Summer Treat -- Coconut Ice Cream (non-dairy)

A few weeks back I made one of the best purchases at Goodwill -- a Cuisinart ice cream maker for $14.99.

Last year I tried some sorbet recipes and just put them in Ziploc bags in the freezer and set a timer for a series of 20 minute intervals for "smooshing" the bags.  The end product was OK, but I found myself longing for a real ice cream maker.  God heard the cry of my heart, and there was an ice cream maker calling my name for the shelf at the Lakeville Goodwill Center.

I've made vanilla and chocolate ice creams (recipes to follow), non-dairy coconut ice cream, and strawberry sorbet (using strawberries from my garden).  Below is the coconut ice cream recipe:





Coconut Ice Cream (Vegan)
from the Hungry Mouse website
2 (13 oz) cans of unsweetened coconut milk (not reduced fat)
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon coconut extract

Combine completely the sugar with one can of the coconut milk.  Add the second can and the flavorings.  Chill for at least 4 hours.  (I chilled it over night.)
Process the mixture in the ice cream maker for 15 to 25 minutes, following the directions for your particular ice cream maker.

Freeze for an hour before serving.  Store in the freezer in a covered container.

A Trip up the Mountain

On a recent trip to the North Shore, Jim and I took a trip up a mountain.  My husband would have loved to gotten there via hiking the Superior Hiking Trail.  I, on the other hand, preferred a much less strenuous trip to the top.

Eagle Ridge Resort has a gondola to take people up Moose Mountain.  At the top is the Summit Chalet, a beautiful place for lunch, relaxing, and taking lots of pictures.  They've had lots of beautiful weddings up there.

We spent an hour walking some trails, checking out the observation deck, and simply reading in the mountain sunshine.

They Were Warned!

This summer I've been gently reminding AND nagging my family about cleaning up after themselves.  (see previous post)  When I came downstairs one morning to a pile of dirty dishes while the dishwasher sat unattended ... well ... drastic measures were needed.

Thankfully, my kids are pretty clever.  I had a clean kitchen by the end of the day!

Too Much Summer?

Summertime and the livin’ is easy. 

At least that’s what my family would like to think.  Snacking all day. Experimenting in the kitchen.  Leaving the dishes and mess for mom to clean up.


This summer I have 5 kids at home.  Five kids who are coming and going all day long to work and to play.  Five kids who aren’t always eating at regular times.  Five kids who pack sack lunches, fry eggs at noon, and reheat leftovers at midnight.  Five kids who sometimes forget one of my basic rules:  “If you make a mess, you clean it up.”


My kids are great helpers and hard workers.  They are pros at asking “What next?” when I need their help.  However, things have gotten a little lax this summer, and they needed some reminding.


Thus the sign on the the kitchen counter by the sink.

Summertime Jam

This recipe is a quick summertime favorite at our house.  Sometimes we use strawberries that my son gets from the berry farm where he works.  Most of the time, however, we use the abundance of rhubarb from our garden.





Quick Freezer Jam
Mix well and let stand for 4 hours or overnight:
     2 - 3 c. mashed strawberries
     3 c. sugar
Bring to a hard boil.  Reduce heat to medium.  Boil 10 minutes.
Add:
     1 (3 oz.) package strawberry gelatin
Mix until well dissolved and bring to boiling point again.  Remove from heat and let set a few minutes.  Stir again.  Put in jars and keep in refrigerator or freezer.

Options:
-- Strawberries with pineapple gelatin
-- Raspberries with raspberry gelatin
-- Grapes with grape gelatin
-- Peaches with peach, lemon, or pineapple gelatin
-- 5 c. rhubarb, chopped, with raspberry or strawberry gelatin

A Family Friendy Fair

This week is our state's fair.  According to the State Fair's official website, this is  one of the nation's largest and and best-attended agricultural and educational entertainment venues.  The Fair's mission is to educate and involve our guests by providing a world-class showcase that is innovative, entertaining and fun.

Again, according to their website:

We strive to:

•Showcase Minnesota’s finest agriculture, art and industry

•Present an unparalleled forum for knowledge and ideas

•Provide outstanding customer service

•Offer exceptional value

•Provide a safe, clean environment that is accessible to all

•Create unique experiences

The State Fair is a pretty large event.  Over the years, we've chosen to take the kids to smaller, local county fairs.  The Steele County and Rice Conty fairs are nearby and have been a lot of fun.

This year we went to the Dakota County Fair.  We've been there a couple of times before.  This year, it was a beastly hot day.  We might not have gone, except that we had our German friend with us and thought it would be a great midwest, American experience.

As at any small fair, we saw 4H projects, livestock, garden produce, penned-up wild animals, food stands and carnival rides. 

Unfortunately, the hot and humid weather took a lot of fun out of our day at the fair.  The rides didn't entice us.  Neither did the Heritage Village or many of the animal barns.  However, we made the most of our day, finding shade and fans where we could.  We ate a little fair food, guzzled water and took pictures.

Gotta love the summer in Minnesota!

New Summer Goals

OK, so I'm not going to get the whole house thoroughly cleaned and organized. That was my original plan for the summer. I had really wanted to give in to my inner nesting instinct and have my house in top shape.

But that's not happening. So I'm setting a new goal: to watch all of the Inspector Morse videos by the time school starts. I've made a table from IMDB and cross-checked it with the Library and I'm ready to go.

Wish me luck!