. 

Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisturizer for Combination Skin
Use: Morning and Night 
In the past, moisturizing was one area I was seriously lacking in. I was never able to find something that didn't leave my skin feeling greasy and didn't cause breakouts. Enter another Neutrogena product (no, they didn't sponsor this post). This moisturizer is lightweight and perfect for summertime. During the winter, I typically switch to something a little richer, such as Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief, which does wonders for parched winter skin. 

St. Ives Naturally Clean Green Tea Scrub
Use: Two to three times a week 
I was formerly a devotee to St. Ives Apricot Scrub but was always secretly worried that the scrub itself was a little bit more abrasive than it should be. About six months ago I picked up what looked to be a gentler alternative to my favorite scrub. The package claims it helps reduce redness in skin and also keeps skin clear of clogged pores and breakouts. I can honestly say I've noticed a difference on all three accounts. 

Clinique Perfectly Real Makeup 
Use: Daily
Goodness I LOVE this foundation. I've never been one for heavy makeup and prefer my skin to look natural and dewy so I require a lot from my foundation. Even though this particular product is fairly lightweight, I still work a few drops of my moisturizer into the amount I'm going to use on my face for a dewy, moisturizing look. It also makes my makeup last much longer, which is a major bonus. 

Clinique Blushing Blush Powder Blush in Berry Delight
Use: Daily
I'm a blush freak. If there was one beauty product I couldn't live without, blush would most certainly be it, followed by bronzer. I know there are quite a few cheaper options out there for blush (hello CoverGirl!) but I keep coming back to this particular type since I use it every single day and it lasts forever. 

Clinique Lash Doubling Mascara
Use: Daily
I can't get enough of this stuff. It doesn't weigh my lashes down and keeps them clump-free. Naturally, I have pretty long lashes, but this mascara takes them to the crazy-long realm and makes me feel like I am wearing false lashes every time. Bonus: the wand is delicate enough to get those tricky bottom lashes, too. 

bareMinerals Warmth All-Over Face Color 
Use: In the winter when I'm looking pale 
We live in Iowa. The sun takes a lot of days off here and in the winter my skin doesn't get many rays at all. It's great for warding off wrinkles, but not so great if you don't fancy looking like a ghost. This bareMinerals powder is my go-to bronzer in the winter months because it gives me natural looking color. 

Kerastase Conditioner Resistance Age Recharge Firming Gel Masque
Use: Once a week 
Helllooo beauty splurge! When my stylist first recommended that I use this product on my hair I almost dropped dead at the price: $41 for a small jar of deep conditioner? But I had already purchased the product before I noticed the price (big mistake) so I took it home and waited for it to work its magic. Quite honestly, it's been the best thing I've done for my parched, bleached hair that I'm desperately trying to grow longer.  

Coffee Ice Cream

I'm not going to lie, one of the major perks about getting married had to be all the amazing kitchen gadgets we got from friends and family. It wasn't that my kitchen was bare and in dire need of pots and pans, but there were a few items that I have had my eye on for some time but was too cheap to actually buy for myself.

One of those things being an ice cream maker.

Thankfully, our amazing friends Kurt, Sarah, Caleb and Jill read my mind (err....our registry) and bought us our very own ice cream maker attachment for my KitchenAid stand mixer. Needless to say, I was pretty excited and got to work making my first batch of ice cream in less than three days after returning home from San Diego.

The results were pretty darn stellar. The ice cream was smooth, creamy and full of rich coffee flavor - better than most coffee ice creams I have purchased. Of course, I can only imagine it would be stellar to stir in some chopped candy bars, chocolate covered espresso beans or a swirl of fudge, but for our first ice cream experiment I kept things simple.

Coffee Ice Cream
Recipe adapted from SimplyRecipes.com
Ingredients
*1 1/2 cups whole milk
*2 1/2 cups heavy cream
*1/3 cup granulated sugar
*1/3 cup brown sugar
*1 tablespoon instant coffee (I used decaf)
*1 teaspoon vanilla extract
*Pinch of salt
*4 egg yolks

Instructions
*In a small bowl, beat together the egg yolks. Set aside. 
*Combine the milk, 1 1/2 cups of the cream, the sugars, coffee, salt and vanilla in a large saucepan. Heat over medium high heat just until mixture begins to steam, stirring frequently.
*When mixture begins to steam, pour some of the mixture into the egg yolks, stirring quickly to combine and temper egg yolks so they warm but do not cook.
*Add egg yolk mixture back to remaining milk mixture in saucepan and continue to cook until mixture reaches 170°F or it coats the back of a wooden spoon.
*Remove mixture from heat and add in the remaining 1 cup cold cream. Transfer to a large bowl. Refrigerate until chilled, preferably overnight.
*Once mixture is chilled, pour through a mesh sieve. Pour strained mixture into ice cream maker and prepare according to manufacturers instructions.

Happy cooking!

Madison

San Diego Honeymoon: Part 2

{Catching a San Diego Padres game on a beautiful night in the city}

{Vegetarian hot dogs were available at the game, which pretty much made my night!}

 {Since neither of us are really baseball fans, we took more pictures than most at the game}

{The first part of the next morning was spent watching Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 in preparation for part 2 that night!}

{During our time on Coronado Island, we stopped at a place called Burger Lounge for lunch}

{I was skeptical, but they ended up having an amazing salad with a quinoa veggie patty}

{Cute, happy hubby waiting for his burger and onion rings to arrive}

{And me, avoiding the camera}

{A slightly blurry shot on the airplane as we headed home to Iowa}

{And a breakfast that rocked my socks off: Starbucks oatmeal, chopped nuts and dried fruit, a spoonful of peanut butter and banana slices (both from the hotel) with a small soy latte.}

Question of the day: Where did you honeymoon or where was your most memorable vaca?

Madison

His and Hers Greek Salad

Last night I finally made it to the grocery store with Joey and made my first meal in our new kitchen! I'll admit, the idea of having to plan meals every night and think about what I was going to buy at the grocery store in a more thoughtful manner instead of just winging it concerned me a bit. And no one prepared me for how much milk men go through in a single week!

I never really anticipated being the type to meal plan for the week, but I realized yesterday that planning ahead would keep me much more sane and keep some variety in our mealtimes.

Monday night's dinner was on the light and fresh side since it was a scorching 99°F yesterday with no relief in sight for the next few days. While Joey washed the cars, I made this His and Hers Greek Salad. Named because Joey's (his) was topped with baked seasoned chicken breast and mine (hers) was sans-chicken. And easy, fresh way to find compromise between our two eating styles.

His and Hers Greek Salad (for two)
Ingredients
*1 chicken breast, cut in half lengthwise into two thinner pieces
*2 teaspoons olive oil
*1/4 teaspoons Italian seasoning mix
*Salt and black pepper
*3 to 4 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
*1/2 medium cucumber, chopped
*2 tomatoes, chopped
*1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
*4 tablespoons Greek-style salad dressing

Instructions
*Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil. Place chicken breast on foil and drizzle with the olive oil, Italian seasoning mix, salt and black pepper. Bake in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
*Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, and crumbled feta cheese. Toss with the dressing and divide between two bowls.
*Top one (or two) of the bowls with the chicken breast and serve.

Happy cooking!

Madison

July 9, 2011

We're back from San Diego and getting settled into life in our new digs! Much more on this later, but because Joey's job and my job are in slightly different locations, we have moved to an adorable little loft apartment in Grinnell, Iowa, a small town that if a half way point between where Joe works and I work.

As part of our new living situation, I will be working from a home office two days a week (Monday and Friday) and driving into Des Moines the other three days. I'm so thankful that I will be able to continue doing what I love but a little nervous for the new transition. Something to get used to, for sure!

Over the course of last week, more photos began to pop up on Facebook and my mom had some on her camera, too. So I figured today would be a great time to do a non-official wedding recap, with photos I could piece together from a few different sources. Enjoy!

{a welcome sign in chalk for our guests}

{natural, food-inspired centerpieces with apples and artichokes}

{our take-home gifts: recipe cards with some of the recipes served at the wedding, including the pies}

{photo guest book in place of the standard pen and paper variety}

{the fabric flags were made with scraps of fabric from my grandma}

{my friend and mentor, the fabulous Nancy Wall Hopkins}

{our friends Laura and Mike - wish we lived closer to them!}

{a group of Joey's friends from college}

{my beautiful matron of honor, Emily, and her hubby, Brian}

{right after being announced husband and wife!}

{chatting with work friends and drinking mimosas before the reception}

{three of our four beautiful little ribbon dancers}

{croquet was played as part of the outdoor portion of the reception}

{my favorite part of the reception: the pie table!}

{posing with Nutmeg at the reception}

{instead of bird see, guests waved mini ribbon wands as we left via pedicab}

{leaving the reception full of smiles}

{a kiss for the crowd!}

{riding off into the sunset....err to Joey's pickup}

I hope you enjoyed this little glimpse into our big day. As soon as I get the official photos, I'll be doing a full-blown recap. And I'll be back to posting recipes in just a bit! As soon as I figure out where everything in my new kitchen is...

Madison

Adventures in San Diego: Part 1

{Looking only half awake at the San Diego airport}

{We had time to kill before checking into our hotel so we ate an amazing lunch at Zanzibar. Vegetarian egg white omelete and whole grain toast? Yes please!}

 {A beautiful fruit and water greeting surprise from my family.}

{My handsome hubby enjoying our first dinner in San Diego at La Fiesta. He said if he could have one meal be his last, this meal at La Fiesta would be it.}

{Monday we cashed in our tickets (Thanks Amber and Jake!) and explored the San Diego Zoo. I haven't been to a zoo in ages and loved every minute of it.}

{Joey hanging with the flamingos.}

{And me hanging out with the flamingos.}

{I couldn't stop talking about how much Nutmeg would love the bird and duck exhibits.}

{Day 2 was all about the beach, La Jolla, to be exact, where we got sun burned as we played at the beach, biked around the area and explored the sea coves in sea kayaks.}

{Sunning at La Jolla.}

 {Joey capturing a candid moment while waiting for our sandwiches at The Cheese Shop in La Jolla.}

{Day 3: Making the trip up to Los Angeles for the day.}

{Our very best attempt at looking like we belong in Beverly Hills while we cruise Rodeo Drive in our convertible. For the record, we did not fit in.}

{Hello, Rodeo.}

{Is there any better way to end the day than a trip to a VEGAN fast food joint? Homemade black bean burgers, homemade ketchup, and a smoothie made with almond milk, frozen berries and flax oil. Heaven! For Joey, we made a trip to Wendy's. We're working on that marital compromise thing.}

Part 2 coming at you as soon as we return! Thank you all so much for your sweet words about our big day. I has made my day each time I read one of your comments and am just as anxious as you are to get my hands on more photos to post!