Blueberry Ice Cream Pie

OK ladies and gents, this recipe is a big winner! There's cooking and cooling and thawing and freezing involved, so though it's not difficult, it is time consuming. It's a recipe to make the day before you need it, but it is definitely worth the wait! Seriously, every bite just made me long for picnics and barbeques and hot summer days.

It comes from Better Homes & Gardens, but I adapted it a bit.

The Crust
1 1/2 C. slivered almonds
2 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350. In food processor blend almonds, brown sugar and salt until coarsely ground. Transfer to bowl and stir in melted butter. Dump into 9-inch pie plate and press onto bottom and sides. Bake 8-12 min. until lightly golden. Don't overbrown or the flavor will be off. Cool completely. (You can stick it in the freezer to make it extra cool)

The Blueberry Sauce
3 C. rinsed blueberries
1/3 C. sugar
1 tsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. grated lemon zest (I doubled this and loved it!)
2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1 Tbsp. water

In large skillet combine blueberries, sugar, cornstarch and salt, stirring well with spoon. Add zest, lemon juice, water and nutmeg.

Cook and stir over medium heat until blueberries begin to pop, give off juce and come to full simmer. Simmer, stirring gently for another minute until sauce is lightly thickened and cornstarch is well cooked.

Set aside to cool. Refrigerate until sauce is completely chilled, otherwise it'll melt your pie.

The Ice Cream
1 Qt. vanilla ice cream.
Blueberry sauce (they said just 3/4 C., but I didn't notice that so I used it all, and I don't know what you're supposed to do with the rest of it, though I guess having some on hand would make the whole process much faster for next time.)

Transfer ie cream to mixing bowl and let stand in fridge about 30 min. or until softened. Sppon half ice cream into prepared crust. Spread in even layer and top with chilled blueberry sauce. Spoon on remaining ice cream and spread to edges.

Cover surface of pie with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 8 hours (I only made it 1 hour before digging in).

The Cream
I made this then thought it was gross so I didn't put it on the pie, I threw it down the drain. Maybe I'll give it another try next time.
1/2 C. sour cream
1/2 C. heavy cream
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 C. fresh blueberries, rinsed and dried.

To serve, mix the cream, sour cream, and sugar in mixing bowl just until thickened to spreading consistency. Spread over pie. Top with fresh blueberries. If you have leftover sauce, heat and serve on the side.

Thai Chicken Tacos

This was a good way to use up some cabbage. It comes from Better Homes & Gardens. For the most part, it was well received by the family.

1 lime halved (about 1 Tbsp. lime juice)
1 lb. boneless, skinless Chicken breast cut into 1/2-3/4 inch pieces
1/4 C. chopped cilantro
1 large shallot finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. fish sauce (I used oyster sauce. Hoisin sauce would work too)
2 tsp. soy sauce
1/2-1 tsp. crushed red pepper. (I used less than 1/2 because of the kid factor, but there was no heat in the end.)
1/2 tsp. hot chili sauce (I used sweet chili sauce)
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
corn tortillas (flour would be easier to get down my kids)
1 recipe cabbage slaw.

Toss together:
2 C. shredded napa cabbage
1/2 C. shredded carrot
1/2 C. sliced green onions
1/4 C. chopped cilantro
1/4 C. chopped peanuts (optional)
1/4 C. rice vinegar -- not allowed by my family :(

Combine lime juice with chicken, cilantro, shallot, garlic, fish sauce, soy sauce, pepper and chili sauce in a bowl or bag. Marinate at least 1 hour.

In large skillet cook chicken mixture in hot oil until cooked, about 5 min.

To serve, layer two tortillas. Top with chicken and cabbage slaw.

We liked sour cream on top. I think tomatoes would also be a nice addition.

Dal Makhani Recipe for Dummies

I ate the Trader Joe's version of this and loved it. I haven't tried this recipe, but it looks good and simple, and I didn't want to forget what it was called, so here you go.


THE DAL
- Black Urad Dal (Black Lentils)
- Rajma (Kidney Beans)

II - THE MAKHANI
- Yoghurt
- Double Cream/Fresh White Butter

III - THE SPICES
- Onions
- Tomatoes
- Green Chillies
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Red Chilli Powder
- Cumin Seeds



Cooking the Dal
The idea here is to just simplify the steps. You can check out the various recipes below to get the specific amount and time.

The Soak
You've got to soak the Kidney Beans (Rajma) and the Dal for atleast 6-8 hours. Best done overnight.

The Cook
The cooking is generally done with a pressure cooker. Add a little salt and water,mix both the beans and the dal and pressure cook for about 20 minutes, till the dal is soft.

You can also add the yoghurt and some cream while cooking the dal.

Your DaL is ready

Preparing the Makhani Gravy
Well anyone familiar with Indian cooking will not find this too difficult.

- Start with heating the oil and add cumin and garlic - till this gets a bit brown
- Add the onions and fry till golden brown
- Add the other spices - chillies, garam masala, other spices, tomatoes, salt
- Lastly add the dal to this gravy
- You can add water as needed based on how thick you want the gravy
- Garnish with Cream and Coriander
- Add Butter to this delicious dish

Your Yummy Delicious Dal Makhani is ready to serve

Bubble Up Pizza Casserole

I found this while browsing for new recipes. I honestly didn't think I'd like it but decided to give it a shot since it had good reviews. My kids LOVED it and I thought it was pretty good too. Definitely one we'll have again.

Ingredients:
• 1 pound sausage
• 1 onion, chopped
• 16 oz tomato sauce (or pizza sauce, then exclude the seasonings)
• 1/2 t basil
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1 t italian seasoning
• pepperoni slices (optional)
• 15 oz refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
• 1 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• veggie topping of your choice (green pepper, olives, mushrooms)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Brown meat and add onion, tomato sauce, basil, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Add veggies and pepperoni. Add quartered biscuits and stir gently until they are covered with sauce. Spoon mixture into 9 x 13 dish coated with cooking spray. Bake for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and bake an additional 10 minutes or until biscuits are done. Let stand 5 moinutes before serving.
Servings: 6-8
Time to Prepare: 15 minutes plus cook time
Nutritional Information: Weight Watchers points: 8 servings-5.5 points, 6 servings-7.3 points