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What better way to celebrate the 4th of July than with homemade ice cream?! I come from a long line of ice cream lovers, and homemade ice cream during summertime celebrations has always been a staple in our family. My grandparents use one of those old fashioned ice cream makers that makes a whole bunch of the good stuff, but to keep it simple, I use my Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker at home. It’s super easy to use, and the possibilities are endless when you start thinking up new flavors.
In my cookbook (The Outdoor Table), I have two delicious ice cream recipes that are made the old fashioned way, with an egg yolk custard base and all. However, I know many of us are looking for something a little quicker than that, so this ice cream recipe just uses good old heavy whipping cream to make it lusciously creamy. Is it low fat? …Um no! BUT, remember this is a special treat, and wouldn’t you rather have a small bowl of the real thing than a bigger bowl of a not so creamy, low fat alternative (probably ends up being about the same in calories when you get a larger portion anyway).
Plus, this ice cream is made with real ingredients, completely from scratch, which makes me feel better about any dessert I’m eating. The kicker in this one is the buttermilk, it gives the ice cream a slight tang that cuts some of the richness. It’s the perfect complement to the quick strawberry jam that gets swirled in at the end of churning. If you haven’t made homemade ice cream yet, give it a try, you simply can’t beat it!
TIP: The possibilities are endless when it comes to baking with buttermilk! Use the leftover buttermilk from this recipe for biscuits, pancakes, cornbread, cakes, or maybe even my Strawberry Upside Down Cake!
Strawberry Swirled Buttermilk Ice Cream
serves 4
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups chopped strawberries
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Directions
- Place the heavy cream, buttermilk, 3/4 cup sugar, and vanilla in a large saucepan over medium heat, stir occasionally until the sugar has dissolved.
- Remove from the heat and pour into a bowl. Chill the mixture completely in the refrigerator.
- Meanwhile, place the strawberries, lemon juice, 3 tbls sugar, and cornstarch in a saucepan. Use a potato masher, (or the back of a fork) to mash the berries slightly and mix the ingredients together.
- Bring this to a boil and allow it to simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool completely.
- Once the cream mixture has chilled, pour it into a 1 1/2 quart ice cream maker and churn according to package directions. Usually for about 20-30 minutes.
- Once the ice cream has churned, layer it with the strawberry mixture into a resealable container. Then use a knife or skewer to swirl the two together. Place in the freezer for 4 hours.
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Ahhh…summertime. I know it hasn’t technically started yet, but after Memorial Day it’s pretty much summer in Tennessee. This is without a doubt my favorite time of year, I love all seasons, but you just can’t beat bare feet on the patio, the aroma of grilled goodness in the air, and carefree days spent by the pool. I’m also quite fond of the food that goes along with warmer weather. Heck, I wrote a whole cookbook about it! I like taking a fresh ingredient of the season and using it in all kinds of fun, new ways. However, as much as I love to come up with unique recipe ideas, sometimes you just can’t beat a classic. Hence, this week’s recipe, a delightful Peach Cobbler. All you need is a scoop of vanilla ice cream to go with it, and you’re all set. I actually listed the ice cream as an ingredient in this recipe, because let’s face it you just can’t have cobbler without it. If you forgot to grab it at the store(like I did), have the husband run back to the grocery to snag some (like I did). It’s really that important, I mean it’s not like you get to enjoy fresh Peach Cobbler every day.
I was lucky enough to make my cobbler out of a bag of peaches my parents’ brought me from The Peach Truck. They weren’t quite ripe enough the day they were bought, so I left them in that brown paper bag for a couple of days. As soon as they ripened to perfection, I knew what I had to do. Sweet, buttery, cakey, cobbler is what happened, and I’m so glad it did. Even in the midst of contracts being signed, a poor baby who caught my cold, and just all around business, I had to make time for cobbler.
Sometimes, in this crazy season we’re in, I’ve learned that I have to go out of my way to enjoy the sweetness of life. Whether it’s laying on the floor laughing with Maverick when there are countless tasks to be done, or saying no to laundry and other household chores to make cobbler. I didn’t want to let peach season go by without making peach cobbler, and you shouldn’t either! It may sound simple or even silly, but these are the little treats that make life sweet. Don’t miss them!
#MakeTimeforCobbler
Sweet Summertime Peach Cobbler
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh peaches, peeled and sliced*
- 2 teaspoons real vanilla extract
- 6 tablespoon butter, melted
- 1 cup self rising flour
- 3/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons divided
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk (low fat is fine)
- Vanilla ice cream, of serving
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Toss together the peaches and vanilla and pour them into a 9 inch baking dish.
- Whisk together melted butter, flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt, and milk. This mixture will seem runny, and that’s okay.
- Pour the batter over the peaches and bake for 45 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar over the cobbler and bake for another 15 minutes.
- Cool slightly and serve with vanilla ice cream!
***Peeling peaches can be daunting, but I have a simple trick to help you out. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cut an X at the bottom of each peach. Place the peaches into the boiling water for 1 minute. Remove them quickly and allow them to cool in a big bowl of ice water. The skin of the peaches should easily pull away from the flesh where the X’s are cut.
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Is this not the most beautiful cake?! And just wait until you taste it, I’m thinking this is the perfect Mother’s Day dessert. I’ll get to the recipe soon, but first a little about the star of the show, strawberries!
If you haven’t noticed from social media yet, it’s Strawberry picking time! A couple of weeks ago, I had the privilege of attending a “Strawberry School” at Wagner Berry Farms conducted by my friend and mentor, Tammy Algood with Pick Tennessee Products (check out http://www.picktnproducts.org to find local strawberry farms in your area). Tammy is the southern cooking queen, and she has played a huge role in this crazy cooking journey I’m on. She actually introduced me to her book agent, who is now my agent and the talented man who came up with the concept for The Outdoor Table. Needless to say, I’m a big fan of hers, and I’m so incredibly thankful for her generosity and wisdom.
The fabulous Tammy Algood and I
Now back to the berries. Strawberry season here in Tennessee starts in May and runs through late June, it’s pretty short and sweet. So, I wanted to share 5 takeaways I had from the class, that will hopefully allow you to get the most out of these delicious local berries!
All you need for serving beautiful strawberries is a pretty platter and a bowl of powdered sugar!
It’s amazing the difference in the store bought berries compared to freshly picked. Did you know that it is logistically impossible to buy a ripe strawberry from a grocery store? (Find out why in my 5 tips below) Not only will you get the best berries locally, it’s also a wonderful way to enjoy the outdoors with your family. Oh and once you get them picked, go home bake up my Strawberry Upside Down Cake!
5 Tips for Strawberry Picking and Storage
- Strawberries do not ripen after they are harvested. Once you pick the berry, it won’t continue to ripen like some other fruits, so be sure to pick the ripest berries you can find!
- The ripest strawberries to pick should be red from the tip to the cap (where the stem is). Leave those green tipped berries on the vine!
- Store your berries in a single layer, on a jelly roll pan, in your refrigerator for the longest shelf life.
- DO NOT pre wash the berries and then store them, wash them right before eating/serving. This will prolong shelf life and keep them from molding prematurely.
- The shelf life of a strawberry is about a week from the time it is picked. This is why strawberries in a super market, usually from California are rarely at their peak. The ripest berries from huge farms actually go into juice anyway, not into the cartons for consumers.
Since Mother’s Day is this Sunday, I thought that this Strawberry Upside Down Cake would be appropriate this week. I mean what mom doesn’t love cake and strawberries?! Oh and it simply must be served warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Okay, my mouth is watering.
Happy Mother’s Day to all of you mommas out there. Now that I am a mom myself, I can appreciate this day more than ever. Enjoy!
Strawberry Upside Down Cake
makes 8 servings
Ingredients
- 10 tablespoons of butter, divided
- 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 2 cups sliced strawberries
- 3/4 white sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup low fat buttermilk
- 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for serving
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a 9inch cast iron skillet over medium heat.
- Sprinkle the brown sugar over the butter and then arrange the strawberry slices evenly on top. Remove the skillet form the heat and set aside.
- Melt the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter and place in a large bowl. Whisk in the sugar until well mixed. Stir in the almond extract, eggs, and buttermilk.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Slowly mix the flour mixture in the buttermilk mixture. Pour the batter over the strawberries, and spread it evenly to the edges of the skillet.
- Bake the cake for 28-30 minutes, until a wooden pick comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack, and then place a serving plate upside down on top of the pan, and invert the cake onto the plate. Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped topping.
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I’m so excited to share this recipe, not only because it’s delicious, but also because this is the type of simple, summery recipe you will find in the dessert section of my upcoming cookbook The Outdoor Table! By the way, have you preordered your copy yet?! We are almost a month out from the release, so I’m going to be sharing recipes for the next month that are similar to what you will find in the book, and I think you’re gonna love it! But before I get to this recipe, I’ve got to share something I was reminded of this past Sunday.
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7
I’ve never thought of myself as much of a worrier. As a teenager and college student I was always pretty care free. In fact, I probably didn’t worry enough! However, once I became a mom all of that changed. Is he eating enough? Why was he born so small? Is he too fat? Is he hitting every milestone early enough? Is he talking enough? How does he measure up to other babies? …and the list of worries/concerns/questions plays on repeat.
Am I alone here?? If not, and you struggle with this too, then hopefully what I am going to share will be encouraging to you as well.
This past Sunday, our pastor talked about our thoughts and how our minds works. He talked about solitary confinement and “time out” being punishments, because when we are alone with our thoughts the natural tendency is for the them to head in a negative direction. Something clicked when I heard this. If you are a stay at home mom or work from home like me, you probably spend quite a bit of time alone. At least without any other adults for much of your time. So in this situation, if we don’t actively control our thoughts, then they turn negative and begin controlling us. Aha! moment for me!
We put all of our time and energy into this little person and end up spending much of that time worrying about every little detail of their lives. This was especially true for me for the first 3 or 4 months of Maverick’s life, and I still battle it now to some extent. I hate to admit that, because it’s really kind of sad, but I think this is the case with lots of new moms. The good news about this, which I was reminded of during the sermon, is that we can do something about this negativity. We don’t have to let our thoughts control our lives and our emotions. We can actually take those negative thoughts captive as soon as they wonder into our minds. We can pray for our thought life and ask God to help us test our thoughts to know what is true and good and of Him and what is not. This is so empowering to me.
We can also spend time with people who lift us up and encourage us, for me, that is fellow moms and friends who love Jesus. Community is so important, even if it seems hard in this season, which I wrote about here. God did not intend for us to spend our time in worry. He says it over and over again in the bible. I am praying this over myself this morning, because I totally need this as much as anyone. We can have a mindset that produces joy and peace regardless of our circumstances, and I think that is pretty awesome. I want that for me and for my son, because we only get to do this life once. So, this week I’m practicing casting my cares on Him and taking those negative thoughts captive. We have His power within us to choose our thoughts.
“Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
Man, I love those verses, I feel like I can just take a deep breath of relief every time I read them. So, while we are thinking all of these positive, life giving thoughts together, let’s bake something yummy! I have had a jar of lemon curd in my pantry for a while now, and I finally decided to make good use out of it last week. If you like tart and tangy desserts, then this is a MUST TRY! These are rich and lemony and just delightful.
Lemon Curd Crumble Bars
makes 12 squares
Ingredients
- 1 stick of butter, softened
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup prepared lemon curd (find this in the jelly/jam section or baking section of most grocery stores)
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- Using a mixer, beat together the butter and brown sugar until they are creamed together. Add in the salt and flour, then mix until combined. The mixture will be crumbly.
- Remove about 3/4 cup of the mixture (unpacked) and add the pecans to this reserved amount for the topping.
- Press the remaining mixture into a square (8×8) baking dish and bake for 15 minutes. Allow this to cook on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes.
- Spread the lemon curd in an even layer onto the crust. Top the curd evenly with the pecan crumble mixture and bake for another 20 minutes. Allow this to cool completely before cutting into squares.
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Hey Y'all! Well I'm a southern gal, raised in Tennessee, where I still live with my husband and baby boy! Creating fresh and simple recipes with a southern flare, while sharing bits of my life with y'all on camera is what this site is all about. Also, my very first cookbook with Thomas Nelson Publishers will be out Spring of 2015, and I just can't wait to share it with you all!