Wild Blackberry Swirl Ice Cream

August 15, 2013August 16, 2013 ~ Crystle ~ 5 Comments

I’m assuming that the dry summer weather caused a smaller yield in Washington’s Wild Blackberries than it did last year because as I paced the perimeter of a few blackberry bushes near the local dog park, I saw that the majority of the fruit had dried out. Or the smaller-than-average crop meant perhaps other like-minded people had harvested the bushes before I had.

I didn’t really let it deter me. On one foot (and in Birkenstocks, no less) I balanced precariously over the thorny bushes to reach the wonderful Washington Blackberries sitting atop the bushes; the same berries that were probably out of reach for more cautious foragers. I have the scratches on my arms and the snags in my favorite shirt to prove it. While I stomped around in the thorny brush, Margot sat in her carseat in the shade nearby. She was more interested in her hand than my foraging. Babies.

Last year, our over-abundance provided me with enough blackberries to make preserves. I even shipped a few jars to family members in other states. This year I only came out with a pint or so. At the suggestion of my dear friend Rachel, I decided to turn my small yield of berries into ice cream. That Rachel is full of good ideas.

Using the same concept I did for my Strawberry Swirl Ice Cream, I made my Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Base and swirled in homemade Blackberry syrup. The great thing about this recipe is that you can omit the Blackberry syrup-making process and substitute for another fruit syrup, fruit preserve or topping of your choice. Throw in some chopped up cookies or candies, chopped nuts, or even caramel sauce! The possibilities are endless.

Wild Blackberry Swirl Ice Cream Recipe

Ingredients:

2 Large Eggs

1 1/8 Cup Sugar

1 Vanilla Bean

2 Cups 2% milk

1 3/4 Cup Half & half

1/4 tsp of Xanthan Gum

1 Cup Wild Blackberries

1/2 Lemon, juiced

Instructions:

1. Slice the vanilla bean length wise using a paring knife, then scrape the caviar using a spoon.

2. In a large bowl, mix the eggs, sugar and vanilla bean caviar until well blended. Slowly add in the milk, and the half & half. Next sprinkle in the xanthan gum. Allow ingredients to incorporate while you work on the blackberry swirl syrup.

3. Rinse blackberries, and pick through, ensuring there are no stems or other debris present, then put into food processor. Squeeze half a lemon (less is okay) over the blackberries and blend until smooth. Over a bowl, strain the blackberries through a sieve, making sure that all the juice is extracted from the berry pulp. Set blackberry syrup aside. Discard pulp.

4. Pour ice cream mixture into ice cream maker, and allow it to churn for about 20-25 minutes. Watch it closely. When the Ice Cream reaches the rim, turn off the mixer and spoon ice cream into a freezer-safe container. Slowly drizzle blackberry syrup over the ice cream and swirl in with a spoon. Be sure to fold the syrup into the lower layer of the ice cream as well. Freeze for an additional 2-5 hours until the ice cream reaches a scoopable density. Serve and enjoy!

Notes:

– I originally blended the blackberry syrup directly into the ice cream mixer, creating a delightfully colorful, and less marbled ice cream. The taste was still wonderful, but for that marbled affect, use the above instructions.

– Xanthan gum is used in my ice cream recipes to keep this lighter ice cream base from become icy. It works wonders!

– Follow this vanilla ice cream base recipe and add fruit preserves straight into the ice cream mixer. This is another great way of having a fruit-swirl ice cream of your choice. But be sure to keep an eye on it, when you add more volume, the changes of an overflowing ice cream machine run high.

BONUS!:

Take your lemon and vanilla bean discards, place them in a pot with water and let it simmer on low as a natural air freshener. I like to save up a few vanilla bean pods for the pot so the fragrance is extra sweet.

DIY Kodiak Flapjack Mix

July 28, 2013August 9, 2013 ~ Crystle ~ 7 Comments

The beginning of this story is set on the baking aisle of a chain grocery store. My search for a healthy pancake mix brought me there, and there I stood, comparing labels and looking over long lists of ingredients. When I picked up a box of Kodiak Flapjacks my search was over. Made from whole ingredients, and balanced to keep you from enduring the harsh crash that comes after indulging in an overly-sweet breakfast, these pancakes blew every competitor out of the water.

Fast forward to the second part of my journey where I’m at my fourth or fifth grocery store, searching high and low for the best price on Kodiak Flapjacks. Prices range from $6-$8 a box here around South Puget Sound. Our upcoming move to Alaska, and its promise of higher prices for everything, has me worried about the totals at the cash register on my weekly shopping trips. At each grocery store, I reactively pulled at my collar, which seemed to tighten every time I saw the price tag of my favorite pancakes. They’re definitely worth the price, but my small family needs to save money. That’s why we went with the Ninja instead of the Vitamix blender recently, and why I just can’t justify an $8 box of pancake mix. There had to be another way, I thought to myself. Then I found that other way.

Make my own pancake mix! Why didn’t I think of it sooner?!

I searched high and low, much like I did for a reasonably priced box of Kodiak Flapjack Mix, to find a recipe for pancake mix that was comparable to my beloved Kodiaks. After two rounds of pancakes from this batch of Pancake Mix, my husband and I are convinced this recipe fits the bill.

Whole Wheat & Oat Pancake Mix Recipe:

Ingredients:

MIX

4 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

3 1/2 cups old-fashioned or rolled oats

3 tablespoons baking powder

3 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon baking soda

1 cup vegetable oil

PANCAKES

1 cup homemade mix

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup greek vanilla yogurt (or plain, for a savory version of these pancakes)

1 large egg

Instructions:

MIX

1. Grind the oats in a food processor until they’re chopped finely, but don’t go as far as turning them into powder.

2. Put the flour, oats and all other dry ingredients into a mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix on slow speed and very slowly drizzle the vegetable oil into the bowl while the mixer is running on low.

3. Store mix in an airtight container in fridge or freezer. This will keep indefinitely.

PANCAKES

1. Whisk one cup of pancake mix with 1/2 cup of milk, 1/2 cup of greek yogurt, and one large egg.

2. Allow batter mixture to sit for 20 minutes at room temperature, this allows the ground oats to soak up the excess liquid. The mixture may seem runny before this time has lapsed.

3. Using an ice cream scoop, or 1/4 cup measuring cup, spoon out the mixture onto a warm griddle (350F) or pan. I have an electric stove, and I find that pre-heating my enamel cast iron pan on medium helps tremendously.

4. When pancakes are bubbly around the edges, flip. Cook until golden brown.

Notes:

-Yields 5-8 pancakes per cup of mix.

-Adapted from King Arthur Flour – Homemade Whole Wheat Pancake Mix Recipe.

-The oats photographed are whole oats, they have not yet been processed. When yours have been through the food processor, they should be roughly 1/4 their original size. I hope that helps.

-Your pancake mix will end up crumbly with some smaller than pea-sized chunks.

Jalapeño Egg Salad

July 11, 2013July 24, 2013 ~ Crystle ~ 3 Comments

Every Tuesday morning, before the sun rises, fresh eggs, butter and milk are delivered to an insulated box on my front step. I look forward to the arrival of these local farm fresh products and I don’t know what I’ll do without them this fall when we’re up in Alaska, predictably enduring the harshest winter of our lives.

I opened my fridge today, to contemplate dinner plans and I realized I had three dozen eggs from Smith Brothers Farms. Not wanting to wait for an evening frittata, I whipped up a new egg salad recipe.

This recipe is adapted from Pam Anderson’s Cook Without a Book: Meatless Meals. She provides a basic egg salad recipe, and you can plug in anything you like. I chose to make a southwestern style egg salad, mainly to accommodate what I had in my pantry.

It works! Jarred jalapeños, spicy red onion and salsa provide a unique twist on an otherwise ordinary side dish. I ate it for lunch with tortilla chips, but I highly recommend trying it in a whole wheat wrap. That’s what I’ll do next.

This recipe used up almost one carton of eggs, now I just need to make a couple of frittatas to use up the rest.

Jalapeño Egg Salad Recipe:

Ingredients:

6 eggs

1/4 cup light mayo

1/4 cup diced red onion

1/4 cup salsa – hot

1/4 cup diced jalapeños (fresh or jarred)

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped

Salt & Pepper to taste

Instructions:

Place eggs in one layer in a deep pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil. When water begins to boil, remove pot from heat and let sit for 10 minutes. Drain the hot water, and replace it with cold water and ice. Let cool until the pot has become cool itself.

Dice onions, jalapeños, cilantro and eggs. Combine all ingredients in medium mixing bowl and stir well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with tortilla chips, or in whole wheat wraps.

Notes:

I took the eggs from the pot and put them in a mixing bowl and ran cold water over them for a few minutes to get the process started. Then I let them soak in ice water. You can do this, or as noted in the instructions using the original pot to cool the eggs. It doesn’t seem to matter much. The point is cooling the eggs as quickly as possible, and keeping the eggs from sticking to the shell. Hint: run cool water over the eggs as you peel the shell, it keeps the shell together and separates the insides and the out rather neatly.