A few days ago, I wrote about Play and Freeze Ice Cream Balls. I think these are SO neat, a great summertime activity for the kids.

After doing a bit more research, I stumbled upon the following information which I found quite helpful.

If you have smaller children who will be using the ice cream ball, you might want to go with the pint sized version. Why? The small ball weighs 7 pounds, when full. The mega (quart) size ball can weigh up to 10 pounds, when full.

It’s very important to remember that you need to leave at least an inch of ‘free space’ in the ball to allow for expansion.

You can use almost any type of cream in this ice cream ball. Lighter varieties, such as half and half, will take a few minutes longer to freeze and will produce a lighter ice cream.

For those of you who have never purchased rock salt, it is inexpensive and easy to find. I buy mine at grocery store. It is usually located in the spice and seasonings aisle.

The basic vanilla ice cream recipe, for the pint sized ice cream ball, is as follows:

• 1 pint heavy cream
• 1 ½ t. vanilla
• 1/3 cup plus 2 T. sugar

That’s all there is to it. What could be easier? You can, of course, add in whatever extras you’d like.

Photo by: Francis Bourgouin

It’s not too late to plan your Fourth of July menu. Thanks to zillions of online recipes, you don’t even have to open a cookbook… unless of course you want to.

In the year that I have been writing for Chefshopper, I have written several recipe related posts. Many would be suitable for a Fourth of July celebration. I hope you take the time to read some of my favorites.

Bacon Explosion – this recipe was literally an overnight success, last January. I realize it isn’t a healthy recipe, but if you only eat it once a year it isn’t that bad. If you’re looking for something to replace traditional Fourth of July hamburgers, this is it.

Deep-Fried Deviled Eggs - deviled eggs are another traditional Fourth of July food. This recipe takes the incredible, edible, egg one step further. It comes to you compliments of Pat and Gina Neely, of Food Network fame. (Again, I suggest only eating these occasionally.)

This recipe for Pineapple Ice Cream is both easy and delicious. I’ve made it several times with great success. It is light and satisfying, a perfect holiday BBQ dessert.

Do you have a quick and easy Fourth of July recipe you’d like to share? If so, I’d love to learn more about it.

Photo by: Ginny

If you are looking for a yummy monkey bread recipe, you’ve come to the right place. As you can see, the recipe in this video looks more than a little bit delicious… YUM! Bake it in this groovy monkey bread mold, for added eye appeal.

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not a huge cinnamon lover. However, I do enjoy monkey bread. It is a fun dessert to make, simple enough for your children to assist you with.

I’m rather ashamed to admit that as many times as I’ve whipped up a monkey bread recipe, it has never occurred to me to use a Ziploc bag (containing cinnamon and sugar) to coat the dough pieces. DUH! What a time saver, huh?

This particular recipe grabbed my attention, I think, because of the addition of raisins. If you are a ‘craisin’ fan, I’m sure they would work just as well.

Honestly, when you think about it there are several other creative add-ins that would jazz up this monkey bread recipe. You are really only limited by your imagination. (How many times have I said THAT?)

I think that monkey bread is rather like meatloaf in the respect that everyone has their own special recipe. Care to share yours?

Ok, I admit it. This is probably not the cherry pie recipe you have in mind. But, if you are looking for a quick and easy way to satisfy your sweet tooth and cherry cravings, this recipe might just do the trick. (Other pie fillings can be substituted.)

Since this recipe requires a sandwich maker, your kids can help with the preparation. It only takes a few minutes to whip up several of these little pies. The best thing is, it won’t heat up your kitchen in the process.

For each ‘cherry pie’, butter two slices of bread. Sprinkle each slice with a bit of sugar. Put one slice (butter side down) in the sandwich maker. Spread a couple of tablespoons of pie filling on it. Top with 2nd piece of bread, butter side up.

Close sandwich maker and cook pie till golden. Remove from machine and allow to cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and enjoy.

You probably won’t fall in love with this cherry pie recipe, if you eat only gourmet desserts. But, if I like it I really think there’s a chance that you will too.

I made my own powdered sugar in my Magic Bullet Blender. I’m happy to report that it worked like a charm… as usual!

If you have never tried deep fried pickles, you don’t know what you’re missing. When they first came to my attention, my immediate thought was ‘eewwww’. But, one bite and I was hooked for life.

The great thing about them is that they are equally delicious, regardless of the type of pickles you decide to use. Sweet or dill, it really doesn’t matter. Believe me, if you don’t already have a deep fryer there is no better excuse to get one.

There are lots of recipes to be had. Doing a simple Internet search will get you started. Although it’s pretty basic, when it comes to ingredients… your favorite oil for frying (I suggest peanut), buttermilk, cornmeal or flour, egg yolks, a couple shakes of salt and the pickles.

You really don’t have to pay the high cost that’s required when you order them from your favorite pub or restaurant. Deep fried pickles are super easy to make at home. Plus, you get the added perk of customizing the batter recipe just the way you like it.

If you’ve had the pleasure of eating them, I have one question. What is your favorite dipping sauce? Inquiring and hungry pickle lovers want to know!

Photo by: foodistab

Last summer I wrote a post about deviled eggs that continues to receive a great deal of traffic, to this day. Since they will probably be served at zillion Easter dinners, this year, I thought it high time they get another write-up.

I just ran across this yummy looking recipe (and video) for Deep Fried Deviled Eggs. Who would have thought, right? Well… this recipe is compliments of Pat and Gina Neely, from ‘Down Home with the Neely’s’ fame… think Food Network.

I, for one, would have NEVER thought about preparing deviled eggs this way. In a nutshell, they make the traditional recipe adding a few extra ingredients along the way. (Unfortunately, since I’m not a big fan of hot sauce, I won’t be including it in MY version.)

Please take a few minutes to watch the video. You just might be inspired to serve these with your Easter meal.

Last but not least, I invite you to take a quick peek at the deviled egg related post I wrote last year. It includes some nifty tips on making the perfect egg and a link to a variety of even niftier serving plates for deviled eggs.

I purchased the one showcased in the photo and hope you will consider following suit.

Ok I admit it; I am more than a little envious of the creators of the now famous Bacon Explosion recipe that is currently causing an Internet media frenzy.

BBQ buddies, Aaron Chronister and Jason Day, came up with this recipe as a result of a challenge they received on their BBQ Addict website.

The Bacon Explosion calls for just four ingredients… bacon, Italian sausage, BBQ sauce and BBQ rub. (They suggest that you use your favorite brands.)

In a nutshell, two pounds of sausage is patted onto bacon that has been ‘woven’ into a basket weave pattern and generously sprinkled with rub.

Cooked bacon goes on top of the sausage and then everything is rolled up in jelly roll fashion. The whole thing is then encased in another “bacon weave’, sprinkled with more rub and coated with BBQ sauce.

This yummy creation is then smoked in the smoker of your choice, for roughly 2.5 hours. Aaron and Jason suggest you serve slices of their Bacon Explosion between two halves of a large biscuit. In this case… a little goes a long way.

Rumor has it that these two inventive guys, from Kansas City, have already been offered a cookbook deal.

All the frenzy just goes to so you what can happen when you combine a unique recipe with the power of the Internet!

I’ve always wanted to make my own maple syrup. Not the kind that requires a yard full of maple trees and sap harvesting skills, the kind that you make in your kitchen with a few simple ingredients.

I recently ran across the following recipe that I am anxious to try. I’m sure it won’t totally live up to the authentic stuff. But, I’m hoping that when I serve it in my syrup dispenser, reminiscent of those used in pancake houses, my hubby with be impressed.

4 c. white sugar
¾ c. brown sugar
2 c. water
1-1/2 t. burnt sugar flavoring
1-1/2 t. butter flavoring
1-1/2 t. maple flavoring

Mix all but maple flavoring, in a medium saucepan. Cook on medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer an additional 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

When cooler, add maple flavoring. When completely cool, transfer to large glass container with tight fitting lid and refrigerate.

I plan on experimenting a bit with the finished product. Since I love flavored syrup, I’m going to add a bit of strawberry or blueberry flavoring to my dispenser, as well. Heck, I might get even MORE creative and try something along the lines of chocolate or orange flavoring.

It’s apple harvesting time here in Michigan. It makes me wish I lived smack dab in the middle of an orchard. There are so many DELICIOUS things you can do with apples, you are really only limited by your creativity.

Today, I ran across this video for Paula Deen’s Fried Apple Pies. Apparently, her Grandma used to make these, quite often. (I apologize that you have to click on the link to watch it, but there was no way for me to embed the video.)

I’ve made fried pies, in the past, but I never thought to use refrigerated biscuit dough for the crust. What a time saver! Not to mention a life saver, if you have a problem making pie crust from scratch.

She cooks down both Cortland and McIntosh apples, mixed with a bit of butter, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon juice.

The next step is to roll out her biscuit dough, into large circles. She uses Hungry Jack Golden Layer biscuits.

When apples are cool, spread over one half of circle. Fold dough over, in a moon shape. Crimp edges with fork. Fry in hot oil, till golden brown. Dust with powdered sugar, before serving. YUM!

(For best results, fry in a large pan such as the T-Fal Chicken Fryer. Read my review, today.)

Photo by: Thom Watson

I’m a big Alton Brown fan. He’s probably my favorite food network celebrity. I’ve actually learned a lot from watching his shows. It really is amazing that I don’t own one of his cookbooks… I guess it’s time to get out my checkbook.

I ran across this video today, while nosing around YouTube. (I think I’m becoming addicted to the cooking videos, there.) It talks a bit about Alton’s book Feasting on Asphalt – The River Run.

If you have read my previous posts, you already know how much I love cookbooks that showcase restaurants and hometown chefs, across the USA. This is one of them.

Watch the video to learn how to make ‘Wisconsin Mess’. We make something similar here, in our house… using a few different ingredients. I guess that means our version is a ‘Michigan Mess’.

Alton’s recipe would be perfect to serve to a hungry crowd, on a chilly winter morning. Most of the ingredients can be prepped, ahead of time, so that it can be prepared in almost no time at all.

Serve it with toast, juice and coffee or hot chocolate for a hearty breakfast that will keep them coming back for more. The secret ingredients are the key to this yummy recipe.