Thursday, August 6, 2009

People Who Pick Berries Are Nicer

...claims the lady who owns our local raspberry patch.

I, uh...yell, er, I...was not...so nice to my kids that night.
So. Maybe we should go back.

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La la, catch a few pics, then it was down to business. I'm not going to lie, I was there for the cheap produce. Hayden kept signing for 'more' until she figured out how to just pick it herself. That girl went to town. Abbey insisted on her outfit. I wouldn't wear wedges to work in the fields, but what do I know.

Ah...the bounteous supply. I also grabbed some local honey--have you heard the theory that it helps with allergies? I'll give it a shot.

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I have too many plans for the two quarts of berries we picked. But the fan favorite has to be pairing it with delicious, homemade lemon ice cream. {Or for The Ville folk, Erin's Lemon Ice Cream :) }

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Combine whole milk and sugar and heat over medium heat. Heat until hot but not simmering. Beat eggs in a separate bowl. Slowly pour half of the heated milk into the egg mixture, rapidly stirring the eggs with a wire whisk as you pour (like you would make pudding). Add the egg mixture into the remaining milk, slowly pouring and whisking the milk as you pour. Heat and stir mixture on medium-high heat until it reaches 160°. This should only take 4-5 minutes.
Cool and pour into a metal ice-cream maker canister. Chill in the fridge. Then stir in creams, vanilla, and lemon extract.
*The secret to good homemade icecream is the ratio between salt and ice. For every 2 inches of ice, add a layer of 1/4 c. rock salt. (A ratio of about 5 cups ice to 1 cup salt.)

*It's important to heat the icecream mixture to 160° like the recipe outlines. Heating an egg mixture to 160° will kill all salmonella that might be present in the eggs. This process doesn't change the taste or texture of this delicious icecream.

I make this recipe differently. But I'm giving you Erin's directions because she's the lemon ice cream queen.

In other news, it must be noted that The Abster learned how to swim this week. Not the "I can throw you in the deep end and you'll make it safely to the edge so the lifeguards at the club will let you go off the diving board" sort of swimming, mind you. But she'll jump a few feet out, sink like a rock, and furiously kick those little legs until she gets back to the steps. It makes me so, so happy to see her trying.

Also note: I think I can open my own pumpkin patch this fall!
Also. I think if I'm not careful, it will take over my yard and eat my children.

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14 comments:

Nicole said...

This post makes me so happy! I love raspberries, your beautiful kids, the amazing pictures, the pumpkins climbing your back stairs. Ahhh. And thanks for the recipe - I have some leftover raspberries from Bear Lake. (Would you mind if we posted the lemon ice cream recipe on the Seven Bum Kitchen? Guest chef?)

Of course you can live with me! :)

Ashley said...

Go for it! I'll email you the link to Erin's recipe so you can give her credit.

Tearsa said...

You guys are always doing such fun things! And you take the best pics. Your life looks so much more glamorous than mine...I need a new camera I guess. Maybe we'll have to come check out your pumpkin patch this fall :)

Anonymous said...

What? what happened to your "baby"? She is walking now... i swear last time i checked, she was a squishy ball of baby lying on the floor.

tristie

Angie said...

The girls are loving all the berries, that's cute. Ashlyn and Abbey are a lot alike, i wish we could get them together to see how they acted around one another. ha ha someday!

allegra said...

i didn't even know they made wedges for toddlers. so cute.

ashley, look at your little hayden! she is such a big girl with her pig tails. she is such a beautiful little creature l i can't handle it.

you officially made me crave raspberries. only we don't have any. thanks. now i have to go to the store:)
maybe i'll grab some ice cream while i'm at it, because right now i don't have the energy to make the home-made goodness. but it sounds lovely.

koryn said...

Yes! Leaving a comment the right way! I was loving all the shots and really thinking the green pumpkin plat looked lovely in the light until you said it may eat your children. It sent shivers.

Also, for me, please have your girls hold hands in every shot. It does NOT get cuter.

melissa said...

Scrumptious, all!

So people who pick berries are nicer than what? People who buy them? People who squish them? What does it mean?

Corie said...

Mmmmm... thanks for the recipe! 'Can't wait to try it out. Looks like a fun family outing to the raspberry patch. I love how cute your girls are - chips off the old block!

Leslie said...

oh oh my.... thanks for your comments on my blog the other day. Im so glad you did, cause then I got to come over here and check out all this loveliness on your blog.. So so much... and please link away, I would be so flattered....

btw.. Totally got some awesome giggles over your love of arrested development, my hubby and I put the kids in bed and watch it most evenings... were hooked.

Can't wait to see what all inspires you.. and Im definitely adding you to my reader...

and just so this novel of a comment gets longer, I had a lot more thoughts on this "funk" that Im hoping to write more on later.. like... some.. oh wow duhhh... thoughts.. hoping today is a blessed blessed day for you. Im ready to shake it off, I hope... :)

The Hodsons said...

Pumpkins!!! How exciting! And Raspberries!! I'm loving this Raspberry season...I have a wonderful grandma-in-law who brings us these. Can't wait till Brynlee is old enough to go raspberry picking. Your girls are so darling :)

Alisa and Crowells said...

YUM!! I'm so making the ice cream and the fresh raspberries on top look too perfect. Ice cream is my favorite dessert--so really, thanks for sharing!

Erin said...

I love that post! It looks like you guys had a blast raspberry picking. MMMmmm, fresh raspberries with lemon icecream - sounds divine! I'm thrilled that you like that recipe so much. Makes me happy. :)
PS I love your pumpkin patch. :)

Christin said...

Totally thinking of you the other day. I made your lemon and dried cherry scones. They were a hit at the Enrichment brunch. Everything you make is delicious. I'll have to try the ice cream recipe.