BJ’s Butter-Pecan or Toasted Almond Ice Cream

2 TBs. butter
½ - ¾ cup coarsely chopped pecans or sliced almonds
1 ¾ cups packed brown sugar
¾ cup water
4 eggs
2 tsps. vanilla
1 quart whipping cream
Milk to fill line

In a small skillet, melt butter. Add pecans or almonds. Stir over low heat until browned but not burned; set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine brown sugar and water. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to a boil. Simmer gently 2 minutes, stirring occasionally; set aside. In mixing bowl, beat eggs until thick and lemon colored, about 3 minutes. Continue beating while pouring hot brown sugar syrup in a thin stream over beating eggs. Continue beating until cool and thick. Stir in vanilla, whipping cream and pecans or almonds. Pour into ice cream canister. Fill a little above the fill line with the milk. Stir. Freeze. Makes 1 gallon.

Mama Q's Homemade Ice Cream

BJ’s Favorite Ice Cream Basic Recipes
(Makes one gallon.)

4 beaten eggs
2 cups sugar

1/2 tsp. salt
1 quart whipping cream

about 5 cups milk (varies with each variety)

Flavoring, fruit choice from variation list below

2 - 7 lb. bags of ice

Uncooked Method: Whisk eggs in canister until lemon colored. Add sugar, salt, and cream. Whisk. Add variation ingredients (see below). Add milk to fill line. Stir. Freeze as directed.

Cooked Method: Combine sugar, salt & cream in saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Gradually stir 1 cup hot mix into beaten eggs. Add eggs to remaining hot mix, stirring constantly. Cook 1 minute. Remove from heat. Put in canister. Stir in other desired ingredients. Add milk to fill line. Stir. Cover. Refrigerate 2 hours or overnight. Freeze as directed.

To Freeze: Assemble freezer and start. Fill maker 1/3 with ice. Add 1 cup rock salt. Repeat to fill. (May have to add ice and salt before it stops.) When it stops, leave can in ice, remove dasher, cover with plastic wrap and lid. Drain some water off. Pile as much ice on top as you can. Put 1 cup salt over top. Cover with a plastic bag and folded beach towel. Sit maker in a large plastic container to catch further melt. Wrap whole maker with a wool or levi blanket. Best if made at least 4 hours ahead and allowed to harden. I have had it wait 6 hours and it has been great. Enjoy!!!

BJ’s Variations to the Favorite Basic Ice Cream Recipe

Vanilla – 4 TBs. Clear Vanilla (Brown works too, ice cream just isn’t as white)
Chocolate – 4 tsp. Brown Vanilla, 3 – 4 oz. pkgs. Of Ghirardelli Chocolate (60 Cocao Bittersweet) – Melted in Microwave 2-3 mins. on Power Level 5. Best using the cooked method and added at the end, just before putting into the canister.
Fruit – Juice of 1 lemon & 1- 16 ounce bag of frozen fruit, thawed and mashed. (The multi berry packages are great with additional strawberries added.) Or fresh mashed peaches etc..
Root beer – 1 tsp. Vanilla & 2 TBs. Root beer Extract
Orange Creamsicle – Juice of 3 Oranges & 1 Lemon, and 1 tsp. Orange Extract. Red and yellow food coloring to make orange.
Candy Bar – 1 tsp. Vanilla & Crushed Candy Bars of choice added 10 minutes into freezing. (Cut sugar to 1 cup.)
Oreo Cookie – 1 tsp. Vanilla & 24 Slightly Crushed Oreos added 10 minutes into freezing. (Cut sugar to 1 cup.)
Peppermint – ½ tsp. of Peppermint Flavoring & ½ cup crushed candy cane or chopped junior mints. (Cut sugar to 1 cup.)
Cherry – ½ cup coarsely chopped maraschino cherries, 1 tsp. almond and vanilla. (May also add ½ cup coconut and nuts.)
Pineapple – 1 large can unsweetened pineapple, drained, ½ cup juice, 1 TB. Vanilla & ½ cup nuts
Hawaiian – Juice of 1 lemon and 1 orange, 1 mashed banana and 1 mango, 1 small can pineapple, ½ cup coconut, & chopped macadamia nuts if desired.

easy, yummy crepes

My friend Katie got me hooked on crepes in high school. I also had one almost every day when I went to Europe. That's where I fell in love with Nutella. I actually got this recipe from my English teacher during my last semester at BYU-Idaho. He made them for the whole class on the last day of school. He was nice enough to also share the recipe. I was surprised at how easy  and inexpensive it was to make them. I bought a carton of eggs for .88 cents and flour for a $1.18. I already had milk, fruit, Nutella, and whipping cream. Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as Jordan and I have.

Crepes

2 eggs

1/2 cup flour

1 cup milk

pinch of salt

Blend ingredients with a hand mixer. Batter should be smooth and runny. Butter a medium/hot pan. Pour 1/4 cup batter into pan and quickly rotate it to spread batter thinly over pan. Flip when underside is golden brown. Cook second side for about 30 seconds. Top with fresh fruit, Nutella, yogurt, jam, whipping cream, or powdered sugar. I like to try different combinations of fruit and roll it like an empanada. You could also top it with fresh mushrooms, sliced ham, and scrambled eggs for a heartier meal. Be creative!

Makes about 10-12 crepes