Pineapple "Ice Cream"

I made this dessert for my class with my church group last week. I did a post on this months ago, but I thought I would revisit it with pictures now that it is finally starting to warm up--at least for some people. We got snow today.

This is a fabulous and healthy dessert. Claire loves it and calls it pineapple ice cream.

Pineapple Ice Cream
1 pineapple (frozen in 1 inch chunks)
1/4 cup sugar or the equivalent of your desired sweetener


I chop many pineapples at once. It makes a mess, but you only have to make a mess once.


Freeze in Ziploc bags. Usually you can fit about 2 pineapples per bag. During the freezing process, pull them out about every hour and move the pineapple around in the bag. This will help it freeze individually rather than one huge pineapple chunk.

To make the ice cream, microwave 1 pineapple at full power for about one minute until it's just starting to get soft on the outside of the chunks. Place in the food processor (You really need a food processor. A blender won't work for this unless you have a pretty impressive blender.)

Start mixing. You will have to smash it down several times. The large chunks get stuck at the top and sometimes have a hard time mixing in. Just smash them down with a rubber scraper.

Keep mixing. Smash again.

Almost Done! Keep mixing until completely smooth and the consistency of soft-serve ice cream. Taste and add a bit more sugar if needed. Mix again until sugar is incorporated.

Store in the freezer. Like homemade ice cream, this is best immediately. It gets pretty hard in the freezer. Use within a few days.

Sylvia's Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

Mix 'em all together. Roll into walnut size balls. Smush a criss-cross with a fork and bake at 350degrees for 13 minutes

Ariane's Candy Cane Cookies

Candy Cane Cookies

1 c butter
1 c powdered sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 almond extract
1 t vanilla
2 1/2 c flour
1 t salt
1/2 c sugar and candy canes

Heat oven to 375. Mix thoroughly butter, powdered sugar, egg and flavorings. Blend in flour and salt. Divide dough in half; blend red food color into one half. Roll dough betwen hands to make long tube. Cut tubes into 5 inch pieces. Twist a white and red tube together and shape into a candy cane. Bake about 9 minutes or until set and very light brown. Mix crushed candy canes and ganulated sugar. Imediately sprinkle cookies with candy mixture.

Carla's Cranberry & Vanilla Chip Cookies

Cranberry & Vanilla Chip Cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon imitation butter flavor
1 3/4 cup flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries (craisins)
2/3 cup white vanilla chips

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick spray. In a large bowl, combine butter & sugar; beat unti light & fluffy. Add eggs & butter flavor; mix well.

2. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Add flour, oats, baking soda & salt; mix well. Stir in cranberries & vanilla chips. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto greased cookie sheets.

3. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets. Cool on wire racks 15 minutes or until completely cooled.

High altitude: (above 3500 ft): Decrease sugar to 1 1/4 cups; increase flour to 2 cups. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Tricia's Utopia M&M Cookies

Utopia M&M Cookies

1 1/2 cup Butter Crisco
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 Tb vanilla
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
3 eggs

Cream together above ingredients.

3 1/4 cup flour
1/2 Tb salt
1/2 Tb baking soda

Combine above ingredints and mix with wet ingredients. Mix in 1 cup chocolate chips, 1 cup M&M's and another 1/4 cup flour. Bake at 375 degrees for 6-8 minutes. Take out of oven when still light in color and let cool on cookie sheet.

Pam's Molasses Cookies

Molasses Cookies

Cream Together:
3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses

Sift in:
2 cups flour (I usually use 1 cup white and 1 cup wheat)
1/2 tsp. salt
3 tsp. soda
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. cloves

Roll in sugar
Bake at 325 for 10 minutes. LEAVE on pan for 1 minute.

Heather's Ginger Snaps

Ginger Snaps

1/4 c butter
1/2 c sugar - cream together

1 egg
1/2 c molasses - add to butter/sugar mix

Mix the following dry ingredients in a separate bowl:
1 tsp baking soda
2 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter/molasses mix. It will be a bit sticky. Make small round balls (quarter sized) and roll each in sugar - covering well. Place on cookie sheet and flatten slightly. Bake at 400 for 9-10 minutes

(http://dancetocreate.blogspot.com/2010/02/gingersnaps.html) I just made these on Sunday and posted about them!

Cynthia's Chocolate Crinkles

Chocolate Crinkles

2 C. white sugar
1 C. baking cocoa, sifted
1/2 C. vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 C. all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 C powdered sugar (for rolling)

1) Mix sugar, cocoa, oil in a medium bowl.
2) Beat in the eggs one at a time.
3) Add vanilla and mix well.
4) Sift dry flour, baking powder and salt together. Stir into chocolate mixture. Mix well.
5) CHILL dough, covered, for FOUR HOURS. (You can cheat in the freezer if you must, but don't skip this step!)
6) Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. Using 1 tablespoon of dough for each cookie, form dough in balls. Roll each in powdered sugar.
7) Bake on a greased cookie sheet 7 minutes (for fudgy cookies) or 9 minutes (for crisper cookies). Cool on tray 5 minutes before removing to cooling rack.

You can also substitute peppermint extract for the vanilla and roll the dough in blenderized candy canes. Yum.

Beth's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies

2 cube butter
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 - 3 cups flour
chocolate chips

cream together butter and sugars. add eggs and vanilla and mix. Add dry ingredients and chocolate chips. mix.
Cook at 350 for 10 minutes.

Edith's Chocolate Cookie Bars

Chocolate Cookie Bars

Directions:
Melt these three ingredients in a pan on the stove,
then add 2 tsp vanilla and set aside.
12-oz bag chocolate chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk
3T butter


Then cream together these three things:
1 Cup butter, softened
2 Cup sugar
2 eggs

Then add:
2 Cups flour
3 Cups oats
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla

Spread 2/3 of dough on cookie sheet with fingers, it will be very sticky. Pour on chocolate mixture. Then sprinkle/drop the remainder of the dough on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until top is lightly browned.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies & A Contest!!

Freezer cooking doesn't always have to be about the main dish. Desserts freeze great too. This doesn't always have to be a big effort either. Last week I wanted to make cookies for play group. I didn't want to cook all the cookies, so I made up what I needed and froze the rest. To freeze cookie dough, simply scoop out the dough with a small ice cream scoop (I think mine is a 1 inch scoop). Place the balls on wax paper on a cookie sheet and pop in the freezer until they are solid. Transfer to a ziploc bag. When you are ready to cook, just plan on baking for a couple extra minutes. Watch them closely, but usually it takes about 3 extra minutes.

Here is my favorite oatmeal cookie recipe.

OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
½ cup shortening
½ cup butter
¾ cup white sugar
¾ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cup flour
2 eggs
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup oatmeal
1 cup coconut
8 oz Heath bits
2 cups chocolate chips

Cream shortening, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and beat. Add remaining ingredients. Drop on sprayed sheet. Bake at 350° for 10-12 min.


Now for the contest! I admit I am curious as to who actually reads this blog. I haven't been really active lately about posting new recipes, but my freezer is getting low so I really have to start cooking again. If there are many people interested in freezer cooking, I will really try to be more active about keeping it up. So, help me get the word out. Pass this blog onto your friends and tell them how fabulous it is to have a freezer full of food.

The winner will receive a $15 gift card to Smiths/Kroger.

To enter simply provide your favorite cookie recipe in the comments section along with your name. The winner will be picked randomly. I will post the winner next Monday, February 15th. Good luck!

Frozen Pineapple Treat

I bought four pineapples today to cut up and freeze for smoothies. As I was cutting I remember a treat we haven't had in a long time. This is the perfect way to use up overripe pineapple sitting in your fridge. Just throw it in a Ziploc and save for this enjoyable treat.

• Cut your fresh pineapple into 1-2 inch chunks.
• Freeze in a Ziploc.
• Pull pineapple out of the freezer about 30 minutes prior to making. Thaw slightly on the counter.
• Place pineapple in the food processor. (You really need a food processor for this. A blender won't work) Puree until very smooth. It will be the consistency of a very thick smoothie. Add a small amount of orange or pineapple juice to thin if necessary (only a tablespoon or so at a time).
  
• Add a small amount of sugar if needed. Blend again.
  
• Spoon into dishes and eat immediately.
  

This is a wonderful summer treat, but it's really good any time of the year and a great substitute for ice cream.