Home Made Ricotta Ice Cream

When I first came across this recipe, what immediately stood out me was the use of ricotta. Any recipe that uses ricotta is a winner in my book, and if it’s a dessert, I am all in! I was also intrigued by the fact that making this ice cream recipe was a no churn process (more on that in a bit). But let’s be honest, it was mainly the ricotta that inspired me.

Before we get into the recipe itself, let me explain to you the difference between this ice cream, which is a no churn ice cream, and a traditional home churned ice cream. Churned ice cream is made with an ice cream maker. The ingredients are mixed in a chilled bowl with a slow motorized whipping paddle, which helps create a creamy, light textured home made ice cream. We have an older ice cream maker in our house and use it every once in a while. It’s not difficult to use and makes a good ice cream, but the bowl has to be chilled in the freezer for a minimum of 12 hours prior to making the ice cream. The mixed batter then has to be frozen for a minimum of 6-8 hours before serving. Serious advanced planning is involved. I don’t have much information on newer ice cream machine models, so there may not be as much ‘hurry up and wait’ involved.

This recipe that I’m sharing is for a non churn ice cream, meaning there is no need to use an ice cream maker. An electric mixer or a hand mixer is the only appliance that you need. Sweetened condensed milk is also a key ingredient in no churn ice creams, which helps create the sweet, creamy texture. No churn ice creams will be thicker and more dense, but creamy and tasty nonetheless. There is also a quicker freezing time, approximately 5-6 hours. You will most likely have to let the frozen ice cream sit out for a few minutes before scooping because it will harden up more than the airier churned ice cream, but it will be worth the wait. Now that we took care of the scientific facts, let’s get on to the recipe.

I’ve read up on quite a few no churn recipes, and the one that I have decided to follow for the base ricotta ice cream recipe could be found at howsweeteats.com. The ingredients for this recipe are very simple: heavy cream, whole milk ricotta, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt to help with the freezing process. We also added chocolate chips to our batter for extra goodness. The ingredients get whipped up using a stand up mixer or a hand mixer. The batter gets poured into a freezer safe container (a non-stick loaf pan works well for this), and then 5-6 hours later you have a rich, creamy and decadent home made dessert that will impress all of your family and friends!

If you are curious about how ricotta ice cream tastes, as I was before we made it, I would say that it is kinda-sorta in the cookie dough/cake batter class of ice creams, only not as sweet. You know those delicious Italian ricotta cookies, which are often served around the holidays with the light glaze and candied sprinkles on top? This is the ice cream version of those cookies.

Home Made No Churn Ricotta Ice Cream

8 ounces cold heavy cream
16 ounces (2 cups) whole milk ricotta cheese
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt

Pour heavy cream into a mixing bowl and mix with hand mixer or electric mixer until stiff peaks start to form.

In a separate bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients until well combined. If you only have one mixing bowl to work with, remove the whipped cream and set it aside, reusing the bowl for the remaining ingredients.

Once all ingredients are well mixed, fold in the whipped cream. Pour the combined batter into a freezer-safe container. A loaf pan works well, or you can purchase ice cream containers online or at your favorite kitchenware store.

Freeze for 5-6 hours. If the ice cream is too hard to scoop, let it sit out at room temperature for a few minutes before serving. Scoop and enjoy!

Cannoli Ice Cream

To give this ice cream a cannoli flair, add a teaspoon of powdered sugar and a dash of cinnamon to the whipped cream, then add a half cup of mini chocolate chips, half cup of chopped pistachios and a half cup of crushed cannoli shells to the batter before freezing. If you cannot find cannoli shells, you can use crushed graham crackers or crushed sugar ice cream cones.

Pumpkin Ricotta Ice Cream

There are two approaches that you can take to making Pumpkin Ricotta Ice Cream. You can simply give a pumpkin spice taste to the ice cream by adding either 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice OR one half teaspoon of cinnamon, one quarter teaspoon of nutmeg and one eighth teaspoon of allspice to the batter. Or if you are a pumpkin purist, you can add one half cup of pumpkin puree to the batter along with the spices. Be sure to reduce the ricotta by one half cup to compensate for the addition of the pumpkin puree.

Scrambled Eggs: Thinking Outside the Pan

I’d like to share with you a cooking method that I recently discovered to help make really good scrambled eggs. You are probably thinking that scrambled eggs may be one of the easiest recipes to make. It was the first dish that I started making for myself when I was a kid. And I’m sure that you all have your own little ingredient tricks to make your perfect version of scrambled eggs. Some people may prefer to add milk, cheddar cheese, sour cream or creme fraiche. Mine is adding some parmesan cheese and chives along with some salt and pepper. This post is not so much about the recipe, but rather the cooking technique.

Instead of using a traditional frying pan, I have recently started scrambling my eggs in a heated non-stick sauce pan. Using a sauce pan allows you more surface area to get a good scramble going. You can tilt and move the pan while scrambling, without worrying about eggs splashing out all over the stove top. I also like to use the 20-20 method. I start by adding a small pat of butter or drizzle of olive oil to the heated pan. Then I add my scrambled batter to the pan and start scrambling immediately and constantly with a wooden spatula. I keep the pan on the stove for twenty seconds, then I lift and remove the pan for twenty seconds, while continuing to constantly scramble. The eggs will still cook in a heated pan, even if they are not over direct heat the entire time. Twenty seconds back on the stove, then twenty seconds off again. This method gives you more control over getting the eggs to the perfect temperature and texture of your liking. Continue the 20-20 on and off steps until the eggs reach your desired consistency.

So there you have it. Heated sauce pan, repeated pattern of twenty seconds on and twenty seconds off, constant scrambling with a wooden spatula until done to your liking. Now get scrambling!!!

Mini Stuffed Potatoes

Mini potatoes have always been a bit of a guilty pleasure for me. While they may not be the best choice for practical, everyday use (a five pound bag of russet potatoes often costs less than a bag of minis), they are a great choice when the timing is right. Mini potatoes are very versatile. They are easy to prep, easy to cook, tasty, and they come in a variety of colors. Really, what’s not to like about them?

This particular recipe is a perfect example of how well their miniature size comes in to play. I put this recipe together as an appetizer for a recent get together with friends. The dish is very similar to stuffed mini button mushrooms, only we are using the mini potatoes in place of the mushrooms. Being that I’m not so much of a mushroom fan, this recipe is a good alternative for me.

You can adjust the serving amount to your need, so I decided to make enough to use with two different fillings: a traditional bacon and cheddar filling, and Trader Joe’s Artichoke Antipasto, which happens to be one of my favorite condiments. A pepperoni pizza filling would be a fun option, and a crab filling that you would use with stuffed mushrooms would also work really well with this recipe – and I plan on giving both a try some day. I also chose the multi-color mini potatoes for a bit of variety. You can also go with all red or all white…whatever you prefer. Because this recipe can be adjusted according to how many you need and what filling you would like to use, I am only going to share the basic steps. You can easily adjust measurements and ingredients according to how much you prefer to make. I encourage you to get as creative as you like!

1. The first step is to slightly soften the potatoes so that they can be easily sliced in half and the filling scooped out, leaving a thin layer of potato in tact (in other words, do not scoop it out all the way to the skin). Start by poking the potatoes with a fork a few times. Place the potatoes on a microwave-safe dish, and microwave for 2 minutes. Move the potatoes around a bit, and microwave for another 2 minutes. Remove the potatoes, slice in half and scoop out most of the filling.

2. Place the potatoes cut side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Lightly brush the potato skins with olive oil, then sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes or until the skin starts to brown. Remove from oven and carefully flip the potatoes so they are cut side up.

3. You are now going to add your filling to the potatoes. As mentioned earlier, I chose to sprinkle some shredded cheddar topped with bacon pieces, and I also used a dollop of Trader Joe’s Artichoke Antipasto. Whatever filling you prefer will work well. Place the stuffed potatoes back into the oven for another 8-10 minutes, until your fillings are heated and melted to your liking. Carefully remove from oven, plate, serve and enjoy!

Cheesesteak Crostini

Growing up in South Philadelphia, you would think that my food blog would feature the occasional cheesesteak-inspired recipe. Up until this post, my Cheesesteak Egg Rolls recipe was the only recipe that was somewhat related to the beloved South Philly sandwich. Thanks to an all-appetizer Memorial Day Weekend get together with our friends Chrissy, Carl and Lucas, I am now able to add another cheesesteak recipe to my repertoire…and this recipe even comes with a couple of creative variations!

The definition of crostini is a small piece of toasted bread, served with a food topping or spread. Being that a cheesesteak is served on a long roll topped with either Cheese Whiz, provolone or American cheese and the optional fried onions (fondly referred to as a cheesesteak ‘wit’ or ‘witout’ – you leave off the ‘h’ when ordering at one of the classic South Philly joints), a cheesesteak crostini seemed like a match made in heaven. The crostini part itself was very easy. I would slice up a baguette into 1/2 inch slices and toast it with a garlic butter spread until lightly brown. My cheese of choice is provolone, so I would add a half slice of provolone to each crostini toast and continue to heat them until the cheese just starts to melt, then top it with the cooked steak and caramelized onions.

The trick to this recipe is what cut of steak to use? My preference for steak sandwich meat has always been ribeye. While I do prefer a more tender fillet when eating a piece of steak, there is simply not enough flavor in a fillet to have it work well in a steak sandwich. The fat content in a ribeye is just enough for good flavor, without making the steak tough or chewy. If in a pinch, frozen sliced sandwich steaks, such as Steak-umms, would also work.

There are a couple of options for purchasing ribeye. You can purchase a piece of ribeye either boneless (or bone-in), or you could purchase finely sliced ribeye. The boneless/bone-in options are the way to go if you would like to prepare the steak on the grill. After cooking the steak for about 5-7 minutes on each side, you’ll let the steak rest as you prepare and grill your crostini toast. Once the steak has rested, you’ll slice it into 1/4 inch slices and top it on the toasted crostini. The finely sliced ribeye is a great option for cooking it on the stovetop as your crostini toasts up in the oven. You’ll also get more steak for your topping with the finely sliced, but without the grilled flavor. Either method will work well!

CHEESESTEAK CROSTINI

1 16-ounce boneless ribeye (if preparing on the grill)
1 12-ounce package finely sliced ribeye steak (if preparing on stovetop)
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
Canola or vegetable oil

For the caramelized onions:
2 large yellow onions, peeled
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Kosher salt to taste
For caramelized onion recipe, click here.
The caramelized onions can be prepared and refrigerated ahead of time.
Be sure to remove them from the fridge about a half an hour prior to using.

For the crostini:
1 baguete or loaf of French bread, sliced into twelve 1/2-inch slices
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley
6 slices of provolone cheese, halved

FINELY SLICED RIBEYE ON THE STOVE TOP

Start by preparing the crostini. Mix the melted butter, garlic powder and parsley together. Brush the top of each slice of bread with the melted butter mixture. Place on a baking sheet, buttered side up. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes, or until the bread starts to brown. Remove from oven and let sit until the ribeye is done cooking on the stovetop.

Remove the steak from the refrigerator about 10 minutes prior to cooking. Pat the steak dry with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture. Place a large frying pan over high heat. Add one tablespoon of oil to the pan. Place the steak into the pan, season with salt and pepper. Flip and rotate the pieces occasionally with tongs for about 60 seconds, breaking it up into smaller pieces, until the steak begins to brown. The steak is best when medium-rare to medium, so do not overcook. Remove steak from pan and let it rest on a plate for a few minutes.

Place a half slice of provolone cheese on each piece of toasted bread. Place the bread back into the oven for about 3-5 minutes, until the cheese starts to melt. Remove from oven, top each slice with a small mound of steak and a bit of caramelized onion.

BONELESS RIBEYE ON THE GRILL

Heat the grill to high. Let the ribeye sit at room temperate, covered, about 20 minutes prior to placing it on the grill. Brush both sides of the steak with the oil and season with the salt and pepper. Place on the grill, cook for about 5-6 minutes on each side for medium-rare steak, a minute or so longer for medium. Transfer the steak to a cutting board, loosely tent with foil and let it rest for about 5 minutes. Once rested, slice the steak into 1/4-inch thick slices.

While the steak is resting, you will prepare the crostini. Mix the melted butter, garlic powder and parsley. Lightly brush one side of the bread and place the bread buttered side down on the grill for 1-2 minutes. Flip the bread, place 1/2 slice of provolone on each piece of bread and let it melt for about 2-3 minutes.

Remove the bread from the grill, top each piece of bread with a slice of the steak and a bit of the caramelized onions.