Strawberry Mint Ice-Cream: Webisode #28

What's Going on Today: Picking up knives from new knife sharpener (!), library trip, fun in the sun, Mom's night out!

Naptime Goals: Make Strawberry Mint Ice-Cream, organize schedule for babysitter, clean up email inbox.

Tonight's Menu: Mom's night out! (Dad and daughter eating leftovers)

Parenting Lesson of the Day: Introduce kids to their local library early and often, it is a wonderful place!

This week I had a really fun Mom's night out. You all know that I love to cook for my family, but even the best of us need to go out with our friends once in a while. On the days when dinner plans are already made, I use the time I might have spent rolling meatballs to play in the kitchen. I'll often experiment with new ice-cream flavors, baked goods and stock the pantry with some honest-to-goodness batch cooking (5lbs of homemade granola anyone?!)

I'll get to the batch cooking later this summer, right now I am going to tell you about ice-cream. As you can see we are in full summer mode here and my cooking is beginning to reflect that. Instead of diving into my favorite cookie recipes, recently I've been breaking about my good ole' Cuisinart Ice-20. For the next three months I'll use this almost as much as I use my KitchenAid mixer, generating pint after pint of our favorite summer freezer staple.

Since we are still taking advantage of strawberry season, this week I decided to make some delicious Strawberry-Mint Ice-Cream. I love the flavor pairing of strawberry and mint, it is both refreshing and sweet. As you'll see, I was even able to finish off the batch in full cocktail dress, wedges and all.

Strawberry Mint Ice-Cream

1 c. whole milk

3 eggs

1/2 c. superfine sugar

1 t. good quality Peppermint extract

2 c. heavy whipping cream

For Strawberry Swirl:

3 T. superfine sugar

Juice of 1 small lemon

1/2 c. water

2 c. fresh strawberries, washed and hulled

Makes about 6 cups

1. Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat until tiny bubbles form around the edges. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar and peppermint extract. Ladle a small portion of the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture and whisk constantly to incorporate. This will help temper the eggs. Whisk in another small ladle of milk. Then, pour in the remaining milk mixture and whisk to completely combine.

2. Pour the egg/milk mixture back into the saucepan over medium heat and stir constantly until mixture thickens and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove it from the heat, pour it into a fresh bowl and whisk in the heavy cream until mixture is completely smooth. Note: If you suspect lumps in your egg custard place a fine mesh sieve over the bowl and pour the custard through it to catch any lumps, the whisk in the cream.

3. Place plastic wrap over glass bowl and put it in the fridge to chill for at least 1-2 hours.

4. For the ripple, pour the water, sugar and lemon juice into a small saucepan. Heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is slightly reduced - about 4 minutes. Place the strawberries in a blender, pour in the sugar mixture and puree until smooth. Pour the strawberry mixture through a fine mesh sieve to catch any seeds. Place in the fridge next to the custard.

5. To make the ice-cream, pour custard into ice-cream maker and churn according to manufacturer's directions. At the very end of the churn cycle drizzle in the swirl for about 1 minute so it forms a ribbon through the ice-cream, but doesn't get too distributed. Alternatively, you can fold in the ripple with a spoon or spatula. Freeze ice-cream until ready to eat.

Naptime Notes:

Naptime Recipe Variations and Ideas: If you just want plain strawberry ice-cream it is fine to use vanilla extract instead of peppermint. The basic vanilla base is also a great jumping off point. Instead of strawberries you could use raspberries, blueberries or even peaches for the swirl in.

Naptime Stopwatch: Making the custard takes about 20 minutes, then churning is roughly another 20 (depending on your machine).

Naptime Reviews: We are a family of ice-cream enthusiasts - we ate the entire container in 2 days! (Or, maybe I shouldn't admit that?)

Strawberry-Blackberry Shortcakes

What's Going on Today: Morning at new gym followed by trip to new neighborhood playground, Grilled Cheese (Whole Wheat with cheddar) lunch at home.

Naptime Goals: Make Strawberry-Blackberry Shortcakes for tonight's dessert and to take to neighbor, meet electrician to hook-up doorbell and fix smoke detector.

Tonight's Menu: Roasted Sausage with Grapes and Onions, Green Salad, Shortcakes.

Parenting Lesson of the Day: It's great to have neighbors with kids.

Great news, I am no longer the newbie! A nice family from Minnesota moved in right next door the week after we arrived. Imagine that. I spent one week asking everyone in town for advice and now I am doling it out to this nice neighbor as if I've lived here my whole life. Being the new girl was fine, but I am more than happy pass on the mantle. The icing on the cake is that the neighbors have kids about the same age as my daughter. Built in playmates - hooray! It's a situation custom made for summer fun.

Earlier this week, my daughter and I were at my new favorite store and I picked up some strawberries and blackberries. I am still waiting for the local ones at our farmer's market to appear, but these were grown on the eastern seaboard which isn't too bad. True to form, I gobbled about half of each pint by the time I got home, then saved the rest for later. 

After a day of straight berry eating I decided it was time for them to take on another form in the shape of shortcake. I've made my fair share of peach shortcake and strawberry shortcake, but why not mix it up, right? A shortcake - the actual biscuit in which the fruit and cream are inserted - can hold just about any summer fruit. So, based on their availability in my fridge, I decided that a strawberry-blackberry combination would be the perfect place to start.

I had plenty of time to Naptime Chef some shortcakes while my daughter napped since dinner was already assembled in the fridge. The dough took no time at all and they baked quickly. By the time they had cooled I was able to bag up four, along with berries and whipped cream, to take to our neighbors. They had invited us over for an afternoon of playtime and it seemed only natural that I start giving out goodies to friends just like I had in New York.  (Though, for the record, I am still taking goodies to my friends in NYC, too!) They were grateful for the sweets as they get settled, and we were happy to make new friends. 

Strawberry-Blackberry Shortcakes

loosely adapted from Ina Garten

2 c. all-purpose flour

1 T. sugar

1 T. baking powder

1 t. Kosher salt

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into squares and frozen for 15 minutes

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 c. heavy cream

1 egg + 2 T. milk beaten together for egg wash

6-8 large strawberries, washed, hulled and cut into 3-4 pieces

1 pint fresh blackberries

1 c. heavy cream

1 T. sugar

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF. 

2. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment add flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir the ingredients with a whisk a few times to make sure they are evenly incorporated. With the mixer on low, drop in the butter pieces and keep mixing until the dough forms small pebbles.

3. Beat the egg and cream in a measuring cup and pour into the butter and flour mixture. Turn the mixer on low and mix until just blended. Do not overbeat.

4. The dough will be sticky, turn it out onto a well-floured surface. Press it down until it is 3/4" thick and cut out 7-8 biscuits with a 2 1/2" fluted cutter. If you want to use a cutter that is smaller or larger, that is OK, too. 

5. Place the biscuits onto baking sheet lined with parchment or silpat. Brush egg wash over biscuits. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until outsides are crisp and insides are baked through. Cool in a wire rack.

6. To assemble the shortcakes: Whip the cream and sugar together until it holds soft peaks. Split each biscuit with a fork, pile in the desired amount of strawberries and blackberries, top with a dollop of whipped cream.

Naptime Notes:

Naptime Recipes Ideas and Variations: Shortcake tastes delicious with any juicy summer fruit. I would recommend trying these with peaches, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, apricots or plums. 

Naptime Stopwatch: Making the dough and baking the shortcake takes about 30 minutes, the rest is just assembly.

Naptime Reviews: This is a great way to get children to eat fruit they might not usually want. My daughter is skeptical of blackberries but loved them paired with cake!

Napping with Strawberry Soup

When I was little my grandmother once served my strawberry soup. I don't remember when or where she made it for me, but I will never forget it's smooth creamy taste that was neither too sweet, nor tart. When it came time for my cold soup challenge with Cheryl Tan of A Tiger in the Kitchen I initially tried my avocado soup recipe, and it was a disaster. Then, I realized, instead of torturing myself trying to rework an imperfect recipe (which had once been perfect), why not have fun with an old favorite?! I quickly ditched the avocado idea and started over with strawberries.

Luckily, I am still able to find strawberries at the farmers market so I was pleased to use sun-ripened local organic fruit. Though, I know a container of Dricoll's would work just as well. I was thrilled when my recipe adaptation worked beautifully. This soup is subtly sweet with a cool creamy finish. In many ways in mimics a strawberry smoothie, but it is has a silkier finish and more refined flavor then what I usually make for a post-workout treat. I find this soup very refreshing to enjoy on these warm end-of-summer days and I hope you do, too. I should also mention that this soup is completely child-friendly, my daughter couldn't get enough of it.

Summertime Strawberry Soup
1 lb. fresh strawberries, washed and hulled
Juice of one lemon
2 t. sugar
1 c. plain Greek yogurt, well-stirred
Fresh mint for garnish

1. Wash and dry strawberries, hull the fruit.
2. Place all ingredients in a bowl and, using a hand immersion blender, process until smooth. Alternatively, you can use a food processor.
3. Pour into soup bowls and garnish with sprigs of fresh mint.

Napping with a New Mommy

When my daughter was born I needed almost as much coddling as she did. Becoming a mother was wonderful, but I was overwhelmed by my new role. Thankfully, my family and friends swooped in to help, patiently answering my questions, tidying my home, and - perhaps most importantly - bringing me delicious homemade food. You see, during those tender first weeks I was simply too tired to cook. I hadn't yet figured out how to be a Naptime Chef, and was exhausted by my new around-the-clock schedule. Instead, I was nourished, both emotionally and physically, by the near constant stream of goodies brought to my kitchen.


Last month my friend Priscilla had her first baby, a perfect little girl named Grace. Recalling my own experience, I Naptime Chef-ed Priscilla a sweet treat before I went to meet her new family. I knew it would be more than welcome. Deciding what to make for her was not hard. While I was browsing at the market I came across a few quarts of fresh strawberries and picked them up without a second thought. A cheery fruit dessert seemed like the perfect thing to give a new mom.


For this special visit I chose to fill the strawberries with a light cream cheese frosting, and top them with toasted sliced almonds. I love this preparation because each berry tastes like an individual strawberry cheesecake. At times I have taken it a step further and dipped the strawberries in dark chocolate. But, on this occasion, I opted not to. The berries I purchased were perfectly fresh from the field, I didn't want to cover up their sun-ripened flavor.

I make this recipe often during the summer because it is perfect for Naptime Chef-ing. The assembly is a snap, taking less than 30 minutes to complete. Every time I serve these to friends or family they always receives rave reviews. I know Priscilla loved them, she emailed me to say she had polished them off in less than two days! I will be bringing her another batch this summer. We have already agreed that, when Grace's nap schedule improves, I am going to Priscilla' s home to teach her how to become a Naptime Chef, too.

Naptime's Stuffed Strawberries with Toasted Almonds
adapted from an old recipe from my mother-in-law, source unknown
20-25 fresh strawberries
8 oz. cream cheese
3 T. confectioners sugar
1 t. vanilla extract
1 pinch of cinnamon (optional)
1/2 c. sliced almonds, toasted

1. Wash and dry fresh strawberries. Carefully trim the bottom of each berry so that it will stand up on a plate. With a melon baller, scoop off the top and stem. The berry will be hallow inside.
2. In a mixer, whip the cream cheese until it is light and fluffy. Add confections sugar, vanilla and pinch of cinnamon. Beat until fully combined.
3. Fill a medium size Ziploc bag with the cream cheese mixture. Cut off a corner of the bag to make it function like a pastry bag.
4. Gently squeeze the cream cheese through the open corner of the bag and carefully fill each strawberry with a generous amount of cream cheese. Top each berry with 2 or 3 toasted sliced almonds. Serve.

Naptime Notes:
Naptime Recipe Props: Feel free to play around with this recipe. You could add chocolate to the cream cheese to make a chocolate filling, or dip the stuffed berries in chocolate. They are excellent to serve for dessert at a party, or add to any buffet table.
Naptime Stopwatch: Preparing this dessert takes about 20 minutes. There is simply no way you can go wrong. It will easily yield two dozen filled strawberries, perfect for feeding a crowd or for family snacking.
Naptime Reviews: This is a great summer dessert or snack that everyone adores. My daughter likes to eat the cream cheese filling with her fingers first, then eats the strawberry separately.