I have an addiction!

My name is KT and I have a SERIOUS addiction. I can't stop making homemade ice-cream.

My newest and best so far flavor is cake batter, which I found here. Ohhh sooooo good! I feel a bit better about stuffing my face with it since I made it healthified!? Is that a word? It is in my dictionary!! Oddly enough, I am actually losing weight while on my ice-cream kick! The recipe is:

Cake Batter Ice Cream

1 cup whole milk, well chilled
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 cups heavy cream, well chilled
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup Funfetti cake mix (I used a bit more b/c I LOVE the flavor)

Additional sprinkles

In a medium bowl, whisk the milk and granulated sugar until the sugar is dissolved.
Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla, then add the cake mix, stirring well to make sure there aren’t any lumps.
Pour mixture into your ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturers instructions. Add more sprinkles, if desired(I added about 1/4 cup at the end)

I used FF milk, mostly Splenda and and a bit of sugar. The next time I make this, I am going to use some 1/2 and 1/2 in place of part of the cream. Trust me, it tasted soooooo creamy and rich, you would NEVER know it was "lite"! I have a serious addiction to Cold Stone's Cake Batter ice-cream and this tasted a thousand times better!!! You have to try this and check out Megan's blog-it is awesome! Good thing she lives in Vegas and has reasons to make butt-loads of ice-cream-what's my reason?!

No Fuss and Fabulous!

I came across these great homemade, easy gift basket ideas. Perfect for last minute gifts!These are my favs but here are 101 ideas, perfect for anyone and everyone here!

For the gardener:
Use a large terra cotta plant pot for a "basket". If you like, you can personalize the pot by painting it with acrylic paints. When the paint is dry, spray a light coat of polyurethane over the pot to add a shine. Fill the pot with:
�gardening gloves
�hand trowel
�hand rake
�bottle of liquid fertilizer
�a selection of vegetable and/or flower seeds (go for something unusual)
�a gardening book
�a subscription for a gardening magazine

For the cook:
Use a large pasta bowl for a "basket". Fill the bowl with:
�a package or two of gourmet pasta
�tongs
�a package of sun-dried tomatoes
�extra-virgin olive oil
�spices: oregano, basil, garlic powder
�a collection of your favorite pasta recipes hand-printed on recipe cards
�and/or a pasta cookbook

For the golfer, fill a basket or a golf bag with:
�golf tees
�golf balls
�personalized baseball cap
�sunscreen
�score cards
�a small towel
�a can cooler to keep a can of pop or beer cold

For the wine lover:
Wine appreciation basket. Fill a basket with:
�two bottles of quality wine (red or white)
�corkscrew
�2 or more wine glasses
�wine appreciation book
�tickets or an invitation to a wine tasting (often held at wineries) Extras: add snacks to go with the wine - fine cheese, fruit, crackers.

For the goldfish lover (cute kids b-day gift idea!!!!):
Fill a gold fish bowl with:
�fish food
�aquarium gravel
�net
�gift certificate for fish from pet store
�book about care of gold fish

For the dog lover:
Fill the a large dog bowl with:
�squeaky toy
�rawhide bone
�gourmet dog treats
�dog brush
�dog collar
�leash

For the shutterbug:
Fill a basket or a camera bag with:
�assorted film
�coupons for picture developing
�filters for his/her camera
�lens cleaning solution and cloth
�assorted picture frames and/or albums

For the stressed-out person:
How about a relaxation pack. Fill the basket with:
�a gel eye-pack
�Epsom salts or bubble bath
�aroma therapy oils
�books on tape (to listen to in the bath)
�hand-held massager
�scented candles
�relaxing music on CD or cassette

For the new home owner:
Use a tool box as a "basket". Fill the box with:
�screw drivers
�wrench
�hammer
�pliers
�assorted nails, screws, washers
�gift certificate for the local hardware store
�do-it-yourself book
�assortment of: light switch covers, light bulbs, duct tape, paint brushes, knobs and handles, etc.

For the soap opera lover:
Fill the basket with:
�tissues
�bon-bons
�soap opera magazines
�biographies and pictures of their favorite stars
�blank video tapes
�fan club membership

For grandparents who are far away:
Fill a basket with:
�children's artwork
�gifts made by the kids
�frames family pictures (let the kids buy plain wooden frames and decorate them with stickers)
�videos of the family
�a long-distance calling card
Extras: fill out the basket with candy, coffee, tea, biscuits, Christmas ornaments, candles, etc.

For the one who loves their car:
Fill a basket or a bag with:
�tire gauge
�liter (or gallon) of oil
�wax
�chamois
�car wash coupons
�squeegee for the windows
�mileage log and pen
�travel mug

The ice-cream/sundae lover:
Fill a basket with:
�ice cream scoop
�gourmet sauces
�sprinkles
�cones
�maraschino cherries
�assorted nuts
�sundae glasses and spoons

Cookie lover:
Use a cookie jar for a "basket". Fill the jar with:
�your favorite cookie recipes or a cook book
�cookie cutters
�chocolate chips
�nuts
�decorator icing set
�assorted sprinkles

Create a night out in a basket:
Fill a basket with:
�list of baby-sitters or coupons for baby-sitting
�restaurant guide and/or gift certificates
�movie reviews and/or tickets
�tickets to show or concert
�cab fair
�lighted key chain

For the couch potato:
Fill a large basket or box with:
�assorted bags of flavored popcorn
�other snacks like chips, nuts, candy
�pre-recorded movies
�TV Guide subscription
�TV Remote holder
�Comfortable slippers
�Cushion

Make a kid's beach pack(perfect for vacations):
Fill a plastic pail with:
�plastic shovel
�sand molds
�beach ball or plastic flotation device (deflated)
�beach towel
�flip-flops
�sunglasses
�sunscreen for kids
�bathing suit

For the puzzle lover:
Fill a basket with:
�Rubic's cube
�3D puzzle
�jigsaw puzzle
�word-search book
�crossword puzzle book
�slider puzzles
�and any other puzzles you can find

Doing the watermelon crawl!

I am on a ice-cream/sorbet kick ever since I busted out my ice-cream maker. This can't be good for my diet, right? Maybe if I focus on the fact that I am getting in some dairy and fruit?! My latest creation is watermelon sorbet. Oh-so-good on a hot day. I was saying how we haven't had much hot weather here-I spoke too soon. It has been in the 90's. This sorbet totally hit the spot, is so easy to make AND is somewhat good for you. Without further ado:


Watermelon Sorbet
1 cup of sugar (I used 1/2 cup of splenda and 1/2 cup of sugar)
1/2 cup of water
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 cups of watermelon puree ( I added a bit more, about 3 1/2 cups total)

Heat sugar, water and juice on stove until dissolved. Let cool and add puree. I put the mixture in the fridge for about 10 minutes just to cool down a bit, but this isn't necessary. Pour mixture into ice-cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. I put the sorbet in a freezable container to harden it up a bit, but it tastes soooo good straight out the ice-cream maker. This is sooo refreshing on a hot day. You could also add some mini chocolate chips for "seeds"


This is what you start with:



This what it turns into:



This is what you eat!



This is how you know it's good!



After his 2nd bowl, on a sorbet high!! :)

Cool Summer Treats!!!

We are getting into the middle of summer. It SHOULD be hot in my part(Northern CA) but things have been a bit cool so far. Nonetheless, we have been busy making icy, yummy treats. Brett is getting his molars and today was sooooo sad. He just couldn't stop crying and had his fingers in his mouth. He was so sad looking. My heart was really aching, he wouldn't eat, didn't want to drink. So, what did I whip out of the freezer? That's right! A Popsicle. A homemade Popsicle! It sucks when adults don't feel good, but a toddler can't communicate how he/she is feeling just quite yet. Luckily the Popsicle made him feel a bit better. If you don't have a Popsicle mold, run to Target and get one! The ones that I made recently were just low-fat yogurt from Safeway. I have also made ones layering different flavors of yogurt. I really like lemon and raspberry yogurt layered. They taste yummy and look cool too! For a chocolate fix, I mix up a batch of SF pudding and put them into my molds. Chocolate and Cheesecake jello make a great combination. I don't feel bad about giving my son treats and I don't feel guilty eating one with him....OK, maybe two!! :)



Another AWESOME cool treat that I make is this super yummy chocolate sorbet that I found on this AMAZING blog. You will find the most adorable cookies on this blog. She sells them in her Etsy shop!! OK. Focus KT. Back to the ice-cream. The sorbet just requires 3 ingredients and tastes sooooo yummy. I made a batch using my Cuisinart Ice-cream maker (great wedding gift idea BTW) and it was gone before I could take a picture!

Chocolate Sorbet
(adapted from The Ultimate Ice Cream Book)

2 c. water
1 c. sugar
1 c. dutch-process cocoa powder

Combine the water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Whisk in the cocoa and continue whisking until the mixture comes to a simmer. Simmer for 3 minutes, whisking constantly.

Remove from heat and strain into a bowl. Let cool several minutes on the counter, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill at least 2 hours or overnight.

Stir the mixture and add to your ice cream machine, following the manufacturer's instructions. Remove and place in a freezer safe container; press plastic wrap down onto the top to prevent freezer-burn. Let harden a few hours. ENJOY! :)

Check out the great website! Both of these treats work for me! To check out other great summer ideas and great tips head on over to We are THAT Family.

**Be prepared to check out all of the great ideas and tips!!

YUMMMMMM!

Cookie Dough Cupcakes!!
You take two awesome desserts: cupcakes and cookie dough. The result is fantastic yumminess. The best part? Sooooo easy. All you do is make your favorite cake mix according to the directions on the box. I made mine using a french vanilla cake mix and pre-made cookie dough from Safeway. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full with cake batter, drop your favorite cookie dough (1 T.) into the cupcake batter and bake 15-17 minutes at 350° oven. The batter sinks to the bottom of the cupcake..it is like magic! I made a quick buttercream frosting and put a tad bit on top. Big Red Kitchen has cute pictures and next time when I am not in such a rush to make these, I will spend more time decorating mine so they look cute like hers! These are seriously to- die -for cupcakes! I found them through her cool recipe website. She has wonderful ideas and recipes that really help me when I feel like I am in a cooking rut (which is most of the time) There is a search feature which helps tremendously when I am trying to figureout what I make! Check her out, you won't be disappointed!




It's a magic disappearing act that everyone will LOVE!



Yummy goodness inside the cupcake!