Easy Dreamy Coconut Ice Cream, 3 ingredients

I am tired of winter. REALLY, really tired of it. I have seen enough snow, sleet, and ice. This is my cure...

So last night I was on baking kick, making the Espresso Chocolate Chip Shortbread. So, I needed ice cream to go with my short bread, naturally. There just were two problems.
1) I was much to lazy to go back to the store for ice cream
2) I don't own an ice cream maker.

What I do own is a great loaf pan. I mixed up a batch of this 3 ingredient ice cream and poured it into the loaf pan. After the mixture set (about 4 hours for me) I used a fork to fluff it up like you would rice and put in back into the fridge for the night.

I chose Coconut because I need something that reminds me of warm days on a sunny beach.

Easy Dreamy Coconut Ice Cream

1 cup milk
1 (15 ounce) can cream of coconut (find in drink mix aisle)
1 ½  cups heavy cream

1. Combine the milk, cream, and cream of coconut in the container of a food processor or blender, and mix thoroughly.

2. Add in flaked coconut if desired or mini chocolate chips. Or if its been that kind of week, both :)

Pour mixture into a loaf pan and freeze 24 hours.

Espresso Chocolate Chip Shortbread

I made these last night and they are divine. I pulled it from Smitten Kitchen (a favorite foodie blog). I diverted from the recipe only slightly. I used coffee instead of espresso because its what I had and I used. 2T. I also don't have gallon size zip-lock bags so I rolled it out between cling-film, wrapped it up and popped it in the fridge. Worked fine.

ESPRESSO CHOCOLATE CHIP SHORTBREAD

MAKES: ABOUT 3 DOZEN OR 42 COOKIES

Created By: Smitten Kitchen

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
1 tablespoon boiling water
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate minced, or 3/4 cup store-bought mini chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:
1. Dissolve the espresso in the boiling water, and set aside to cool to tepid.

2. Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and confectioners’ sugar together on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is very smooth. Beat in the vanilla and espresso, then reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour, mixing only until it disappears into the dough. Don’t work the dough much once the flour is incorporated. Fold in the chopped chocolate with a sturdy rubber spatula.

3. Using the spatula, transfer the soft, sticky dough to a gallon-size zipper-lock plastic bag. Put the bag on a flat surface, leaving the top open, and roll the dough into a 9 x 10 1/2 inch rectangle that’s 1/4 inch thick. As you roll, turn the bag occasionally and lift the plastic from the dough so it doesn’t cause creases. When you get the right size and thickness, seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible, and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, or for up to 2 days.

4. Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

5. Put the plastic bag on a cutting board and slit it open. Turn the firm dough out onto the board (discard the bag) and, using a ruler as a guide and a sharp knife, cut the dough into 1 1/2-inch squares. Transfer the squares to the baking sheets and carefully prick each one twice with a fork, gently pushing the tines through the cookies until they hit the sheet.

6. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The shortbreads will be very pale–they shouldn’t take on much color. Transfer the cookies to a rack.

7. If you’d like, dust the cookies with confectioners’ sugar while they are still hot. Cool the cookies to room temperature before serving.

Notes: I often use 1-2 tablespoon of strongly brewed coffee in its place. I don’t prick the dough and it hasn’t made any difference other than it looks better.

Wondering what to get me for my Birthday?

Well, this is what I want. I want it really really badly! I hope the fella notices this blatant attempt at subtly. He-He!

I just think it would look fabulous in the planter with the English Daisies. If you want one it can be found here on ETSY. I think its $8.00 USD.

*No, I wasn't offered a free one for posting this or advertising for the shop owner. I just like sharing the goodies I find across the inter webs.

Purex Crystals, the new fabric softener

I got a surprise in the mail today. The UPS man showed up with a package for moi. I know, exciting right! I found out a while ago that I was a selected to a Purex Insider. I wasn't expecting a welcome package, but that's what I got. Guess what I was in the middle of today? Did you say loads of laundry, you got it!

Inside the box was a sample bottle of the fabric softener crystals. I immediately tore into it and added it to my next load of laundry. I always use fabric softener on my clothes. That does make it a hassle when I have to set aside my sports/ workout clothes, towels, and the kids pajamas. All have to be washed separately without softener because it effects their ability to wick away water and keep kids clothes fire retardant. That's because most fabric softener is oil based.

With the Purex Crystals I tossed my gym clothes in with the normal load. Because the Crystals are 92% natural they are not oil based and won't adversely effect your clothes. WIN! That is at least one less load of laundry I have to do. Don't you have better things to do? I know I do.

I am hooked. I was able to add it directly to the load when I started it. I don't have to wait (and then forget about) the rinse cycle to add the softener. Again, saving me time. I know this will be a staple in my laundry room.

Pros:
easy to use
extends life of clothes
keeps clothes fresh for weeks
natural products not oil based

Cons:
It did have a strong small out of the bottle but when it came out of the washer the sent was very light
It is on the expensive side at over $5 at my Walmart

*I am a Purex Insider. That means that I am able to test new products (at no cost) out before they get to you the consumer. I am honest, some say brutally so. I will not give a good review unless that is how I truly feel.

Balcony Garden day 7

Its day 7. I was starting to worry that my petunias would never pop up from the dirt. I'm pathetic. I actually grabbed the tweezers last night and began gently digging for signs of life. somehow I thought, maybe they are too deep and need my help? Yeah, I need to get out more.

Well, feeling like a fool I noticed that 5 of the 10 petunia seeds had broken the surface. I am giddy. I keep walking over to check on them, and see if anyone else has joined the party.

UPDATE: WE ARE NOW 6 OF 10! 2.23.2011

Balcony Garden day 5

Some of the seeds have popped up from the soil and it gives me such a zeal for gardening.

These are the English Daisies. I am practically giddy at the thought of them blooming up in the planters. I actually went to the big lots today and bought window boxes on the cheap. $5 a piece with dish. They were $16 at walmart. So if you are trying to garden frugally I highly suggest checking out your local Big Lots or Dollar Tree.

And since I was in the garden section I had to purchase a new packet of seeds. I had to, the Vandy garden gnome made me!!! Bet you don't have him growing in your garden, do you?

I purchased mint. I am going to grow it (fingers crossed) in the window in the kitchen. It gets about 5 hours of sun a day so we will see. I wasn't willing to take it outside after reading stories of it taking over everything. Well here is hoping I have this in a few months.

What, you think you're going?

That was the question that fella posed to me last night while out celebrating. He has had a hard time working on his prospectus for his PhD. Topics and sources have changed many, many times. But, but, last week he got the go ahead from his committee and the ducks were lining up nicely. Then yesterday evening he asked me to help him find some great archives from Chinese missionary trips. I found some of the best in the world and compiled the list in order of substantial archival information to the most intricate rare specimen ( one photo isn't really worth the trip). So what does that mean? It means grant money and research trips. So we went out to celebrate.

At some point in the evening we started talking about some neat places close to one of the top archives. Me, being a little TYPE-A went ahead and made a google map while I was putting a list together for the top three archives of other excursions. Yes, I got ahead of myself. However, it was at this point when I was telling my fella,"oh my gosh, the best Italian restaurant is three blocks over" he looks at me and says...
"You think you're going?", "Don't you have classes this summer?", "Are you going to get a job?"

I wanted to punch him in the nose. HARD!