Ice Cream with Cranberry Syrup

We all have vices and bad habits we would like to break and I am no exception.  Years ago I thought I drank to much soda with caffeine so I swore off caffeine for a few months and 18 years later and I still haven't had a sip of caffeine.  12 years ago I went a step further and swore off all kinds of soda and haven't had a sip since.  But there is one food item I can't quit and never will, ice cream.  I'll admit my weakness, I love the stuff, if I am ever on death row you can bet it will be part of my last meal if not the entire meal. 

I like just about any type, cookies and cream, cookie dough, moose tracks, I could go on and on, but my favorite overall is probably plain old vanilla ice cream.  You can do so many different things with vanilla ice cream, eat it plain or cover it with toppings.  Everyone has their favorite toppings, chocolate, carmel, nuts, and fruit  but I think my favorite all time topping is maple syrup.  Yep just maple syrup, simple. 

If you remember a few days ago I posted cranberry pancakes with cranberry maple syrup that I made.  Now here is an idea, how would that syrup go on some of that good Alden's Ice Cream we have?  Well I didn't really know but I knew I was going to find out.  It doesn't get much easier to make, start with some vanilla ice cream and top with the cranberry maple syrup and enjoy.

Turns out to be some pretty good stuff.  A while back the wife made some cranberry jam and now I know what I can use it on, along with some maple syrup of course.  That's one habit I will never break.

Pumpkin Flavored Milkshake

As I promised I said I would do a recipe with pumpkin.  I like pumpkin but not like big sis, she is a fanatic about it.  I think the best pumpkin anything I ever had was a couple of years ago in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan when I bought some pumpkin fudge from one of those little fudge shops on the main street of Houghton.  In fact that just might be the best fudge I ever had, it was soooooo good.  If I remember we were lucky and got the last of what they had for the year.

I didn't make pumpkin fudge, since I am not a baker, but I decided to make a pumpkin milkshake. I originally came across the idea from searching through web sites one night and saw a picture and thought that might be pretty good and since it looked simple enough I decided to give it a go.  I came across a lot of recipes for pumpkin shakes, all about the same, but finally decided on the one below. 

The cast of characters is fairly simple........

One different idea I found in another recipe was instead of using graham crackers was to use ginger snaps. 

There is one character in this cast I want to introduce you to that deserves mention......

This is the absolute best vanilla ice cream you can buy.  Aldens Ice Cream is made with  real cream, real, honest to goodness cream with real honest to goodness vanilla bean specs throughout.  This vanilla ice cream is good all by itself.  We find it at Whole Foods Market, I'm not sure if it is available anywhere else.

As far as making the milk shake it pretty simple, put everything, except the graham crackers, in a blender and blend it all together.  Crush up the graham crackers on top and insert a swizzle stick, in this case a cinnamon stick.

Pumpkin Flavored Milkshake
(Printable Recipe)
1/2 cup pumpkin, canned or homemade
1/4 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 pinch cloves
1 pinch nutmeg
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 cup vanilla ice cream
1graham cracker.
1 cinnamon stick for garnish.

Directions:
Put everything but graham crackers and cinnamon stick in a blender. With the normal household blenders it works best if the ice cream is soft.

Sprinkle with crushed graham cracker crumbs and add cinnamon stick before serving.

Turtle Pumpkin Pie

I don't bake and I don't even pretend to bake so when desserts show up on this blog you can bet I probably didn't make it. I will take credit for the pictures but not the desserts.

I was scanning through the wife's Taste of Home magazine the other day when I came across a different way to make pumpkin pie. I thought it looked pretty good so I said to the wife "Hey where ya at? I found something you should make for me." She asked me "Why don't you make it?" So I replied "I don't bake, you do and I can use it for my new blog." I finally talked her into it and last weekend she made what is called Turtle Pumpkin Pie.



I got to tell you I can't really explain or describe what is really going on here because remember I don't bake. Hopefully the photos will help.

Let's first introduce the cast of characters.



Sure looks like a simple cast but if you want a complete list the recipe will be at the bottom of this post.

Next she had to start with a crust.



Even though the recipe at the bottom says to use a store bought one she made her own. At least I think she made her own like I said this baking is like a foreign language to me.

Now it's time to line the crust with some kind of nut. Pretty technical eh? Like I said read the recipe at the bottom for more or accurate information.



Once the pie crust is ready she makes the best part of the pie the filling.



Here is an action shot.



You don't see a lot of action shots in the kitchen and maybe the above photo explains why. Not real exciting.

Next she spreads the pie filling around the crust while I lick the whisk from the mixer and scrap out the what I can out of the mixing bowl to eat.



Sure is starting to look good but it's not finished yet. Next it goes into the ice box for awhile and then she adds the cool whip, caramel and nuts to the top to finish the pie.



Now it is really looking good, time to cut a piece of pie and check it out.



Here is where the problem starts, not with the pie per say because it just might be the best pumpkin pie I ever ate, but trying to get a good photograph of just one piece of pie. I think we tried for three different nights and this was the best we could come up with. I'm not sure what to do to make it look like the one in the magazine but I will figure it out in time.



Nope that photo just doesn't do the pie justice.

Turtle Pumpkin Pie
(From Kraft Foods advertisement in Taste of Home October and November 2008)

¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp caramel ice cream topping, divided
1 Honey Maid Graham Pie Crust
½ cup plus 2 Tbsp Planters Pecan Pieces, divided
1 cup cold milk
2 pkg. (3.4 oz. each) JELL-O Instant Pudding
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
1 tub (8 oz.) Cool Whip Whipped Topping, thawed, divided

Pour ¼ cup caramel topping into crust; sprinkle with ½ cup pecans

Beat milk, pudding mixes, pumpkin and spices with whisk until blended. Stir in 1-1/2 cups Cool Whip. Spread onto crust.

Refrigerate at least 1 hour. Top with remaining Cool Whip, caramel topping and pecans just before serving.

Peach Cobbler Dump

The reason for tonight's post is this:


I know of a couple of hoodlums out there will know what all this is for and I hope they are drooling right now. This is the peach cobbler we used to make when we were at the cabin or out camping. I think this could possible be one the the best smells in all the world, peach cobbler cooking over an open fire at night. Brings back memories.

This is one of the simplest cobblers to make. Just follow the pictures.

Start by lighting a fire in the chimney starter.



Dump everything into the dutch oven.



Cook. Oh the smells when it is cooking.



Take off the fire when done.



Serve with ice cream and enjoy.



I wanted to make this tonight because I haven't made it for a couple of years. And believe me it was worth it.