Espresso Ice Cream

My family loves ice cream. I love ice cream, specifically Hagen Daz Coffee and Chocolate ice cream.  I love to mix the two flavors and let it get nice and gooey together!  I recently stole borrowed an ice cream maker from my mom that belonged to my sister.  Hey after 3 years of marriage and her not claiming it at my mom’s house, in my book it was up for grabs! I totally scored! I found a recipe on Food Network for an Espresso Ice Cream by none other than The Barefoot Contessa! I had to try it.  I did modify the recipe to use instant espresso versus the ground espresso beans because I like my espresso ice cream smooth, left out the chocolate covered espresso beans and left out the liqueur! It worked perfectly.  The finished product really was close to the Hagen Daz I love! I knew this would be a keeper! Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 3 cups half-and-half
• 6 extra-large egg yolks
• 2/3 cup sugar
• Pinch salt
• 2 1/2 tablespoons ground espresso coffee beans, **I used instant espresso
• 1 tablespoon coffee liqueur (recommended: Kahlua) **I left this out
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 4 ounces (1/2 cup) chocolate-covered espresso beans, chopped **I left this out

Directions

Heat the half-and-half until it forms bubbles around the edge of the pan and steam starts to rise. Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the egg yolks, sugar, and salt until mixed. Slowly add the hot half-and-half until combined. Wipe out the pan and pour the mixture back into the clean pan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for 5 to 10 minutes, until it's thickened and the cream coats the back of the spoon.

Pour the cream through a fine-meshed sieve into a bowl. Add the instant espresso and vanilla and refrigerate until completely chilled. I usually chill mine overnight.

Pour the espresso cream into an ice-cream freezer and freeze according to the manufacturer's directions, I usually let mine go for 30-40 minutes. Once complete, spoon into a container, and allow to freeze for a few hours. Soften slightly before serving.

This will be a recipe you will keep forever and use over and over again, I know I will! This is one I love to take the Thyme to Savor...

Strawberry Scones

I have really fallen in love with scones lately.  Specifically the berry scones from a local bakery! I have had them several times at various work events and just love the flavor and texture of the scones.  A friend of mine shared a recipe for Blueberry Scones she made and I knew I had to make them.  I didn’t have blueberries on hand so I used strawberries instead. Here is the recipe. I left out the Orange Zest because I didn’t have any oranges and it still tasted fine!

· 2 cups all-purpose flour

· 1/2 cup sugar

· 1 tablespoon baking powder

· 1 teaspoon kosher salt

· 1 tablespoon grated orange zest (I left this out)

· 1 stick cold unsalted butter, grated

· 1 large egg, lightly beaten

· 1/2 cup cold heavy cream

· 1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (or any other fruit cut small and drained of excess water)

· extra heavy cream for brushing the tops

· raw sugar for sprinkling the tops

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix 2 cups of flour, 1/2 cup sugar, the baking powder, orange zest, and salt. Add the cold butter and mix at the lowest speed. Combine the egg and heavy cream and, with the mixer on low speed, slowly pour into the flour and butter mixture. Mix until just blended. The dough will look lumpy.  Add the blueberries to the dough, and mix on low speed until blended.

Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead it into a ball. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough 3/4-inch thick. You should see small bits of butter in the dough. Keep moving the dough on the floured board so it doesn't stick.

Shape the dough into a square. Cut the square into quarters then cut again into eighths, diagonally, making triangles.

Brush the tops of the scones with heavy cream, sprinkle with sugar and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are browned and the insides are fully baked. The scones will be firm to the touch.

Serve warm with butter.

Try these today, I promise you will not be sorry. Whether you are having them for breakfast or just as an indulgent snack, make sure you take the Thyme to Savor...



Sticky Buns

Sticky buns are so good first thing in the morning, freshly baked and homemade.  These are super easy and super yummy.  In fact, I actually entered a bake off at work and won 1^st place with this recipe! They will be a winner with everyone you make them for. Give them a try! The recipe is from Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa) and it’s foolproof.  Her recipe calls for raisins but we like the sticky buns without so I leave them out. 

Ingredients

• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped in very large pieces
• 1 package (17.3-ounces/ 2-sheets) frozen puff pastry, defrosted

For the filling:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 cup raisins (I left them out)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place a 12-cup standard muffin tin on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the 12 tablespoons butter and 1/3 cup brown sugar. Place 1 rounded tablespoon of the mixture in each of the 12 muffin cups. Distribute the pecans evenly among the 12 muffin cups on top of the butter and sugar mixture.

 Lightly flour a wooden board or stone surface. Unfold 1 sheet of puff pastry with the folds going left to right. Brush the whole sheet with the melted butter. Leaving a 1-inch border on the puff pastry, sprinkle each sheet with 1/3 cup of the brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the cinnamon, and 1/2 cup of the raisins. Starting with the end nearest you, roll the pastry up snugly like a jelly roll around the filling, finishing the roll with the seam side down. Trim the ends of the roll about 1/2-inch and discard. Slice the roll in 6 equal pieces, each about 1 1/2 inches wide. Place each piece, spiral side up, in 6 of the muffin cups. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry to make 12 sticky buns. I use the larger sheets of puff pastry I get at Smart and Final so one large sheets makes 12 buns for me! If you are using a large sheet like me, you just make one and dump all the ingredients and cut into 12.

 Bake for 30 minutes, until the sticky buns are golden to dark brown on top and firm to the touch. Be careful - they're hot! Allow to cool for 5 minutes only, invert the buns onto the parchment paper (ease the filling and pecans out onto the buns with a spoon) and cool completely. 

 These are amazing little buns filled with cinnamon and sugar. Make them today for someone you love and take the Thyme to Savor….

Creme Brule

Crème Brule is one of my kids’ absolute favorite desserts.  Randomly they will think about it and want it and it’s easy enough to make so why not? This is a recipe by Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa) that I have adapted to make it slightly different from how she makes it! I have just added one extra step of straining the mixture before pouring it into the ramekins.  See when you add hot anything to eggs, they are bound to get shocked and start cooking, straining the mixture just ensures you have a smooth custard without any egg pieces that might have started to get a bit too hot.  I learned this the hard way… It’s super easy and super delicious.  Here is my take on Ina’s version:

Ingredients

• 1 extra-large egg
• 4 extra-large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for each serving
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

·         Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

·         In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the egg, egg yolks, and 1/2 cup of the sugar together on low speed until just combined.

·         Meanwhile, scald the cream in a small saucepan until it's very hot to the touch but not boiled.

·         With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the cream to the eggs.

·         Add the vanilla and mix to combine.

·         Strain mixture into a measuring cup to catch any egg that might have started to cook when incorporating the hot milk into the eggs.

·         Pour into 6 8-ounce ramekins until almost full.

·         Place the ramekins in a baking pan and carefully pour boiling water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

·         Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the custards are set when gently shaken.

·         Remove the custards from the water bath, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate until firm.

·         To serve, spread 1 tablespoon of sugar evenly on the top of each ramekin and heat with a kitchen blowtorch until the sugar caramelizes evenly. Allow to sit at room temperature for a minute until the caramelized sugar hardens.

Note: Can be store in the refrigerator without the carmalized sugar.  Add sugar and torch when ready to eat.

Maybe this will be a favorite in your house too.  Make it and try it.. see if your family likes it.  Whenever you do make it, remember to take the Thyme to Savor…

Italian Wedding Soup...

I have become a really big fan of soup lately.  It makes it even better that the hubby and kids enjoy this one too; the kids because its just soup and the hubby because it is actually filling! Imagine that!

This is a recipe I have modified a bit to make it point friendly on Weight Watchers.  Just a few minor changes and it doesn't cost so many points but still tastes delicious.  The original recipe can be found here by the Barefoot Contessa on the Food Network. 

Ingredients:

1/2 Lbs. Ground Chicken, extra lean

1/4 Lbs. Chicken Sausage (I like the spicy ones)

2/3 Cup Bread Crumbs

2 Cloves Garlic, Minced

3 Tablespoon Fresh Parsley, Chopped

1/4 Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese

3 Tablespoon Reduced Fat Milk

1 Egg White

1 Teaspoon Salt

1 Teaspoon Pepper

1/2 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flake (optional)

2 Teaspoon Olive Oil

1 Cup Onions, Chopped

1/2 Cup Celery, Chopped

1/2 Cup Carrots, Chopped

10 Cups Chicken Stock

1 Cup Dried Pasta (small shaped)

1/4 Cup Fresh Dill, Chopped

1 Cup Fresh Spinach, Chopped

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the meatballs, place the ground chicken, sausage, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, parmesan, milk, egg white, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a bowl and combine gently. With a teaspoon, drop 1 to 1 1/4-inch meatballs onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. (You should have about 40 meatballs. They don't have to be perfectly round but should be fairly small since they will soak up the stock and get bigger.) Bake for 20-25 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned. Set aside.

In the meantime, for the soup, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and saute until softened, 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the pasta to the simmering broth and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the pasta is tender. Add the fresh dill and then the meatballs to the soup and simmer for 1 minute. Taste for salt and pepper. Stir in the fresh spinach and cook for 1 minute, until the spinach is just wilted. Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle each serving with extra grated Parmesan (optional).

Note: If you use freshly grated parmesan cheese and have some cheese rinds left over, add those in to the soup when you add the stock.  It will give it an additional depth of flavor, just make sure you fish those out before serving! :)

Enjoy and don't forget to take the Thyme to Savor every bite!