Huge props go to my husband for this one. You rock, sweetie! This came from a brainstorming session about what new dishes we could cook (as the old ones were getting *really* old) and Rand and I still couldn't eat dairy, bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, chile, or pasta sauce . This pasta dish doesn't have a traditional sauce, but you won't miss it. And the best thing about it is that you can pretty much put in whatever veggies you want.
Pasta with Sausage and Vegetables
* 5 links sweet Italian turkey sausage
* one box pasta (either penne or rotini)
* 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
* 1 stalk celery, diced
* 1 medium red/white/yellow onion (or there abouts), diced
* 1 heaping tbsp minced garlic
* 1 small zucchini, diced
* 1 small squash/chayote, diced
* a heaping large handful pine nuts
Before starting anything else, dice up the vegetables so they are all about the same size. I usually leave the onions a bit larger so they don't burn. Start water boiling for the pasta. I usually add both olive oil and salt to mine. While the water is heating, in a large skillet sautee your firmer vegetables (carrots, celery) in olive oil. Cook your pasta according to the directions once the water is boiling. Place the sausage links in the pan with the carrots and celery. Take the sausage links out of the pan before they are completely cooked. Add the rest of the ingredients and continue to sautee until they are done but not mushy. Slice the sausage into 1/4" rounds and return to the pan to finish cooking. By this time your pasta should be done. Drain the pasta and drizzle a little olive oil over the top. You are going to mix everything together, so depending on the size of your pan you can either toss the pasta in with the vegetables, or return the pasta to the pot and add your vegetables and sausage. Grind in some sea salt and black pepper, toss well to mix. You can also add some red pepper flakes if you so desire. M usually tops his with Parmesan cheese. I usually add an extra drizzle of olive oil to mine.
This is a super dish for emptying out the vegetable drawer of partial pieces, and those veggies who are on the brink of turning. Although this serves about 5, M and I usually find ourselves having it for close to 3+ or 4 meals. We have used also added julienned sun-dried tomatoes, which add a great flavor.
Enjoy!
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
CrockPot Meat Loaf
Once again I'm pulling out the crockpot to help me with dinner. I've made this recipe before, and still really like it. Its from Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook. One of the reasons I bought the cookbook is that there are 4 different meatloaf recipes. Gotta love that! Anyway, back to the recipe.
Old Fashioned Meat Loaf
Cooker: medium or large round or oval
Settings and Cook Times: HIGH for 1 hour, then LOW for 6 hours; ketchup and bell pepper rings added during the last 30 minutes
Meatloaf:
1 1/2 lbs ground chuck
1 large egg, beaten
1 or 2 slices whole wheat or white sandwich bread
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 cup minced green, red, or yellow bell pepper
1/4 cup minced celery
2 tsp seasoned salt or salt-free herb blend
1/4 tsp dried thyme
a few grinds of black pepper
1/2 cup tomato or V8 juice
Topping:
3/4 cup ketchup or prepared chili sauce
4 bell pepper rings, 1/2 inch thick
1. Combine the ground chuck and egg in a large bowl. Tear the bread slices into quarters or eighths, put in a food processor and pulse until reduced to about 1/2 cup of crumbs. (Alternately, tear the bread into 1-inch pieces, place in a bowl, pour over 1/4 cup tomato juice, then add to the meat.) Add the onion, minced bell pepper, celery, salt, pepper, thyme, and tomato juice. Using your hands or a large fork, mix gently but thoroughly.
2. Make and aluminum foil "cradle" that will help you easily remove the meat loaf from the slow cooker when it is done: Tear off a sheet of foil about 24 inches long. Place along the edge of the counter, and tear in half lengthwise. Fold each piece in half lengthwise, and then in half again. Place the strips in the cooker in a cross shape, centering them. The edges of the strips will hang over the edge of the cooker. Place the meat mixture on top of the strips and shape into an oval or round loaf, depending on the shape of your cooker, by pressing gently, evening out the top and shaping it to fit your cooker. Bend the foil strips toward the meat load so they will no prevent the cover of the cooker from closing properly. Cover and cook on HIGH for 1 hour.
3. Turn the cooker to LOW and cook until and instant-read meat thermometer inserted in the center of the meat load registers at least 160F to 165F, about 6 hours.
4. About 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time, bend the foil strips out of the way, pour the ketchup over the top of the load, and arrange the pepper rings decoratively over the meat loaf. Cover and cook for another 30 minutes on LOW.
5. To serve, lift the meat loaf onto a cutting board or serving platter, using the foil "handles". Slide out and discard the foil strips. Slice the meat loaf and serve hot or refrigerate and serve cold the next day.
My Notes:
1. I omitted the minced bell pepper and increased the onion and celery. I also omitted the tomato juice substituting beef broth.
2. I also did not put any topping on the meat loaf. We ate it with skillet garlic green beans; delicious!
3. I have a 6-qt oval, and 6 hours was plenty long enough for this to cook. I probably could have done 5 hours and it would have been done enough.
4. The foil "handles" sound a bit odd, but they work really well. I've made this and other meat loaves in my slow cooker and have never had a problem getting them out.
Old Fashioned Meat Loaf
Cooker: medium or large round or oval
Settings and Cook Times: HIGH for 1 hour, then LOW for 6 hours; ketchup and bell pepper rings added during the last 30 minutes
Meatloaf:
1 1/2 lbs ground chuck
1 large egg, beaten
1 or 2 slices whole wheat or white sandwich bread
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 cup minced green, red, or yellow bell pepper
1/4 cup minced celery
2 tsp seasoned salt or salt-free herb blend
1/4 tsp dried thyme
a few grinds of black pepper
1/2 cup tomato or V8 juice
Topping:
3/4 cup ketchup or prepared chili sauce
4 bell pepper rings, 1/2 inch thick
1. Combine the ground chuck and egg in a large bowl. Tear the bread slices into quarters or eighths, put in a food processor and pulse until reduced to about 1/2 cup of crumbs. (Alternately, tear the bread into 1-inch pieces, place in a bowl, pour over 1/4 cup tomato juice, then add to the meat.) Add the onion, minced bell pepper, celery, salt, pepper, thyme, and tomato juice. Using your hands or a large fork, mix gently but thoroughly.
2. Make and aluminum foil "cradle" that will help you easily remove the meat loaf from the slow cooker when it is done: Tear off a sheet of foil about 24 inches long. Place along the edge of the counter, and tear in half lengthwise. Fold each piece in half lengthwise, and then in half again. Place the strips in the cooker in a cross shape, centering them. The edges of the strips will hang over the edge of the cooker. Place the meat mixture on top of the strips and shape into an oval or round loaf, depending on the shape of your cooker, by pressing gently, evening out the top and shaping it to fit your cooker. Bend the foil strips toward the meat load so they will no prevent the cover of the cooker from closing properly. Cover and cook on HIGH for 1 hour.
3. Turn the cooker to LOW and cook until and instant-read meat thermometer inserted in the center of the meat load registers at least 160F to 165F, about 6 hours.
4. About 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time, bend the foil strips out of the way, pour the ketchup over the top of the load, and arrange the pepper rings decoratively over the meat loaf. Cover and cook for another 30 minutes on LOW.
5. To serve, lift the meat loaf onto a cutting board or serving platter, using the foil "handles". Slide out and discard the foil strips. Slice the meat loaf and serve hot or refrigerate and serve cold the next day.
My Notes:
1. I omitted the minced bell pepper and increased the onion and celery. I also omitted the tomato juice substituting beef broth.
2. I also did not put any topping on the meat loaf. We ate it with skillet garlic green beans; delicious!
3. I have a 6-qt oval, and 6 hours was plenty long enough for this to cook. I probably could have done 5 hours and it would have been done enough.
4. The foil "handles" sound a bit odd, but they work really well. I've made this and other meat loaves in my slow cooker and have never had a problem getting them out.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Caribbean Jerked Chicken
This recipe is from one of my favorite cookbooks, "Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook". Well, it was a favorite before Rand and I weren't eating dairy or tomatoes. There's a lot of both in here. But, I've made quite a few recipes from the book and overall have been pretty pleased.
I found this recipe the other day and was drawn to it because it required only minimal substitutions. Enjoy!
Caribbean Jerked Chicken
cooker requirements: Medium or large round or oval
setting and cook time: LOW for 5-6 hours
1/2 sliced green onions
2 T grated fresh ginger
1 1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 T olive oil
3 jalapenos, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp salt
pinch of red pepper flakes
1-2 cloves garlic, to your taste
2 T firmly packed brown sugar
1 T cider vinegar
1 T orange juice
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
4 bone-in chicken thighs, with the skin on, and 4 drumsticks
1. In a food processor, combine the first 10 ingredients (green onions through garlic) and process until very finely chopped, almost smooth. Stir in the brown sugar, vinegar, OJ, and Worcestershire sauce to form a paste. Using a brush, apply the jerk sauce so it completely coats the chicken; use up all of the sauce.
2. Put a wire rack in the slow cooker. Place the chicken on the wire rack. Cover and cook on LOW until the chicken is tender and cooked through, 5-6 hours. Serve immediately.
My Notes: For a start, I only used chicken thighs, and they weren't bone-in. They were (so helpfully!!!) boneless and skinless. Because of that, I didn't use a wire rack. I just put the thighs on the bottom of the slow cooker and spooned the sauce over them. Also because they were boneless, they only took a little over 2 hours to cook. Since I had planned on them being ready in 5-6 hours, I put the chicken (and all the juices and remaining sauce) in the fridge and reheated then them in the oven at 350 for about 10 min right before dinner.(That wasn't long enough and we had to pop them in the microwave before eating, but had I left them in the oven longer, they would have been fine. I wasn't worried about the meat drying out because I had scooped all the juices and remaining sauce from the slow cooker into the dish with the chicken.) I also skipped the jalapenos and used about 1T Sriracha sauce (a Thai chile sauce) instead. Don't be afraid to dial back on the spice until you have your desired heat-level.
You can serve this with rice, or beans and rice as I attempted. Here's the recipe I tried to use; I would recommend using canned beans unless you're a whiz with beans from scratch. http://www.jamaican-recipes.com/riceandpeas.html The flavor of the rice and beans using the coconut milk was awesome, very creamy. I also mixed into the beans the remaining juices and sauce leftover from the chicken. I think this gave the beans and rice a better depth of flavor.
I will definitely make the Caribbean Jerked Chicken again, as well as beans and rice. I might have to find another recipe, and practice making scratch beans first, though!
I found this recipe the other day and was drawn to it because it required only minimal substitutions. Enjoy!
Caribbean Jerked Chicken
cooker requirements: Medium or large round or oval
setting and cook time: LOW for 5-6 hours
1/2 sliced green onions
2 T grated fresh ginger
1 1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 T olive oil
3 jalapenos, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp salt
pinch of red pepper flakes
1-2 cloves garlic, to your taste
2 T firmly packed brown sugar
1 T cider vinegar
1 T orange juice
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
4 bone-in chicken thighs, with the skin on, and 4 drumsticks
1. In a food processor, combine the first 10 ingredients (green onions through garlic) and process until very finely chopped, almost smooth. Stir in the brown sugar, vinegar, OJ, and Worcestershire sauce to form a paste. Using a brush, apply the jerk sauce so it completely coats the chicken; use up all of the sauce.
2. Put a wire rack in the slow cooker. Place the chicken on the wire rack. Cover and cook on LOW until the chicken is tender and cooked through, 5-6 hours. Serve immediately.
My Notes: For a start, I only used chicken thighs, and they weren't bone-in. They were (so helpfully!!!) boneless and skinless. Because of that, I didn't use a wire rack. I just put the thighs on the bottom of the slow cooker and spooned the sauce over them. Also because they were boneless, they only took a little over 2 hours to cook. Since I had planned on them being ready in 5-6 hours, I put the chicken (and all the juices and remaining sauce) in the fridge and reheated then them in the oven at 350 for about 10 min right before dinner.(That wasn't long enough and we had to pop them in the microwave before eating, but had I left them in the oven longer, they would have been fine. I wasn't worried about the meat drying out because I had scooped all the juices and remaining sauce from the slow cooker into the dish with the chicken.) I also skipped the jalapenos and used about 1T Sriracha sauce (a Thai chile sauce) instead. Don't be afraid to dial back on the spice until you have your desired heat-level.
You can serve this with rice, or beans and rice as I attempted. Here's the recipe I tried to use; I would recommend using canned beans unless you're a whiz with beans from scratch. http://www.jamaican-recipes.com/riceandpeas.html The flavor of the rice and beans using the coconut milk was awesome, very creamy. I also mixed into the beans the remaining juices and sauce leftover from the chicken. I think this gave the beans and rice a better depth of flavor.
I will definitely make the Caribbean Jerked Chicken again, as well as beans and rice. I might have to find another recipe, and practice making scratch beans first, though!
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
CrockPot Pancakes
I know this sounds weird, but if its easy to make and saves time weird can be delicious. I got this from A Year Of Slow Cooking (http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/) - this gal used her crockpot every day for a year. Hats off to her, and thanks for the recipe!
1) Follow the directions listed on the back of your pancake mix package. If you're all fancy-like, you could make them from scratch.
(My note: I used this recipe with my GF flour mix. [2 tbsp. melted butter, 2 c. buttermilk, 2 eggs - lightly beaten, 2 c. sifted flour, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. baking soda, 2 tbsp. sugar, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp vanilla, 3/4 cup freeze dried apple. Sift all dry ingredients into large mixing bowl. Melt butter and combine it with buttermilk and eggs. Pour buttermilk mixture into dry mixture and stir just until all dry ingredients are moist.])
2) Spray the inside of your crock liberally with cooking spray, or rub butter all along the sides and bottom.
3) Pour your batter in, and put the lid on. Cook on high for 2 hours, then test with a knife. You'll know it's done when the top is golden-brown, pulls away from the sides, and the knife comes out clean.
Cut into wedges or slices, and remove with a spatula.
--knock on wood-- our pieces came out perfectly.
I lifted the entire pancake out with a spatula and then cut it, which worked just fine. I really liked the crust that came from being cooked for so long. The inside was super light and spongy. Mike was *very* skeptical when I told him what we were having, but at the end of the meal he said he'd love to have them again. The ultimate compliment!!!!
Another note: I have a 6.5 qt crockpot, and the pancake was about 2" high. I cut it in half width-wise, and then cut the half into 3 wedges. One wedge plus a serving of bacon was plenty. And Rand thought they were delicious, which is another bonus.
1) Follow the directions listed on the back of your pancake mix package. If you're all fancy-like, you could make them from scratch.
(My note: I used this recipe with my GF flour mix. [2 tbsp. melted butter, 2 c. buttermilk, 2 eggs - lightly beaten, 2 c. sifted flour, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. baking soda, 2 tbsp. sugar, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp vanilla, 3/4 cup freeze dried apple. Sift all dry ingredients into large mixing bowl. Melt butter and combine it with buttermilk and eggs. Pour buttermilk mixture into dry mixture and stir just until all dry ingredients are moist.])
2) Spray the inside of your crock liberally with cooking spray, or rub butter all along the sides and bottom.
3) Pour your batter in, and put the lid on. Cook on high for 2 hours, then test with a knife. You'll know it's done when the top is golden-brown, pulls away from the sides, and the knife comes out clean.
Cut into wedges or slices, and remove with a spatula.
--knock on wood-- our pieces came out perfectly.
I lifted the entire pancake out with a spatula and then cut it, which worked just fine. I really liked the crust that came from being cooked for so long. The inside was super light and spongy. Mike was *very* skeptical when I told him what we were having, but at the end of the meal he said he'd love to have them again. The ultimate compliment!!!!
Another note: I have a 6.5 qt crockpot, and the pancake was about 2" high. I cut it in half width-wise, and then cut the half into 3 wedges. One wedge plus a serving of bacon was plenty. And Rand thought they were delicious, which is another bonus.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Strange But True
I've been hearing a lot about using veggies in different foods, in ways you either might not expect or as substitutes. For example, putting pureed veggies in pancake batter, or as a substitute for oil in a bread or muffin recipe. This one was definitely new for me. I heard about it a few days ago on diaperswappers.com. You can always count on those crunchy, babywearing, cloth diapering mamas to find the funky recipes. Love it! Anyway, I searched Google and found this blog, 101 Cookbooks. Here's the link to the page.
Yes, I tried the recipe, and yes, its for real. My thoughts and comments are at the bottom.
Yes, I tried the recipe, and yes, its for real. My thoughts and comments are at the bottom.
Amazing Black Bean Brownie Recipe
For those of you who have a hard time tracking down agave nectar (which is becoming much more readily available) substitute honey 1:1 for the agave nectar. Ania's head notes encourage you to keep these brownies in the refrigerator, they will slice much better if refrigerated several hours or preferably overnight. I used instant coffee this time around, but you can find natural coffee substitute at many natural food stores.
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups soft-cooked black beans, drained well (hs: canned is fine)
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
¼ cup (granulated) natural coffee substitute (or instant coffee, for gluten-sensitive)
¼ teaspoon sea salt
4 large eggs
1½ cups light agave nectar
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line an 11- by 18-inch (rimmed) baking pan (hs note: or jellyroll pan) with parchment paper and lightly oil with canola oil spray.
Melt the chocolate and butter in a glass bowl in the microwave for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on high. Stir with a spoon to melt the chocolate completely. Place the beans, 1/2 cup of the walnuts, the vanilla extract, and a couple of spoonfuls of the melted chocolate mixture into the bowl of a food processor. Blend about 2 minutes, or until smooth. The batter should be thick and the beans smooth. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix together the remaining 1/2 cup walnuts, remaining melted chocolate mixture, coffee substitute, and salt. Mix well and set aside.
In a separate bowl, with an electric mixer beat the eggs until light and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the agave nectar and beat well. Set aside.
Add the bean/chocolate mixture to the coffee/chocolate mixture. Stir until blended well.
Add the egg mixture, reserving about 1/2 cup. Mix well. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Using an electric mixer, beat the remaining 1/2 cup egg mixture until light and fluffy. Drizzle over the brownie batter. Use a wooden toothpick to pull the egg mixture through the batter, creating a marbled effect. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the brownies are set. Let cool in the pan completely before cutting into squares. (They will be soft until refrigerated.)
Makes 45 (2-inch) brownies.
Notes and comments: You really truly can't taste the beans in the final product. Both M and R tried them and gave the "Can we have some more" of approval; I was impressed! I used honey as well as liquid egg substitute and instant coffee in my batch, and they turned out just fine. I imagine those of you who are df could use egg replacer without any problem. What you end up with is something similar to a souffle. When they first come out of the oven the brownies are very soft and custard-like. You really will want to let them sit in the fridge overnight. The final product will have a very fudge-y texture. If you're looking for a cake-y brownie, this is not the recipe for you. However, if you're looking to experiment with what's in your pantry, this is a good place to start.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Tricky, But Worth It
I am not someone who fries a lot of food. I usually stay away from that crispy, crunchy deliciousness. Lately, though, I've been giving it a try. I'll only be young once, and am not scrutinizing my cholesterol at this time (wahoo!). I saw this episode, and we gave it a try. I saw "we", but really M is the Fry Daddy in our house. I'm on the Tasting Committee, which is good enough for me! We've managed to convert this to a gluten-free/dairy-free recipe, and I'm not sure even Mr. Brown could tell the difference.
Anyway, the only advice I can give to those not using an electric fryer, is to get a good thermometer (a candy thermometer works well), use a cast iron pot, and watch your temps. The oil temp drops when you add more items, and after you adjust your burner temp, it can sky-rocket before you know it. Enjoy!!!
Anyway, the only advice I can give to those not using an electric fryer, is to get a good thermometer (a candy thermometer works well), use a cast iron pot, and watch your temps. The oil temp drops when you add more items, and after you adjust your burner temp, it can sky-rocket before you know it. Enjoy!!!
Fried Chicken
Cook Time
Level
Intermediate
Yield
3 to 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 broiler/fryer chicken, cut into 8 pieces (* or you can use chicken tenders)
- 2 cups low fat buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons Hungarian paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Flour, for dredging
- Vegetable shortening, for frying
Directions
Place chicken pieces into a plastic container and cover with buttermilk. Cover and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
Melt enough shortening (over low heat) to come just 1/8-inch up the side of a 12-inch cast iron skillet or heavy fry pan. Once shortening liquefies raise heat to 325 degrees F. Do not allow oil to go over 325 degrees F.
Drain chicken in a colander. Combine salt, paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Liberally season chicken with this mixture. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.
Place chicken skin side down into the pan. Put thighs in the center, and breast and legs around the edge of the pan. The oil should come half way up the pan. Cook chicken until golden brown on each side, approximately 10 to 12 minutes per side. More importantly, the internal temperature should be right around 180 degrees. (Be careful to monitor shortening temperature every few minutes.)
Drain chicken on a rack over a sheet pan. Don't drain by setting chicken directly on paper towels or brown paper bags. If you need to hold the chicken before serving, cover loosely with foil but avoid holding in a warm oven, especially if it's a gas oven.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
You have to try this!!!
Why is this my new go-to sorbet recipe? Why will I happily modify it to fit whatever fruit-mood I'm in at the moment? Let me count the ways.
1) Its a really easy recipe. Love that!
2) You don't have to buy any funky ingredients that you'll never use again. Powdered fruit pectin, anyone?
3) It makes a lot. I ended up doing it in two batches because my ice cream maker (a Cuisinart) was too full. Too much ice cream/sorbet is always a winner in my book.
4) I mixed the base last night, let it sit in the fridge overnight, and put it in the ice cream maker this morning. I love "fix and do later" recipes!
5) The churned sorbet has been in my freezer since about 9am, and isn't frozen solid. I *really* hate having to struggle to get ice cream/sorbet out of a container.
6) You knew I would make some modifications to the recipe, didn't you! Of course I did! And even better, my changes worked (for the better, IMO). Check my notes at the bottom of the recipe.
Peach Sorbet, courtesy of makeicecream.com
4 cups peaches, peeled pitted and sliced (you can omit the slicing and just puree them)
2 1/4 cups sugar
2/3 cup orange juice
1/3 cup lemon juice
In a blender or a food processor, purée the peaches. In large saucepan, combine the sugar, orange juice and lemon juice. Over medium heat, cook and stir until the sugar dissolves; remove from heat. Stir in pureed peaches. Refrigerate until cold. Freeze the mixture in an ice cream machine using it according to manufacturer’s instruction.
My Notes:
If you're going to use peaches, don't be afraid to get the "almost too ripe" ones. You know the ones I'm talking about. Buy them! They are perfect for ice cream/sorbet for several reasons. First, you're taking off the skin, so don't worry about the outward appearance. Second, you're puree-ing them anyway, so if the flesh is a little soft, no one will know. Third and most importantly, the overly ripe fruits are the ones with the more intense flavors.
I was a little leery of the amount of sugar this called for, and substituted 1 cup of Prickly Pear Honey for the regular sugar. It added a fantastic depth of flavor, and an additional fruity note. Delicious! I also used just about 2 cups, leaving out the last 1/4 cup.
Given my initial success with this recipe, I really think it could be modified for any fruit and juice combination. Just keep to the quantities listed, and you should be fine.
Happy Sorbet-ing!
1) Its a really easy recipe. Love that!
2) You don't have to buy any funky ingredients that you'll never use again. Powdered fruit pectin, anyone?
3) It makes a lot. I ended up doing it in two batches because my ice cream maker (a Cuisinart) was too full. Too much ice cream/sorbet is always a winner in my book.
4) I mixed the base last night, let it sit in the fridge overnight, and put it in the ice cream maker this morning. I love "fix and do later" recipes!
5) The churned sorbet has been in my freezer since about 9am, and isn't frozen solid. I *really* hate having to struggle to get ice cream/sorbet out of a container.
6) You knew I would make some modifications to the recipe, didn't you! Of course I did! And even better, my changes worked (for the better, IMO). Check my notes at the bottom of the recipe.
Peach Sorbet, courtesy of makeicecream.com
4 cups peaches, peeled pitted and sliced (you can omit the slicing and just puree them)
2 1/4 cups sugar
2/3 cup orange juice
1/3 cup lemon juice
In a blender or a food processor, purée the peaches. In large saucepan, combine the sugar, orange juice and lemon juice. Over medium heat, cook and stir until the sugar dissolves; remove from heat. Stir in pureed peaches. Refrigerate until cold. Freeze the mixture in an ice cream machine using it according to manufacturer’s instruction.
My Notes:
If you're going to use peaches, don't be afraid to get the "almost too ripe" ones. You know the ones I'm talking about. Buy them! They are perfect for ice cream/sorbet for several reasons. First, you're taking off the skin, so don't worry about the outward appearance. Second, you're puree-ing them anyway, so if the flesh is a little soft, no one will know. Third and most importantly, the overly ripe fruits are the ones with the more intense flavors.
I was a little leery of the amount of sugar this called for, and substituted 1 cup of Prickly Pear Honey for the regular sugar. It added a fantastic depth of flavor, and an additional fruity note. Delicious! I also used just about 2 cups, leaving out the last 1/4 cup.
Given my initial success with this recipe, I really think it could be modified for any fruit and juice combination. Just keep to the quantities listed, and you should be fine.
Happy Sorbet-ing!
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