Greek Orzo Tuna Salad

If you read the recipe for Greek Orzo Tuna Salad in the Commercial Appeal on 7/5, the correct amount of good olive oil is 1/3 cup.  Sorry guys, I don't know why the amount was not printed, but I have contacted the CA to make them aware of this.

July 4th Ice Cream Perfection

In the ice cream maker after churning

July 4th means friends, family, massive amounts of fireworks over the pond, and food. Specifically, there are a couple things that I have to cook or people will not show up: peanut butter ice cream brownie sandwiches and Salted Caramel Ice Cream.

I have finally perfected the Salted Caramel Ice Cream to our taste. I think it's the agave syrup. I had just run out of agave so I had to use corn syrup. I hate using corn syrup but, then again, most people will have the corn syrup in their pantries. The syrup, whichever you use, helps the ice cream stay creamy and slightly soft once frozen (not soft like Dairy Queen soft serve) but smoothly scoopable.

Salted Caramel Ice Cream
Yield: 1 quart

1 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1 tsp. vanilla
Pinch salt
3 eggs
2 tbsp. corn syrup or agave
1 tsp. Maldon flake salt

In a large saucepot, place the sugar and cook on medium-high until melted and amber colored. Stir in the heavy cream and cook until the caramel is melted. Stir together the milk,eggs, vanilla, pinch salt, and syrup in a separate bowl. Temper the egg mixture wih a bit of the caramel mixture and then combine the two into the pot. Cook on medium, whisking constantly until it begins to thicken slightly. Be careful not to overcook it or get it too hot or the eggs will scramble. Strain through a seive and refrigerate immediately. Chill until it is completely cold and then freeze in your ice cream maker. Serve each scoop with a sprinkle of the flake salt.

I know it's been a while.  Here's some link love until I get some food shots uploaded.

• Almond Poppy Crackers with Cottage Cheese & Honey (another way to use my new favorite thing...almond flour)
• ModernMom (one of my new favorite places to go for quick workouts and recipes for healthy living)
• Loving this DVD!
• Just ordered Curtis Stone's new cookbook...I was never really a huge fan of his, but I liked some of the recipes he's got in there.
• Just ordered this too: Malt Vinegar Salt

Mason with sleepy pup eyes.

unicorns & rainbows

Well, it's official...I've just made Unicorn Poo Cookies.  Yes, that's right.  My kids saw this somewhere and  I let them have free reign and this is where it got me.  I have to admit, it was pretty fun and they are cute. So this year for Christmas, I get to tell everyone that we made Unicorn Poo cookies for Santa.  I'm sure he will be thrilled!















We used Cook's Illustrated Soft & Chewy Sugar Cookie recipe and just added food coloring to each dough ball.  Then you roll a small hunk of each of the colored dough's into a snake and then roll those together and kinda twist, then shape into, well, poo shapes.

We tried brushing pearlized edible glitter on them before baking them, but it didn't go well, so we just left them alone.  Even though we really overworked the dough by adding the food coloring, they still came out soft, chewy, and really tasty.... thank goodness for Santa's sake.  I'm so embarrassed.  I can't believe I'm posting this.

End result. They are prettier than Mr. Hankey.