Banana Ice Cream

Wowzers, I must have other things to do! What else would explain two blogs in 3 days?

My favorite form of procrastination! Anyways, this will be quick. I mean Q-U-I-C-K quick!

Hold on to your hats, here we go.

We all know I LOVE ice cream. Seriously, I have an unhealthy passion for all things ice cream. BUT and this is a big but (like the one I'll probably get from all the ice cream I eat), I've never attempted to make it at home. Reason: you need a fancy machine (which I have no room for), salt, and the kicker: patience (which I lack when it comes to ice cream).

So why in the world am I telling you all of this? Because, there has been an answer to my problem! I can now make ice cream at home! Guess what, it's healthy too! (are you blown away yet?)

Banana Ice Cream: so simple I might cry.

Here is what you need:

Bananas

Food Processor or Blender

Here is how you make it:

1. cut bananas (2 makes a decent bowl full, probably 2 servings)

2. freeze them

3. blend or process until smooth.

4. Eat your delicious concoction.

Can you believe it! I couldn't. I thought surely this would taste weird. I mean, where is the chocolate? The caramel? The 23 additives?

It. is. amazing. I do plan to try it with chocolate, caramel, and nuts sometime. You know, turn it into unhealthy ice cream. But for now I just enjoy it whenever I have bananas getting all brown and weird.

Go eat some now... I mean it.

Two for One

Today you get two recipes for the price of one!
Initially, I had thought of posting these two yummy creations in two separate posts. However, I decided in the honor of brevity and simplicity I would just combine them. I mean, c'mon, who doesn't like cake and pizza! (Well, i guess my husband doesn't like cake, but he likes this one!)

Lets start with the pizza. Although, you should be thinking about the cake. Oh, the cake. Ok. Pizza first.

This recipe came from Emi, one of my friends. We went over to their house for dinner one night and she had set up an area for us to make our own pizzas. I thought it was so clever that I had to steal the idea!

This weekend my mom and brother came down from fort wayne and it gave me a great excuse to make these pizzas. I prepped the dough, set out the toppings, and we made our own special little creations! It was actually really fun. Each pizza reflected each person. I'm the healthy eater so mine was loaded with veggies. My mother loves cheese, and made that clear with her pizza. Hubby loves his meat and he made sure he put a lot on. My brother loves simple cheese, mushroom, and pepperoni pizza.
I forgot to take pictures, but here are the end results!



Recipe for the Pizza Dough:
Whisk 3 3/4 C flour with 1 1/2 tsp salt.
Make a well and add 1 1/3 C warm water, 1 tsp sugar, and 1 packet yeast
When foamy mix in 3 T olive oil/

Do this all in your kitchen aid mixer with the dough hook attachment. Knead on low to med low for 3-5 minutes or until the dough looks smooth and has come together in a ball. Brush with olive oil and cover with a wet towel or napkin in a bowl. Let rise until doubled (about 1.5 hours)
Divide into 2 1 pound balls. Use 1lb per pizza. (If making personal pizzas I think you can get away with using 1/2 lb)

Top with desired toppings and bake at 500 on a preheated pan for 15-20 minutes.

Now, what you've been waiting for. Yep, it's time. Cake!

I fell in love with this cake in college. It was a shoemaker staple and all of us women looked forward to the days that we would get this delightful treat.

I do think I ought to warn you all. This cake is r-i-c-h rich! It probably has about 1000 calories per slice, but it is oh so good! So good in fact that it has a pretty funny name.

Better than Sex Cake, let me tell you, it may not be better than sex, but it's pretty close!

Here are some pictures. You've been warned.

Recipe:

1 box chocolate cake mix (I use devils food)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 jar caramel topping
1 C heath bar topping
1 container cool whip

Bake the cake according to package directions. While it is still warm poke a bunch of holes in it. I used a chop stick, a toothpick doesn't get them big enough for all of the goodness to soak in. Next, pour on the sweetened condensed milk.


Once that has some time to soak in, its time for the next step. Pour the caramel sauce all over the top. Stare in amazement.






Refrigerate until cool. Then before serving top with cool whip and heath bar pieces. Try not to eat it, wait... you need to share it, right?! Serve up cold and yummy!

Cute Little Cake Pops

As I said in a post earlier, I will now be trying to chronicle some of my attempts at cooking and baking. I think that is what this blog is becoming: a chronicle of trying. I show my attempts at photography, my attempts at cooking, and my attempt at living a life of a godly woman and wife. Someday, it will include my attempt at parenting without going bananas...someday.

For now, you get cake pops!

I have been so excited to try and make these little buggers ever since I saw them on Bakerella. I made them for a cookout we were having and they seemed to be a pretty big hit. That is a big part of why I love to cook and bake, to see the joy in people when they try something and like it.

Mine aren't as fancy (or as well shaped) as hers, but pretty stinkin' cute none the less. Here are some pictures from the day!







Here is the recipe from Bakerella:
1 box cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake)
1 can frosting (16 oz.)
Wax paper
candy melts (1 lb. pkg.)
Lollipop sticks

1. After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.
2. Mix thoroughly with 1 can frosting. (I use the back of a large spoon, but it may be easier to use fingers to mix together. But, be warned, it will get messy. Also, you may not need the entire can of frosting, so start out by using almost the entire can and add more if you need to.)
3. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and place on wax paper covered cookie sheet. (Should make 45-50)
4. Melt chocolate in the microwave per directions on package. (30 sec intervals, stirring in between.)
5. Dip the tip of your lollipop stick in a little of the melted candy coating and insert into the cake balls. (Insert a little less than halfway.)
6. Place them in the freezer for a little while to firm up.
7. Once firm, carefully insert the cake ball into the candy coating by holding the lollipop stick and rotating until covered. Once covered remove and softly tap and rotate until the excess chocolate falls off. Don’t tap too hard or the cake ball will fall off, too.
8. Place in a styrofoam block to dry.
9. Once dry, draw faces with an edible ink pen and allow ink to dry!