Chicken and Chickpea Soup with Lemon

This soup is perfect for cool spring evenings -- light and fresh! It uses pre-cooked chicken, so it's a snap to throw together.

2 TBSP olive oil
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
coarse salt and ground pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
3 medium carrots, sliced
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 cups pre-cooked shredded chicken
zest and juice of one lemon
2 TBSP finely chopped fresh cilantro

Saute onions in olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and seasonings; cook, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in carrots and broth. Add chicken and chickpeas. Bring to a boil and simmer 10-15 minutes, until carrots are tender. Stir in lemon juice.

In small bowl, stir together lemon zest and cilantro. Sprinkle over soup before serving.

Roasted Butternut Pasta Sauce

I would describe this sauce in one word: exquisite. So without further ado:

1 medium butternut squash
1 TBSP olive oil
1/2 tsp dried rubbed sage
coarse salt and ground pepper
4 garlic cloves, peel on
1 cup half-and-half
pasta for serving

optional toppings:
toasted chopped walnuts
finely chopped fresh sage
grated parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 375. Trim ends of butternut squash and halve lengthwise. Peel with a vegetable peeler and halve lengthwise again. Scoop out seeds and cut into 2-inch chunks. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Toss with oil and sage; season generously with salt and pepper; scatter garlic around squash. Roast until squash is very tender -- about 40 minutes, tossing once halfway through. Remove from oven and transfer squash to a blender or food processor. Squeeze garlic out of peels and into blender. Add 1 cup water and blend to puree. Add half and half and continue to process until smooth. Thin with up to 1 cup water, if necessary. (I left it quite thick.)

Serve over warm pasta, such as a short pasta, ravioli, or tortellini. Don't skimp on the quality if going the ravioli/tortellini route. You may want to thin the sauce with a little pasta water. Top with any of the optional toppings.

This sauce may be frozen for up to 3 months by sealing in an airtight container with 1 inch of head space. To thaw, place container upside down under hot tap water to release the frozen block of sauce, then place block in a large saucepan; cover and reheat over medium-low, adding water to thin if necessary.

This would make a fantastic butternut bisque if thinned a bit more with water and chicken stock.

THE coconut cake

i'm only posting this because certain friends promised to "worship" it and "treat it with the reverential respect it deserves"

Triple Coconut Cake

cake and icing calls for 3 cups sweetened, shredded coconut, toasted*

2 sticks butter

2 cups sugar

1 T vanilla

4 large eggs, separated

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

pinch of salt

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup toasted coconut

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Set out butter, eggs, and buttermilk to come to room temperature.  Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325 and toast the coconut on a rimmed baking sheet for 10-15 minutes, stirring often, until lightly toasted.  Transfer to another baking sheet to cool.  Prepare 3 8-inch round baking pans by generously coating with shortening and flour, shaking out excess.

Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Add vanilla and mix to combine.  Add egg yolks one at a time, beating between each addition and scraping sides of bowl as necessary.  

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.  

Beginning and ending with dry ingredients, alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk to the mixing bowl, beating thoroughly between each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl.  Add coconut and mix on low.  

In another bowl, beat the egg whites until frothy, then add cream of tartar and beat until stiff peaks form.  Carefully but quickly fold into the batter by hand.  

Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, rotating the pans for even baking.  Test with a toothpick in the center of each cake.  Let pans cool for 10 minutes before unmolding the cakes.  Let cakes cool completely on wire racks, then wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to assemble. (Preferably overnight).  

Icing:  

4 oz cream cheese, softened

1/4 stick butter, softened

2-2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup toasted coconut

Cream together cream cheese and butter until smooth.  Add powdered sugar and mix until frosting forms.  Fold in coconut.

In a separate bowl:

2/3 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 - 1/3 cup sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

Whip cream and then mix in sugar and vanilla.  Fold into cream cheese icing and assemble cake.

Garnish cake with the remaining 1 1/2 cups coconut.  

Worship.  Eat.  Smile.  

Vegetable/Fruit Serving in Muffins

These are yummy (even for me) and my kids love to eat them at breakfast. I usually freeze them and pull them out each morning and let them defrost on the counter or microwave them.

1 box lemon cake mix
3 eggs
1 apple shredded
1 banana mashed
1 carrot shredded
1 celery stalk minced
1 medium zucchini shredded

Do not add any water. Add 1/2 the oil the mix calls for. I use cupcake papers, but you don't have to. Bake as directed on mix.

Pasta w/ Peppers & Mozzarella

This salad was so yummy and if I hadn't been so tired all day and fallen asleep right before dinnertime, I would have rememberd to make some chicken which would have complemented it very well. I figure that at least I made something!!

12 oz short pasta (like gemelli or penne)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced (i only had one and it was fine)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 bunches arugula, thick stems removed (about 6 cups)
12 oz of small balls fresh mozzarella, cut in half
kosher salt & pepper

-cook the pasta. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water, drain the pasta, and set aside. Wipe out the pot. (i should have read on when i was making this b/c you'll end up needing a pretty big pot b/c you add all ingredients in at the end!)
-Heat the oil in the pasta pot over medium heat. Add the bell peppers and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the peppers are tender, 5-7 mins. (i also added a can of garbonzo beans here for some protein and it was yum!)
-Add the arugula, mozzarella, cooked pasta, reserved pasta water, 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Cook, stirring, until the arugula is just wilted, about 1 minute.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Sorry, I made this and forgot to take the picture. Cydney asked me for this recipe a little while ago and since it has been cold, I thought it would be a nice one to add. I made homemade chicken noodle soup (except I used dried egg noodles--yuck) for the first time when I was teenager and it was one of the first times I realized that homemade is SO much better then from a can or box. I have kind of been tinkering with this recipe ever since. It is pretty basic and easy to make--what most people might say "just like my mom's", but well, since my mom doesnt really cook...it is what I imagine this comfort food should be like.

Chicken Noodle Soup
1 medium onion, chopped
olive oil
1-2 carrots, peeled and diced
1-2 celery, peeled and diced
corn (optional--I will to add it sometimes)
thyme
pepper
bay leaf
2 chicken breasts
6-8 cups chicken broth

For noodles:
1 cup flour
1 egg
1/4 tsp salt

Mix together until crumbly. Add about 1/4 water, until you can make a dough. Roll out and cut into noodles Heat olive oil and sautee onions. Add everything else except noodles and boil about 15-20, until chicken breasts are cooked. Take out chicken and dice it, put it back in. Remove bay leaf. Bring back to boil. SLowly add in noodles until cooked. Adjust seasons-eat.

Thanksgiving PUNCH

wanna punch your friends and relatives this thanksgiving?
here's a yummy-sounding recipe from the National Honey Board:

Holiday Party Punch

2 cups boiling water
3/4 cup honey
4 cups cranberry juice
2 cups orange juice
1 cup lemon juice
1 quart ginger ale
ice cubes
sliced citrus fruit for garnish (optional)

Combine boiling water and honey, stirring to dissolve. Chill. In large punch bowl, combine cranberry, orange, and lemon juices. Stir in honey mixture. Just before serving, add ginger ale, ice cubes, and fruit garnish. Makes about 12 servings. (13 cups, or about 3 quarts)

Chicken Enchiladas with Pumpkin Sauce

Again, no photo. Sorry to continue the trend, but it was sooo yummy BOTH times we made it that it was halfway devoured before taking a photo even crossed my mind. I marked several places in the recipe with an asterix indicating changes I made. They are all listed after the recipe.

1/2 roast or rotisserie chicken, skin removed, meat shredded*
6 scallions, thinly sliced
salt and pepper
1 15 oz can pumpkin puree
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 jalapeno chile, quartered, remove ribs and seeds for less heat, if desired*
1 tsp chili powder
10 corn tortillas (6 inch)
1 1/2 cups grated sharp white cheddar

Preheat oven to 425. In a medium bowl, combine chicken and scallions. Season generously with salt and pepper; set aside.

In a blender, puree the pumpkin, garlic, jalapeno, chili powder, 2 1/2 cups water, 2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper until smooth. Pour 1 cup of the sauce in the bottom of a 2 quart baking dish.

Wrap tortillas in a damp dishtowel and microwave for 1-2 minutes until they are soft enough to roll without cracking or tearing. (Keep the stack covered as you work) Lay one tortilla at a time on a work surface; mound the chicken mixture on half of each tortilla and roll up into a tight log; place seam side down in the sauce in the baking dish.

Pour the remaining sauce* on top; sprinkle with cheese. Place the dish on a baking sheet; bake until cheese is golden and sauce is bubbling, 25-30 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.*

*I used chicken breasts that I had cooked and shredded in the crockpot.
*Instead of jalapeno, I used 1 can of green chiles because I like the flavor better (half in the sauce, and half mixed with the chicken.) I also added a few crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce for heat.
*There is no way all this sauce is fitting in with the enchiladas without overflowing. I save what's left (a cup or so), heat it in the microwave and serve it with the enchiladas as an extra topping.
*These are so yummy topped with shredded lettuce, sour cream, and chile verde sauce. Maybe a dash of Tapatio hot sauce for extra zing.

This is the best mexican food in New Jersey. :)

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

Sorry no picture. Mostly because I made these 'casserole style' instead of rolling them because I was in a hurry. They still tasted delish, just didn't look as good as they could have.
I will post the original recipe with my changes/additions in red.

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:
• 6 Tb. Honey
• 5 Tb. Lime Juice (1 large lime)
• 1 Tb. Chili Powder
• ½ tsp. Garlic Powder
• 1 Lb. Chicken, cooked and shredded - I had cooked chicken in the crockpot with chix stock earlier this week and shredded for several meals, that is what I used.
• 8 oz. 1/3 less fat cream cheese
• 1 small can (4 oz) chopped green chilies, undrained
• Flour Tortillas - I used corn
• 1 lb. Shredded Colby or Monterey Jack Cheese - I cut this to about 3/4 cup
• 16 oz. Green Enchilada Sauce
• 1 Cup Heavy Cream (optional but makes it really yummy) - I used 1/4 cup

Directions:
Mix the first four ingredients and toss with shredded chicken. Left-over rotisserie chicken works great. Let marinade at least 30 minutes or longer (I have put it together and let it marinate in the fridge all day). Pour about ½ cup enchilada sauce in the bottom of the pan. Soften cream cheese in microwave and mix with green chilies. Fill flour tortillas (if using corn, microwave in a damp paper towel for 1 min or soften in oil a few seconds on each side for easier rolling) with chicken and shredded cheese (or cream cheese mixture), saving about 1 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top. If you don't want to roll each enchilada, just layer tortillas, torn in strips, cream cheese mix/grated cheese, chicken about three times, ending with tortillas. Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the cream and leftover marinade (I did not have any left over marinade, but, whatever). Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Uncover for the last 5 minutes to brown the top.

We ate this with a green salad and spanish rice. It got a thumbs up from all the boys!

spiced beets

another recipe from my 30-minute indian cookbook, and one of my favorite ever recipes. the combination of spices, cool cilantro and coconut milk with the yummy earthy sweetness of the beets is perfect. don't fear beets, they have such a great flavor and are so easy to prepare - i always use my pressure cooker and 10 minutes later i have little red jewels ready to eat. they are great plain, but i crave this dish.

1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds, coarsely crushed
½ tsp dried red chili flakes
1 ¼ lb cooked and peeled beets (or canned), cut into wedges
½ cup coconut milk
¼ tsp ground cardamom seeds
Grated rind and juice of 1 lime
Handful of fresh chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a large frying pan and when hot, add the garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander seeds, and chili flakes. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes then add the beets. Fry, stirring gently for 1 minute and then add the coconut milk, ground cardamom, lime rind and juice and cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the chipped cilantro, season with salt and pepper, and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

fresh blackberries

This morning Tessa and I picked 2 bowls full of fresh blackberries from our garden. She ate one bowl and I had the other with sour cream mixed with a little brown sugar, which was inspired by Amy's strawberry post. It was so delicious--thanks Amy! (also Amy, your pictures always turn out so nice--I think I need a new camera or better photography skills...probably both)

banana oatmeal bread

i've been searching for a the perfect banana bread recipe for years, and i've finally found it. i pulled this one out of cooking light years ago and finally got around to making it (after i found it in a stack of torn out recipe pages). it's got everything i was looking for: great texture, not too sweet, and light on the fat. although it calls for oatmeal, which i didn't have, i used a 4 grain hot breakfast mix with barley, oats, wheat, and rye. i liked it so much i will use this mix every time (it's a wegmans brand). so go! use those brown bananas and make this yummy bread!

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup regular oats

1 cup mashed ripe banana

1/3 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

cooking spray

preheat oven to 350. combine flour, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt in a large bowl and combine well with a whisk. stir in oats. combine mashed banana, buttermilk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and eggs in a separate bowl, then add to the flour mixture. stir just until m-word. spoon batter into an 8x4 inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. bake at 350 for 55 minutes or until a wooden pick comes out clean. cool 15 minutes in pan on a wire rack, remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.

pretty food

i just love the color of these golden zucchini.

linguine carbonara

okay, okay. this is spaghetti, but i would have used linguine if i'd had it. i also would have used pancetta and prosciutto instead of bacon if i'd planned ahead. but who doesn't love bacon? mark and i have a running joke about the 'carbonara brick' he made me while we were dating. brick being the operative word. the day before the triathalon he wanted to carbo-load (oh the terms of athletes) so i pulled out one lidia's cookbooks and decided on this, and make no mistake, though it doesn't look like much, it was fabulous. i would definitely half it next time, but the leftovers are pretty good.

6 oz thick cut bacon
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more if needed
2 large yellow onions, quartered and sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 1/2 cups hot chicken stock, or as needed (you can substitute it for 1 1/2 cups pasta water)
1 pound linguine
3 egg yolks 1 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano
coarsely ground black pepper

bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil. cut bacon into 1/4 inch slices and cook in a skillet over medium heat until lightly browned but still soft in the center. about 6 minutes. the amount of fat in the skillet will vary depending on the bacon. if there is more than 3 to 4 tablespoons, pour off the excess. if there is less, add olive oil to measure 3 to 4. add the onions and cook until wilted but still crunchy, 4 to 5 minutes. add the stock, bring to a boil, and adjust the heat to a lively simmer. cook until the liquid is reduced by about half.
meanwhile, stir the linguine into the boiling water and cook until done. ladle off about a cup of the pasta water. add drained pasta to the sauce and bring it to boil, stirring to coat the pasta. check for salt, and add enough water to make enough sauce to coat the pasta generously. remove from heat and add the egg yolks, one at a time, tossing well after each. the heat from the noodles will cook them. add the grated cheese and black pepper, tossing well and serve immediately.

Summer Squash Parmesan

So, what to do what all of that summer squash that is exploding out of the garden....I tried this and both Bryce and I thought is was really tasty (he doesnt like eggplant so this is a good substitute).

Summer Squash Parmesan

3 medium yellow squash or zucchini, sliced about 1/4 inch thick

Olive oil

Garlic

Salt and pepper

Fresh basil

Red pepper flakes

Mozerella cheese, shredded

Parmesan cheese, shredded

Bottles or homemade marinara sauce

Place the squash in a large ziplock back and drizzle with olive oil, add garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Then lay on a baking sheet (dont stack on top of each other). Broil until each side is brown. In a 8x8 baking dish, cover bottom with sauce, place a layer of squash, add sauce again then sprinkle with both cheeses, basil and red pepper flakes. Continue to layer until 3 layers of squash. Finish with sauce and cheese. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. Eat warm or at room temperature.

Greek-Style Quinoa Burgers

I am finally getting around to sharing a few new summer recipes. Here is a nice vegeterian option and is really tasty (Bryce had 2 1/2 of them). The cool yogurt is a nice contrast and they are quick and easy. (Just so you know, Wegmans is having a hard time getting quinoa in--I had to talk to about 5 people before someone even knew what it was. Luckily I still had some from TJs.)

Greek-Style Quinoa Burgers

serves 4

prep time 35 mins

1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed

1 medium carrot, cut in large chunks

6 scallions, thinly sliced

1 can (15 ounces) great northern beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup plain dried bread crumbs

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon ground cumin

coarse salt and ground pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

4 pita breads (6-inch)

1/2 English cucumber, thinly sliced diagonally

1. In a small saucepan, bring 3/4 cup of water to a boil, add quinoa, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook until liquid is absorbed, 12-14 mins, set aside (stop here for basic quinoa recipe).

2. In a food processor, pulse carrot until finely chopped. Add cooked quinoa, half the scallions, beans, bread crumbs, egg, cumin, 1 teaspoon slat, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; pulse until combined but still slightly chunky.

3. Form mixture into four 3/4 inch think patties (dip hands in water to prevent sticking). If too soft, refrigerate 10 mins to firm. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium; cook burgers until browned and cooked through, 8-10 mins per side. 4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, and the remaining scallions; season with salt and pepper. Serve burgers in pita topped with cucumber and yogurt sauce.

per serving: 493 cals, 20 g protien, 14 g fat, 75 g carb, 13 g fiber

*I made a few changes: I added coriander to the burgers and yogurt and added lemon rind and cayenne pepper to the yogurt too. I also served with tomatoes since we had them.

chicken tikka masala

i guess i've been on an indian food kick lately, since i've finally started to cook again. and really, i have yet to meet a person who doesn't like chicken tikka masala, the standard, almost quintessential, indian dish (although it was first created in london). the chicken is marinated over night and is delicious even without the masala - just grill it on skewers and you won't be sorry!

i love the garlic naan - it came from the trader joe's frozen section and is great quality - i put it on the warming rack of the grill after the chicken was done and didn't even have to turn on the oven. bless grills, they are salvation in the summer. i added some peas at the last minute because i never plan for a vegetable side. does that make me a bad person?

chicken tikka

5/8 cup plain yogurt

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 tablespoon oil

1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts, cubed

in a bowl, add all ingredients except chicken and mix well. add the chicken and stir to coat. cover and refrigerate overnight.

masala sauce

1/4 cup ghee or vegetable oil (i used butter)

1 onion, quartered and thinly sliced

1-inch piece of fresh ginger root, finely chopped

1 garlic cloves, minced

6 cardamom pods, bruised

2 teaspoons garam masala

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon chili powder, or to taste

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1/4 cup hot water

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

heat ghee in a large dutch oven, add the onions, ginger and garlic and cook over a gentle heat, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes, until softened but not colored.

add the spices and fry, stirring, for 2 minutes, until fragrant then add the cream, tomato paste, water, sugar and salt. bring slowly to a boil over medium heat, stirring, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. while sauce simmers, skewer the chicken. when sauce is done simmering, remove from heat and broil or grill chicken.

when chicken is cooked, remove it from the skewers and put it in the sauce, return to a low heat and simmer for another 5 minutes. garnish with chopped cilantro and lime wedges, serve with white rice or naan. or both. (and watch out for the cardamom pods!)

spiced molten chocolate cakes

yes, another lava cake recipe... but this one is special, exceptional, killer. it's full of unexpected spices that make it perfect for a cold winter evening, or, in my case (per request), for your husbands birthday.

this is a variation on a recipe i found in bon appetite years ago, and i've tweeked it a bit each time i make it. tonight's was the best so far. we just served it with whipped cream, but it's best with ginger ice cream or gelato. an added bonus to lava cake recipes is you can make the batter a day in advance, pour into bowls, and refrigerate until you're ready to bake.

this recipe makes 8 cakes, i usually cut it in half.

ingredients
14 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/4 cups unsalted butter
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground white pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
6 large eggs
6 large egg yolks
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/3 cups powdered sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt

generously butter eight 3/4 cup ramekins, preheat over to 425 degrees.

stir chocolate, butter, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and white pepper in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. cool slightly. whisk eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla in a large bowl to blend. whisk in 3 cups powdered sugar, then chocolate mixture, the flour. transfer batter to prepared dishes, filling to top and dividing equally.
bake cakes until batter has risen above dish, top edges are dark brown, and centers are still soft and runny, about 13 minutes or 16 minutes for refrigerated batter. run small knife around cakes to loosen. allow cakes to rest in dishes 5 minutes. invert onto a dessert plate and dust with powdered sugar.

goan shrimp curry

it's marks birthday today and this is what he requested for his birthday dinner. i just realized this recipe comes out of a cook book (30 minute indian - one of my favorites) i bought mark for his 30th birthday, how apropos. this is one of our all-time favorites, we still remember the first time we had it in our crappy apartment in plainsboro. it was like we had been transported to india (or at least a great indian restaurant) and served the local specialty. you must try this.

ingredients

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tbsp paprika

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

4 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tsp grated fresh ginger

2 tbsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp palm sugar or soft brown sugar

1 cup water

2 cups coconut milk

2 tsp sea salt

1 1/4 lb raw shrimp

boiled white rice, to serve

mix ingredients through water and transfer to a large saucepan. bring mixture to a boil, cover, and simmer gently for 7-8 minutes.

add the coconut milk and salt, bring to a simmer.

stir in the shrimp and cook briskly until they turn pink and are just cooked through. serve hot, garnished with chopped cilantro and accompanied by white rice.

blackberry-sour cream ice cream

i bought blackberries at the store not really knowing what i would do with them. i do believe i made the correct choice to pulverize them and turn them into a most delicious ice cream, the flavor of which i have never experienced in any ice cream before. i was inspired by lindsey's strawberry sour cream ice cream and wish i would have had cream on hand instead of half & half. but fiddle-de-dee! it was amazing anyway. and i borrowed this photo from http://myhusbandcooks.wordpress.com/ beacuse mine was gone before i could get a picture.

18 oz package blackberries

3/4 cup sugar

juice of 1 lime

1 cup sour cream (i'm just now imagining what it would have tasted like if i had use fage...mmm)

1 cup heavy cream or half & half

1/2 tsp. vanilla

pinch of salt

put blackberries in a blender or food processor and mix until completely liquified. press juice into large bowl through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds. add remaining ingredients and whisk until sugar is dissolved and mixture begins to thicken. refrigerate until very cold, the freeze in ice cream maker according to it's directions. put in freezer until firm, then enjoy every mother loving bite.