Cereal Milk Ice Cream It's Grrrrreat!

As a kid I remember only having sugar coated cereal not only for breakfast, but as a very special treat while watching Gilligan's Island - Wait, did I just age myself? I think my mom always felt that the sugar content of those cereals garnered as much, if not more, than a dessert, so that's how we treated them.  I would let the cereal soak for about 2 minutes and then I would gobble up the flakes while they were still crunchy just so I could get to the best part - that sweetened milk that pooled at the bottom of the bowl. Oh, it was glorious!

Slurping Drinking that wonderful sweet milk was such a treat and still to this day, I can close my eyes and taste it.

When Momofuku Milk Bar of New York City introduced their version of using cereal milk for ice creams and cookies and other yummy dishes, I was blown away by the genius behind the idea. Who doesn't love a bowl of cereal for dessert, or maybe breakfast, if you grew up with it? The problem was that their recipe had quite a few more steps than my patience would allow. So I decided to take my trusty and true, no cook, no egg ice cream recipe and tweak it using cereal. It came out pretty good. After I made it, I thought I would Instagram it to the new #austin360cooks to see if any other cereal milk ideas would pop up. Boy did they ever! Besides people asking for the recipe, I got some great tips from others using cereal milk. @jeffamador has been using cereal milk as a sweetener for his coffee and he also enjoys it in a White Russian where he sometimes adds a bit of amaretto. This got me thinking of all the flavor concoctions that could be made. These days cereal is a low priority in our house as the sugar and preservatives are high on my health radar, but for a special dessert to bring back those memories? Why not! After all, if tvland can bring back the reruns I grew up on than I think it's perfectly acceptable to bring back a favorite taste memory, I'm jus' sayin'!

Simple Cereal Milk Ice Cream

In a bowl Combine the following:

1 1/2 cups of whole milk
3 Cups of heavy cream
3 Cups of cereal (I used Frosted Flakes)
 Soak for 15-20 min.

Strain the cereal over a clean bowl to get only the sweetened cream. I used the back of a wooden spoon to really push all of the liquid through, so very little was left in the soggy cereal. Discard soggy cereal (unless that's your thing, in which case by all means feel free to chow down). At this point taste your liquid, mine tasted sweet enough so I did not add any more sugar or vanilla. It should taste just like the cereal milk you remember but a little thicker as there is so much cream added. That's it, pour it into your ice cream maker and follow its regular directions. I thought I would add a fun crunch by making corn flake candy, but that called for peanut butter and my husband is allergic so I went simple again and just tossed some cereal flakes on top. Perfect. If you try another flavor of cereal, please let me know how it comes out - or if you have a favorite old tv show you want to talk about I'm up for that too!

12 Days of Meyers - Ginger Meyer Lemon Ice Cream with Honey Swirl

For Day 3 of my Twelve Days of Meyers, I'd like to introduce the lovely Mary Helen from Mary Makes Dinner.  This sweet gal was the person that first taught me how to make asian dumplings from scratch. I had no idea how easy it was to make them until I took her class. I've been hooked on those and everything else she creates in her kitchen ever since.  She makes vegetarian so doable. She crafts like a queen. She teaches cooking classes and is a local speaker - all of this on top of her day job.  And if that's not enough to make you feel tired, she's now embarking on mamahood.  Her sweet personality shines through in her smile and her beautiful food photos will leave you drooling.  I'm not at all surprised that she chose ice cream as her contribution to this series because she is continually creating ice cream flavors that go beyond the ordinary, such as her Smoked Chocolate.  If you get a chance, go follow her Facebook page to stay up to date with all her musings, and of course, enjoy this creamy sweet Meyer treat. 

Ginger & Meyer Lemon Ice Cream with Honey Swirl

I love meyer lemons in desserts. Their mellow tartness and floral aroma have a wonderful way of tempering the richness of heavier ingredients like cream, custard, and butter. This makes them ideal for lemon bars, cream pies, and cake filling, but if you ask me, ice cream is where lemons really shine. Any trace of bitterness and acidity is softened in ice cream, allowing the sunny flavor and delicate aroma of meyer lemons to prevail. The result is a magical dessert that is somehow both light and indulgent.

The addition of ginger gives this ice cream a slightly spicy note, making it just a little bit more interesting than your everyday lemon ice cream, and the drizzled layers of honey provide a sweet, chewy surprise between bites. This aromatic custard can be devoured right from the pint, but I like it best when its packed into a crispy wafer cone. I suspect that it would also make an excellent topping for a simple baked dessert, like pound cake or angel food. If you’re feeling adventurous, try making a Ginger Ice Cream Parfait by packing the ice cream between layers of lemon cake or angel food, crushed shortbread or gingersnaps, and fresh whipped cream.

This recipe involves making a special simple syrup infused with lemon and ginger. You’ll have plenty of syrup leftover. I recommend saving it in a jar in the fridge for future cocktails, marinades, and popsicles.

Ginger Meyer Syrup
Makes about one cup

Ingredients

• 2 inches of fresh ginger, peeled and grated 
• 1 cup sugar 
• 1 cup water the zest and juice of 
• 2 meyer lemons 

Directions

1. Combine the sugar, water, lemon zest, and ginger in a small sauce pan.
2. Bring the contents to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce to a simmer.
3. Simmer for ten minutes, then remove from heat.
4. When the mixture has cooled, pour it through a fine mesh strainer.
5. Add the lemon juice, then mix well.
6. The finished syrup should be kept covered and refrigerated.

Meyer Lemon Ice Cream with Honey Swirl
Makes about two pints

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole milk 
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch 
• 1 1⁄2 ounces cream cheese, softened 
• 1⁄8 teaspoon salt 
• 1 1⁄4 cups heavy cream 
• 2⁄3 cup sugar 
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup 
• the peel from one lemon 
• 2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and thin­sliced 
• 1⁄2 cup Ginger Meyer Syrup 
• 1⁄8 cup honey 

Directions

1. Combine 2 tablespoons of the milk with the cornstarch to form a slurry. Set aside. 
2. Whisk the cream cheese and salt
3. Combine the remaining milk, heavy cream, sugar, corn syrup, lemon peel, and ginger in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, and cook for about 4 minutes. 
4. Remove from heat, and slowly whisk in the cornstarch slurry. 
5. Return the pot to the burner, and bring to a boil again. Reduce to a simmer, and cook for about one minute, long enough for the mixture to thicken slightly. 
6. Slowly whisk the hot custard with the cream cheese, making sure to melt the cheese into the mixture completely. 
7. Shock the mixture to cool it as quickly as possible. You can do this by transferring the mixture to a large plastic bag or large mixing bowl and submerging it in an ice bath. 
8. When the mixture cools to room temperature, transfer it to the refrigerator, and let it chill for about an hour. 
9. Remove the lemon peel and ginger slices, then pour the mixture slowly into the ice cream machine while it is already running. After the mixture has all been poured in, add the Ginger Meyer syrup. Allow the mixture to churn for 20 ­ 40 minutes, or until it firms up and starts pulling away from the sides of the tumbler. 
10. When the ice cream is finished churning, transfer it to freezer containers one scoop at a time. Drizzle thin stripes of honey in between the layers using a squirt bottle. 10. Freeze the packed ice cream for several hours before scooping. 

Mary Helen is a blogger and culinary instructor from Austin, Texas. You can find more of her recipes on her food blog, Mary Makes Dinner.

Summertime!

As George Gershwin would say, "Summertime, and the livin' is easy. Fish are jumping, and the cotton is high."

One of the beautiful things about being born and raised in California was that the summers were ultimately free of schedules for my brothers and I. Without much notice, Mom would load us all up in the back of the station wagon with a picnic lunch and drive us to the beach which for us was only 30 minutes away. We would spend the day there exploring tide pools, collecting seashells and building moats for our sand castles. No internet whatsoever. If we managed to not argue a whole lot and gave my Mom a sense of peace for the day, we would be rewarded with a stop for an ice cream cone on the way home. Occasionally, we would get a week at our church summer camp and every year my Mom planned our annual road trip to Washington to see the relatives, but for the most part, we were free to do what we wanted. Some of the best memories I have of summer had to do with picking sweet fruit from local orchards, making zucchini bread with the mega-loads we grew in our garden, staying out after dark and playing "kick the can" in the neighborhood, ice cold lemonade, and homemade ice cream that we had to crank forever (I'm convinced now that was all part of making it taste so good).

Moving to Texas 10 years ago gave me a chance to give some of those same childhood memories to my own kids and whether it was blowing bubbles into a warm breeze, taking a dip in Barton Springs Pool or enjoying a bowl of homemade ice cream, I think the memories they hold onto will be just as special to them as mine are to me. I'm jus' sayin'!



Fresh Strawberries rinsed and awaiting to become shortcake



Fresh Peaches ripening in the Texas sun in our backyard


Canned goodness from the garden


Icy cold lemonade on the back porch


Watching your feet move in the wet sand


Finding a quiet place in the back yard with a good book


Fresh melons from the vine

Dulce De Leche Mmmmmmm!

As hard as I try to get things done during the summer I always find that I am forced to stop, take a moment or two, and slow myself down. I'm not sure if it's the screaming hot days of Texas or the mental "release" from those rigid work and school schedules that tells us but whatever it is, it leaves me in a slow-motion mode. With this "summer slow down", I am constantly trying to cook quick, fresh things so as I won't be stuck in the hot kitchen. I'm not one for a bunch of fancy gadgets - especially the ones that take up what little counter space I have. However, with that said, I will state that my Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker has been one of the best bangs for my buck (next to my beloved Kitchen-Aid mixer). Coming up with delicious ice cream flavors has been easier than you can imagine. It only takes 20 min to whip up a creamy, cool and delicious treat and I don't even need to turn the stove on to make the custard.

Tonight we will be enjoying fajitas and since it was too late for me to get a flan ready for dessert, I thought, why not make some dulce de leche ice cream instead. It was about as simple as my "simply delicious vanilla" ice cream. I just played around until I got the flavor how I wanted it. I also threw in some mini chocolate chips for my husband (it's his favorite). So if you forgot dessert, no worries! Just take the flavors of your favorite cake/pie/cookie and throw it in an ice cream maker it will take less time and taste just as fabulous, I'm jus' sayin'!

Dulce de Leche Ice Cream

3 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups milk
1 can of Nestle la Lechera (dulce de leche)
1/4 cup of sugar
1 Tbs. of vanilla
1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips (optional)

With a wire whisk, combine all ingredients except the chocolate chips (this may take a bit to break the leche up in the mix, but it can be done). Pour into your ice cream maker and proceed per the manufacturer's directions. Right before you are finished, sprinkle the chips in. Freeze for about an hour to create a harder consistency.

Here's the Scoop!

Yes, Summer is here. Maybe not officially - per the calendar - but if you live in the beautiful state of Texas then you know that Summer pretty much begins the moment the kids get released on the last day of school. Around here, that's when it all slows down a bit. Dinner is pushed back to 7:30 and long nights of playing out past dark evoke games of hide-n-seek and kick-the-can. For us, when it's sizzling outside, we like to cool off with some cool and creamy treats. My family never seems to turn down ice cream and during the summer months my ice cream maker gets more use than you can imagine. You can usually find simple vanilla in our freezer but since ice cream comes in so many flavors, I am constantly playing around to find something unique. Today I stayed traditional, making my daughter's favorite - some cool refreshing mint chip ice cream. Even though I have plenty of fresh mint in my yard, I have to tell you that when your in the moment and craving something cool and creamy, it makes me pretty thankful I have an ice cream machine and a bottle of mint extract at my disposal. This way, I can save the fresh mint for garnish - or better yet, a mojito! I'm jus' sayin'!


Easy Mint Chip Ice Cream (no cook)

In a large bowl combine the following:

1 1/2 cups of milk (I use 1%)
1 1/8 cup of granulated sugar
3 cups of heavy cream
1 tbsp of mint extract
1 tsp. green food color (optional)
3/4 cup of (mini) chocolate chips

Combine all and follow ice cream machine directions

Simply Pure Vanilla Ice Cream (no cook)

1 1/2 cups of milk
1 1/8 Cup of sugar
3 Cups of heavy cream
1 1/2 TBSP of vanilla extract

Combine all until sugar is dissolved. Then follow manufactures directions for the ice cream maker.

Southern Living's Buttermilk-Lime Ice Cream (One of my Mom's favorites)

1 Cup of water
1 Cup of sugar

Combine in a pan and bring to a boil until all is dissolved. Then chill in fridge for 25 minutes.

Then Combine the simple syrup with the following:

2 Cups buttermilk
1 Tsp. grated lime zest
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp. corn syrup

Once thoroughly mixed, pour into ice cream maker and freeze according to manufactures instructions.

"I've got a golden ticket!"

"I've got a golden ticket!" as Charlie exclaimed to Grandpa Joe...

This is kind of how I felt when Addie Broyles (@broylesa) of the Austin Statesman told me last week that I got a ticket (after it was sold out) for her annual Austin Food Bloggers Bash put on by Austin360 and CLEAR.

With 2 tickets (not really golden, but computer printed) and a bottle of freshly-made limoncello in hand - as well as my husband as my date - we were off to start our annual week of SXSW fun. The event was held here in Downtown Austin at the Cedar Door as part of SXSWi (the South by Southest conference's interactive portion of the 10-day event). Since this party was for and about food bloggers, we naturally went using our online handles, namely @girlgonegrits & @tequilabob23. After signing in and having our picture taken, we were served the Cedar Door's famous Mexican Martini's, courtesy of Twin Liquors.



Of course, with this being both a party for foodies as well as a SXSW event, we fully expected some tasty food to go along with the drinks and we weren't disappointed. The spread was Texas soul food - AKA - Tex-Mex. Make your own tacos and nachos (minus the ballpark cheese goop) along with chips and salsa, the spread consisted of chicken, pork, beef and grilled vegetables as the main fillers. The chips were exceptionally tasty as were all of the meats and toppings. As the first wave of guests settled in, champagne was passed around and we toasted with Addie to another great year of great food and great people writing about it.



Out on the street was the "Ice Cream Man" whose sole mission is to travel the circuit of music festivals just to give out free ice cream - Hello! How amazing of a job is that I ask!?! Everyone can use a free ice cream and I didn't even care that the early evening temperature had dropped to the point that I was glad I had brought my sweater - I was ready! I went with a pineapple-basil ice pop and it was absolutely perfect, while my always predictable hubby went with the always perfect Blue Bell fudgesicle. We said our goodbyes to Addie, passed her a bottle of our 2010 limoncello and picked up a swag bag with cool goodies along with a few other sweet treats including some bacon pecan toffee from epicuriosites.com (all I can say when I bit into it is "oh mama!" - yes, it's that good) and a cool little snickerdoodle twinkie from Retro Bizarro Pastries.







After heading out, we walked maybe a block only to smell more delightful aromas coming from a food trailer serving up empanadas, which I took note of and promised to hit on the walk back. After popping into a few more "free drink computer geek" parties for my hubby, we found ourselves back at that food trailer, aptly called "Mmmpanadas". I went with the pineapple ginger version while @tequilabob had the green-chili chicken with chipolte mayo. Walking back to our truck, the rain started to come down but we didn't care because we were too busy indulging in those flaky empanadas with both sweet and savory fillings, each of us thinking the same thing - cause that's what you do after being married 20 years - that we will soooo be visiting this trailer again! Hand-in-hand walking in the rain, taking in all the energy of SXSW and realizing this is only the start of a great week in Austin. So yeah, I guess in the end, it was like getting a golden ticket... I'm jus' sayin'!