Spring. You crazy!

The first day of Spring here in Northern Indiana gave us a beautiful 87° day. It was awesome and while I planned our garden, Jeff was headed to hike the Appalachians and this amazing weather would be perfect for him and I alike.

Instead the temperature dropped and it rained and our garden had to wait. And Jeff? Well he hiked in the pouring rain and slept in the blustery wind and froze in 20° nights and threatened to throw himself off a cliff so they would air lift his frozen carcass home to me.

Heck just last night we had yet another hard freeze warning.

Mother Nature is f*&#ing with us.

However ice cream don’t care if your freezing. It waits for no one. And even if you are hypothermic, ice cream always manages to make you feel better. And let’s face it eventually this weather will break (this week is the rumor, but I will believe it when I see it) and you will want this recipe in your dessert arsenal. Because to be quite honest and to try not to break my arm while I pat myself on the back, it turned out amazing.

The beer used in this is called Wild Blue. It is an odd beer which I liken more to a fruity wine then a beer. Maybe a combination of wine and beer. (Now THERE’S an idea…) There is no hop aroma and very few end hints of malt. It is however VERY blueberry tasting. And if you like blueberry, you will like this. Plus it packs a punch at 8% alcohol by volume.

Wild Blueberry Beer Cheese Cake Ice Cream

One Bottle of Wild Blue blueberry lager
1 8 oz block WHOLE FAT cream cheese cut into chunks and softened.
1 C half and half (WHOLE FAT) (Heavy cream can also be used)
1 egg
3/4 C sugar
1 heaping C frozen blueberries

In a heavy saucepan over medium heat pour 1 bottle of Wild Blue Blueberry beer. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low and mix in the cream cheese. Stir till cream cheese is melted and blended. Remove from heat.

Combine the half & half, sugar and egg.

Stir into warm beer mixture and mix till well combined.

Cover and chill in the refrigerator overnight.

The next day, get your ice cream maker ready before you remove the beer cream mixture from the fridge. Stir in 1 heaping cup of frozen blueberries and pour the mixture into the ice cream maker. Follow your makers instructions till ice cream is set. Move ice cream to a container and let set up in freezer overnight.

Enjoy!

It should be noted that this beer is not boiled long or is it reduced. Therefore the alcohol content does remain and this is NOT an ice cream for children.

I would assume that this recipe would also work with other strong fruit beers like lambics. Just change the frozen fruit you add accordingly.

By the way this is ALSO part of Elle’s New England Kitchen and my plan for WORLD DOMINATION thru ICE CREAM also affectionately known as SCOOPAPALOOZA. More details to come but head on over to her blog and check it out.

Now before you get your etouffeed panties in a bunch… I KNOW I titled this Fat THURSDAY. If you were cool like me – you would be part Polish. You would be able to drink most of your friends under the table. You would understand the importance of pirogi, and when someone starts singing “Sto lat, sto lat, niech zyje zyje nam” you would definitely know that a whole slew of good times are about to take place. You would also get to over indulge in one of my favorite holidays. Paczki Day.

Paczki, pronounced pooch-kee not Paa-zick-kee is a deep fried dough that is filled with fruit preserves or sometimes a sweet custard, and then dusted in powdered or granulated sugar. Some say they are similar to a jelly donut – but don’t kid yourself. These are rich and will stop your heart with its butter, eggs, milk and rum… Comparing it to a donut is like saying the Colts actually put up a good fight… *ducks* (Tho if you were also part German like me… and that makes you supah cool - you could compare them to a Berliner…) In Poland, and here in Chicago, Paczki’s are typically eaten on Fat THURSDAY, the last Thursday before lent, and is associated with the start of Carnival. Of course here in Chicago we over indulge and chow down on Fat Tuesday or Shrove Tuesday as well. Traditionally, Paczkis were created to use up all of the fats, sugar, eggs and fruit in the house that you were forbidden to eat during the Catholic observance of fasting throughout Lent. Wow. Some of those years of Catholic school teachings have stuck… but yea none of the guilt…

This recipe that follows for traditional Paczki is not my mothers nor my busia’s or even something we made year after year. In truth, my mom just used to bundle me up and drag me down the block with her to the Laramie Bakery to STAND IN A VERY LONG LINE for a few dozen that were gone in a flash. But I have been making my own, adapted from a recipe that was adapted from a recipe that was adapted from a recipe… you get the point. They are yummy. And quite addictive.

Time to empty the pantry…

4 t active dry yeast
1/4 c warm water
1 t sugar
5 eggs
1 t salt
1/3 c butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
5 cups flour
1/3 cup rum
1 cup scalded whole milk or cream
1 1/2 c fruit preserves and / or custard

Oil or the traditional lard for deep frying.

Powdered and / or granulated sugar for dusting. Or you can make a glaze.

Get to work.

Mix the yeast, 1 t sugar and warm water together and let sit 10 minutes.

Beat the eggs with the salt till thick and creamy. Set aside.

Cream the butter and the sugar together. While your mixer is on medium, Add half the yeast. Then add the rum. If you already drank the rum, measure more rum and add. And then half the milk. Now add the rest of the yeast, and the rest of the milk. Sip more rum. When this is all incorporated, add half the flour and the eggs. Continue adding the remaining flour until the dough blisters. Drinks moar rums…

Cover and place in a warm spot. Allow to rise until doubled in size. Punch down and let rise again.

Roll out dough to a 1/2″ thickness. Cut into 3″ circles, and place on a baking sheet. Let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile in a large pot or dutch oven, heat oil to 375°. Fry for 2-3 minutes or until bottom is brown. Flip and fry 1-2 minutes longer. Remove from hot oil and drain on paper towels. When cool, utilize a pastry bag with a strong tip to pipe filling of choice into Paczki. Dust with powdered or granulated sugar or glaze.

Serve immediately. They do not keep well so eat as soon as possible. Not that you will have any left overs… but if you do freeze immediately. Once you make these you will want to make them year after year. Because if you don’t, your friends and family will disown you for being such a tease…

Good Luck. Good Cheer. May you live a hundred years.

Didja think I wouldn’t read that post… hon.

Yea. You.

Referring to my previous, yet highly whimsical blog as a *BARF* baking BLOG? You obviously glanced over the pepper vodka, beef jerky, Italian sausage, beer and brats and the world famous bacon brie swammich posts. It was a regular party over there! Oh and a few items of note: 1) I don’t recall you objecting while your mouth was full of said baked goods and B) remember it was YOU who helped BAKE this…

Just saying…

But like any relationship, there has to be give and take. And Jeff is going to give me hella grief if I don’t post more then baked goods. Even tho this IS THE HOLIDAY season, and no one wants to bring brisket to a cookie exchange…

So I decided to meat him half way. Ha haa! Meat him. I slay me.

I about perfected my basic chocolate chip cookie recipe this past weekend. I would post those but none are left because oh that’s right – someone helped EAT them… so instead I am going to combine that recipe, with a special something from my recipe bag o’ tricks. Sure to quell even the crankiest of meat eating beasts.

Chocolate Chip Maple Bacon Cookies

That sound you just heard was Jeff’s head exploding.

I did something in this recipe that might freak a few people out. I never did it when I made these before but I thought why the hell not. Let’s throw down that smoked meat gauntlet! You may want to sit down…

Ok – let’s start.

The Goods

8 slices of thick cut, high quality, bought from the butcher, bacon, diced. (PLEASE not pre-packaged slimy stuff… blech.)
1/2 c butter, softened
1/2 c white sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c REAL maple syrup (You there. Put down Mrs. Butterworth.)
2 eggs
1 T Vanilla
2 1/2 c AP flour
1 t baking soda
1/2 t cream of tartar (optional – see note.)
1 1/2 c chocolate chips

The Deal

Cook up bacon slowly in a pan till crisp. Remove bacon to paper towel to drain and strain the rendered bacon fat from the pan. Measure out 1/4 cup of that bacon fat and place in the fridge to cool. (Be sure to save the rest of that fat for future use.) Scared yet?

After the bacon fat has cooled, add to the butter and whip till combined. I told you to sit didn’t I? You could easily just use 3/4 cup of butter or even a whole cup, which is what I usually use for my regular ole’ chocolate chip cookies. But that bacon fat was just STARING AT ME. Taunting me. So I thought why not.

When thoroughly combined with the butter, add the eggs, vanilla, sugars and maple syrup. Whip into submission.

Combine the flour, baking soda and cream of tartar and add to the butter and sugar mixture till just combined.

You will notice the lack of salt here. I felt that the bacon fat and the bacon itself added quite enough where no extra would be needed.

Fold in chocolate chips. Then the bacon. Mmmm bacon.

Note: The cream of tartar gives the cookie surface more definition. Without it you get a very smooth cookie. If that is the look you like, you can omit this as it is strictly for cosmetic purposes.

Chill the dough. Un-chilled dough will spread out so thin when baked you can see thru the cookies…

Once chilled, place balls of dough on a pan and throw it in a pre-heated 350° oven for 10-12 minutes (till golden my friends) and then remove to rack to cool.

Enjoy enjoy enjoy!

I bet you take back that BARF baking crack now…

Well hello there!

How did you find me? I thought I did such a good job of packing and leaving in the middle of the night… yet here you are. Hmm. You are very sneaky. Actually I have never been happier then to see your smiling faces here reading my gripping tome… Actually I should say – OUR tome. Did you notice that? Did ya? Did ya did ya??? I have become a we… He became a we. And I bet you never even noticed.

You may recall I entered into a search for the perfect Bread Bakers Apprentice Challenge assistant. He needed a healthy supply of flour, fresh yeast and mad kneading skills. And folks… ha haa let me tell you – I only got ONE application. ONE! Sigh. Anyway, when we finally introduced our Kitchen Aids to one another we wasted no time baking our first breads. English Muffins & Corn Bread. And mmm they were so yummy, that I decided to hire on this assistant. And ya know – keep him. (It helped he has a killer bootie…)

We are both pretty savvy in the kitchen, but his kitchen is kinda small, and mine is microscopic! Needless to say… cooking together is usually an adventure. As is grilling, gardening, eating and drinking and most everything else we do. It has all been full of so much mockery fun that we decided to share it with you.

Aren’t you lucky…

Of course the first post here wouldn’t be a true post without a yummy goodie attached am I right? So just in time for Thanksgiving, I give you:

Carrot, Cranberry & Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Scribble.

Preheat oven to 400°.

Ingredients:

Muffins
1 1/2 cups AP flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1 1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t ground ginger
1/4 t nutmeg
1/2 t salt
1/4 c vegetable oil
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
2/3 c shredded carrot
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Frosting:
8 oz cream cheese – softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 T milk

In a bowl combine the first eight ingredients and set aside.

In the bowl of your KitchenAid (or whatever other mixer you have but realllly – don’t you think it is time to hint hint for say a KitchenAid for a simply WONDERFUL holiday gift?? Hmmm) Combine the oil, pumpkin, eggs and vanilla until creamy. Add the carrot and cranberries. Then add the dry ingredients slowly till just combined.

Line your muffin tins with paper and spray. (They will stick to the paper otherwise…) Fill 2/3 -3/4 full of the muffin mixture.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Allow to cool. While cooling take 8oz of softened cream cheese and whip the heck out of it. Add 1/2 cup of sugar and 1 T of milk.

I then take the cream cheesy goodness and put it in a baggie, cut the tip off the end to create a make-shift decorating bag – and tada get to decorating.

This part is simple.

Zig zag frosting on a muffin.

Squeeze frosting in mouth.

Zig zag frosting on another muffin.

Squeeze more frosting into mouth.

Repeat as necessary.

I hope you all completely enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday surrounded by good friends and loving family. I will be spending mine with my family fir the FIRST time in over 9 years and I could not be more elated if I tried.