No Churn Vanilla Ice Cream

We enjoy eating ice cream as a family, who doesn't?  Don't answer if you don't.  It can be challenge to make ice cream if you don't have an ice cream churn, its an uncommon kitchen appliance and even if you do then you also need ice and ice cream salt.  Getting all the supplies together may prove a challenge or maybe you just want ice cream without all the fuss.  This is a no fuss easy ice cream recipe that calls for just three ingredients and a few minutes of active preparing.  This is also a great base for adding a variety of mix-ins or toppings.  We like to make it into cookies and cream ice cream by adding crushed Oreo's or you could add my previous recipe of fruit salsa on top, that would be a delicious treat on a hot Summer evening.

Delicious simple vanilla ice cream, the start of a delicious and wonderful Summer evening on the back porch.

Ingredients:

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 12 ounce can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 pint Heavy Whipping Cream

Pour cream into a mixer, mix with the whisk attachment on low for a minute then increase speed to medium and whip until stiff peaks are formed.  When you hold the whisk straight and the cream on the whisk remained straight up.

 Remove bowl from stand mixer, pour in sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract to the whipped cream.  Gently stir the mixture with a spatula until all ingredients are combined.

 Pour mixture into a freezer safe lidded container and freeze for at least 2-4 hours.  

Serve in your favorite bowl.

Enjoy!

No Churn Vanilla Ice Cream

Ingredients:

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 12 ounce can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 pint Heavy Whipping Cream

Process:

Pour cream into a mixer, mix with the whisk attachment on low for a minute then increase speed to medium and whip until stiff peaks are formed.  When you hold the whisk straight and the cream on the whisk remained straight up.

Remove bowl from stand mixer, pour in sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract to the whipped cream.  Gently stir the mixture with a spatula until all ingredients are combined.

Pour mixture into a freezer safe lidded container and freeze for at least 2-4 hours.  

Enjoy!

Swiss Steak With Root Vegetables

The Swiss Steak recipe I shared with Julia and the NY Daily News I shared earlier was my second incarnation of Swiss Steak.  This recipe is similar to my mom's version of Swiss Steak and it is very good as well.  Do you like an all in the pot recipe?  You might like this incarnation of Swiss Steak.  

This mess of meat and vegetables reminds me of my mom more than my own reincarnation.

Ingredients

2 lbs Chuck Roast
1 Yellow Onion
4 cloves Garlic
4 large Carrots
2 lbs Potatoes
2 pints Brown Mushrooms
3 cups Stewed Tomatoes (San Martzano if you can find them)
1 1/2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
1 cup Flour
Olive Oil

 Cut chuck into large chunks, dredge in the flour.

Pour oil into a preheated 12 inch skillet, enough to just cover the bottom.  Cook chuck over medium heat until browned on both sides.

 Peel carrots, potatoes, and garlic. Rinse mushrooms.  Cut potatoes and carrots into large chunks.

Place carrots, potatoes, garlic, and mushrooms in a pressure cooker pot or slow cooker.  Place chuck on the vegetables. Pour tomatoes and cream on met and vegetables. 

Cook everything in a pressure cooker on high for 55 minutes or low for 6 hours in a slow cooker.

Enjoy!

Swiss Steak With Root Vegetables

Ingredients

2 lbs Chuck Roast
1 Yellow Onion
4 cloves Garlic
4 large Carrots
2 lbs Potatoes
2 pints Brown Mushrooms
3 cups Stewed Tomatoes (San Martzano if you can find them)
1 1/2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
1 cup Flour
Olive Oil

Process

Cut chuck into large chunks, dredge in the flour.

Pour oil into a preheated 12 inch skillet, enough to just cover the bottom.  Cook chuck over medium heat until browned on both sides.

Peel carrots, potatoes, and garlic. Rinse mushrooms.  Cut potatoes and carrots into large chunks.

Place carrots, potatoes, garlic, and mushrooms in a pressure cooker pot or slow cooker.  Place chuck on the vegetables. Pour tomatoes and cream on met and vegetables. 

Cook everything in a pressure cooker on high for 55 minutes or low for 6 hours in a slow cooker.

Enjoy!

Mini Pumpkin Pie

I thought long and hard about what recipe I wanted to share.  This is the 200th post for Queens Foodie Mama.  We have come full circle.  December 12, 2013, was my first post.  Almost a year later, I'm sitting here contemplating this past year and all the culinary adventures we have shared. My friends who have been here in person to help me create these recipes and my friends and family across the country helping me and sharing the memories with me.  This has been a journey all about love of family, friends, and especially food.  That has been my guiding inspiration while I have created recipes to share with my friends and family and thought about what I know about their likes and loves.  If you have found a greater appreciation for ingredients you might never have thought about, if you have come to love sharing with your family new experiences of food, then we have shared that experience together, you and I.  

Okay enough of my foodie philosophy and deep thoughts on food.  Why did I choose to make pumpkin pie?  Did you know pumpkins have a long history here in North America, since 7000 BC. In 1850 John Greenleaf Whittier even penned a poem about the beloved pumpkin pie.

Ah! on Thanksday, when from East and from West,

From North and from South comes the pilgrim and guest;

When the gray-haired New Englander sees round his board

The old broken links of affection restored;

When the care-wearied man seeks his mother once more,

And the worn matron smiles where the girl smiled before;

What moistens the lip and what brightens the eye,

What calls back the past, like the rich Pumpkin pie?

My son Donovan loves pumpkin pie and requested mini pumpkin pies.  He was even my sous chef while we made them for our Thanksgiving feast. These are not your simple mini pumpkin pies, come on you knew they wouldn't be. I wanted to switch up the crust and use something a little more flavorful.  What could be a great alternative to traditional crust? Cookie crust of course, but not just graham crackers.  I decided to go a step further and choose ginger snaps.

 Isn't it so cute, itty bitty, so cute and little?  This is a full flavor dessert in a small package.

Crust Ingredients:

2 cups All-Purpose Flour
2 teaspoons Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
2 teaspoons Ground Ginger
1/2 teaspoon Ground Cloves
12 tablespoons softened (1 1/2 sticks) Unsalted Butter
1 cup Sugar
1 large Egg
1/4 cup Molasses

Pumpkin Filling Ingredients:

16 ounces Pumpkin Puree (I used homemade, you may use canned)
1/2 cup Heavy Whipping Cream

1/2 cup Milk
1/2 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
2 large Eggs
1 large Egg Yolk

Preheat Oven to 350 Fahrenheit 

Let's begin with the crust.  Mix all the dry ingredients together.

Whisk butter, molasses, and brown sugar together in a stand mixer.

Combine dry ingredients and wet ingredients including egg and whisk until combined.

Place aluminum/paper liners in two 12 cup muffin pans.  Place one tablespoon of batter in each muffin cup. Bake in oven for 15 minutes.

After they have baked, using the back of a tablespoon, smoosh the cookie down to create
a well.  The crust is complete.

Whisk all the pumpkin puree ingredients until combined.

Pour pumpkin filling into cups within a 1/3 inch of the top of the liner.

Increase the oven to 400 Farhenheit

Bake pumpkin pies for 15-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

They are so cute.  My son was super happy.  Allow to cool on counter and eat at
room temperature.

Serve pumpkin pies with whipped cream, homemade whipped cream preferred.

Enjoy!

Mini Pumpkin Pie

Printable Recipe Found Here

Crust Ingredients:

2 cups All-Purpose Flour
2 teaspoons Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
2 teaspoons Ground Ginger
1/2 teaspoon Ground Cloves
12 tablespoons softened (1 1/2 sticks) Unsalted Butter
1 cup Sugar
1 large Egg
1/4 cup Molasses

Pumpkin Filling Ingredients:

16 ounces Pumpkin Puree (I used homemade, you may use canned)
1/2 cup Heavy Whipping Cream

1/2 cup Milk
1/2 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
2 large Eggs
1 large Egg Yolk

Crust Process:

Preheat Oven to 350 Fahrenheit 

Mix all the dry ingredients together.

Whisk butter, molasses, and brown sugar together in a stand mixer.

Combine dry ingredients and wet ingredients including egg and whisk until combined.

Place aluminum/paper liners in two 12 cup muffin pans.  

Place one tablespoon of batter in each muffin cup. Bake in oven for 15 minutes.

After they have baked, using the back of a tablespoon smoosh the cookie down to create a well.  

The crust is complete.

Pumpkin Filling Process:

Whisk all the pumpkin puree ingredients until combined.

Mini Pumpkin Pie Process:

Pour pumpkin filling into cups within a 1/3 inch of the top of the liner.

Increase the oven to 400 Farhenheit

Bake pumpkin pies for 15-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Allow to cool on counter and eat at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Tuna Noodle Casserole

If you happen to be like me and enjoyed tuna noodle casserole when you were younger, this recipe is for you.  My mom made tuna noodle casserole like every other woman out there in America, you know, with the cream of chicken or mushroom soup, thanks to a certain red labeled soup manufacturer.  When my husband and I were first married, I continued using the same cream soup and making food similar to what he and I had grown up eating.  It wasn't long before I decided to find my own cooking identity and make food in a different way.  Since I don't use canned soup and my children haven't grown up with me making casseroles, they don't like them very much.  My husband requested tuna noodle casserole, so I decided that our casserole ban would be lifted and we would enjoy a new take on a classic favorite from my husband's and my childhood.  This casserole continues to remind me of my childhood, and now that I came up with this recipe we can enjoy it in a whole new way, without sacrificing the comfort food part of this recipe.

Growing up we ate this more like a creamy noodle dish rather then a crumb topped baked casserole.  This is a combination.   My husband didn't want the overcooked noodles you get when it is baked 

but still wanted the casserole with the crunchy topping.

Ingredients:

12 ounce bag of Wide Egg Noodles
2 Cans Albacore Tuna in Water
1 cup finely grated Grana Padano (Parmesan Cheese will also work) plus 2 tablespoons
3/4 package of Ritz Crackers
1 bunch Green Onions
3 large cloves Garlic
1 Yellow Onion
2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
1 tablespoon Cornstarch
2 tablespoons Cold Water
Sea Salt
Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
2 teaspoons Fresh Thyme or 1 1/2 teaspoons Dried Thyme
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1/4 cup softened Butter

Dice onion, cut green onion, and press garlic.

Saute onions in a deep saute pan with the olive oil over medium heat until tender, add garlic
and cook  until tender.

Add cream, salt and pepper to taste.

Add Grana Pardano, stir and cook over medium heat until cheese has melted.  Stir in drained tuna.

Cook noodles in large stock pot of water, al dente, to the tooth.  Cook for the shortest recommended time on the package, remove from pan and drain in colander.

Add cooked noodles to cream sauce, green onions, and thyme.

Crush the Ritz Crackers.

Pour tuna noodle mixture into a butter baking dish.

Cover noodles with crushed crackers, cheese, and dabs of butter.

Broil until crumbs brown, cheese melts and bubbles.

Doesn't that look like a plate of comfort food to make any one remember a happy childhood?

Enjoy!

Tuna Noodle Casserole

Printable Recipe Found Here

Ingredients:

12 ounce bag of Wide Egg Noodles
2 Cans Albacore Tuna in Water
1 cup finely grated Grana Padano (Parmesan Cheese will also work) plus 2 tablespoons
3/4 package of Ritz Crackers
1 bunch Green Onions
3 large cloves Garlic
1 Yellow Onion
2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
1 tablespoon Cornstarch
2 tablespoons Cold Water
Sea Salt
Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
2 teaspoons Fresh Thyme or 1 1/2 teaspoons Dried Thyme
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1/4 cup softened Butter

Process:

Dice onion, cut green onion, and press garlic.

Saute onions in a deep saute pan with the olive oil over medium heat until tender, add garlic and cook  until tender.

Add cream, salt and pepper to taste.

Add Grana Pardano, stir and cook over medium heat until cheese has melted.  Stir in drained tuna.

Cook noodles in large stock pot of water, al dente, to the tooth.  Cook for the shortest recommended time on the package, remove from pan and drain in colander.

Add cooked noodles to cream sauce, green onions, and thyme.

Crush the Ritz Crackers.

Pour tuna noodle mixture into a buttered baking dish.

Cover noodles with crushed crackers, cheese, and dabs of butter.

Broil until crumbs brown, cheese melts and bubbles.

Enjoy!

Zuppa Toscana

Have you been to Olive Garden and eaten Zuppa Toscana?  Yes, then you know how amazing that soup is.  This is my attempt.  I made up this recipe a few years ago and it isn't exactly the same, but I like it and wanted to share.  We are heading into Autumn here in New York.  Yes, we have seasons, unlike my home town in California.  The weather is cooling down and I am happy to be making soups in response to the cold.  For my family and friends in California, not enjoying the cool weather yet, maybe this soup can still give you some comfort.  

Comfort in a bowl.  Try it and you will see.

Ingredients:

1 lb. Breakfast Sausage
4 cloves Garlic
5 thin skinned Potaoes (Eastern or Red potatoes)
6 cups Vegetable Broth (Chicken Broth can also be substituted)
1 bunch Kale
1 1/2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream

Clean potatoes and kale and cut into 1/2 inch pieces.

Brown sausage in a stock pot over medium heat.

Pour broth into pot, add potatoes and garlic and cover and bring to boil and cook
until the potatoes are tender.

Add kale after potatoes are tender.  Cook for another 3 minutes.

Turn off heat, add cream, and stir.

Enjoy!

Zuppa Toscana

Printable Recipe Found Here

Ingredients:

1 lb. Breakfast Sausage

4 cloves Garlic

5 thin skinned Potaoes (Eastern or Red potatoes)

6 cups Vegetable Broth (Chicken Broth can also be substituted)

1 bunch Kale

1 1/2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream

Process:

Clean potatoes and kale and cut into 1/2 inch pieces.

Brown sausage in a stock pot over medium heat.

Pour broth into pot, add potatoes and garlic and cover and bring to boil.  Cook until the potatoes are tender.

Add kale after potatoes are tender.   Cook for another 3 minutes.

Turn off heat, add cream, and stir.

Enjoy!

Sour Cream

The good news is that you can make your own sour cream and it is super easy.  It doesn't require any special equipment, and your finished product has a much smaller ingredient list than the store bought stuff.  Sour cream is exactly what the name suggests, cream that has soured.  Are you ready to make your own?  You might even decide you don't want to buy the store bought version ever again.  As an afterthought, when you get to the last 2-3 tablespoons of sour cream you can add more cream and repeat the process and never run out of sour cream again.

 This is the best sour cream you will ever have.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
5 tablespoons Buttermilk

Mix together in a pint size mason jar or other lidded container.  Allow to rest with the lid/cover
on for 1½ days.  That is it.  You have just made your very own sour cream and all it took
was two ingredients and letting the natural process take place for almost two days.  I love
recipes like this, because you put forth minimum effort for maximum return. 

If you want to make a less fattening version, you can use Half & Half.  The finished sour
cream will be thinner.

Refrigerate for up to a week and serve with baked potatoes, quesadillas, beef stroganoff, or tacos.  You have many choices on how to use this yummy homemade sour cream.  

Enjoy!

Sour Cream

Printable Recipe Found Here

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream (Half & Half may be substituted, it will be thinner)
5 tablespoons Buttermilk

Process:

Mix together in a pint size mason jar or other lidded container.  Allow to rest with the lid/cover on for 1½ days.

Refrigerate for up to a week.

Enjoy!

Creamy Chicken Crepes

When I was in 6th grade, my teacher Ms. Mishodek, taught our class how to make crepes.  I was so excited, that when I went over to my friend Patricia's house, we made crepes together.  Crepes are super easy to make, and I now know you can mix them in the blender so they are really easy to make.   My mom has a recipe for chicken filling for putting into crepes.  As a teenager, when I cooked for my family, I made it the same way she did, with condensed cream of chicken soup.  I don't use condensed cream soup at all.  I changed the recipe to my own liking when I grew up and started cooking for my own husband and children.  This recipe has a great ability to bring me back to a happy place thinking about my childhood and my mom.  Since I had to make a meal super fast with what I had, it fit the bill nicely.

 This is so yummy, I promise.  Easy too.

Ingredients for Crepes:

4 large Eggs
2 cups Milk
2/3 cup Water
2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon Sea salt
4 tablespoons Melted Butter
Non-Stick Spray

Ingredients for Creamy Chicken Filling:

1 1/2 cups Shredded Chicken
3 tablespoons Butter
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
3 Green Onions
6 Hard -Boiled Eggs (recipe found here)
2 tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
2 1/2 cups Heaving Whipping Cream
1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/2 teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt

 Mix all the crepe batter ingredients together in a blender until smooth.

Pre-heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

Spray pan with non-stick spray.

Ladle in batter in the middle of the pan, about 1/4 cup.  Pick up the skillet and tilt it to spread the the batter over the whole pan.

After bubbles form, flip crepe over.  We will cook one side until golden brown and the other side just until done. We want the other side to be pale and pretty like they do in France. Repeat until all the batter is cooked.  

 Add 3 tablespoons butter and olive oil to a preheated over medium-high flame saucier pan
(tall sided pan, similar to a sauce pan but wider).

When the butter and oil no longer foam add the 3 tablespoons flour and whisk for a few minutes.

The extra cooking will cook away the flour taste.  This is a roux, part of a béchamel sauce
(French white sauce).  

Cut shredded chicken into small chunks.

Slice greens onions into small rings, including the white part.

Slice the hard cooked eggs.

Pour heavy whipping cream into roux.

 Add eggs, and green onions to béchamel. Stir to combine.

 Pour garlic powder over sauce and grind salt and pepper directly in to the sauce. Stir until thickened. 

Place a crepe on a plate, add a spoon full of creamy chicken filling and roll like a French enchilada.

Enjoy!

Creamy Chicken Crepes

Printable Recipe Found Here

Ingredients for Crepes:

4 large Eggs
2 cups Milk
2/3 cup Water
2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon Sea salt
4 tablespoons Melted Butter
Non-Stick Spray

Ingredients for Creamy Chicken Filling:

1 1/2 cups Shredded Chicken
3 tablespoons Butter
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
3 Green Onions
6 Hard -Cooked Eggs
2 tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
2 1/2 cups Heaving Whipping Cream
1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/2 teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt

Process for Crepes:

Mix all the crepe batter ingredients together in a blender until smooth.

Pre-heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

Spray pan with non-stick spray.

Ladle in batter in the middle of the pan, about 1/4 cup.  

Pick up the skillet and tilt it to spread the the batter over the whole pan.

After bubbles form, flip crepe over.  We will cook one side until golden brown and the other side just until done. We want the other side to be pale. Repeat until all the batter is cooked.  

Process for Creamy Chicken Filling:

Add 3 tablespoons butter and olive oil to a preheated over medium-high flame saucier pan (tale sided pan, similar to a sauce pan but wider).

When the butter and oil no longer foam add the 3 tablespoons flour and whisk for a few minutes.

The extra cooking will cook away the flour taste.  This is a roux, part of a béchamel sauce (French white sauce).  

Cut shredded chicken into small chunks.

Slice greens onions into small rings, including the white part.

Slice the hard cooked eggs.

Pour heavy whipping cream into roux.

Add eggs, and green onions to béchamel. Stir to combine.

Pour garlic powder over sauce and grind salt and pepper directly in to the sauce. Stir until thickened. 

Pour filling onto crepe, roll up.

Enjoy!