Say gel-ahhhhh-to

It’s officially the dog days, and you have a summer soiree to attend tomorrow. “What can I bring?” you asked. “Oh, just a little something for dessert,” they replied. But the very thought of baking something in this heat makes you deflate with fatigue. You still want to bring something homecrafted – some kind of ice cream would be great, but you don’t have an ice cream maker. What to do?

You spend a grand total of 5 minutes prepping this mock-gelato, that’s what. And then you’ll make it again and again and again. Really. Because it really is only 4 ingredients,  it really does only take 5 to mix it up, you really don’t need an ice cream maker, and, best of all, it really does work.

I know it may sound a little weird, but trust us. We swear it will surprise you. Something about the way that the acid in the citrus combines with the fat in the cream (and yes, you must use cream; we tried it with half & half and it just didn’t work texture-wise, though the flavor was still a total delight) creates a perfect dense, creamy texture that is so akin to ‘real’ gelato, though the technique is very different.

The original called for lemon, which is equally delicious, but there’s something about the subtle tang of the grapefruit here that Donna and I both were tickled by – so creamy & subtly tangy. It’s also incredibly rich. And it truly is amazing how well the texture comes out without churning! The whole thing is a revelation.

FIVE MINUTE GRAPEFRUIT “GELATO”

2 cups regular (NOT heavy) whipping cream
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh grapefruit juice (I recommend ruby red)
Zest of said grapefruit, finely grated
1/2 tsp salt

Whisk it all together, pour it into a container and freeze for at least 8 hours, ideally overnight.  That’s IT. Yes, really!

(Donna’s Note: This recipe is a result of kitchen synergy between Anne and I. The original recipe is from my friend Patty Ransom, who asked me if I had ever heard of  “Five Minute Lemon Ice Cream.” I was thrilled and amazed after tasting it, and made it frequently. Then Anne and I were cooking together and decided the grapefruit flavor would be a much more flavorful twist. To our delight,  it was even more amazing than lemon. Haven’t tried lime yet, hmmm . . . So, Patty – if you’re reading this – thank you!)

-- posted by Anne

Don’t throw out those over-ripe watermelon slices! Watermelon popsicles are a cinch to make – and they’re almost FREE if you consider that you make them from watermelon you would have thrown out otherwise.

Just throw chunks of the too-ripe watermelon in a blender, seeds and all.  Also add a little lime juice and some lime zest, as much as you dare! Then turn your blender on full blast and wait for the popsicle magic to happen.

Strain the mixture through a kitchen strainer and add your sweetener of choice as desired. Freeze in popsicle molds or small paper cups.  Then, bask in your glorious frugal-ness and sit on your porch steps and slurp away!

Food Bloggers have been going nuts for the last few months with popsicles. Here’s just a sampling, with some amazing flavor combos:
Raspberry Yogurt Popsicles, Orangette
Lemon Buttermilk Popsicles, Pinch my Salt
Mango Popsicles, My Columbia Recipes
Peaches and Cream Popsicles, My Baking Addiction
Strawberry Lime Yogurt Popsicles, Gimme Some Oven
Fudge Popsicles, Comfy Belly
Chocolate Cherry Coconut Milk Popsicles, Cheap Healthy Good
Blueberry & Pomegranate Popsicles, Mango & Tomato
Coconut Mango Popsicles, 5 Dollar Dinners

– posted by Donna

We’re pleased to add this to Pennywise Platter Thursdays! Check out all the other great offerings.

Once in awhile, browsing through random magazines while getting your hair done pays off. This post proves that!

This month’s Good Housekeeping magazine had a recipe that looked good enough to try: Lemon Blush Napoleons. I made a version of it and it is truly Fab Frugal Food! All the things I look for in food are in this recipe: 1) fabulous (ie, interesting, different, unique); 2) delicious; 3) quick; 4) easy; 5) frugal; 6) healthy and 7) flexible, because you can use any fresh sliced fruit or berries and it will turn out wonderful!

I made it even simpler by using flavored Greek yoghurt, which has a delicious taste and creamy texture.

You can make this recipe even more frugally by using regular sugar in place of the turbinado sugar, but the wontons won’t be as crispy or look as pretty. You can also omit the sugar entirely if you want a low-sugar version.

Other fab frugal berry desserts from fellow food bloggers:
Berry tart - Amazing Dessert Recipes – with a Toasted Almond Crust
Peach and Berry Cobbler – Kalyn’s Kitchen – one of the best cobbler recipes out there
Mixed Berry Terrine - Dorie Green Span – looks light and refreshing
Berry De-Lite – Cookie Baker Lynn – no baking necessary! yay!

LEMON BERRY CRISPY NAPOLEONS

24 wonton wrappers (3 inch square size)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
4 tablespoons turbinado (or raw washed) sugar
16 ounces Greek yoghurt (honey or lemon flavored)
6 cups fresh berries (or other sliced fresh fruit)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place 12 wonton squares in a single layer on a parchment paper covered bakiing sheet. Brush the squares lightly with a little butter. Sprinkle buttered squares with a little of the sugar. Bake near top of oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned, watching closely the last few minutes so as not to burn. Remove from oven and let cool. Repeat this process for the other 12 wonton squares.

Mix together the yoghurt and lemon curd. Make a stack on each serving plate starting with one wonton square on the bottom and layering with yoghurt  and fruit.

Makes 8 servings.

– posted by Donna