Quick and Easy Ice Cream Cake – what a delightful desert on a hot summer day. Make it up the day before and you are all set to impress one and all alike.
Crust
- 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tbsp. sweetened condensed milk
- 3 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (or vanilla)
Flip the base of a 9 inch springform pan upside down. Line the base with foil and wrap side band with plastic wrap. Re-assemble pan.
Stir 1/3 cup cream with the condensed milk together in a bowl and stir in the crumbs until well combined but still crumbly. Press this mixture on the bottom of the prepared and midway up the sides.
Ice Cream
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tbsp. instant espresso powder
Combine the ingredients and using an electric mixer, whip until soft peaks form. This should now be fluffy and very light. Scoop this into the pan and smooth the surface. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze overnight. Wait…not done yet.
Next morning make your topping.
Ganache
- 2/3 cup unsweetened chocolate, chopped
- 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 pkg. Malteser candies
Over a pot of simmering water, place the chocolate and cream in a metal bowl and place over the pan. Just don’t let the water touch the bowl. With a spatula, stir constantly until the chocolate has melted and completely smooth. Stir in 1/2 cup condensed milk until there are no streaks.
Pour this over the frozen cake and smooth the top. Arrange the candies about a 1/4 inch apart around the outer edge of the cake. Freeze for about 15 minutes or until the ganache is firm.
Release the cake from the pan, transfer to a pretty platter and slice away.
This will and should feed 12 people. Okay, you want larger servings and licking the plate is not an option. It is a must. I am kidding of course.
Cumin Roasted Carrots With Honey Lime Dressing
When you want something different for dinner and you have a few friends over, try this.
- 3 lbs. baby carrots, trimmed and scrubbed
- 2 tbsp. freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 3 tbsp. tahini
- 1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1/2 tsp. lime zest
- 2 tbsp. liquid honey
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Toss together the carrots, orange juice, cumin, thyme, bay leaves and coconut oil on a parchment lined baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Roast, tossing occasionally until the carrots begin to caramelize and are fork tender (about 30-35 minutes). Remove the bay leaves immediately and discard.
In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the yogurt, tahini, lime juice and zest and honey. To serve, lay the carrots on a platter and drizzle with the dressing. Any dressing remaining, pour into a bowl and let everyone help themselves.
Now…even Mikey likes this….
Endive With Dungeness Crab And Citrus Salad
This is another wonderful Hors d’Oeuvre to serve when having a dinner party or just a simple wine and cheese evening with family and friends.
- 6 large Belgian endive, make sure they have firm fat heads with yellow tips that are at least 6 inches long.
- 1/2 fennel bulb, trimmed and finely chopped
- 1/2 lb. fresh Dungeness crabmeat
- 1 finely minced shallot
- 2 tbsp. mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp. sour cream
- 1 tsp. finely grated lime zest
- 1 tsp. orange zest
- 1 tbsp. lime juice
- 2 tbsp. orange juice
- pinch of sea salt
- pinch of lemon pepper
- 1/2 cup orange segmented, skinned and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
Trim the ends off the endive and separate into spears. Keep 24-30 of the largest ones and place in a ice water bath. Chill no less than 15 minutes, then drain and pat dry with paper towels. Refrigerate.
In a bowl mix together the fennel, crabmeat, shallot, mayonnaise, sour cream, lime and orange juice and zest. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
Spoon a generous amount of the crabmeat salad onto the wide bottom of each spear. Garnish with a few segments of the orange. Serve immediately.
Jump back so you don’t get trampled by the stampede of everyone wanting to try these. Yup! You did it again.
Taco Salad
Everyone is soooo busy at this time of year and I thought this would make a great way to sit down, take a few minutes and enjoy the moment before off and rushing again.
- 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
- 2 tbsp. Crisco oil
- 1 tbsp. FINELY chopped jalapenos, seeds removed
- 1 1/2 tsp. liquid honey
- 1 tsp. white wine vinegar
- 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce (or mixed greens)
- 1 large can of black beans, drained and rinsed
- 3/4 cup fresh corn (1 large ear of corn should do the trick)
- 1 large avocado, peeled and sliced in thin wedges
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced (if you must)
- Season with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lime over the top.
- Grated Havarti cheese for garnish
Mix the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl until well combined.
Wash and dry the lettuce, adding it to the bowl along with the rest of the ingredients. If you can purchase the taco bowls, use them or wrap up into soft tortilla wraps. Sprinkle cheese over the whole salad.
Have a cold beer handy or a shot of tequila. (I told you this would relax you). If you take this step, make sure you are done your shopping for the day and will stay inside.) In other words, no drinking and driving unless it is a great cup of coffee.
- you can also put in a cup or two of ground beef, fully cooked and then fold in with the rest of the ingredients.
Lime Grilled Teriyaki Chicken With Light Pineapple Salad
Simple. Super Tasty. Great meal to have before going out to celebrate with friends and family.
- 4 boneless, skin removed, chicken breasts
- 1/3 cup lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
- 3 tbsp. honey
- 2 tbsp. canola oil
- 2 tsp. lime zest
- 1 pineapple
- 1 English cucumber
- 1 cup seedless red grapes
- 1 tbsp. lime juice
- pinch of salt
Lay the chicken breasts (one at a time) between top and bottom layers of saran wrap and lightly pound out to a thickness of about 1/2 inch.
Whisk the lime juice, teriyaki, honey, oil, lime zest together in a bowl and reserve 1/4 cup of the marinade. Pour the balance into a large zip lock bag and add the chicken. Seal the bag, making sure to remove all the air. Let stand for 10-15 minutes.
Preheat your barbecue (yes, even during the winter) to a medium temperature.
Now combine 3 1/2 cups of the pineapple which has been coarsely chopped, 1 cup of the cucumber, and 1 cup of the grapes, halved. Stir in 1 tbsp. of lime juice and a small pinch of salt.
Oil the grill and grill the chicken about 5 minutes each side, brushing the surfaces with the reserved marinade during the last couple of minutes of cooking time.
Cut each breast into 3 pieces and set in the middle of the plate. Spoon the salad around the pieces and now you simply need a slice or two of garlic toast and, of yeah, some chilled wine.
Told you it was light and tasty..
Corn And Cantaloupe Salad
This is a delightfully light salad. Put together a dinner on the deck and this would be a real winner.
- 2 cups fresh corn kernals (4 ears)
- 2 cups cubed cantaloupe
- 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded, chopped fine
- 1 tbsp. fresh dill
- 3 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. dry mustard
- 2 cups mixed spring greens
Cook the corn in a saucepan for 2 minutes. Drain and rinse under cool water until the corn becomes cool. Scrape the corn from the cobs and put in a large bowl.
Add the cubed cantaloupe, jalapeno. dill and toss to combine.
In a bowl. combine the lime juice, olive oil and dry mustard. Pour over the corn mixture. Add the greens and toss.
Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
This will make 6 servings.
Blackberry Shortcakes With Lime Creme Fraiche
Berry time is anytime now with the availability in our stores. You can change this to raspberries if you wish, it will still be as yummy.
This will serve 6
- 2 cups flour
- pinch of sea salt
- 1 tbsp. baking powder
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and diced
- 1/2 cup pistachios
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 large lime, zest only, finely grated
- 4 cups berries
- icing sugar and lime zest
Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the flour, salt and baking powder with 1/4 cup sugar in a large bowl. Work in the butter using a pastry blender or two forks just until it resembles coarse pea shapes.
Stir in the pistachios and pour the whipping cream over the top and quickly stir until blended. Do not over mix.
On a floured surface, gently pat this into a 9 inch round and cut into 6 even shaped wedges. Place on the baking sheet and brush with the egg.
Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden. Cool on racks. Whisk the crème fraiche with 2 tbsp. icing sugar until smooth. Add the lime zest and mix in. Put a small pool of the crème fraiche on 6 plates, set the shortcake on top and add berries. At this time, you could put some icing sugar into a sieve and sprinkle over the top.
This is light, fresh and perfectly lovely on a day spent with family and friends.
Polenta Cakes With A Tomato-Chipotle Sauce
If you are always looking for something a little different, these take the ‘cake’, so to speak. They can be used as an appetizer or as a side dish for your entre. Spicy but not over-bearing. Start the day before you wish to use them. Takes a bit of time to start but oh-so worth it.
This will serve 4-6 people.
Tomato-Chipotle Sauce
- 4 medium size tomatoes, quartered (about 1 lb.)
- pinch of sea salt
- 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 large shallot, chopped
- 1 small zucchini, trimmed and diced
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tsp. sea salt
- pinch of cumin
- 1 tbsp. brown sugar
- 1 chipotle pepper canned in Adobo sauce, finely chopped
Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Placed tomatoes on a large parchment lined baking tray. Scatter the garlic, shallot, zucchini and red pepper around and sprinkle lightly with the sea salt. Drizzle with olive oil and bake for about 90 minutes or until they are wrinkled and soft. Make sure to stir them about every 15 minutes so they don’t burn and ensure they all cook evenly.
Remove from the oven and peel the skins from the tomatoes. Transfer to a saucepan and add all the vegetables and pan juices. Sprinkle with the cumin and sugar. Add the chipotle and cook for about 20 minutes or until thick. Add a little more sugar to taste. Set aside. Cover with plastic and refrigerate. Just re-heat before serving.
Polenta Cakes
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup Asiago cheese, finely grated
- Flour for dusting
- butter lettuce
- fresh basil, finely shredded
Bring the stock to the boil and add the cornmeal, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and stir until very thick. (12-15 minutes), Stir in the butter, salt and 1/4 of the cheese, stirring until melted. Spread polenta on an oiled baking sheet , smooth the top with an off-set spatula. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate over night.
To fry the polenta, preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Cut the polenta in 2 1/2 inch rounds. Dust them lightly with the flour. Fry in a hot, well oiled skillet until golden on the bottom. Flip and transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet, Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and set in the oven just to melt the cheese.
To serve, place a butter lettuce leaf on the plate, rest a couple of the cakes against the leaf. Spoon warmed Tomato-Chipotle sauce over and garnish with a pinch of the shredded basil.
Lemon Garlic Mashed Potatoes
If you are not having a turkey this season, but opting out for either lamb or ham, then these are the potatoes you should try.
- 3 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and chopped into chunks
- 3 cloves garlic, halved
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 tbsp. butter
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp. capers, drained and chopped
- 1/3 cup Italian parsley (flat leaf)
- 2 tsp. lemon peel, shredded
- 1 half lemon
In a large sauce pot, cook the potatoes and garlic in boiling water until tender.(20-25 minutes).
Drain the potatoes, but reserve 1 cup of the water. Mash with a potato masher to break them up, then place in your electric mixer beating until totally smooth, adding 2 tbsp. of the oil, butter, salt and pepper, and just enough of the reserved water to reach the desired consistency.
Transfer to a serving bowl, topping with the capers, parsley, lemon peel and drizzle the remaining oil over the top. Squeeze the lemon over the top just before serving.
This makes enough for 8, plus a little more for leftovers.
The Perfect No-Bake Dessert For The Holidays
Aha! I think this may become the secret weapon for the season. This is a whipped cheesecake that requires no baking. Period! I know you don’t have time for a long, drawn out baking session.
- 1- 8 0z. pkg. of cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 cups of heavy whipping cream, well chilled, divided
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1`/4 cup, plus 1 tbsp. sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
- pinch of cinnamon
- 1 cup finely chopped strawberries
- mint sprigs (optional) for garnish
With your mixer on low speed, beat the cream cheese, 1/2 cup whipping cream, sour cream, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy (4 minutes)
In a separate bowl, with clean beaters, beat the remaining whipping cream on high to get stiff peaks. Stir a large spoonful of whipping cream into the cream cheese mixture to lighten the texture. Now add the cheese mixture back into the remaining whipping cream and gently fold in until completely combined.
Using your eight prettiest glasses (about 2/3 cup), place 1/2 tbsp. graham crumbs in the bottom of each glass. Top with a layer of mousse to fill the glass 1/2 full. Add a layer of chopped strawberries, another layer of mousse to come to the rim of the glass. Garnish with some graham crumbs, some chopped strawberries and, if using, a sprig of mint.
These look pretty, are delicious and look how easy it is.
Chai Spice Biscotti
This would be for two girls in my family for sure. They love the Chai Tea drinks. So along with them, if you like it as well, make some awesome flavoured biscotti.
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 3/4 tsp. baking powder
- generous pinch of salt
- 1/3 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp. ground ginger
- 1 tsp. black peppercorns
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. ground cardamom
- 1/2 tsp. coriander seeds
- 1/8 tsp. grated nutmeg
- 2 whole cloves
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium size bowl. In your electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on high until pale and fluffy, adding the eggs, one at a time.
Combine in a spice grinder the ginger, black peppercorns, cinnamon, cardamom, coriander seeds, grated nutmeg and 2 whole cloves. Grind really well. Now add 2 tbsp of the ground chair spice to the flour.
Combine until the dough is well combined. Divide the dough in half making each portion into logs 2 inches wide and 3/4 inch high. Place about 3 inches apart because they will spread out.
Bake for about 30-35 minutes until golden. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes. Cut each one into 1/2 inch slices. Place on a baking sheet, arranging the biscotti cut side down. Bake another 20 minutes or so until firm and a light golden brown.
Now sift 3/4 cup icing sugar with 2 tsp. of the chai spice in enough water to make a smooth consistency so you can drizzle it over the tops of the cooled biscotti. Simply let stand until the icing has set.
Store in an airtight container for about 1 week or simply freeze up to a month.
You are so welcome!