And a new way to try doing popcorn in the microwave.

Tamarind Popcorn

I think tonight I will make Strawberry Sorbet.

But then, the next attempt simply must be Salted Butter Caramel Ice Cream.

David Lebovitz really is brilliant, and I could use a copy of his book Perfect Scoop: Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, and Sweet Accompaniments

So, if you can’t get a photograph of some food item you have made before the food item has almost disappeared, the food item might have turned out well.

The cheesecake, while not up to being a real food model, turned out very well.

Here is the recipe…

Total ingredients
3 oz. (7 whole) graham crackers
3 oz chopped pecans
1.75 C. sugar
4 tbl. Unsalted Butter
4 eggs
1.5 lbs Phil. Cream Cheese (3 larger boxes) softened
9 tbl. (4.5 oz) half-n-half
1 pint sour cream
1 tea. vanilla

Notes:

• Soften the cream cheese a hour or two before you start. If you forget, it’s not a deal breaker, but it will be harder to incorporate into the main batter.
• Some people bake a cheese cake in a water bath, I don’t. But I do put a METAL
  pan of water in the oven under the cake while it bakes.
• In the topping, I have been known to substitute a few tabl. Of either Amaretto or
  Baileys Iris Cream instead of vanilla
• Use a 9” springform pan

Crust:
3 oz. (7 whole) graham crackers
3 oz. chopped pecans
.25 C. sugar
4 tbl. Unsalted butter

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Pulse crackers and chopped pecans in food processor until evenly and finely ground. Transfer crumbs to bowl and drizzle melted butter over, and mix with rubber spatula until evenly moistened. Turn crumbs into springform pan and spread evenly in one layer. Use a flat bottomed glass or ramekin to press down and evenly flatten crumbs. Use a spoon around the edges if needed. Bake for about 15 minutes, pull out, and cool on wire rack while making the filling.

Filling:
4 eggs
.75 C. sugar
1.5 lbs Phil. Cream Cheese (3 large Packages)
9 tbl. (4.5 oz) half and half

Toss softened cream cheese into stand mixer and beat till even more soft and spread around the bowl. Toss in sugar and let run some more. Then toss in eggs. Then toss in half and half and mix on medium or medium high till everything comes together into a smooth batter. Pour mixture into springform pan and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Turn oven off. Cool cake in oven for 45 minutes. Pull cake out and cool for 30 minutes.

Topping:
1 pint sour cream
.75 C. sugar
1 tea. vanilla

Mix all together and pour on top of cake. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool.

Then chill in refrigerator for a few hours.

Recipe and permission to share it here thanks to Ken. Thanks!<–!>

I used salted butter and greased the sides of the pan with butter after baking the crust. This tip, from Joy of Cooking, lets the cooling cake pull away from the sides of the pan easily as it contracts in order to prevent cracking.

Anyway, I did find this recipe for Garlic Ice Cream. I might just have to try this at some point.

And then there is grilled potato ice cream. I don’t think I’ll try that one.

Not so adventurous, but cardamom ice cream sounds delicious.

Here’s a coconut ice cream recipe with no sugar that might just work…