Butter Cake with Strawberry Sauce

(pic courtesy Jenny Evans Gatherings)

I don't have words to describe how incredibly delicious this was. So, I'll just say it was melt-in-your-mouth, buttery perfection. Seriously one of the best desserts I've ever had in my life. If you want to blow the socks off of someone, make this.

Butter Cake with Strawberry Sauce
from Jenny Evans Gatherings 

Cake:
8 – 6 oz. ramekins
raw turbinado sugar (any raw sugar or Sugar in Raw), to coat the bottom of the ramekins
1 c. unsalted butter, softened
2 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 c. granulated sugar
¼ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg
½ c. buttermilk
1 ½ c. all purpose flour
8 fresh strawberries, sliced (optional, for garnish)
mints leaves (optional, for garnish)

Cream cheese layer:
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
½ c. granulated sugar
1 egg
1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract

Strawberry Sauce:
2 c. strawberries, fresh or frozen
¼ c. granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Cake:
Preheat the oven to 325 F. Prepare the ramekins by generously coating the bottom and sides with cooking spray. Put 2 teaspoons of the turbinado sugar on the bottom of each ramekin. Swirl the sugar along the lower ½ inch and bottom of each ramekin.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter, cream cheese and sugar. Beat for 30-60 seconds. Add the baking soda, baking powder, salt and vanilla extract; Mix well. Add the egg and beat for 30-60 seconds. Add ½ cup of the flour. Beat for 30 seconds. Add half of the buttermilk. Beat for 30 seconds. Add another ½ cup of the flour. Beat for 30 seconds. Add the other half of the buttermilk. Beat for 30 seconds. Add the last ½ cup of the flour and beat for 30 seconds.

Cream Cheese Layer:
Beat all the ingredients in a small bowl until combined. Do not overbeat.

Strawberry Sauce:
Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Store in the refrigerator.

Assembly:
With an ice cream scoop, place two even scoops of the cake batter in each ramekin. Top with about 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese layer.
Bake in a 325 F oven for 30 minutes or until the top is golden and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted.
Let the cakes cool for 10-15 minutes. Gently turn them over onto a dessert plate to release them from the ramekins. Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Drizzle the strawberry sauce over the ice cream, cake and plate. Garnish with sliced fresh strawberries and a mint leaf. Serve warm. (You can also serve the cake in the ramekins.)

"Healthy" Chocolate Blender Ice Cream

I was at Costco today and the Vitamix guy was there doing demonstrations.  I hung around for a while, collecting samples of delicious green smoothies and THEN he made chocolate ice cream.  I saw the ingredients and was totally skeptical about whether or not it would be edible by me, much less my kids.  I took one sip and was totally sold- I would've eaten all of it, but Lauren took it from me and wouldn't give it back.  She licked the sample cup clean!  It tasted amazing- I promise you cannot taste one of the "healthy" ingredients.  Doug, the Vitamix presenter, sent me a link to his recipe (click here) and I made it for dessert tonight.  It tasted just as amazing, and all of my kids were gobbling it up and throwing praises at their "best mom in the world".  :)  You can add peanut butter, banana, chocolate chips, mint flavor, whatever you want to make it your own.

courtesy google images

"Healthy" Chocolate Blender Ice Cream

Doug, the Blender Chef

1/2 cup milk (or half & half, heavy cream for richer taste)
3 1/2 Tbs. cocoa powder
7 Tbs. hot cocoa mix (you can find a healthier one if you try- I used a Trader Joes mix)
4-6 baby carrots
small slice cabbage
small handful spinach (I didn't have cabbage so I doubled this)
1/2 of an avocado
sweetener to taste (5 Hadley dates, agave nectar, honey, etc.)
2 cups ice

Blend these ingredients on low beginning on 1 then increasing to 10, run for 10 seconds then stop.  Use tamper stick to push ice down.  Results are best when using a Vitamix.

*Doug (and his co-presenter, Keith) has a lot of great recipes for soups and smoothies that can also be found by clicking on this link.

Fried Ice Cream
from Garry Boyle

Can I just say AMAZING! ADDICTING!  We had this the other night and I about died! Its that good! Super easy to make! Enjoy! This recipe is made in a cookie sheet, not in balls as shown in picture.

Melt Together: 

• 1 cube of margarine
• 1 cup brown sugar

Add:

• 3 cups corn flakes (crushed a little) 
• 1 cup coconut or tsp of cinnamon
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Cook and stir mixture 2-3 minutes. Spread 1/2-2/3 of mixture into an 8x11 pan. Or use a cookie sheet for thinner squares. Spread 1/2 gallon ice-cream on top. Sprinkle remaining mixture on top. Freeze. 

When ready to serve, drizzle favorite toppings (e.g. honey,  whip cream, chocolate or caramel sauce) 

*I use closer to 2/3 of mixture on bottom and press down and put in freezer for a few minutes before adding the ice-cream. I let ice cream sit out to soften before spreading. 

                           

Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches

Don't buy another ice cream sandwich again...this one is absolute perfection.  Its absolutely delicious and very easy to make.  After my kids ate these for the first time they said, "this is my new favorite thing to eat" and "these are better than the ones you buy at the store" (note to Blue Bell).  My friend, Amy Foulger, made these for us after Tessa's surgery and I've made three batches since.  So good.

courtesy

Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches

Amy Foulger via Martha Stewart

1 stick unsalted butter, melted (plus more for pan)

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 tsp. fine salt

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 pints ice cream, softened (mint oreo is our favorite)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter a 10X15 pan (or double recipe and use a regular cookie sheet instead) and line with parchment paper so there is an overhang on the short sides.  Butter paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together butter and sugar, then whisk in eggs and salt.  Add flour and cocoa and mix until just smooth.  Spread in pan.  Bake until brownie is dry to the touch and edges start to pull away from the pan, 10-12 minutes (mine took more like 20 min.).  Let cool 5 minutes.  Using paper overhang, transfer brownies to a wire rack and let cool completely.  

Transfer brownie to a work surface and cut in half crosswise.  Place both halves on plastic wrap.  Slice and spread ice cream onto one of the halves.  Once evenly spread, invert the other brownie half on top and wrap with plastic wrap.  Freeze for two hours, or overnight.  Enjoy!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Brian's favorite cookie is an oatmeal one...he doesn't even like the chocolate chips. This cookie is where we compromise. :) Its a delicious, chewy, chocolately cookie that goes perfect as an ice-cream sandwich (we made them last Sunday and they were delicious...ice-cream recipe below too). There is something about oatmeal chocolate chip cookie dough that really is satisfying...yeah, we make these just for the dough sometimes.

courtesy

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (and Ice Cream!)

Adapted slightly from allrecipes.com

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

3 cups quick-cooking oats (I've used regular oats too, with great results)

2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time and then stir in vanilla. Add flour, baking soda, and salt and stir until just blended. Mix in the oats and chocolate chips. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto un-greased cookie sheet. Bake for 12 minutes.

Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

Cuisinart Recipe Booklet

1 cup milk (the fattier the milk, the creamier the ice cream)

3/4 c. granulated sugar

pinch salt

2 cups heavy cream

1 Tbs. pure vanilla extract (the real stuff, please!)

Whisk together milk, sugar and salt until sugar is completely dissolved (about 3-4 minutes). Stir in cream and vanilla. Cover and refrigerate 1-2 hours, or overnight. Put in ice cream maker for 15-20 minutes; add mix-ins for the last 3-5 minutes, if desired. Freeze and seal tight the ice cream for additional 1-2 hours, if you want it more solid.