Snow Ice Cream

Ben in North Carolina wrote back after trying the hot chocolate recipe. Now, he wants some snow ice cream to go with his hot chocolate. I can't blame him. What a great combination!

Dear Aunt Sally,

Absolutely Delicious! Made the recipe with the truffles. It is like dessert in a cup. Used mostly sugar free ingredients. Thank you, Aunt Sally. In the near future since Wilmington has between 4-6 inches of snow; how about a recipe for snow cream!

Ben in North Carolina 

Dear Ben,

Thank you for your kind compliment! I only wish I could see Wilmington in the snow. It's such a beautiful place.

A snow ice cream recipe is merely a suggestion. The exact amounts depend upon taste and the density of the snow. The one constant is the snow must be freshly fallen and clean.

This is the basic recipe. Adjust to your tastes. Low calorie sweetener may be substituted for the sugar. Adjust sweetener amounts according to package instructions.

Fondly,

Aunt Sally

Snow Ice Cream
1 gallon freshly fallen snow
1 cup milk or cream
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Place snow in large mixing bowl.

In another bowl, stir together the milk, sugar and vanilla.

Gently pour over the snow and stir to combine. Taste and adjust ingredients to your liking. Serve immediately. 

Variations
Follow the above recipe, but change the ingredients to one of the variations listed below. 

Dream Snow Ice Cream (tastes like a Dreamsicle)
1 gallon freshly fallen snow
1 cup milk or cream
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 - 2 teaspoons grated orange rind

Maple Snow Ice Cream
1 gallon freshly fallen snow
3/4  cup milk or cream
1/4 cup maple syrup

Fruity Snow Ice Cream
1 gallon freshly fallen snow
3/4  cup milk or cream
1/4 cup fruit syrup (strawberry, peach, blueberry, lingonberry, etc.)

Chocolate Snow Ice Cream
1 gallon freshly fallen snow
3/4  cup milk or cream
1/4 cup chocolate syrup

My yard: Snow on Cactus and Yucca

Tuna Mac & I Reveal A Secret

Over the past weeks, I've presented several super-simple recipes. Yes, these are not the stuff of gourmet celebrations and I am very capable of making more elaborate recipes. However, the whole purpose of this blog is to look at life through a culinary lens. What is the story behind the food?

Has culinary expertise become a new prejudice? Do we judge someone based on his or her culinary skills? Do we look down our noses at those who cook recipes we deem declassé?

Southern, Soul, Mexican cuisines: these were all considered low class in times past.  Remember the jokes on Beverly Hillbillies? Now, these cuisines head up menus in the finest restaurants.  Even lobster was considered poor folks' food.  Calcium Chloride, Calcium Lactate Gluconate, Sorbitol -- the ingredients shunned by food purists -- are now the love childen of molecular gastronomists.

When we look beyond our prejudices, we can see a broader vista. We can see another story these foods tell.

The story behind these simple recipes I've kept secret for quite a while. Now, I can tell it, and it is sad.

I'm getting divorced. The pain is like outer space: dark, empty and limitless.

While we were still together, I developed these simple recipes and put them together in a cookbook for my ex-husband, Joe. Joe has very little, if any, cooking skill. With these simple recipes, he could have a home cooked meal while I was out of town. Now, I'm away for life. Never again will I cook for him. Never again will he enjoy his favorite dishes.

So, Joe, if you're reading, this is for you. Eat well. Take care of yourself. Be blessed and walk with God.

TUNA MAC

1 (7.25 ounce) box of macaroni and cheese dinner
½ cup milk
1 (6 ounce) can tuna fish

In a large pot (not the stock pot) fill half way with water. Bring water to a boil.

Meanwhile, open box of macaroni. Pull out cheese packet and set aside.

When water is boiling, pour macaroni into water. Keep stove set on high. Set timer for 7 minutes. When timer goes off, pull out a noodle with a small spoon. Cool for a second and taste to see if the noodles are done. If not, boil another minute until they are done. No more than 10 minutes. Turn off stove. Remove from stove and drain off water. You may use the mesh strainer for this.

Return noodles to pan. Pour milk, seasoning packet and tuna over noodles. Turn stove on medium low and cook until mixture has thickened and tuna is heated through (about a minute or two).

BROWNIE PIE

This is another in the series of simple, easy recipes. The original instructions read: "This one is a challenge.  I didn’t prepare anything.  You have to look through the cabinets."

I'll reveal the mystery behind these recipes tomorrow.

BROWNIE PIE

6 tablespoons cocoa
½ cup sugar

4 tablespoons butter
¾ cup dark corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
1 cup pecan halves
9 inch pie shell

Preheat oven to 375º.

Stir together cocoa and sugar thoroughly.

Melt butter by microwave for 30 seconds. Add butter to cocoa mixture.

Add syrup, vanilla and eggs.  Stir with whisk thoroughly.

Add nuts.  Pour into pie shell. PUT PIE SHELL ON BAKING SHEET!!

Bake 40 to 50 minutes until set.  Cool thoroughly before cutting.  Save me a piece!!

Too Easy Jambalaya

Another over-simplified dish for a complex situation.

JAMBALAYA

1 (5 ounce) package Rice-a-roni Red Beans and Rice
2 (14.5 ounce) cans Hunt’s diced tomatoes with green pepper, celery & onion
1 (1 pound) package Hillshire Farms lite sausage
½ cup PictSweet frozen seasoning blend (chopped vegetables)


Spray large skillet with cooking spray until lightly covered.
Open Rice-a-roni box.  Take out seasoning packet and set aside.  Empty rice mixture into pan.  Pour tomatoes on top of rice.  Pour seasoning blend (vegetables) on mixture.  Pour seasoning packet on top. Stir all ingredients together.
Open sausage packet being careful not to spill juices.  Place sausage on cutting board.  Pour any juices on rice mixture.  Cut sausage into ¼ inch slices.  Place sausage on rice mixture.  DO NOT STIR!!

Put pan on burner and turn to high.  Wait until mixture begins to boil.  Place lid on mixture and turn down to medium-low.  Set timer for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes check inside pan. Check the bottom of the pan by pushing back some of the mixture.  Make sure it is not burning on the bottom. If there is a lot of liquid, let it simmer 5 more minutes, however, some liquid is to be expected. 

NOTE:  This recipe uses a lot of meat.  You could easily double the other ingredients.

Simple Tuna Salad, Stewart and Mystery

Knowing my penchant for fine dining, my friend Stewart was shocked to see so many simple recipes on this blog lately.  Perhaps you, too, are baffled.  Remember, kind friends, the focus of this blog is not on recipes, no matter how delicious they may be. The focus is on the story these foods tell us. These simple recipes tell a story, which I will reveal at month's end....

TUNA SALAD

1 (6 ounce) can tuna fish
1 large spoonful of mayonnaise (the spoons we use to eat soup)
1 small spoonful of relish (the spoons we use to stir our tea)

Drain tuna:  Open top of can.  Keep top on.  Take can to sink.  Hold the can in both hands, your thumbs on the bottom and your fingers on top. Point the can away from you. Press gently but firmly to squeeze out liquid.  Turn can upright and remove lid.

Pour all ingredients into mixing bowl. Stir together.  You may use this to make tuna fish salad sandwiches for lunch.  Be sure to keep refrigerated.

EASY CHICKEN POT PIE

1 refrigerated piecrust
1 can cream of chicken soup
½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 can chicken
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables.

Defrost piecrust according to package directions.

Spray deep pie plate with cooking spray.

Pour chicken soup into bowl. Do not dilute. Sprinkle poultry seasoning and cornstarch over soup.  Using whisk, incorporate thoroughly.

Pour chicken and vegetables over soup mixture.  Stir well. 

Place mixture into pie plate and top with crust.

Moisten edge of pie plate with water. (Do this by running water over your finger, then running your finger on the pie plate.  This helps the crust stick to the plate.) Lightly pinch crust to edges of pie plate. Press a fork lightly all around the edge of the piecrust. Prick crust on top several times.  Place pie on baking sheet and bake 1 hour at 350º.  Check it every 15 minutes to see if it has browned.  Once the crust is brown, place a sheet of aluminum foil on top to prevent it from burning.

Remove from oven and let it sit for 10 minutes before cutting.

EASY CHICKEN & MUSHROOM CASSEROLE

Another easy, simple recipe. These ultra-simple recipes are a bit out of the ordinary for me. I prefer instead the challenge of complicated cuisine.  The recipe is simple, but the story behind it is quite complicated. I'll tell you the story later...

EASY CHICKEN & MUSHROOM CASSEROLE

1 (5 ounce) packet chicken & mushroom rice-a-roni
1 (10 ½ ounce) can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
 2 (5 ounce) cans chicken
1 (4 ounce) can mushrooms
¼ cup milk

Spray large skillet with cooking spray until lightly covered (or add 1 tablespoon oil in pan).

Open Rice-a-roni box.  Take out seasoning packet and set aside.  Empty rice mixture into pan.

Pour soup, mushrooms and chicken in pan.  Sprinkle seasoning packet over all.  Stir.  Cover and simmer on low for 15 to 20 minutes.  Add milk.  Enjoy.