Mojito Mint Chip Ice Cream

OK, so what prompted ice cream making in the middle of the coldest fall since I don’t know when?

I could tell you it’s because I’m sure Indian Summer is just around the corner. That I’m prepared for the upcoming hot spell since there’s now about a pint of Mojito Mint Chip Ice Cream in the freezer. (Not buying it?)

Truth is the grocery store had some really nice mint and there was a freshly opened can of coconut milk in the fridge. I’ve been wanting to make Mint Chip Ice Cream and this weekend the opportunity just presented itself.

This isn’t just any Mint Chip Ice Cream. It’s Mojito Mint Chip.

Mix mint, lime, sugar and rum and you’ve got a pretty nice Mojito. And, guess what? That combo makes a pretty nice Mojito Mint Chip Ice Cream, too.

Mojito Mint Chip Ice Cream

2 cups coconut milk*

2 cups fresh mint leaves

1 teaspoon arrowroot

1/3 cup sugar

Pinch of salt

3 teaspoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons light colored rum (optional)

About 12 mint leaves

1/3 cup Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips

Wash, dry and coarsely chop the mint leaves.

Heat the coconut milk in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat until it’s hot. It does not need to reach a simmer.

Take the pan off the heat and add the mint leaves. Stir to assure the mint is fully immersed in the milk. Cover the pot and let stand for about an hour.

Pour the infused milk through a sieve into a ceramic or glass bowl. Press the mint leaves to release all the milk. Discard the mint leaves.

Return the mint infused milk to the saucepan. Whisk the salt, sugar, and arrowroot into the mixture. Bring to a simmer over medium heat whisking frequently taking care not to burn the milk. Add the lime juice and if you’re including the rum, add it now. Turn down the heat and stir for a few minutes to let the liquid thicken slightly.

Take the pan off the burner and let it cool. Transfer to a glass or ceramic bowl and refrigerate for a few hours until it’s cold.

Pour the cold mixture into your blender, add the 12 mint leaves and blend a minute or so until the mint leaves have been reduced to flecks.

Freeze according to your ice cream maker’s directions. (Mine took about 20 minutes to freeze.) Just as the ice cream starts to thicken add the chocolate chips.

Place the ice cream in a container and then into the freezer. It will get very hard so let it defrost about 5 minutes on the counter before you serve it.

*Use a better grade of coconut milk—not coconut cream or light coconut milk.

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Roasted Butternut Soup

I’ve been trying to improve my photography and realize lighting is key. I’m lucky enough to have a hubby who understands these things and wants to help—though I can only handle the information he offers in small amounts. It doesn’t take long for me to become overwhelmed by all the details of lighting and camera settings. So, baby steps, folks, baby steps.

Good natural light is already fading fast since daytime is getting shorter and shorter. By picture taking time (after a day’s work and the actual cooking) it’s late and the good light is gone. It means I need to journey into the world of artificial light, color balancing, and who knows what else. I’m not trying to win any awards here, but being a visual person I’m always hoping for a picture that’s appealing.

This picture turned out very vibrant—which suits this soup because it’s vibrant in color and in taste. The butternut squash is a beautiful shade of orange and since there aren’t a lot of extra ingredients to alter it the soup maintains the beautiful color of the squash.

Let’s talk about something more important than the picture—the flavor. Out of this world. Slightly sweet, slightly spicy, smooth and creamy. And, it’s packed with antioxidants, Vitamin A and fiber. Very, very healthy.

The cool thing about this recipe is you can use it a few different ways. The roasted squash and veggies would be a great side dish right out of the oven. A quick puree with a little dash of spices and some cider and you have a great mashed squash to pair with a delicious fall entree like Big Black Dog’s Chicken with Apple Cider Sauce. Or, go the extra step to make the soup. It’ll be worth it. In fact, it was so good I had it for breakfast the next day. What a terrific warm start to a chilly day.

Roasted Butternut Soup

1 large butternut squash (about 3 pounds)

½ large or a whole small onion

2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 red apple (like Delicious or Gala)

1 cup water or chicken stock

1 cup apple cider

1 ½ teaspoons curry powder

Pinch of nutmeg

½ teaspoon minced fresh ginger

¼ cup dry sherry (optional)

¼ cup coconut milk (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Peel the squash down to the orange meat. Dice into one inch cubes and place onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Peel and coarse dice the onion and apple and add to the squash. Sprinkle all with olive oil, maple syrup, salt and pepper to taste and toss to coat. Place in the oven for 30-40 minutes until the squash is fork tender.

Remove the pan from the oven. When cool enough to handle add the squash mixture to a food processor equipped with a blade and pulse until it’s a smooth puree. Add the water or chicken stock and pulse until combined.

Pour the puree into a large pot set on medium heat. Stir in the spices and apple cider. Taste and adjust spices to suit your taste. If the soup is too thick for your liking you can add more water, chicken broth, or cider until it reaches the consistency you want.

Heat the soup until it just simmers. Stir in the sherry and/or coconut milk. Warm for another minute or two and then serve.

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