In a saucepan over low heat, heat the milk and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Add the cream and vanilla, stir and allow to cool.

In a saucepan over low heat, combine the brown sugar, butter and half & half. Cook for about 7 minutes until it begins to thicken. Add the vanilla and cook for another minute or two, until slightly thickened. Allow to cool.

Pour the cooled cream mixture into an electric ice cream maker and make according to manufacturers directions. When the ice cream has thickened, add the chocolate chips and stir to combine. Then add about 1/2 cup of the caramel and stir gently with a spoon to swirl. Place in a covered container and allow to set up in the freezer at least 4 hours or overnight.

Do you eat leftovers? I wish I could say we eat them at my house, but I have to admit that leftovers are rejected like old stinky socks. By the looks I receive when trying to serve up a warm plate of leftovers, you would think I was trying to poison them.

Not to be defeated, I’ve resorted to mixing things up and trying to stealthily pull one over on the men of my house. Chili isn’t chili anymore when its dumped on a bed of corn chips and smothered in cheese. Right?

Desserts usually don’t need any persuasion from me for someone to finish them off, but since I had so much of it left from the Carrot Pineapple Cake post, I decided to do some experimenting. The result? A Cinnamon Carrot Cake Milkshake that is oh-so-good! I had the forethought to throw some of the cake in the freezer the night before, which helps with the consistency of the milkshake. You only need 5 ingredients, what’s easier than that!


Cinnamon-Carrot Cake Milkshake

Serves: 1  Printable Recipe

1 1/2 cups vanilla ice-cream

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup cut up frozen carrot cake

The weather here today has been more like summer than the middle of spring, with 80 degree temperatures that make you thirsty for a cold glass of lemonade – or a frosty cup of this yummy treat.

These little frozen cups are sweet and tangy, with a tropical twist that will make you want to put your feet up and swing in a hammock all day long. They are super easy to make too – just throw everything in an electric ice cream maker, or stash it in a container in the freezer for a couple of hours.

Keep this recipe handy for this summer, you’ll be glad you did.

Frozen Pineapple Banana Cups
(adapted from Taste of Home)
(prep: 10 minutes; freezing time: 30 minutes; yield: 9-12 servings)

• 3 cups water
• 2 2/3 cups mashed ripe bananas (5 to 6 medium)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 can (20-oz) crushed pineapple, undrained
• 1 can (6-oz) frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

Ice Cream Maker: Combine all of the ingredients in the container of your ice cream maker. Turn the machine on and let mix for 20-30 minutes.  Serve and enjoy! (Note: depending on the size of your container, you may need to make this in two batches.

Freezer method: In a 2 qt. freezer container, combine all of the ingredients. Mix well. Cover and freeze for 5 hours or overnight. Remove from the freezer 15 minutes before serving.

(Note: You can get away with using less sugar in this recipe, since the fruit contains enough sugar. I’ve made it with just 1/2 cup sugar before and it has been fine – just a little more tart.

I don't know about you, but when I get the hankering to make something new, I usually think of what flavors I want to work with first, and then how I can incorporate those flavors into a dish.  Most of the time, I have too many ideas and have to whittle it down to just one.  Lately, I've been thinking what's the point of having you're own blog, if you can't make you're own rules?  I decided there's no reason to limit myself, so I'm going to dedicate a whole month to the flavor/ingredient of choice, and make as many (or few) dishes as I like from that ingredient. What inspired this imaginary-rule-breaking-idea?  Pineapple and Cinnamon.  I had three distinct ideas of how to use these flavors together, and stubbornly refused to pick just one.  So here I am: One month. Two ingredients. Three recipes.  Let's get started.

When I envision pineapple I think of summer, and cinnamon inevitably conjures up images of fall.  So with that in mind, I believe the combination of these two ingredients is a good segue from summer to fall.  My first recipe - with a nod to the end of summer, hot days, and frozen treats - will be of course, ice cream.

Pineapple Cinnamon Ice Cream

2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup fresh pineapple (very ripe and sweet) pureed or 8 oz canned crushed pineapple (with juice)

Bring the cream to a simmer over medium heat, add the cinnamon, brown sugar and stir.  Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes. Whip the eggs and white sugar together until light and fluffy.  Slowly whisk the egg mixture into the cream mixture.  Cook over medium heat until the mixture begins to thicken, about 3-4 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool.  Chill the cream mixture in the refrigerator until cold.  Once cold, stir in the fresh pineapple.  Add the ice cream to your ice cream machine, and make according to the machine's directions.  Place the ice cream in the freezer until firm.  Serve and enjoy!

Stay tuned to see the next brainchild of this project...

Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream Pie

Pie crust:
1 cup crushed oreo cookies (without icing)
1 cup finely crushed pretzels
1/2 cup melted butter
1/8 cup brown sugar

Peanut butter shell topping:
8 peanut butter cups
2 oz expeller pressed coconut oil

Ice Cream:
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 cups milk
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla

5-6 extra peanut butter cups for garnish

For the Crust:  In a large bowl, combine the crushed oreo cookie crumbs, crushed pretzels, brown sugar, and melted butter.  Stir until well combined.  Press the crumbs into the bottom and sides an 8-inch pie dish, then bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool completely.

I bought an ice cream maker last year, mostly because my family are ice cream fiends, and partly because the fresh taste of homemade ice cream is so much better than store bought.  I also like to avoid the questionable additives that are found in the store bought variety.  Have you ever read the ingredient list on a carton of ice cream?  Scary.  Since we brought home our machine, the potential has never really been explored, making plain vanilla most of the time.  There's nothing wrong with vanilla, I love the simplicity and richness in the pure vanilla flavor, but sometimes I like to explore outside of the box.

You may remember reading of my affinity for killing any living plant that has the misfortune of coming home with me.  Because of this, I usually pass by the displays of pretty potted flowers, and lush houseplants, thinking to keep the poor plants safe from my life-sucking-anti-green-thumb.  However, my good intentions went to the wind, when I passed a row of little rosemary plants outside of a store.  They were on clearance marked down to a dollar, and since I love rosemary, I thought I'd give plant nurturing one more try.  I'm glad I did!  I'm proud to say my plant is still green, and going strong nearly 2 months later.  There's something about using my own fresh rosemary in dishes, that makes me feel good.  This little plant has found it's way into chicken dishes, pork, marinades, eggs, even lemonade.  I feel like he is a true member of the family now :)  You are wondering right now if this crazy girl actually talks to her plant, aren't you?

When deciding to make some ice cream the other day, I knew I wanted to try something different, and my eyes fell to my plant.  I knew I loved rosemary used in a sweet way, from the Blackberry Rosemary Lemonade I had made, and decided to give it a shot in ice cream.  I infused the cream with rosemary and orange, and sweetened it with honey and a little sugar.  This may be my new favorite flavor.  With a rich honey flavor, and subtle hints of rosemary and orange, this was so good.




Honey Orange Rosemary Ice Cream

2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup sugar
the rind of half an orange
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
1 1/2 sprigs rosemary

Slice an orange in half, and using a sharp knife slice the orange rind from one of the halves.  Try to slice off only the orange rind, with as little of the white membrane as possible.  In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the milk and cream to a simmer.  Add the honey and sugar, and stir until dissolved.  Add the orange rind and rosemary sprigs, then remove from heat and let steep for 15-20 minutes, or until you reach your desired taste.  Remove the rosemary sprigs and orange rind, then place the milk mixture in the refrigerator or freezer until chilled.  Once the cream mixture has chilled, add the freshly squeezed orange juice and stir to mix.  Pour the cream into your ice cream container and make according to your machine's directions.  Then, place the ice cream in a container, cover, and put in the freezer until firm.  Serve and enjoy!