What's In My Book Bag?

Creamsicles In A Bowl for National Creamsicle Day! and a homemade vanilla ice cream recipe review

National Creamsicle Day -- August 14

I don't know about you but Creamsicles seem to say summer to me.  I think it is that refreshing sherbet with that creamy ice cream.   Or maybe I like them because I don't have to choose.   Sherbet or ice cream?   Yes please.

So when I read that today, August 14, is National Creamsicle Day I thought "Oh yes, we will be celebrating." I know some of you are saying that these made-up holidays are frivolous. And, sure, they sort of are. But if they are all in fun and allow you to create a memory with family or give you an opportunity to reach out to someone who could use a friendly encouragement, I say why not.

 

Vanilla Ice Cream in our Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker

 

This is the recipe from the booklet that came with our machine.

  1 c whole milk

2c heavy cream

3/4c sugar

2t vanilla

Mix together and pour into machine.

25 minutes later...Ice Cream!  This recipe makes very creamy ice cream.  It is almost like eating frozen whipped cream.  In some ways, that is what it is.  I like knowing what ingredients are inside.  

 

Added note for those who are label readers: I was surprised that many packages of heavy cream had ingredients that I didn't want in there.  I was able to find heavy cream that met my standards.  I was just surprised that I had to look at a few before finding one I wanted.  

I paired up some of the vanilla ice cream with the orange sherbet I made another day for Creamsicles In A Bowl.  Yum.

 

In the interest of disclosure, I purchased the ice cream machine, the ingredients and I'm the great granddaughter of a dairy farmer.  As always, opinions are my own.

 

Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker Review -- First Recipe Orange Sherbet

If you have been reading my blog for the last few weeks you know that I recently purchased a Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker.  I was at the store and about to purchase some sherbet.  I was reading the label (yes, I'm a label reader which makes grocery shopping take so much longer).  I was really turned off by the ingredients list on the different tubs of sherbet.  

On a separate note, I had been wishing to purchase a nice ice cream maker that would not need rock salt.  Between the heat waves we have been having and that list of ingredients on the pre-made sherbet I was more ready to make my own.  Then I saw a recipe for homemade sherbet.  It was so easy and used only three ingredients.  Ice cream maker.  SOLD!

This recipe is from the booklet that came with my machine.

Orange Sherbet

 

3 C Whole Milk

1.25 C Thawed Frozen Orange Juice in a Can

2 T sugar

Fully blended

Pouring into ice cream maker

And this is where I had my technical fail.  It started freezing up on the side but there was so much that was still liquid so I let it go longer.  I had it going for over half an hour.  But I started getting worried that I might be stressing the motor too much by running it too much longer.  So I stopped it to try to figure out what was wrong.  

For those of you who have ice cream machines try not too laugh too hard.  Yes, I forgot to put in the mixing paddle (notice in the photos).

 

So I poured the liquid into a container to put in the freezer and scraped out the frozen sherbet from the side of the machine with a plastic scoop.  It was getting late so I put it all in the freezer over night.  

Yum.  Still good even though I made it incorrectly.  

 

The taste is a little different from that bright orange sherbet you may be used to buying in the tub.  This tastes like actual orange juice.  This was also more of a creamy treat than I was expecting.  I will say that it is good enough that I have already made it again...this time with the paddle in the machine.  And when you actually use the paddle you can eat it right away.  You may want to freeze it for a little while if you prefer a more solid consistency.  

And if you like those ice cream/orange sherbet pops stay tuned for a future post because we made ice cream with the machine and served the two together.  

 

I bought this machine and all of the ingredients used in this review.

Prices change all of the time.  

 Double check the price before making a purchasing decision.

Recipe Review Taste Test -- Deliciously G-Free by Elisabeth Hasselbeck

Recipe Review Taste Test

Today I will share with you my experience making the Kid-Pleasing Chicken Fingers from page 83 (hardcover edition).  You can also read my full book review.

 

Two of the ingredients were rice crumbs and corn crumbs.  Now maybe it is obvious that it is cereal crumbs but it would be helpful in future editions to include the word cereal.  Note: I chose to use Chex cereal.  I measured a little over 1 cup of cereal to get the 1/2 cup required.

Cereal in a freezer bag.

Then I crushed it.  You could use a rolling pin but I just grabbed a ketchup bottle.  

The dry ingredients.

In the pan.

Almost done.

Ready to eat.  

(That is ranch dressing as dipping sauce.  It came out of the bottle a little fast.  Oops).

 

How difficult was this recipe?  Not too bad.  Once the cereal was crushed it moved along pretty fast.

 

How did it taste?  Good.  I did notice a faint taste of cereal.  I'm going to try adding some garlic powder to the recipe next time.  Would a kid notice the cereal taste?  Probably not much.

 

Anything else to note? I was impressed at how well the coating stayed on the chicken.  I was expecting that more would fall off as I was eating it but it stayed on really well.

 

The recipe also requires that you have a pan that can be used on the stovetop and then be put into the oven to finish which everyone may not have in their kitchen

 

Would I consider making this recipe again?  Definitely!

 

I own the hardcover edition of Deliciously G-Free: Food So Flavorful They'll Never Believe It's Gluten-Free and used it for this recipe review taste test. This title is also available in a kindle edition.