Black Cherry, Blueberry & Vanilla Ice Cream Float

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW6am75M2_7GdPgqfYucDynMsTCT_dFzU1Dk0B1eHTaZbIAdejqR-EOTk8DljULRLvUdJObvOsnUcQsQ83R96sFIGc8EjDizC2LLr6uKvqzJ5XzHvvyFTP_TzDwMi8ZxSSi-NYZf0ZOK87/s1600/cherry-float.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW6am75M2_7GdPgqfYucDynMsTCT_dFzU1Dk0B1eHTaZbIAdejqR-EOTk8DljULRLvUdJObvOsnUcQsQ83R96sFIGc8EjDizC2LLr6uKvqzJ5XzHvvyFTP_TzDwMi8ZxSSi-NYZf0ZOK87/s1600/cherry-float.png" width="426" /></a></div>Don't you love that just when you think you've tried everything new, you find something that is immediately your new all-time favorite?  Mike and I recently had dinner at his favorite new restaurant, Rye (for those that are local).  It is a sort of upscale southern comfort food type place with an emphasis on fresh and local.<br /><br />We usually opt for a slice of banana cream <i>and</i> lemon meringue pie for dessert.  As the server was describing couple next to us was ooh-iing and ahhing over their float so much, that I was swayed to give it a try.  Their version was vanilla ice cream, lemon-blueberry sorbet, house-made cherry soda, and topped with soft swiss meringue and a salted crumble.  <br /><br /><br />I made a very simplified version that has been my new after dinner obsession.  At some point I will go to all of the trouble of making the swiss meringue and creating a salted cookie crumble topping, but for now, this is my favorite super easy and so delicious dessert for the summer. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiesjgIw3ilAMOHHeS5HRI1SEsQ0ykkJKm_EG4ZChZO0-9EBGTzb4jkuo5h8KpcIKSaY5xibJK96_tUZk54ANocMw6q6cqO-wSVHAIwp8KJt6CLqA4bk9yA9TGViMyQysVojibGtqp1d3ge/s1600/IMG_1303.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiesjgIw3ilAMOHHeS5HRI1SEsQ0ykkJKm_EG4ZChZO0-9EBGTzb4jkuo5h8KpcIKSaY5xibJK96_tUZk54ANocMw6q6cqO-wSVHAIwp8KJt6CLqA4bk9yA9TGViMyQysVojibGtqp1d3ge/s1600/IMG_1303.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt1d1fnev6gx3CpVzxh5tnnLEvWqOe1nuyjuT7TBjK6jQ8Ci-rO0RBqyTaewvh_tpEJ0VpdrO6mdj9t3rLH1bBRchSTlnC-EjncztRRwidC2evkSbePa94jUa21r7opysdRQciPxOydcjB/s1600/IMG_1307.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt1d1fnev6gx3CpVzxh5tnnLEvWqOe1nuyjuT7TBjK6jQ8Ci-rO0RBqyTaewvh_tpEJ0VpdrO6mdj9t3rLH1bBRchSTlnC-EjncztRRwidC2evkSbePa94jUa21r7opysdRQciPxOydcjB/s1600/IMG_1307.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Black Cherry, Blueberry & Vanilla Ice Cream Float</i></span><br /><br /><i>Vanilla Ice Cream</i><br /><i>Blueberries </i><br /><i>Black Cherry Soda </i><br /><i><br /></i>The key is to make sure the ice cream, the glass and the soda are all very, very cold.  This creates the magical slushy vanilla, cherry mixture of the float. <br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyBy0J_jq1K0Wg3Fum4jBfa2aurfHKLFYgZI8MywzNSBut-PBZdqnkRgAatoHAd8Belvo_ivP-j7cBaLiGmXFqktwF486xObpoIOQbqrQRaeDR8Ebz-p8nMk0u056hTVqDUyWqi89Amu-L/s1600/IMG_1314.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyBy0J_jq1K0Wg3Fum4jBfa2aurfHKLFYgZI8MywzNSBut-PBZdqnkRgAatoHAd8Belvo_ivP-j7cBaLiGmXFqktwF486xObpoIOQbqrQRaeDR8Ebz-p8nMk0u056hTVqDUyWqi89Amu-L/s1600/IMG_1314.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />You can see my helping hands finishing the blueberry garnish.  Wouldn't this be so festive for the 4th, too!? 

Black Cherry, Blueberry & Vanilla Ice Cream Float

Don't you love that just when you think you've tried everything new, you find something that is immediately your new all-time favori...

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Easy "Homemade" Peach Ice Cream & Mini Snickerdoodle Cookies

<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDzzN2ASRt0fAEQOVgYaZISHAjIkHbByVyeuasCemfaI-iMeWzYlq6RyDuA6SYzWQxh1sxlXxRWpgP726AebzlWcen_ui2IDFjpKb8nUGadfAZ6a9rv2PCotkIQCkb9oOhcv2TKxsuPOwP/s1600/IMG_1521.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDzzN2ASRt0fAEQOVgYaZISHAjIkHbByVyeuasCemfaI-iMeWzYlq6RyDuA6SYzWQxh1sxlXxRWpgP726AebzlWcen_ui2IDFjpKb8nUGadfAZ6a9rv2PCotkIQCkb9oOhcv2TKxsuPOwP/s1600/IMG_1521.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a data-pin-config="beside" data-pin-do="buttonPin" href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fjennysteffens.blogspot.com%2F2014%2F06%2Feasy-homemade-peach-ice-cream-mini.html&media=http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-NSHjtCln1hU%2FU49uwftSQBI%2FAAAAAAAAW_o%2Fegvt1mTYg4Q%2Fs1600%2Fpeach-ice-cream-and-cookies.png&description=Mini%20Snickerdoodles%20%26%20%28Non%29%20%26quot%3BHomemade%26quot%3B%20Peach%20Ice%20Cream%20-%20easiest%20summer%20dessert%2C%20ever."><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_gray_20.png" /></a><!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --><script async="" src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js" type="text/javascript"></script> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I love really simple desserts - especially when we're entertaining... or is it that I always make really simple desserts when we're entertaining because I run out of time?  One of my favorite easy desserts to serve is ice cream and cookies.  I make the dough ahead of time, put them in balls on baking sheets and then put them in the oven just as we're finishing dinner.  I serve the warm cookies with cold ice cream and everyone goes crazy.   In the Fall, I make <a href="http://jennysteffens.blogspot.com/2012/12/ginger-spice-cookies-holiday-cookies.html">ginger cookies and serve them with caramel ice cream</a>, during the holidays I make chocolate cookies paired with butter pecan... endless options.</div><br />When we lived in Concord, we spent most of our summer nights at a local creamery that made the best peach ice cream.  Nothing that I have found is even close.  So, any time I walk in the grocery store and smell fresh peaches, I make my own non-homemade homemade peach ice cream.  I put our favorite (Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla) ice cream in the food processor with some peach slices (skin and all) and give it a whirl.  If we're not going to eat it right away, I put it back in the freezer to harden.<br /><br />I love how this little dessert looks in the <a href="http://everyday-occasions.myshopify.com/collections/entertaining/products/robin-s-egg-blue-enamelware">Enamelware Mini Dessert Pots</a> from my store.  I have lots of great desserts planned for them (individual blackberry cobblers!), but they also work great as ramekins on a buffet to hold dips and spreads.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXSKnOsydd3x1eu4ELFcdcFW41-nJNvCMxhVhnh7GCKpZsqHVUZFhznS7vMFmof_HnnnbT7VbdYqDzfBr-mndzO7d6BZsWMGZgIMMrIYusLR9CLOkk3ttiG96_3pvcigKMEDGsKU85tcy0/s1600/peach-ice-cream-and-cookies.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXSKnOsydd3x1eu4ELFcdcFW41-nJNvCMxhVhnh7GCKpZsqHVUZFhznS7vMFmof_HnnnbT7VbdYqDzfBr-mndzO7d6BZsWMGZgIMMrIYusLR9CLOkk3ttiG96_3pvcigKMEDGsKU85tcy0/s1600/peach-ice-cream-and-cookies.png" width="426" /></a></div><i><span style="font-size: large;">Mini Snickerdoodles</span></i><br /><br /><a data-pin-config="beside" data-pin-do="buttonPin" href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fjennysteffens.blogspot.com%2F2014%2F06%2Feasy-homemade-peach-ice-cream-mini.html&media=http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-NSHjtCln1hU%2FU49uwftSQBI%2FAAAAAAAAW_o%2Fegvt1mTYg4Q%2Fs1600%2Fpeach-ice-cream-and-cookies.png&description=Mini%20Snickerdoodles%20%26%20%28Non%29%20%26quot%3BHomemade%26quot%3B%20Peach%20Ice%20Cream%20-%20easiest%20summer%20dessert%2C%20ever."><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_gray_20.png" /></a><!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --><script async="" src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js" type="text/javascript"></script><br /><br /><span style="background-color: #f7f7f8; font-size: 14px;">Sign-up </span><span style="background-color: #f7f7f8; font-size: 14px;">for my </span><a href="http://mad.ly/signups/118273/join" style="background-color: #f7f7f8; font-size: 14px;">Printable Recipes</a><span style="background-color: #f7f7f8; font-size: 14px;">.</span><br /><br />1/2 cup butter 1/2 cup shortening <br />1 1/2 cups sugar<br />2 eggs  <br />1 teaspoon <a href="http://everyday-occasions.myshopify.com/collections/baking-supplies/products/vanilla-bean-paste">vanilla bean paste</a> (or regular vanilla)<br />2 1/2 cups all purpose flour<br />1/2 teaspoon salt<br />2 teaspoons baking powder <br />..... <br />1/3 cup sugar<br />2 teaspoons cinnamon<br /><br />Cream together butter, shortening and sugar.  Add eggs one at a time until combined.  Add vanilla.  Add flower, salt and baking powder, stirring until just combined.  <br /><br />Chill mixture for 15-30 minutes.  Roll in very small 3/4-inch balls.  Roll them in a mixture of sugar and cinnamon.  Place on a baking sheet and bake for 5-6 minutes at 350 degrees.  Should be taken out of the oven just before cooked through so they stay soft.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjotBat-wsdqB6SjkyEOPc17Vrqx6Uqn4Yhyug7xOrvs0APOTYCToq-DDGYdNMKocBJvzRq4M1Lj6IC7ARipq-H9jKL3CEkYUqrc4RTvR_Tx6GhPqFdbIU3vqpo6i45vSf8TWq6J6JGMR1T/s1600/IMG_1531.JPG" style="clear: right; 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Easy "Homemade" Peach Ice Cream & Mini Snickerdoodle Cookies

  I love really simple desserts - especially when we're entertaining... or is it that I always make really simple desserts when we'r...

Read more »