I love you. You know this.
Wanna know how I know you that you know that I love you, and that you know that I know that you know?
‘Cause I made us some ice cream. And it kicks butt. Um, excuse me, rear end. Pardon. a$$. And it's the love of the life of our new GF Ice Cream Cones. {Can you hear the Firehouse lyrics? Yeah. Me too. Totally. Get a room, ice cream and cones!}
Oh, I've been meaning to tell you something. So, ‘member just last Friday when I posted about the Cinnamon Doughnut Muffin recipe I wrote for Living Without Magazine? The one where I scrupulously avoided reprinting the recipe itself, and instead drove traffic to the Living Without website? Yeah. Well, my husband sometimes visits different gluten-free-type pages on Facebook and posts things like, “Hey, check out this recipe for GF something-or-others.” And then he puts a link to this here blog. Big whoop, right? Well, he did something like that last Friday on a shall-remain-nameless-mostly-because-I-forgot-which-one-it-was Facebook page, with a link to my post about the doughnut muffins. Free stuff, right? Free recipe, some press for Living Without, some street cred for me — everybody wins, right?
Wrong.
Some meanie started lecturing him about how-dare-you-inappropriately-link-to-your-wife's-blog-when-the-recipe-is-on-LivingWithout. She essentially accused us of violating net-iquette (why do I hate that word so very much?) by artificially building traffic at my blog by making people go through here to get to Living Without. So she's a Traffic Cop. Super. We stayed mum, and some other members of the Facebook group kinda piled on her. That part was neato.
My husband was surprised that I reacted the way I did. He was surprised that I cared at all about what that meanie was saying. Truth? I was, too, kinda surprised by myself. I'm generally the one with the cooler head, and I generally prevail. My husband is driving, and someone cuts him off? He takes it personally, gets all hot under the collar. Me? Meh. Whatevs.
So what's with the Meanie-Under-My-Skin routine?
I still don't have that one nailed down proper. Just a bunch of “maybes” piling up in my head. Maybe she was a know-it-all, and no one likes a know-it-all. Maybe I was just cranky. It's no secret around here that I do indeed get cranky. Maybe, and this one's definitely a contender, blogging can mess with your head sometimes. I have found that to be the case indeed. Do other bloggers pretend like it doesn't mess with their heads? {I say: yes} Does it maybe never mess with their heads? {I say: no way! but maybe? I don't know! what do you think?}
Okay. I'm good now. *sigh*
I love you. You listen to me. You read me. You love me, and I love you, and we're so close that it's scary. People whisper about us. You want me to move next door to you, since you don't really know what a loon I am. And how my favorite movie of all time is “When Harry Met Sally.” Still. And how, when my kids annoy me, I tell them straight up, “you're annoying me.” You don't know that I cut my kids' hair, all 3 of them, and will not stop congratulating myself on what a good job I do – for free! And how I whistle. A lot. All the time, even. And I don't even realize it, but there I am: whistling. Until my daughter tells me, Mom, zip it. And then I do, because I figure, Wow, that's got to be annoying. But I probably start up again. ‘Cause I don't know I'm doing it. You don't know these things. So you love me, and I love you. You + Me + Gluten-Free = L-O-V-E.
By the way, do you see the flecks of vanilla in the ice cream? They really do make all the difference. But I should mention that ice-cream-making at home is really not much of a moneysaving venture. The cream is not cheap, and you really do need some sort of ice cream maker. I have This Cuisinart Ice-Cream Maker, and I think I paid about $40 for it at Kohl's. But nothing, and I mean nothing compares to the taste of fresh, homemade ice cream. This ice cream flavor is sort of my go-to, basic recipe. The cream is infused with vanilla, and there's no mistaking the taste and aroma. The reduced maple syrup gives it real depth of flavor, and makes any other sweetener seem gauche. And tacky, too. Maple syrup makes sugar seem tacky. Got it? Jot that one down so you don't forget.
Of course, you could always just make the cones, and scoop in whatever brand of GF ice cream was on sale at the market, and nobody would call you a slacker. But when you want to do something really special, go for the cones and the ice cream. It's Summer. Live a little {ignore the obvious, that I hate Summer. I'm on a roll}.
| Maple Vanilla Ice Cream |
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream, divided
- 1 whole vanilla bean
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups milk (low-fat is fine, nonfat is not)
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- In a small saucepan, simmer maple syrup over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until nearly reduced by half, about 7 to 10 minutes. The syrup should remain a liquid; do not reduce it so far that it is solid. Allow to cool.
- In a separate, medium-sized saucepan, place 1 1/2 cups of the cream, and the salt. Stir to combine. Split the vanilla bean down the middle lengthwise with the point of a sharp knife, but only halfway through the pod, exposing the seeds within. Run the flat of the knife along the pod, removing the seeds. Scrape the seeds into the cream in the saucepan, and stir to combine. Simmer the cream over low heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Allow the cream to cool to room temperature (about 15 minutes).
- Once the cream has cooled, in a large bowl (preferably one with a pouring lip), combine the cream and vanilla mixture, the cooled and reduced maple syrup, the remaining 1 1/2 cups cream, the milk, and the vanilla extract, and stir to combine. Cool the mixture in the refrigerator until chilled, about 10 minutes.
- Once the mixture is chilled, transfer it to the frozen bowl of an ice cream maker, and churn according to the manufacturer’s directions.
- Once the ice cream is churned, transfer it to a container that has at least a 6 cup capacity, and freeze until solid, about 2 hours or up to overnight.
- Allow to sit out at room temperature for about a half hour before serving.
Love you. To know you is to … love you. Mean it.
xoxo Nicole
Anneke says
Hello, Dear Nicole! While I do own pure maple syrup — Pennsylvania, not New York, would it taste the same?:) — I can’t use it in a recipe like this, as my daughter can’t have it. However, not to dispair, I have my great-grandmother’s really yummy, delicious recipe at the ready whenever the moment calls for making homemade icecream. I’m sure it would be almost as perfect in the cones. As for meanies on FB, she clearly has too much time on her hands. You’re right, I love you, and you know how much! And, I don’t care how much of a loon you are, still want you to move next door! Anneke
Nicole says
Hi, Anneke,
Lately, I seem to be landing on the various other allergies and food intolerances in your family. Pity! You could easily use honey, and reduce that just a bit (not nearly as much, since it already has a much lower moisture content than maple syrup). Just a thought.
That meanie needs to chillax. I agree. She has idle hands, and you know what they say about those: those hands go on Facebook. ;)
Be careful what you wish for about my whereabouts, by the way. I have terrible wanderlust. You have no idea. I drive my husband crazy with it.
xoxo Nicole
Linda S says
I love you too, Nicole! As I sit here drooling over these ingredients (love maple & vanilla flavored ice cream) – I told myself I shouldn’t look at ANY food sites today, as it’s prep day for my colonoscopy tomorrow! LOL I don’t know how I’ll get through these TWO bottles of lemon-flavored magnesium citrate – can you say ‘pucker up?’ Can you tell it’s my 1st time w/this lovely test? Soon I’ll be spending the day somewhere else! By the way, I’ve cut my three boys’ hair and husband’s for years and do a fine job to this day, if I must say so myself (it’s called shoestring living!) – AND I, too, whistle all the time and don’t know I’m doing it! :) That is too funny! About the internet stuff, I’d try not to read other people’s negative comments (just like the stars, cuz that’s what you are now, right?). :) Thanks, Nicole, for this delicious recipe – will have to try it soon! I love your blog and your sense of humor! :)
Nicole says
Hi, Linda,
Oh no! Why in the world would they bother flavoring the magnesium citrate for your colonoscopy? It should taste like it tastes. When they flavor stuff like that, it ends up tasting like exactly what it is — just with air freshener. You poor thing.
That’s awesome that you are the resident whistling hairdresser in your family! Every family needs one.
About the meanie – I didn’t even take it personally, since she doesn’t know me, but blogging does tend to mess with your head. As for being famous – I’m a legend in my own mind. I’ve got that going for me. :)
Good luck tomorrow! Tune in Friday for GF “Ritz” crackers. They’re the bees knees.
xoxo Nicole
Lucy says
Pst. Yah you…. I love you too- Funny I should read this today- as I have been looking at Ice Cream Makers to purchase one! I wasn’t sure if the prices I had seen and brands made any difference. I also was thinking in the back of my head – I need to get some ice cream recipes! Thanks for the post- as always – your fan, Lucy
Nicole says
Hi, Lucy,
See? I knew we loved each other. Very much. :)
I’m happy with my ice cream maker. It hits the sweet spot between price and functionality. It makes plenty, and I make really rich ice cream, so I don’t want to make more than 5 cups!
Thanks for loving me.
xoxo Nicole
Sandy Munn via Facebook says
Sounds really yummy!
Heather Bain Brandt via Facebook says
wish it was dairy free and gluten free…