Delicious Homemade Ice Cream That You Can Make In A Bag!

Delicious Homemade Ice Cream That You Can Make In A Bag!

by | Sep 29, 2018 | Farm to Fork, Healthy Homemade Recipes

Today I’m going to share a quick homemade ice cream recipe with you that I’m sure you’ll love!

This homemade ice cream recipe is the perfect activity for kids because you make the ice cream in a bag that they get to throw around.

This was my FAVORITE thing to do as a kid! My brother and I loved making homemade ice cream in a bag because we got to play catch with our ice cream! This ice cream is SOOO fun to make and it is super simple too! You mix the ingredients together and then toss a bag around for 20 minutes. It’s great for a game of hot potato or catch and you get ice cream out of it too!

Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients

  • 1 heaping T of instant pudding (in the flavor of your choice)
  • 1 t vanilla
  • 1/4 c of sugar
  • 3/4 c. cream
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 c rock salt
  • 4 cups ice

You’ll also need 2 quart sized Ziploc bags, 2 gallon sized Ziploc bags, duct tape, newspaper, and some plastic grocery bags.

Instructions

In one of your quart sized Ziploc bags mix together the pudding mix, vanilla, and sugar.

You can choose the pudding mix of your choice! You can even experiment and mix flavors together. I’m dying to try caramel and chocolate mixed together. If you’re doing two different flavors just do a 1 ½ teaspoons of each flavor.

Close the bag (make sure it is closed tight!) and squish the ingredients together.

Next add cream and milk into the same Ziploc bag and then squish all of the ingredients together again.

Place your quart sized bag into another quart sized bag (the extra bags are to stop the ingredients from leaking all over. If your kids are rough with this kind of stuff, add extra bags for more protection)

Place your bags inside of a gallon sized Ziploc bag. Place 2 cups of rock salt and 4 cups of ice in the gallon sized bag, and spread equally on either side of your quart sized bags.

Place this bag into another gallon sized bag and begin to wrap with newspaper. I wrap it with at least 5 layers of newspaper and then tape it all together with duct tape. Then I wrap a couple grocery bags around the outside for extra protection and tape them down with duct tape.

Then comes the fun part! Toss the bag for about 15-20 minutes. After tossing for 20 minutes your ice cream will be ready! If you unwrap it and it isn’t quite done, just wrap it up again and keep tossing it!

Before you open the last bag that has the ice cream in it, I recommend that you gently wash off the bag with cold water or a wet rag. This gets off any of the rock salt that might have been on the bag which prevents you from having salty ice cream!

I hope you enjoyed this quick and easy recipe! What flavor of ice cream are you going to try next?

Homemade Ice Cream in a Bag

Make your own delicious homemade ice cream using ziploc bags!

  • 1 heaping tbsp of instant pudding (in the flavor of your choice)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 cups rock salt
  • 4 cups ice

  1. You’ll need 2 quart sized Ziploc bags, 2 gallon sized Ziploc bags, duct tape, newspaper, and some plastic grocery bags.

  2. In one of your quart sized Ziploc bags mix together pudding mix, vanilla, and sugar. 

  3. Close the bag (make sure it is closed tight!) and squish the ingredients together.

  4. Next add cream and milk into the same ziploc bag and then squish all of the ingredients together again.

  5. Place your quart sized bag into another quart sized bag (the extra bags are to stop the ingredients from leaking all over. If your kids are rough with this kind of stuff, add extra bags and newspaper for more protection)

  6. Place bags inside of a gallon sized Ziploc bag. Place 2 cups of rock salt and 4 cups of ice in the gallon sized bag and spread equally on either side of your quart sized bags.

  7. Place this bag into another gallon sized bag and begin to wrap with newspaper. I wrap it with at least 5 layers of newspaper and then tape it all together with duct tape. Then I wrap a couple grocery bags around the outside for extra protection and tape them down with duct tape.

  8. Toss the bag around for about 15-20 minutes.

  9. Open the bags and serve the ice cream! Before opening the last bag (the one with the ice cream in it) wash the bag off with water or wipe it down with a rag. This prevents any of the rock salt from getting into your ice cream.

 

Make Your Own Delicious Homemade Root Beer!

Make Your Own Delicious Homemade Root Beer!

by | Sep 22, 2018 | Farm to Fork, Farm To Table, Healthy Homemade Recipes

Today I’m going to share a quick homemade root beer recipe with you!

Making homemade root beer was one of my favorite things to do as a kid. Every Halloween my mom would make homemade root beer and I loved the cool fog that it created!

I love making my own homemade root beer! This recipe is fun for kids because the dry ice used in the root beer creates “fog” that is perfect for Halloween. Your kids will love the root beer and the fog that this recipe creates!

This recipe is fun for Halloween parties, barbecues, or just making it for your kids!

Disclaimer here: Obviously, you don’t want to let your kids handle or be anywhere near dry ice. Dry ice can be dangerous, so this recipe definitely requires adult supervision! Make sure you wear gloves and handle the dry ice safely. Also keep in mind that you should buy the dry ice right before you plan to use it because it can evaporate pretty quickly if you don’t store it correctly!

Here’s the ingredients you need:

  • Large container (I always use a large pitcher, or you could use a cauldron for a Halloween party!)
  • 4 quarts of water
  • 2 cups of sugar*
  • 2-3 Tablespoons of root beer extract**
  • 1-2 pounds of broken up dry ice***

First off, you want to make this root beer in a well-ventilated area. Also make sure you don’t put a lid on the container you’re making the root beer in! The pressure can build up and cause it to explode!

Mix the water, sugar, and root beer extract together in the container. Carefully add in your pieces of dry ice and stir. At this point the dry ice will start to dissolve and create “fog.” Stir the mixture frequently so that the dry ice doesn’t stick to the sides or bottoms of the container. Serve once all of the dry ice has dissolved!

Trust me, your kids will love the fog and the yummy root beer! It’s perfect for Halloween (or any time of the year!) I also love using this recipe for making root beer floats!

Recipe Notes:

*You can add extra sugar to the recipe if you want it to be sweeter. This recipe is easy to customize so add more sugar if your prefer your root beer to be sweet

**Same as with the sugar, you can add more root beer extract or less depending on your taste preference. Personally, I would start with two tablespoons and then slowly add more if you feel it needs it.

***The more dry ice you put in to this recipe, the longer it will bubble and create fog! But that also means that you will have to wait longer before you can drink it.

Homemade Root Beer

  • 4 quarts water
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2-3 tbsp root beer extract
  • 1-2 pounds broken up dry ice

  1. Mix the water, sugar, and root beer extract together a container (I always use a large pitcher).

  2. Carefully add in your pieces of dry ice and stir. The dry ice will start creating “fog” as it dissolves!

  3. Stir the mixture frequently so that the dry ice doesn’t stick to the sides of the container.

  4. Serve once all of the dry ice has dissolved!

Remember to make this recipe in a well ventilated area and never put a cover on the container you’re making it in! Covering it can cause the pressure to build up inside of the container which can cause it to explode. Always handle dry ice safely by using thick gloves or tongs. Dry ice can burn your skin if you aren’t careful.

Children’s Book Read-and-Bake Series: Vanilla and Chocolate Shortbread Button Cookies for “Corduroy” by Don Freeman

Children’s Book Read-and-Bake Series: Vanilla and Chocolate Shortbread Button Cookies for “Corduroy” by Don Freeman

by | Aug 9, 2018 | Farm To Table, Kids In The Coop, Sustainable Living, Uncategorized

Vanilla and Chocolate Shortbread Button Cookies are as tasty as they are adorable!

These bite sized cookies have a buttery crunch that melts in your mouth and are ideal for snacking or adding on top of a favorite dessert.

Shortbread is a crisp, buttery, type of cookie that originated in Scotland. The main ingredient list is short and simple; butter, flour, and sugar.

 

Some shortbread recipes supplement the flour with corn starch which adds a melt-in-your-mouth texture. Flavorings, like vanilla or cocoa, can be also be added.

 

Vanilla and Chocolate Shortbread Button Cookies are a great choice when you want to bake ahead or for mailing. The flavor of these cookies gets even better after a few days. Stored in an airtight container at room temperature, shortbread cookies stay fresh for at least 2 weeks!

Shortbread Dough

Versatile shortbread dough can be baked in many forms.

  • Though no special pans are required, there are decorative shortbread pans that create wedges or bars embossed with lovely designs.
  • The dough can also be baked in a regular square or rectangular baking pan, then cut into bars.
  • Rolling the dough into a log for slice-and-bake cookies, allows you to store shortbread dough in the fridge and quickly bake fresh cookies as needed!
  • Individual cookies can be portioned with a scoop or rolled into balls.
  • For Vanilla and Chocolate Shortbread Button Cookies, the dough is rolled out and cut into shapes.

 

Read-and-Bake Book and Recipe

This month’s featured book, “Corduroy” by Don Freeman, is a childhood classic that is amazingly as popular today as when it was first published fifty years ago!

 

The original Corduroy book (there are also sequels and adaptations) tells the story of Corduroy, a stuffed toy bear, and Lisa, a little girl who loves him enough to spend all the money in her piggy bank to buy him.

 

At first, is seems that Corduroy is destined to remain on the store shelf. His overalls are missing a button and Lisa’s mother doesn’t want to spend money on a damaged toy.

 

At night, when the department store is empty, Corduroy has an adventure as he tries to find a replacement button without success.

 

Luckily, the next day Lisa returns and uses all of her piggy bank savings to buy Corduroy and bring him home, where she sews a new button on his overalls.

 

Vanilla and Chocolate Shortbread Button Cookies are the obvious cookie to link with this story! Make the cookies in several different shapes and sizes and let the kids decide which button Corduroy might have liked best.

To create a variety of button shapes, gather anything you have in the kitchen that might cutout a small shape. For my buttons, I used:

 

  • small cookie cutters: circle, square, daisy
  • small plastic medicine cup (the kind that often comes with cough syrup)
  • the bottoms of large and small piping tips

 

To make the Vanilla and Chocolate Shortbread Button Cookies roll the dough out to ¼” thickness between two sheets of parchment or wax paper. Use the small “cutters” to cut out the buttons.

 

Gently press a slightly smaller shape into the center of the cookie to create a rim on the button.

 

Make 2 or 4 thread holes at in the middle of each button using the blunt end of a wooden skewer.

 

Chilling the cutout cookies for 1 hour to overnight firms the dough so that the cookies will hold their shape in the oven.

 

Vanilla and Chocolate Shortbread Button Cookies are great for:

  • enjoying straight from the cookie jar
  • care packages and gift giving
  • sprinkled on pudding, fruit cups, and ice cream right before serving

 

Sharing “Corduroy” and Vanilla and Chocolate Shortbread Button Cookies is sure to cause lots of smiles!

Two other bear themed cookies that would also be fun to share with this book are:

Vanilla and Chocolate Shortbread Button Cookies

 

Servings: About 3 dozen 1 ½ inch cookies

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, very soft, room temperature butter
  • ¾ cup confectioner’s sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup corn starch
  • Optional: Add 4 teaspoons of cocoa to make ½ of the dough chocolate

Directions:

  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a large mixing bowl, stir butter, sugar, and vanilla until combined.
  • Add the flour and corn starch. Stir until dough forms. Knead a few times in the bowl until smooth.
  • For ½ batch chocolate dough: Divide the dough in half. Set one half aside and place the remaining half back in the mixing bowl.
  • Add cocoa and mix with a wooden spoon until the cocoa is incorporated evenly to form the chocolate dough.
  • Between two sheets of parchment paper, roll out each dough flavor to ¼”. If the dough is sticky, dust the dough lightly with flour (top and bottom) to prevent sticking.
  • Use a small circle cookie cutter to cut out each button. Use a smaller circle to impress a center ring on the button. Use a skewer to place 2 or 4 threading holes at the center of each cookie button.
  • Place the cut out cookies on the prepared baking sheet about an inch apart.
  • Refrigerate the cookies for at least an hour (up to 24 hours), until firm.
  • When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375° F.
  • Remove the cookies from the refrigerator and bake for about 10 minutes, until the edges of the cookies are beginning to become golden brown.
  • Allow the shortbread to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
  • Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.
  • Double wrap small piles of button cookies in plastic wrap. Then place bundles snugly in an airtight container or zip lock bag for mailing.

Vanilla and Chocolate Shortbread Button Cookies

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, very soft, room temperature butter
  • ¾ cup confectioner’s sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup corn starch
  • Optional: 4 teaspoons cocoa to make ½ of the dough chocolate

  1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  2. In a large mixing bowl, stir butter, sugar and vanilla until combined.

  3. Add the flour and corn starch. Stir until dough forms. Knead a few times in the bowl until smooth.

  4. For ½ batch chocolate dough: Divide the dough in half. Set one half aside and place the remaining half back in the mixing bowl.

  5. Add cocoa and mix with a wooden spoon until the cocoa is incorporated evenly to form the chocolate dough.

  6. Between two sheets of parchment paper, roll out each dough flavor to ¼”. If the dough is sticky, dust the dough lightly with flour (top and bottom) to prevent sticking.

  7. Use a small circle cookie cutter to cut out each button. Use a smaller circle to impress a center ring on the button. Use a skewer to place 2 or 4 threading holes at the center of each cookie button.

  8. Place the cut out cookies on the prepared baking sheet about an inch apart.

  9. Refrigerate the cookies for at least an hour (up to 24 hours), until firm.

  10. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375° F.

  11. Remove the cookies from the refrigerator and bake for about 10 minutes, until the edges of the cookies are beginning to become golden brown.

  12. Allow the shortbread to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

  13. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.

  14. Double wrap small piles of button cookies in plastic wrap. Then place bundles snugly in an airtight container or zip lock bag for mailing.

BIO

Wendy Sondov is the recipe developer, baker, photographer, and care package creator for The Monday Box, the only care package recipe blog. All of the recipes on The Monday Box are for baked goods that travel well and stay fresh for a long time. Get recipes for home baked love sent straight to your inbox by signing up here!

Amish Farmhouse Sugar Cookies with Raisins for “The Cow Loves Cookies”: Children’s Book Read-and-Bake Series

Amish Farmhouse Sugar Cookies with Raisins for “The Cow Loves Cookies”: Children’s Book Read-and-Bake Series

by | May 11, 2018 | Farm To Table, Kids In The Coop, Sustainable Living

Recipes from Amish kitchens, passed down through generations, tend to combine simple ingredients into something simply delicious. Amish Farmhouse Sugar Cookies are a crunchy, melt-in-your-mouth treat made with just a few pantry staples.

 

Bake some to share and some to fill your own cookie jar!

 

 

Hi! I’m Wendy, the sprinkle loving, care package creating, baker at The Monday Box. My specialty is care package recipes for baked goods that travel well and stay fresh for a long time.

 

Of course, my recipes are just as delicious enjoyed at home!

 

I am excited to share some of my recipes here with you in a series of guest posts linking children’s picture books and baking!

 

When I started The Monday Box, 7 years ago, my son had just started college. I wanted to send him a care package filled with home baked love.

 

Honestly, he would have been just as delighted with commercial cookies, but baking and sharing was therapeutic for me. I benefited while creating, and my son benefited while munching.

 

However, I couldn’t find a resource for care package recipes. Most baking recipes don’t tell you how long a cookie or bar will stay fresh.

 

I decided to publish my own care package recipe resource and created The Monday Box.

 

 

At first, I published recipes with only college care packages in mind, but over the years my care package focus has expanded to include a variety of purposes.

 

As an enthusiastic member of Soldiers Angels Deployed Adoptions team, I send monthly themed military care packages, with baked goodies that match the theme, to my “adopted” service members. I document those care packages and share the recipes on The Monday Box.

 

This guest post series will focus on another care package connection, baking for children. Whether you are baking for your own children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or friends, these book themed treats are sure to cause lots of smiles.

 

In each of my Read-and-Bake posts, I will:

  • Feature a children’s picture book to read with your little ones.
  • Summarize the book.
  • Provide a recipe for a baked treat that ties to the book.
  • Offer tips for sharing, mailing, and enjoying the books and baked goods.

 

 

This month’s featured book is “The Cow Loves Cookies” by Karma Wilson. Told in rhyme, the story follows the farmer as he feeds his many animals.

 

All of the animals eat normal farm animal food, except for the cow who loves cookies! The cow has a deal worked out with the farmer. The farmer provides the cookies, and the cow provides the milk!

 

The author doesn’t tell us specifically what kind of cookie the cow loves. (I think she probably loves all cookies.) Amish Farmhouse Sugar Cookies would definitely be a good choice.

 

The illustrations show the Farmer and the cow eating a speckled cookie. I thought about what the speckles could be and chose to make my cookies speckled with raisins.

 

Other options for speckles that would be delicious in Amish Farmhouse Sugar Cookies include:

  • Chocolate chips (milk, white, dark, or semi-sweet)
  • Butterscotch chips
  • Peanut Butter chips
  • Cranberries
  • Dried cherries or other dried fruit bits
  • Nuts

 

My suggestion is that you read this book to the wee ones in your life, then share some milk and cookies. Reading snuggled up together is optimal, but if distance makes that impossible, send a care package filled with Amish Farmhouse Sugar Cookies and have a story time video chat!

 

 

Does your family have a favorite picture book? Is there a book you would like to see featured? Let me know in the comments!

 

Amish Farmhouse Sugar Cookies with Raisins

Servings 24

 

Ingredients

  • 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cream of tarter
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 cup raisins (plus extra for decorating)
  • ¾ cup large crystal white decorating sugar or brown turbinado sugar

 

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 375° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  •  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter, oil, and both sugars for about 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
  • Mix in the eggs one at a time. Then mix in the vanilla.
  • Gradually add the dry ingredients until just combined. Overmixing will produce a less tender cookie.
  • Fold in the raisins.
  • Pour decorating sugar into a small shallow bowl.
  • Use a medium (2 tablespoon) scoop to portion the dough.
  • Roll each dough ball in decorating sugar.
  • Place coated dough balls 2” apart the prepared baking sheet.
  • Flatten each ball slightly with the palm of your hand. Add a few raisins on top of each cookie. The raisins will not stick well to the sugared surface until baked.
  • Bake for 8-9 minutes. Tops of cookies will not darken. Bottom edges of cookies will have just begun to turn golden brown. Do not overbake or the cookies will be dry.
  • Cool on baking sheet.
  • Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Amish Raisin Cookies

  • 4.5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cream of tarter
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup raisins (plus extra for decorating)
  • 3/4 cup large crystal white decorating sugar or brown turbinado sugar

  1. Preheat oven to 375° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Set aside.

  3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter, oil, and both sugars for about 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.

  4. Mix in the eggs one at a time. Then mix in the vanilla.

  5. Gradually add the dry ingredients until just combined. Overmixing will produce a less tender cookie.

  6. Fold in the raisins.

  7. Pour decorating sugar into a small shallow bowl.

  8. Use a medium (2 tablespoon) scoop to portion the dough.

  9. Roll each dough ball in decorating sugar.

  10. Place coated dough balls 2” apart the prepared baking sheet.

  11. Flatten each ball slightly with the palm of your hand. Add a few raisins on top of each cookie. The raisins will not stick well to the sugared surface until baked.

  12. Bake for 8-9 minutes. Tops of cookies will not darken. Bottom edges of cookies will have just begun to turn golden brown. Do not overbake or the cookies will be dry.

  13. Cool on baking sheet.

  14. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

BIO

Wendy Sondov is the recipe developer, baker, photographer, and care package creator for The Monday Box, the only care package recipe blog. All of the recipes on The Monday Box are for baked goods that travel well and stay fresh for a long time. Get recipes for home baked love sent straight to your inbox by signing up here!