Coconut Raspberry Ice Cream

I love finding new ways to create ice cream bases - there's the traditional custard way with egg yolks, the sweetened condensed milk version, varieties that use just half and half, the cornstarch version, and probably several more that I haven't tried yet. And today's version is different still - it uses just coconut milk! I have made a super delicious ice cream using cream of coconut, but I until now, I hadn't thought of using coconut milk.

With just four simple ingredients, this ice cream comes together super quickly, and is super refreshing. It's pretty light as far as ice cream goes, so you can enjoy a few scoops without guilt. The raspberries add wonderful flavor, color and texture to the coconut base.

Start by combining the coconut milk,

sugar

and vanilla in a blender. Blend until combined and the sugar is dissolved. Then pour the base into your ice cream maker

and let it churn away til the ice cream is at the soft serve stage. Now add the raspberries.

I actually found it easiest to fold in most of the raspberries after I transferred the ice cream to my container. My ice cream maker was practically filled to the rim and there wasn't room for raspberries! Also, while you fold in the raspberries, you will want to crush them slightly with your spoon. There's nothing worse (well, maybe there are) than getting a huge piece of frozen fruit in the middle of your ice cream bite! You want small pieces of raspberries. Crushing them up will be very easy with fresh raspberries, and slightly more difficult with frozen. If I would have thought ahead, I would have let my berries thaw slightly. In any case! Fold them in and crush them up.

Freeze the ice cream until solid, about 2 hours. As usual with homemade ice cream, you'll want to let it sit on the counter for about 5 minutes before scooping.

This ice cream is so pretty I just wanted to take lots of pictures of it! And then I dug in, of course.

One year ago: Raspberry Streusel Muffins
Two years ago: Pineapple Sorbet
Three years ago: Oat Waffles

Find more great stuff at Hearth and Soul, Cast Party, Whatcha Whipped Up, Wednesday Extravaganza, Wicked Good Wednesday, What's Cooking, Full Plate Thursday, Thursday's Treasures.

Coconut Raspberry Ice Cream

2 cans chilled Thai coconut milk
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup raspberries (fresh or frozen)

Place the coconut milk, sugar, and vanilla in a blender. Blend until combined, about 30 seconds. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker, and churn for 20-25 minutes, until the ice cream is at soft serve stage.

Transfer to a freezer safe container and fold in the raspberries. Using a spoon, break up the raspberries slightly as you fold them in - you want small pieces of raspberries, not big chunks. (Frozen raspberries will require more muscles than fresh raspberries, which are already quite tender.)

Freeze for 2-3 hours or until firm. Let the ice cream sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes before scooping. Makes 1 quart.

Recipe Source: Slightly adapted from Two Peas

Roasted Pistachio Ice Cream

I am not exaggerating when I say that this is the best ice cream I have ever made. And it is also, quite possibly, the best that I have EVER eaten. Seriously. I just ate another dish of it to confirm that it's true. And it is. This ice cream is so amazingly delicious that I don't have enough adjectives. Just hurry up and make it yourself and tell me if you agree with my assessment!

Start by roasting the pistachios. This gives the ice cream incredible depth of flavor so don't skip this step! Spread the pistachios out on a baking sheet

and toast for 10-12 minutes. They'll get really fragrant and just start to brown. That's when they're perfect. Now transfer them to the bowl of a food processor and grind away until the nuts turn into a paste. This will take a few minutes, so don't be alarmed if it's not immediate. Here's what you're looking for:

Scrape the paste into a large measuring cup or batter bowl (you'll store the ice cream batter in this dish overnight, so be sure it's big enough) and add the cream cheese.

Now in a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of the milk

and whisk until smooth. In a large saucepan, combine the remaining milk, cream,

sugar and corn syrup.

Over medium high heat, bring this mixture to a rolling boil and boil for 4 minutes.

Remove from the heat and gradually add the cornstarch mixture (whisk it again so be sure it's all dissolved).

Stirring constantly, bring the mixture back to a boil over medium high heat and boil for 1 minute or until slightly thickened.

Now add a couple of ladles-full of the cream mixture to the pistachio/cream cheese

and whisk until combine. Continue to gradually add the cream mixture, whisking constantly. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight.

When you're ready to make the ice cream, remove the batter from the fridge and give it a good stir. Pour the batter into the ice cream maker

and once it is churning, add the almond extract.

Continue to churn until the ice cream is at the soft serve stage. Transfer to a freezer safe container and then press parchment paper down onto the surface of the ice cream.

Freeze until firm, about 4 hours. I hope you can wait that long. It is well worth it.

You can garnish this with chopped pistachios. I may or may not be planning to make hot fudge tomorrow to pour over this ice cream...

One year ago: Poppyseed Cake
Two years ago: Basmati Rice and Chicken Salad
Three years ago: Canteloupe Sorbet
Four years ago: Shrimp and Vegetable Stir Fry

Find more inspiration at Inspiration Monday, Mouthwatering Monday, Mix it Up, Melt in Your Mouth, Recipe Sharing, Tasty Tuesday, Totally Tasty Tuesday, Tasteful Tuesday, Tuesday Talent Show, Clever Chicks, Try a New Recipe, Share Your Stuff.

Roasted Pistachio Ice Cream

1/2 cup shelled pistachios
2 cups whole milk
1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. cornstarch
1 1/2 ounces cream cheese, softened (reduced fat is fine)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. light corn syrup
1/2 tsp. almond extract

Spread the pistachios out on a small baking sheet and toast at 350 for 10-12 minutes, until fragrant and just starting to brown. Remove from the oven and grind in a food processor until the nuts form a smooth paste.

Whisk the cream cheese, pistachio paste and salt in a large measuring cup or batter bowl until smooth. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine 2 Tbsp. of the milk and the cornstarch and whisk until smooth. Set aside.

Combine the remaining milk, cream, sugar and corn syrup in a large saucepan and bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and gradually add the cornstarch mixture. Return this mixture to a boil, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute.

Whisk about 2 ladles-full of the cream mixture into the pistachio/cream cheese mixture. Continue to add the cream mixture gradually to the pistachio mixture, whisking constantly. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Remove from the refrigerator and stir well. Pour into the ice cream machine and then add almond extract. Churn the ice cream until thick, soft serve stage. Pack the ice cream into a freezer safe container and place parchment paper on top. Freeze until firm, about 4 hours. Makes 1 quart.

Recipe Source: Adapted from Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream

You probably know this, but July is National Ice Cream Month. So I thought it would be appropriate to end the month with a few ice cream recipes. Today we start with one that I've wanted to make for years and just finally got around to...chocolate peanut butter revel is one of my favorite flavors to get at the ice cream parlor - and it's very very hard to find a similar version at the grocery store. But I don't need to look anymore - cause I can just make this! This chocolate ice cream is custardy smooth and rich - and the salty peanut butter complements it beautifully. My sister-in-law, who loves this flavor also, said it was BETTER than our ice cream shop's version! Now that's a huge success.

Start by combining 2 cups of the whole milk,

cocoa,

sugar

and salt in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium low heat until the milk starts to steam, but do not let it boil. Meanwhile, in a small measuring cup, combine the remaining milk and the cornstarch.

Whisk together until smooth, then add to the steaming milk mixture.

Cook and stir until this mixture comes to a boil. It will resemble chocolate pudding.

Remove from the heat. In a large measuring cup or batter bowl, heat the cream in the microwave until it comes to a boil. Add the chocolate chips

and stir until smooth.

Now add the saucepan mixture to the measuring cup

and stir well to combine. Cover this mixture and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.

Add the ice cream base to your ice cream machine

and churn until the mixture is soft serve stage. Drizzle in half of the peanut butter

and don't let the machine churn too much - you want to see ripples in the finished ice cream. Transfer the ice cream to a freezer safe container then fold in the remaining peanut butter.

Cover and freeze until solid. Let sit on the counter for 5 minutes or so before scooping up and enjoying!

One year ago: Roasted Banana Ice Cream
Two years ago: Curried Chicken Salad with Blackberries
Three years ago: Peach and Blackberry Tart
Four years ago: Strawberry Banana Trifle

Find more great stuff at Whatcha Whipped Up, What's Cooking Wednesday, Wicked Good Wednesday, What's Cooking #2, Cast Party, Full Plate Thursday, Thursday's Treasures, Foodie Friday, Foodie Friday (#2), Friday Flash, TGIF, Food on Friday, Friday Food Frenzy.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream

2 1/2 cups whole milk, divided
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
pinch of salt
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together 2 cups whole milk, sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Heat until the milk starts to steam, but before it starts to boil.

In a small measuring cup, whisk together the remaining 1/2 cup of whole milk and the cornstarch until no lumps remain. Add the cornstarch mixture to the heated milk and chocolate mixture and bring to a low boil. Boil until thickened then remove from the heat.

Add the heavy cream to a large measuring cup, and heat in the microwave until it boils. Pour in the chocolate chips. Let sit for 1 minute, then stir until well blended.

Add the contents of the saucepan to the large measuring cup, and stir well to combine. Cover, and refrigerate until chilled. (about 1 1/2 to 2 hours)

Once cool, add to your ice cream maker and churn. Once the mixture has thickened in the ice cream maker, slowly drizzle in 1/4 cup of peanut butter. Don’t over mix. Transfer the ice cream into a freezer safe container and fold in the remaining 1/4 cup of peanut butter. Cover and freeze until solid.

Recipe Source: Joy the Baker

Mango-Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette

It's been quite a heat wave in many parts of the nation for the last few weeks, and it's no exception where I live. We're especially known for the cold, but in the summer, it can really heat up. In times like this, I love to find recipes that don't need the oven or require too much slaving over a hot stove. Plus, the hot weather inspires me to eat more lightly - and this delicious salad certainly fits the bill. As soon as I saw it on Kate's blog, I knew it would be my choice for this month's Secret Recipe Club.

There is so much I love about this salad - I could just go on and on. The different flavors, textures, colors - it all works together to create an amazingly delicious and beautiful meal.

Start by cooking the bacon. It's easiest to cut it into pieces first - it will cook more quickly.

When the bacon is crisp, remove it to a paper-towel lined plate, and then drain off all the fat except about one tablespoon. You will use the yummy bacon grease to fry the onion! Return the pan to medium heat then add the onion.

Cook and stir for 4-5 minutes or until the onion is very soft. Then add the red wine vinegar,

lime juice and honey.

Reduce the heat to low and stir until everything is well combined. Divide the spinach among two dinner plates and top with the bacon,

mango, the onions and dressing,

and finally the feta.

Stay cool! And eat more salad!

One year ago: Double Chocolate Caramel Brownies
Two years ago: Strawberry White Chocolate Ice Cream
Three years ago: Rhubarb Berry Cheesecake Pie
Four years ago: Chicken Fajitas

Get more great ideas at Inspiration Monday, Mix it Up Monday, Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Recipe Sharing Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Totally Tasty Tuesdays, Tasteful Tuesdays, Tuesday Talent Show, Clever Chicks, Share a New Recipe, Share Your Stuff.

Mango-Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette

4 thick slices bacon, diced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. lime juice
1 Tbsp. honey
4 cups fresh baby spinach
1 cup diced mango
2 Tbsp. crumbled mild feta

Brown the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. When crisp, remove to a paper towel lined plate and drain all but a tablespoon of the fat. Return the skillet to the heat and add the onion, cooking and stirring until the onion is soft, about 4-5 minutes. Pour into the skillet the red wine vinegar, lime juice and honey. Stir well and keep warm.

To assemble salads, place 2 cups of spinach on each plate. Top with the mango, then the bacon, onion and dressing mixture and finally the cheese. Serves 2.

Plum Snack Cake

So, here's another great recipe that takes advantage of fruit in season. This lovely little cake has a slight biscuit-y texture nicely complemented by the beautiful and juicy plums that sit atop it. It's a wonderful dessert or afternoon snack, not too rich and just sweet enough! Try it, you'll like it.

Start by beating together the butter, oil and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the egg and the almond extract,

and beat just until blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the flour to the egg mixture in three additions,

alternating with the yogurt. Spread the batter in a greased 9-inch baking dish. Lay the plums on top of the batter.

You'll probably want to place them more randomly on the batter for a prettier presentation, I just lined 'em up. (OCD much?) Sprinkle the plums with the turbinado sugar,

then bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

One year ago: Shrimp and Goat Cheese Corn Cakes
Two years ago: Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Three years ago: Spicy Grilled Pork Tenderloin
Four years ago: Summer Cucumber Salad

Find more great ideas at Hearth and Soul, Cast Party Wednesday, What's Cooking Wednesday, Wednesday Extravaganza, Wicked Good Wednesday, What's Cooking (#2), Full Plate Thursday, Thursday's Treasures.

Plum Snack Cake

1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. canola oil
2 1/2 Tbsp. butter
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
1 cup plums, seeded, sliced
1 Tbsp. turbinado sugar

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat the oil, butter and sugar. Beat in the almond extract and egg until blended. Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the yogurt, beating after each addition until just combined.

Spread the batter into a greased 9" baking dish. Lay plums on the batter and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.

Bake the cake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until it is golden brown.

Recipe Source: Adapted from Peanut Butter and Peppers