Almond Joy Ice Cream

Guys, I usually don't brag. Well, maybe I do about a few things- like my Beatles knowledge, or my encyclopedic TV theme song memory. But in the kitchen I am most definitely not a bragger. After years of blogging here and trying hundreds of recipes I'm just as slow with a knife as I was when I started. Recipes regularly take me longer than the estimated time. I regularly have recipes that just don't come out how I'm hoping. But, this time I'm gonna brag. And really, I don't have a right to because I didn't come up with this recipe myself, but every time I taste this dish I just can't believe it came out of my kitchen. Or, more aptly, my freezer. Sometime back I came across a recipe for Quick Coconut Ice Cream with Roasted Cherries and tweeted about wanting to make it. Now that warm weather is most definitely here in Texas it felt like the right time to pull out the ice cream maker and tick this one off the to-cook list. Cherries however are still rather costly right now. Instead I thought I'd go in the direction of one of my favorite candy bars, and I chose toasted almonds, toasted shredded coconut, and Ghiradelli 60% cacao chocolate chips. If you have an ice cream maker, and no aversion to the flavors of coconut, almonds, or chocolate then you need to make this ice cream NOW. In fact, I'm gonna have a bowl when I'm done with this post. It's the second batch I've made in as many weeks. I'm hard pressed to imagine ever making another flavor of ice cream again. But of course I will, because who doesn't want to eat lots of yummy ice cream? And I'll need lots of yummy ice cream to share on here!

Almond Joy Ice Cream
Adapted from The Kitchn; Makes 1.5 quarts

1 14 ounce can coconut milk
1 cup cream
1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
Pinch of salt
Sliced almonds
Shredded sweetened coconut
Ghiradelli 60% cacao chocolate chips, roughly chopped

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast sliced almonds and shredded coconut for 5 minutes, tossing once or twice during.
  
• In a large bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk and cream until very well blended. Add coconut milk and salt and mix until well blended again. Pour mixture into your ice cream maker and follow your machine's instructions to complete.
• Add your mix-ins according to the instructions of your ice cream maker.

My notes: I use slightly less than 1/4 cup of each mix-in. Once the almonds and coconut are toasted I transfer them to a bowl to cool. Once they're cool I add the chocolate and pop it in the fridge so that they'll be a little cool when I add them to the soft ice cream. Before making the ice cream I also pop the coconut milk and sweetened condensed milk into the fridge for awhile so that the ingredients are already cold when they go into the machine. These steps aren't absolutely necessary, just helps things come together. My machine's instructions say to mix your ice cream for 25-30 minutes. I typically run mine 25, and I add the mix-ins at the 20 minute mark. Your newly made ice cream should spend at least 2 hours in the freezer to firm up, longer if possible. And remember that homemade ice cream melts quickly since there aren't any preservatives in it!

The Easy Out- What Do You Eat When You Don't Cook?

I have to say that lately, mustering the strength to cook has been a gargantuan challenge. I have some minor chronic pain issues which can severely zap my energy. Sometimes when I get home it's hard enough to make myself take a shower, let alone get out my pots and pans and start stirring. I know I can't be alone in my occasional lack of energy. So, what crutches do you keep in your kitchen to lean on when these times strike? Lately we rely on a few key prepared items for occasions such as this:

• Amy's Burritos- Super fast, reasonably inexpensive, organic, and vegetarian. Oh, and delicious too.
• Frozen Spinach & Feta Pizza- We buy Archer Farms' brand (a Target label). It has a wheat crust, and again the nice combo of being organic and vegetarian. We picked one up on a whim a couple weeks ago and it was so yummy that I actually scheduled a pizza night this week.
• Morningstar Spicy Black Bean Burgers- These are really good, and heat up in a flash. I don't really do the whole fake meat thing (especially since I'm still a meat eater, just less of one), but these aren't trying to be anything other than what they're called, a spicy black bean patty. We like to have them on toasted wheat bread with some Pepper Jack cheese. I usually add mustard, and a slice of red onion if I've got it. We've also done a mashed avocado spread, and when I'm really desperate for a protein fix I'll add a fried egg.
• Chips & salsa- Seriously, I probably ate chips & salsa 5 out of 7 days last week. So fast, so yummy, and if you watch the type of chips you buy and just how many it is you're eating it can be a relatively healthy meal too.

So, that's what we've been turning to lately in a pinch. Is there anything you make sure to always keep in your pantry, freezer, or refrigerator for those evenings when your energy reserves are empty, but so is your stomach?

Favorite Fast Freezer Meals?

Right now I'm in the (slow) process of stocking my freezer up with ready-to-go meals. I'm hoping to get about 2 weeks worth of meals in there, give or take, so that I can take a break from the kitchen. I'm feeling a little burned out lately. I enjoy cooking, but I'd like to devote some time to other interests and that time just isn't there when I don't get home till almost 6 and have to do any and all non-work things in the sparse amount of time before bed. I won't rely solely on freezer food, there will be a few easy things I'm sure. Like pizzas and grilled cheese, ha.

Anyway, the point of my rambling is- if you've got a recipe you love to whip from freezer to oven to dinner table, then do tell! Any suggestions welcome. Got a recipe that makes a serving for dinner and one for the freezer? Gimme. Have something that you look forward to pulling from your ice box everytime? Whisper it in my ear. Or in the comments, that might work better. Share! Please!