I just finish posting an inspiring and educational interview with Ja’Lisa McKeown, a culinary student currently attending classes at The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Michigan. She is also the recipient of the first Reluctant Gourmet Culinary Grant in associated with Chef4Students.org. If you are thinking of going to culinary arts school, this is a must read.

In the interview, I asked Ja’Lisa for one of her favorite recipes and she sent me a recipe for Basil Ice Cream. I know it sounds… different, but I’m sure it is delicious.

Basil Ice Cream

Ingredients

2 cups whole milk
2 cups whipping cream
{Or 4 cups half n half in place of both dairy}
1 lb fresh basil leaves
1 cup sugar, divided
7 egg yolks
1/2 vanilla bean
Fresh basil for garnish

How to Make Basil Ice Cream at Home

In medium saucepan add milk, cream, scraped vanilla beans and pod, 1/2 cup sugar and bring to boil over medium heat. Turn off heat and add basil, allow to steep 15 minutes (chiffonade for stronger basil flavor).

Make Custard: whisk remaining sugar with yolks and temper with steeped mixture.

Return complete tempered egg and dairy mixture to saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat while stirring to avoiding curdling. When mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon and holds a line you drag across with your finger, it’s done (approximately 10 minutes or less).

Strain through a fine mesh chinois/ strainer and refrigerate until completely cool.

Follow instructions on manufacturer’s ice cream maker. Freeze and Voila, Basil Ice Cream.

Enjoy!

Melt In Your Mouth Blueberry Cake

We spent this weekend in State College, PA celebrating my sister-in-law’s birthday with family members coming in from as far north as Maine and even as far away as Ireland. Saturday night’s meal was a Maine seafood feast with all the ingredients brought down by Katy and her boyfriend Billy.

We enjoyed lobster, Louisiana shrimp, seafood casserole, cole slaw and this delicious Melt-In-Your Mouth Blueberry Cake. The recipe was found in the cookbook, Cooking Down East and originally came from a Maine church cookbook.

Thank you Katy and Billy for a great meal and Happy Birthday Judy.

Melt-In-Your-Mouth Blueberry Cake

Ingredients

2 eggs separated
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup milk
1 ½ cups fresh blueberries

How to Make Homemade Blueberry Cake

Beat the egg whites until stiff. Add about ¼ cup of the sugar to keep them stiff.
Cream shortening (cream as a verb means to beat an ingredient or a couple of ingredients together until soft and smooth) and add the salt and vanilla. Add the remaining sugar slowly.

Add the sifted dry ingredients alternatively with the milk. Fold in the beaten egg whites and then the blueberries. The recipe says to use some of the flour “called for in recipe and gently shake berries in “ so they won’t settle. I’m not sure what this means but I’m guessing by coating the blueberries with some flour they won’t sink to the bottom.

Add the mixture to a greased 8 x 8 inch baking pan. Sprinkle top of batter lightly with granulated sugar. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 50 to 60 minutes.

This recipe serves eight and is absolutely delicious. We served it with ice cream for dessert but my wife had a piece the next morning for breakfast (without the ice cream) and it was fantastic.

Colossal Double Chocolate White Chip Cookies

I just posted my latest Novice2Pro Interview with cookbook authors Heather and Lucinda Wallace and they were nice enough to send me a couple of recipes including Lucinda’s favorite one for Colossal Double Chocolate White Chip Cookies.

Heather and Lucinda’s new cookbook, 101 Easy Peasy Cookie Recipes is filled with recipes like this that are easy enough for us home cooks to prepare. You can read their entire interview and learn more about their new book at my Novice2Pro Interview with Heather and Lucinda Wallace.

Colossal Double Chocolate White Chip Cookies
Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ cups butter or margarine, softened
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
1 ¼ cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup white chips
1 cup chopped nuts

How to Make at Home

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and baking soda. In a large bowl, cream together butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar.

Beat eggs and vanilla extract into butter mixture. Gradually stir in flour mixture. Stir in milk chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips, white chips, and nuts.

Drop by level ¼-cupfuls, about 2 inches apart, onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until light golden brown.

Allow cookies to cool for 2 minutes on baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Oranges and Cream Cookies

I just posted another recipe from their cookbook on my Cooking Community Forum under Favorite Recipes. Check it out.