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Yikes! It's been more than a month since I posted ANYTHING. To tell you the truth, I haven't really been making tons of dishes. I am not sure why, but my meals have been more about grazing. Not really dining out at all... which feels great... but instead of planning big ornate meals, I just open the fridge and see what's there. Sometimes dinner consisted of watermelon, cantaloupe and a pita sandwich. Nothing really to blog about. I love summer food, but it's been very simplistic lately.

But now that my community garden plot is about to start producing some veggies, and the farmers markets are staring to brim with seasonal goodies, I am starting to feel a bit more inspired. I still think my recipes will be simpler during the summer, but isn't that what summer is all about?

I do want to restart with an ice cream recipe.

I got an ice cream maker probably about 6 or 7 years ago. I never made a decent batch, until now. Either it was too icy or one time it had bits of egg (I was making a custard and I guess I didn't temper the egg properly and/or I didn't strain it). It was awful. Now that I have my handy Cooks Illustrated membership, I decided to see if one of their recipes would redeem my ice cream making track record. It did. I try to find local cream and milk as well as local eggs. It really makes for good fresh ice cream. The 1st time I made it I made a chocolate version which was really quite the main in my rear. I think I used nearly every bowl I had - there were that many steps. From now on, I am sticking with vanilla. It's easy, straight forward  and I can top it with chocolate if I need to. I even use fresh strawberries on top as well (not cooked! FRESH!) and it's delicious! Here's the receipe from Cooks Illustrated. Again, I cannot reiterate enough how much the membership to the site is worth.

Cooks Illustrated Vanilla Ice Cream

Makes 1 quart.   Published July 1, 1993.  

If necessary, two teaspoons of vanilla extract may be substituted for the vanilla bean. To maximize the extract’s potency, stir it into the chilled custard just before churning.

Ingredients

1 1/2	cups whole milk
1 1/2	cups heavy cream
3/4	cup granulated sugar
4	inch piece vanilla bean , slit lengthwise and seeds removed, pod reserved (see illustration below)
4	large egg yolks

Instructions

1. 1. Position a strainer over a medium bowl set in a larger bowl containing ice water. Heat the milk, cream, 1/2 cup of the sugar, and the vanilla seeds and pod in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally to break up the vanilla seeds, until steam appears and the milk is warm (about 175 degrees), about 5 minutes.
2. 2. Meanwhile, whisk the yolks and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a medium bowl until combined and pale yellow. Whisk half the warm milk mixture into the beaten yolks, 1/2 cup at a time, until combined. Whisk the milk-yolk mixture into the warm milk in the saucepan; set the saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until steam appears, foam subsides, and the mixture is slightly thickened or an instant-read thermometer registers 180 to 185 degrees. (Do not boil the mixture, or the eggs will curdle.) Immediately strain the custard into the bowl set in the ice bath; cool the custard to room temperature, stirring it occasionally to help it cool. Cover and refrigerate until an instant-read thermometer -registers 40 degrees or lower, at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours.
3. 3. Remove and discard the vanilla pod from the custard (or add the vanilla extract, if using) and stir well. Pour the custard into the ice cream machine canister and churn, following the manufacturer’s instructions, until the mixture resembles soft-serve ice cream. Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container, press plastic wrap flush against the surface, cover the container, and freeze the ice cream until firm, at least 2 hours. (The ice cream will keep for up to 2 days.)