Shepherd’s Pie

With both Christopher and I working, it’s important for us to plan our meals ahead of time. We usually sit down on a Saturday or Sunday, pore over my Pinterest boards and pick a handful of recipes to carry us through a week of dinners.

Usually, we rely on those recipes to a tee. But sometimes, one of us has a brilliant idea, and we run with it.

For Christopher, last week was his week to shine. He couldn’t get a away from shepherd’s pie. We hemmed and hawed over how to make it: Beef or turkey? If no peas, what vegetables? Plain or cheesy potatoes? I decided to freestyle in the kitchen and wound up with fabulous weeknight dish – so fabulous, Christopher took two servings just the other day, ate them just 5 hours apart and still looked forward to it both times.

Shepherd’s Pie

Shepherd’s pie is at its heart a peasant dish of meat and vegetables held together by a gravy-like sauce covered in mashed potatoes. This pie is hearty and flavorful, but totally healthy and nutritious.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 pound ground beef

6 cloves garlic, minced

3 large carrots, diced

1 medium zucchini, diced

2 cups chopped broccoli

4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, chopped into 1/2-inch to 1-inch pieces

3 1/2 cups shredded cauliflower, lightly steamed

1/2 cup milk

2 1/2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

2 cups beef broth

1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and set it aside.

In a Dutch oven or other heavy pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, and cook until it is starting to turn brown. Add the garlic and cook for a few minutes. Add carrots and cook for several minutes, until the carrots are starting to soften. Add the zucchini and broccoli and cook until all the vegetables are tender.

In the meantime, while the beef and vegetables are cooking, fill a large stock pot with water, add a hefty sprinkle of salt and drop in the cubed potatoes. Bring the water to boil and cook the potatoes until they are fork tender. Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Add the cauliflower, milk and butter and mash until the mixture is smooth.

Returning to the beef-vegetable mixture, sprinkle in the flour and stir, then add the broth, tomato paste and herbs. Cook until a gravy-like sauce forms. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Pour the beef-vegetable mixture into the prepared baking pan and spread it out evenly. Top it with the mashed potato-cauliflower mixture and spread it out evenly.

Place the pie in the oven and bake for about 30-45 minutes, using the last 5 minutes to broil the top until it is golden brown.

*My apologies for the blurry pictures. I was hungry.

Thanksgiving recipe remixes

We hosted Thanksgiving again this year, and save for two hodge-podge plates for my dad and brother, we had a lot of leftovers to use up this past week.

Christopher noshed on the legs after work a couple nights, and I made the obligatory “leftovers sandwich,” but we did a few other creative things with our supply of turkey, stuffing and vegetables.

• Stuffing frittata

Leftovers used: Stuffing, egg whites (from the pumpkin crème brulee) and gravy

Notes: We used 2 cups of stuffing, which included apples, celery and mushrooms; 4 egg whites and 5 whole eggs; 1/2 cup milk + 1/4 cup cream; and 1 cup grated gruyere. We also topped our slices with a bit of leftover gravy.

Results: Incredible—by far my new favorite way to eat leftover stuffing!

• Turkey, bacon and kale stew

Leftovers used: Turkey carcass (to make broth) and remaining turkey meat

Notes: No changes.

Results: Blah—not very flavorful; had to add more salt. The broth was great, though; I should have stuck with turkey noodle soup.

• Leftovers “Pop Tarts” served with pan-roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon and almonds

Leftovers used: Turkey, stuffing and red cabbage

Notes: We used one sheet of refrigerated pie crust to make five pop tarts. We way overfilled our pies, but we managed fine.

Results: Fun and tasty—a new vehicle to deliver that delicious Thanksgiving-in-a-bite taste!

• Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Leftovers used: Multigrain dinner rolls and pumpkin puree (from the pumpkin crème brulee)

Notes: We used 1/2 cup skim milk + 1/2 cup cream and 1/2 cup dried cranberries. We added a pinch each of nutmeg, clove and allspice, as well as a 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. We didn’t have quite 1 cup pumpkin.

Results: Awesome—creamy, warm and comforting!

 

We still have a whole container of leftover cranberry-pineapple sauce, which I plan to use to make a loaf of cranberry swirl bread this weekend.

How have you used your leftovers?

A very happy Thanksgiving

I haven’t blogged in a while. I’ve been busy with my new job and some weekend adventures (some of which even have supporting photographic evidence that should have made it to this blog). So, I just wanted to pop in and share some pictures from Thanksgiving which included all the things this blog usually includes: running, cooking, eating, spending time with family and general Midwestern goodness!

We started the day with the St. Anne’s Turkey Trot 5K, which winds up and down the roads and trails through Lowell Park along the Rock River on the north side of Dixon. More than 450 people showed up!

Christopher and I fared well on the tough, hilly course; he finished in about 27 minutes, while I finished in 31:30 – without a walk break! I felt a little nauseous at some spots and wanted to walk, but I convinced myself to just go slow and put one foot in front of the other. We treated this “race” purely as a fun run and a means to stay active on the biggest eating day of the year. We’ll be back next year.

We came home, cleaned up and prepared the turkey, which sat in a brine (in a cooler on the back porch) of vegetable broth, water, salt, brown sugar, lemons, oranges and spices from late Tuesday night to this morning. First, we thoroughly rinsed the bird in cold water, then patted it dry. Next, we placed cut carrots, onions, apples, lemons and oranges in the bottom of the roasting pan and in the cavity of the turkey, along with (in the cavity only) fresh rosemary, sage and thyme, as well as some garlic. Then, we rubbed compound butter (basil from our garden, chopped and frozen in the butter after the last harvest, plus some rosemary, sage and thyme) and oil all over the bird. Last, we put it in the oven, 30 minutes at 500 degrees, then 2 hours at 340 degrees.

The family arrived and contributed their dishes. We noshed on a caramelized onion, gruyère, and bacon dip, as well as an eggplant-walnut pate, both of which my dad made. We had a couple beers, which my brother brought. And we watched football.

My mom and I made gravy from the pan drippings, turkey stock and heavy cream, and we heated up all the side dishes. Christopher carved the turkey.

Everyone filled their plates, gathered around the table and toasted each other and the day.

We feasted on:

• Turkey

• Mascarpone-chive mashed potatoes

• Apple-cranberry-mushroom dressing
• German-style red cabbage
• Bacon-wrapped asparagus bundles with a sweet-and-savory butter sauce)

• Cranberry-pineapple sauce

Christopher and I made pumpkin crème brûlée for dessert, and everyone loved it as an alternative to pumpkin pie!

All in all, we have a lovely Thanksgiving, full of football, food and family (human and canine). I am so very, very blessed to have a loving husband, a caring and supportive family that doesn’t mind make the trek to our house for the holiday and a wonderful home. I hope you had a great day, too!

Chicken Soup for a Reporter’s Soul

If you’ve been reading this blog from the beginning, or if you’ve peeked at my About page, or if you follow me on Twitter, then you know I am a journalist at heart.

(Interviewing a couple elementary-school students at a school-farm event
in Brodhead, Wis., in September 2007)

I worked as a reporter for daily newspapers in southwestern and south-central Wisconsin for four years, until our lives switched gears. At that time, I wanted to get out of journalism so badly; I was burned out. We moved, first to Michigan and then to Illinois, and I worked part-time jobs that only somewhat used my training and talents because we could not afford to be a one-income household. But within he last year, I missed journalism—the unique experiences that come with each story, the buzz of a newsroom and the value and importance of the newspaper—and wanted back in.

For the last year or so, I have been a freelancer for two local, daily newspapers and several local, niche, magazine-style publications for the last year. But starting in a couple weeks, I will be a full-time reporter, covering local schools and education issues, for the same company.

I am ecstatic. I can’t wait to work for a company where everyone—from the reporters to the editors—cares about the newspaper and its unmatched ability to tell the local stories that affect local, everyday people. I can’t wait to delve into the education beat, a literal goldmine of stories, and bring classroom initiatives to life and make complex legislative issues understandable. And I can’t wait to feel like my work makes a difference.

Going forward, I hope to maintain this blog and continue to chronicle our lives through running, through food and through our Midwestern adventures.

So, in keeping with that, I documented my method (a no-recipe recipe) of making homemade, from-scratch chicken noodle soup, a warm, comforting meal that really is foolproof and, especially if you roast your own chicken and make your own broth, totally impressive.

In a large stock pot, heat a bit of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add a coarsely chopped carrot or two, several celery tops and a quartered onion plus a couple smashed garlic cloves—really whatever vegetable pieces and parts you might have in the fridge—and season with salt and pepper. (I save the tops and ends of celery and carrots and freeze them for stock. I tossed in some freezer-burned California medley vegetables—carrots, cauliflower and broccoli—to the mix, too.) Sauté the vegetables until they are fragrant, about 3-5 minutes.

Add in the carcass of a whole chicken and pour in enough water to cover the vegetables and chicken bones by a couple inches. (I fill my stock pot almost to the top, leaving just enough room to comfortably stir and to allow the stock to boil.) Add in several sprigs of parsley, a couple bay leaves and a couple teaspoons of dried herbs—again, really whatever you might have on hand. (I used fresh parsley and chives, as well as dried oregano, basil and bay leaves and a bit of allspice.) Add in some salt and pepper, too.

Bring the stock to a boil, then lower the heat and allow the stock to cook and the flavors to develop, or about an hour.

Remove the stock pot from the stovetop and pour the stock through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl. Throw out the vegetables, chicken bones and herbs. Set the stock aside.

In the same stock pot, heat a bit of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add in a chopped carrots and celery (and onion if you and your family like it in soup)—as much as you like—and sauté until they are tender and fragrant, about 5-8 minutes.

Pour in the stock, then add in shredded chicken—a mix of light and dark meat is best—and stir to combine everything.

Bring the soup to a rolling boil and allow any fat to rise to the top and pool at the edge of the pot. With a spoon, skim the fat off the top of the soup and place it in a measuring cup or bowl to dispose of later. (I boiled or vigorously simmered the soup for about 30 minutes total.)

Add in a couple cups of dry egg noodles, stir the soup and leave the soup on the heat until the noodles are tender, about 10 minutes.

Take the soup off the heat and either serve immediately, or allow it to come to room temperature and then store in a container in the fridge or freezer.

See? It’s pretty simple, tastes delicious every time (no matter what ingredients or how much of them you have) and is a healthy and comforting meal for this chilly fall weather.

Enjoy!

Onion, Herb and Swiss Frittata

Christopher has grown his vegetable repertoire tenfold since we started dating five years ago. He went from eating carrots, corn and potatoes to eating bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, spinach, squash and more. He has not, however, come around on onions.

He understands their purpose in cooking and eats them if they are finely, finely minced and “melted” into sauces, soups and other dishes, but he hates the taste and texture otherwise.

I, on the other hand, love onions, and I often eat dinner alone during the week, so I made a dish that was all mine…

Onion, Herb and Swiss Frittata

A frittata essentially is a baked omelet and easily is customizable. This combination of sweet onions and sharp Swiss cheese is classic and understated. The dish is best accompanied by sausage or bacon for a salty note.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

2/3 cup chopped white or yellow onion

1/3 cup chopped red onion

4 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1-2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1-2 tablespoons chopped chives

Salt and pepper, to taste

1/3 cup chopped scallions

4 ounces shredded Swiss cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Spray a nonstick, oven-safe skillet with nonstick cooking spray. In the pan, over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the garlic and onions and sweat them until the biting, pungent smell fades and a soft, sweet smell emerges, about 5-7 minutes; the onions will be translucent and starting to brown.

Meanwhile, in a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper and herbs.

Pour the egg mixture over the cooked onions, sprinkle on the green onions and Swiss cheese and place the pan in the oven. Bake the frittata for 15 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked and the cheese is starting to brown.

This frittata was tasty! The yellow and red onions were soft and sweet, while the green onions provided more of a bite. The herbs offered a verdant taste (perhaps a bit too much), while the cheese lent a creamy, savory taste.

I, once again, was pleased that an idea turned into another tasty recipe to add to the collection. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I love frittatas because they are quick, easy and customizable and can be served for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Anyone got any more bright ideas for frittatas?

Punjabi Pizza

You can do anything with a pizza crust: Sauce + protein + vegetables + cheese = pizza!

Christopher and I like Indian food, and we thought the idea of warm Indian spices on a pizza crust sounded good. We were right.

Punjabi Pizza

This pizza is topped with a light cilantro-jalapeno pesto, curry-spiced ground turkey and chickpeas and mozzarella cheese. The warm Indian spices and the mix of ground turkey and chickpeas lend an unexpected flavor and texture to everyday pizza crust.

(Adapted from Rachael Ray)

Ingredients

1 batch pizza crust dough (I used a basic pizza crust recipe from Jenna at Eat, Live, Run.)

1/2 cup chopped cilantro, stems removed

1 medium jalapeno, seeded

2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 pound ground turkey

2/3 cup cooked chickpeas

1 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon garam masala

1/4-1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion (optional)

2 cups mozzarella cheese

Directions

Prepare pizza crust dough according to your favorite recipe.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

In a food processor, pulse the cilantro and jalapeno until they are finely chopped, then stream in the 2 tablespoons olive oil until the mixture forms a paste. Set the “sauce” aside.

In a nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and ground turkey and cook until the meat starts to brown, about 3-5 minutes.

Add the chickpeas, curry powder and garam masala and cook, smashing some, but not all of the chickpeas with the back of a wooden spatula, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set it aside.

Press the pizza crust dough into a sheet pan. (I used a large sheet pan for a thin, crispy crust.) Spread the cilantro-jalapeno sauce over the unbaked crust. Then, sprinkle on the turkey-chickpea mixture and red onions, if desired. (I put onions on my half of the pie.) Sprinkle on the cheese.

Place the pan in the oven and bake the pizza for 10 minutes. Then, turn on the broiler, and broil the pizza until the cheese is golden brown, about 3-4 minutes.

Christopher and I ate this pizza for dinner two nights in a row and looked forward to it more the second night than the first night because we knew of the delicious and comforting meal ahead.

We loved the Indian flavors. But we wanted more bite—perhaps a bit more jalapeno and a dash of lime juice in the sauce.

It’s a fairly quick and easy meal. Try it: You might find a new favorite pizza combination!

Lightened Up Cajun Pasta

Christopher loves spicy food. He puts fresh cayenne or jalapeno peppers from the garden in almost every meal lately. He puts sriracha sauce on almost everything. And he orders hot wings, jalapeno burgers and other flamin’ fare at restaurants almost every time.

I wanted to use up some things we had in the pantry and fridge—chipotle sausages, bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, cream cheese and pasta—and I wanted a hearty, yet quick supper for after our long run Monday.

Enter: Cajun pasta.

Spicy for him. Satisfying and chock full of protein, fiber and vitamins for her.

Lightened Up Cajun Pasta for Two

This hearty dish packs a spicy, satisfying punch. The sweet red, orange and yellow peppers play and creamy whole-wheat spaghetti noodles play nicely against the spicy sauce. It’s hot, though, so have a glass of milk on standby!

Ingredients

4 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

2 sausages, sliced (Cajun or Andouille sausages are preferred, but any spicy sausage will work)

1 1/2 cups sliced red, orange and yellow bell peppers

1 jalapeno, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup milk

2 tablespoons cream cheese

1 tablespoon flour

2/3 cup chicken broth

2 tablespoons white wine

1/3 cup diced tomatoes or salsa

2-3 teaspoons Cajun spice blend (1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1/4 teaspoon onion powder, 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano and 1/4 teaspoon dried basil)

2 tablespoons chopped parsley, for garnish

Directions

Cook the pasta according to package directions, then drain the pasta and set it aside.

(I used these delicious Wisconsin-made sausages, which we sampled at the Dixon Beer Festival in June.)

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and brown, about 3-5 minutes. Remove the sausage from the pan and set it aside.

In the meantime, in the pitcher of a blender, combine the milk, cream cheese and flour and blend until smooth.

Lower the heat under the skillet to medium and add the garlic, bell peppers and jalapeno pepper. Sauté until the peppers are tender and starting to brown, about 8-10 minutes.

Add the wine and chicken broth and use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up any brown bits. Add the milk slurry, tomatoes or salsa and Cajun spice blend and stir until everything is well combined.

Allow the sauce to reduce and thicken, about 5-8 minutes.

Add in the cooked pasta and browned sausage and toss to coat everything with the sauce.

Holy hotness, Batman! We loved this dish. Christopher didn’t mind the heat, but I did; I liked the flavor, but my face was flushed and my mouth was burning. The hearty spaghetti noodles stand up well to the spicy sauce, while the sausage gives the dish some saltiness and the peppers provide some sweetness.

Most Cajun pasta recipes have such a heavy sauce, but mine—with just a little milk, chicken broth and a measly 2 tablespoons of cream cheese—is very flavorful and perfectly coats the pasta and peppers.

Most dishes call for chicken, which would totally work in place of the sausage in this recipe, and many also call for red onions, which would work, too, but would provide another harsh bite.

This dish warms from the inside out, so it is a perfect weeknight dinner for the fall.

Zucchini and Asparagus “Quiche” with Hashbrown Crust

Our garden has been doing so well. We’ve pulled several pounds of green beans, a couple heads of broccoli and cauliflower and loads of zucchini. I’ve used the vegetables in some of our favorite dishes, as well as in some new recipes.

We love eggs around here. Quiches, frittatas and scrambles are quick and easy dishes that lend themselves well to garden-fresh vegetables and pack a protein punch for a nutritious and satisfying lunch or dinner.

 

Zucchini and Asparagus “Quiche” with Hashbrown Crust

This dish is a cross between a quiche and a frittata. Its light and full of green vegetables (frozen asparagus and garden-fresh zucchini) but warm and tucked into a cheesy hashbrown crust. It’s quick and easy and perfect for lunch or dinner.

(Adapted from Paula Deen and Michael Chiarello)

Ingredients

For the crust:

2 1/2 cups frozen shredded hashbrowns, squeezed between paper towels to remove some of the moisture

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

2 teaspoons grated parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper, to taste

For the “quiche” filling:

1 teaspoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium-large zucchini, sliced into thin rounds

12 spears asparagus, cut into ½-inch pieces

2-3 tablespoons chopped basil

5 eggs

1/4 cup milk

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a greased pie pan, combine the hashbrowns, melted butter, parmesan cheese and salt and pepper. Press the mixture into the bottom and sides of the pan to form the crust.

Bake until the crust is starting to crisp and turn golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.

In the meantime, in a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté the garlic until it is fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add the zucchini and asparagus to the pan, season with salt and pepper and sauté until the vegetables are tender, about 3-5 minutes. Sprinkle in the basil and remove the pan from the heat.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and salt and pepper.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Spread the sautéed vegetables over the par-baked crust, then pour the egg mixture over top and shake the pan to distribute the mixture around the vegetables.

Bake for 10 minutes, remove from the oven and sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top. Bake for another 10 minutes.

Christopher and I really loved this “quiche.” Christopher took it for lunch a few days, and I had it for dinner a few nights; it reheated really well. We loved the comforting feel of the dish; the cheesy hashbrown crust made it feel like an indulgent quiche. We also liked the light, healthy taste of the dish; the eggs and vegetables (without all the cream and cheese) made it feel like a frittata.

The basic idea can be adapted to include any combination of vegetables and cheese. Spinach, red pepper and feta would make for a Greek-inspired dish, while corn, peppers and cheddar would make for a more Southwestern-style dish. The possibilities are endless—and even better if the veggies are coming from your garden or the farmers market!

Black raspberry sorbet

We enjoy hitting up the farmers market Saturday mornings, but we haven’t been all that impressed with the local offerings. We hit the jackpot a couple weekends ago, though, when we found fresh black raspberries at the Twin City Farmers Market.

I enjoyed a handful on top of my Greek yogurt, but I set aside the rest for a treat: homemade sorbet, using my no-ice-cream-maker-needed method.

Black raspberry sorbet

This sorbet is sweet, tart and refreshing. It uses fresh black raspberries, a little honey and a bit of lemon juice and requires almost nothing more than a food processor. And it’s delicious with a drizzle of chocolate syrup!

Ingredients

2 heaping cups black raspberries, rinsed

1/3 cup water

2 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

2 to 4 tablespoons milk

Directions

Place the raspberries and water into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade and pulse until the berries are coarsely chopped. Drizzle in the honey and lemon juice and puree until the mixture is smooth.

Optional: Press the puree through a fine-mesh strainer to remove the seeds.

Fit a sandwich-sized plastic zipper bag over a wide-mouth jar or glass and carefully pour the puree into the bag.

Carefully push out as much air as possible and seal the bag. Place the bag in the freezer and freeze until it is solid. (I let mine freeze for more than 24 hours.)

When you are ready to make sorbet, remove the bag from the freezer and empty the frozen puree into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade. Pulse the mixture until the chunks break up a bit, then process the mixture until the sorbet is smooth, about 3-5 minutes; add in the milk, one tablespoon at a time, as you scrape down the sides of the bowl to help bring the sorbet together.

Empty the sorbet into a plastic storage container and place it in the freezer; freeze it until it is solid enough to scoop with an ice-cream scoop.

I really enjoyed this sorbet—totally refreshing on some of these hot summer days. The black raspberries impart a unique flavor, sweeter and a little more complex than everyday raspberries. The sorbet was especially tasty with a drizzle of chocolate sauce on top.

I was happy with the overall texture, although I might take the extra step to strain out the seeds next time. Neither Christopher nor I minded the seeds, but some people might be bothered by them.

The basic idea (fruit + water + sweetener + lemon juice) can be adapted to make many other varieties—mango, watermelon, strawberry… And the food processor method works like a charm!

Enjoy!

Strawberry soymilk ice cream

We love ice cream, so much so that we got ice cream almost every Sunday, after our long runs, during the peak of marathon training. We made lots of runs to Culvers and Dairy Queen and some stops at the grocery store. We tried to use coupons as often as possible and lamented our lack of an ice-cream maker at home.

I changed all that a couple weeks ago. I tossed out the notion that one needs an ice-cream maker (or similar attachments for a stand mixer) and used the kitchen gadgets at hand—namely a whisk, the freezer and a food processor. And I made an ice cream that you could swear was made the old fashioned way.

Strawberry soymilk ice cream

Adapted from Food.com

This ice cream is sweet, creamy and refreshing. It uses vanilla soymilk, although any kind of milk would suffice, and fresh strawberries to create a rich yet fresh and summery treat.

Ingredients

4 egg yolks

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon cornstarch

2 cups vanilla soymilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup chopped/sliced strawberries, fresh or frozen

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, combine the egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch; whisk them together until the mixture is thick and gooey.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the soymilk and vanilla extract and heat the milk until it just starts to steam; do not bring it to a boil.

Remove the milk from the heat and slowly pour it into the egg-sugar mixture; whisk vigorously to temper the egg yolks and create a smooth ice cream base.

Let the mixture cool a bit, maybe 15 minutes, just long enough to take the harsh heat out of it.

Fit a large plastic zipper bag over a wide-mouth jar or storage container and carefully pour the ice cream base into the bag.

Carefully push out as much air as possible and seal the bag. Place the bag in the freezer and freeze until it is solid. (I let mine freeze for almost 24 hours.)

When you are ready to make ice cream, remove the bag from the freezer and empty the ice cream base into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade. Pulse the mixture until the chunks break up a bit, then add in the strawberries and process the mixture until the strawberries are well incorporated and the ice cream is smooth, about 3-5 minutes.

Empty the ice cream into a plastic storage container and place it in the freezer; freeze it until it is solid enough to scoop with an ice-cream scoop. (I let mine re-freeze for about 4 hours.)

I really love this ice cream. Christopher loved it, too. We topped our dishes with chopped chocolate-peanut butter candies.

The ice cream is sweet but not too sweet and creamy but not too rich, more like a gelato than a custard. The strawberries add a hint of tartness and freshness that is perfect for warm summer evenings.

The base—the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, milk and vanilla mixture—can be doctored up to suit almost any flavor. A couple tablespoons of cocoa powder would make for a lovely chocolate ice cream. A cup of chopped peaches would make for a nice peach ice cream. A couple tablespoons of peanut butter would make a rich peanut butter ice cream. The possibilities are endless!

I hope those of you who feel limited by not having an ice-cream maker try this technique; the freeze-and-process method should work with almost any base recipe, so I hope you try it with your favorite and enjoy some homemade ice cream soon!