It's Time for Labor Day: Vanilla No Churn Ice Cream

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Summer lasts well in to October in Southern California.  But I do have to say that there has been a slight change in the weather lately that hints that fall is coming.  The evenings are getting shorter and are definitely a lot cooler than usual.

So we are celebrate the last few precious evenings of summer and are planning our Labor Day weekend with the theme "The Bounty of Summer"!.  This will include a backyard BBQ, some spectacular pasta salads, easy in-season vegetable side dishes and for dessert a no churn ice cream.

This is the first time I've ventured into the "no churn" ice cream realm.  Being a lover of old fashioned goodness I was hesitant to try this.  Boy was I pleasantly surprised and wish I had joined the fun ages ago!  I decided to go with a basic vanilla recipe that could be used for a base in an ice cream bar that I'll be setting up.  We'll have a variety of different fruits, chocolate, nuts, and candy to top your sundae to your hearts desire.

Is it really no churn?  Yes, you actually can make ice cream without churning it!  As amazing as it sounds it's true, and it tastes just as amazing!  It only takes 3 ingredients to make this wonderful ice cream:  whipping cream, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla.  I actually used a vanilla bean pastes which infused the ice cream with flavorful flecks of vanilla bean seeds.  I just love the looks of vanilla flecks running through my ice cream!  You can purchase this here.  Of course, you can always use pure vanilla extract.  Since you are only using 3 ingredients make sure to use ones that are top quality so your ice cream comes out top notch!

Does it taste like ice cream?  It actually does!  I was skeptical since I've made homemade churned iced cream all my life and I'm partial to it.  But after trying this I found that this is a great quick and easy substitute.  Lots of ice cream uses eggs that you cook into a custard base, but there are those that are just cream, half and half, and sugar.  The ingredients are similar in the no churn version and the fact that you whip the cream you are creating that air infused base which simulates churned ice cream.

What tools do I need? To make this ice cream you will need a stand or hand mixer such as this one, or this one.  You will need a rubber spatula such as this one.  Good vanilla bean paste.  Plus a freezer safe container to hold your ice cream.  I'm partial to this one because it's easy to scoop from!

This Vanilla No Churn Ice Cream is the perfect, quick, dessert to whip up for your Labor Day festivities.  As it takes time to set up in the freezer it's perfect for making the day before.  Dress it up or keep it simple, any way you top it you're gonna love this ice cream!

Enjoy!






More Labor Day recipes:
Butter Burgers
Quick and Easy Strawberry Lemonade
The BEST Broccoli Pasta Salad
Indian Summer Fresh Corn Salad
Cast Iron Summer Berry Cobbler










Vanilla No Churn Ice Cream

Yield: 1 1/2 pints

2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste

Using a stand or hand mixer, whip whipping cream until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes.  Pour in condensed milk and vanilla bean paste and gently fold into the whipped cream until combined.  Pour into a freezer safe container and place in the freezer to set 3-4 hours or overnight.

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Strawberry Vanilla Waffles with Yogurt

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Like many of you our mornings are filled with rushing around getting ready, going to work, and we don't really have time to sit and have breakfast.  We just grab and go.

Oh, but the weekends are a different story!  MGG loves a big breakfast on the weekends.  Some hearty food to start the day off right.  A little leisurely time that we spend together before the demands of chores, exercising, and hopefully some playtime calls.

This past weekend was MLK holiday so we had an extra day off, which was wonderful!  The weather was in the 80's which is not typical of January in Southern California (who said there wasn't global warming with this wacky weather).  So I decided to make use of some fresh strawberries MGG brought home from Costco the other night and make Strawberry Vanilla Waffles with Yogurt.  A nice light springtime style dish to celebrate the nice weather.

STRAWBERRY VANILLA WAFFLES WITH YOGURT

These waffles are bursting with strawberries inside, along with a hint of vanilla.  When you place the strawberries inside the waffles you get the flavor of roasted strawberries, deep concentrated flavor and little more sweetness. Oh my, heaven in a waffle.  Then you top them with a creamy vanilla based yogurt and all is right on a beautiful morning!

Hope you enjoyed your weekend, and make sure to try the waffles to bring a touch of springtime to you winter.

Enjoy!

Strawberry Vanilla Waffles with Yogurt

1 1/2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 3/4 cups milk
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup vanilla or plain yogurt

Preheat waffle iron. 

Wash and slice your fresh strawberries.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat eggs until fluffy. Add flour, milk, vegetable oil, sugar, baking powder, salt and vanilla.  Stir just until moistened.  Add in 1 cup of the sliced strawberries and fold into the batter. 

Spray the heated waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray. Pour batter onto hot waffle iron. Cook until golden brown.

Remove from waffle iron and keep warm.  Continue making waffles until batter is gone.  To Serve:  Add a dollop of vanilla or plain yogurt and top with slice strawberries.  

Tip:  Flash freeze any leftovers, then store in a freezer bag up to 3 months.  To reheat, place frozen waffle in the toaster. Toast until thawed and heated through.

Old Fashioned Vanilla Bean Ice Cream - Lightened Version

In honor of National Ice Cream Month I've made two different homemade ice creams!

Two basic flavors that can't be beat...vanilla and chocolate.

Today I'm sharing with you the vanilla recipe.  This is an old, old recipe that I got from my mom.  It originally came from her cousin Maxine.  The note on the index card said, "One of the best vanilla ice creams" so I had to try this out.  

This ice cream is Philadelphia Style ice cream, which contains no eggs, and doesn't involve cooking the mixture. This style is quick and easy to make.  You'll have the mixture made in no time which means....ice cream that much faster! Don't you love that?

I decided to lighten this recipe up a little bit by using fat free half and half and using a sugar substitute blend. To give it more pizzazz I used ground Tahitian vanilla bean which imparted flecks of vanilla throughout the ice cream.  It turned out so pretty! 

The overall results were that this ice cream is a winner! Creamy and smooth, both MGG and I love it.  I could hardly wait for it to set up in the freezer.  I really wanted to just dip my face in the bowl and eat it but I refrained myself.  It really is that good.

So try this version and let me know what you think.  You can always substitute full fat half and half and all sugar in equivalent amounts to obtain luscious results.

Enjoy!


Old Fashioned Vanilla Bean Ice Cream - Lightened Version

2 cups whole milk
2 cups fat-free half and half
3/4 cup sugar (I used 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons Splenda Blend)
2 teaspoons vanilla, vanilla paste, or ground vanilla bean

In a medium bowl whisk all ingredients together until sugar dissolves.  Pour into a bowl of an ice cream freezer.  Freeze according to manufacturer's instructions.  Trans

fer to an airtight container.  Cover tightly and freeze several hours until set.  

Peppermint Vanilla Ice Blended Drink

My favorite coffee shop is The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf.

Love them!

I'm not a coffee drinker, you see.  What is a girl to do in this age of coffee drinking, coffee shop going people?  MGG is a coffee-aholic...so we visit Starbuks often.  Not my 1st choice mind you, since they don't have many drinks that are not coffee flavored.  But Coffee Bean....ahhh!  teas and blended drinks galore! I'm in heaven.

We actually have a Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (CB for short!) on the business campus where I work.  How convenient!  So we take a little break and walk over to CB for something wonderful.  One of the best drinks there are their Ice Blended drinks.  They have a variety of flavors such as chocolate, mocha, vanilla, etc...that are flavored powders blended with milk or soy and ice.  Like a milkshake really.  So cool and delishhhh!  You would think they are sinful. 

Even though it is winter time I still love my ice blended drinks.  So today I decided to create one at home using one of my favorite flavors this time of year.  Peppermint.  Love, love peppermint.  One of the great joys of the holiday season, and now captured in a frosty, thick drink!

So to make this winter drink at home you will need some vanilla powder.  I purchased Coffee Bean's French Vanilla No Sugar Added Powder, but you could use your own favorite vanilla powder for drinks.  Here's another good one to try.  The peppermint flavor comes from Torani's flavored syrups.  I picked mine up at my local Cost Plus World Market.

These are easy to whip up, just like making a smoothie in your blender.  You will love the crisp flavor of this drink. 

Enjoy!

Peppermint Vanilla Ice Blended Drink

serves 1

1/2 c low fat milk
1 T heaping, vanilla powder
1 T Peppermint sugar free syrup
1 c ice cubes

Place all ingredients in the blender, liquid first.  Blend on high speed until ice is crushed and ingredients are all mixed together.  Serve immediately.