From hand-cranked ice cream in the back yard to hot fudge sundaes at the drive-in, it’s hard to imagine a food memory that says ‘summer’ more than ice cream. Growing up it was the queen of all treats to get served up a scoop. Strawberry was always tops for me. And to this day, every time I have ice cream I’m transported back to times of flower picking, bike rides and hanging clothes on the line with my mom. (While wearing my favorite sundress, of course!)
These days, Pat Morris of Augusta, GA is making homemade ice cream a heck of a lot easier to share with your family all summer long. Her recipe for Lemon Ice Cream is like creamy, dreamy sunshine in a bowl. “This is a delicious and easy ice cream which does not require an ice cream maker,” says Pat who has been making the recipe for nearly 40 years. “I love to put a scoop of this lemon ice cream on top of a warm piece of blackberry cobbler or pie – the flavors meld so well.” The secret to the recipe is in the blender! Instead of combining the ingredients in an ice cream maker, combine your cream, sugar, fresh lemon juice, and coloring into a blender. Give the mixture a few whirls, then freeze for several hours. You’ll be amazed at how smooth the ice cream comes out without a bit of churning! Serve with your favorite dessert, or top with fresh fruit or herbs like mint or basil. (Oh, and sugar substitute works great in this recipe as well!)
Another summer favorite is also getting a Just A Pinch spin: ice cream cake! Cathi Smith’s Oreo and Fudge Ice Cream Cake is a wonderful way to get that fresh-from-the-ice-cream-shop flavor without all the expense. “This tastes just like a DQ cake,” says Cathi. “The kids love it!!!” And it didn’t take us long to figure out why! Made from layers of ice cream sandwiches, fudge topping, crushed cookies and whipped topping, this is truly a treat for kids of all ages. “You might want to go ahead and make more than one,” prompts Cathi. “[The cake] was gone in a flash!”
Sorbet is the secret to one of Linda Griffith’s favorite frozen treats. Her recipe for Frozen Raspberry Layer Cake combines the richness of poundcake and vanilla ice cream with the lightness of fresh raspberries, sorbet, and Chambord… a luscious raspberry flavored liqueur. This one was truly made for a patio. “It’s a very refreshing cake, especially for the lazy days of summer,” says Linda. “Simple but time consuming, the end result is well worth the effort.” We couldn’t agree more. This pretty, pink layered cake makes quite an impact on all the senses.
Care for an after dinner drink? Lynda Hayes of Port Saint Lucie, FL has just what you ordered! Full of creamy vanilla ice cream and the flavors of banana and chocolate liquors, her Dirty Banana Cocktail is like a drinkable banana split for grown-ups! “Back in the 70’s everyone played cards on Saturday night when I was growing up,” explains Lynda. “There were always great drinks to go along with the card game [and] this is one of them. My mom used to make it (40 yrs ago) and now I do. I don’t know what they called it, but it’s sweet, smooth, creamy and delicious! Be careful… you’ll want to drink it all in one sip!”
Ice cream is one of those simple gifts that I just cannot imagine summer without. It’s as fun to juggle a melting cone now at my age as it was years ago as a child… In fact, I think the clock winds back a bit with every lick. Here’s to a crazy, lazy, creamy, dreamy summer for us all!