C is for Cookie : TWD

"Sometimes me think what is love, and then me think love is what last cookie is for. Me give up the last cookie for you."

-Cookie Monster

Theres been a lot of cookies and love floating around Casa Shebake this last week. After humiliating the hubby with a 'cowboy' themed party - including plastic sheriff badges - for his 30th birthday, he repayed the favor in kind by getting a great group of our friends together for a BBQ bash this weekend.

So, after all that work in planning, I decided to show him some love with a batch of cookies for this week's Tuesdays with Dorie. Of course, after all that cake and food, the granola recipe was a welcome healthy break that even Cookie Monster would approve of.

I jotted 'wheat germ' onto my shopping list this week, not really thinking to look it up. So standing in the aisle at the market, I picked the closest in my approximation that I could find - Wheat Bran. Also, not a big fan of raisins, I opted to use dried blueberries, and a full cup of mixed nuts rather than the slivered almonds and peanuts.

The dough came together easily, and baked up nice and golden after 12 minutes. Love, in this case, was giving the hubby the first cookie to sample while we watched the Olympics tonight. He polished the first, and went to grab a second- voicing his approval through a mouthful of crumbs. We give this cookie recipe a 15.695 for the gold medal.

The recipe for Dorie's Granola Grabbers be found over at Bad Girl Baking, or in Baking: From My Home To Yours, written by Dorie Greenspan.

Oompa Loompa Blueberry Ice Cream - TWD

It happens every time--they all become blueberries.
-Willy Wonka

I am a well known fiend for kitchen gadgets. If its something that makes life more enjoyable in the kitchen, there's a good chance I own it. Case in point - I'm a proud owner of a Lemonader (that name, under all circumstances must be pronounced in a very german accent. And as a second side note - I love my lemonader. But then again, I'm a lemonade addict. Anything that produces this fresh squeezed manna for me in under 30 minutes is a gift from the gods.)

Anyhow, it should be no surprise then, that I of course also own an Ice Cream machine. So I was giddy with excitement to put the machine to work for this week's Tuesdays with Dorie challenge of some blueberry ice cream.

Dorie's recipe was actually pretty easy when it comes to mixing up the custard. No egg separation and tempering here. Simply boil, blend, cool, and freeze. What could be easier?

I had some leftover birthday cake from my office on Friday (Not only did I hit 3 decades, they forced chocolate cake on me. Oh the humanity.) So I figured the ice cream would make a nice almost savory addition to the cake at home.

To add a bit of flavor to Dorie's recipe, I used 1/3 brown sugar instead of white, lime juice and zest, and added 1/2 tsp of vanilla to the berries as they were boiling. I served it up with a nice fat slice of chocolate cake, topped with some dried blueberries from the pantry.

These small changes were minor, but added a subtly smooth depth to the flavor of the berries and sour cream. A perfect accompaniment to the chocolate cake without being toothache sweet, and a cheerful color that would brighten the day of anyone celebrating the 1st anniversary of their 29th birthday.

I give the ice cream two thumbs up, and will be interested to try it as an ice cream sandwich next. Maybe with some vanilla sugar cookies for the sandwich.


The recipe for Dorie's Blueberry Sour Cream Ice Cream be found over at Chronicles in Culinary Curiosity, or in Baking: From My Home To Yours, written by Dorie Greenspan.