I Ain't Got No Problem

I seem to be on a culinary indulgences kick. Odd, as I've been rather good about my eating habits lately. Perhaps it is an alignment of the adage "Eat simply, but eat well." A little bit of tastebud heaven can be far more satisfying than a smorgasbord of gut-buster (as we like to refer to it) eats.

Case in point: a spoonful of Homemade Coconut & Vanilla Cherry Ice Cream. I think I emitted an audible groan when I licked the spatula. Ever the rule-follower, I don't have a working knowledge of extreme vices ... but if crack cocaine got spun into frozen dairy goodness, this is what I imagine it might taste like. Hmm. I'm now wondering if keeping oneself to just a "little bit" of tastebud heaven is sheer impossibility.

If you too would like to slip into a drug-like ice cream coma, dust off the ol' ice cream machine that you keep meaning to use. My machine calls for a total of 3 cups of dairy in various forms. I used 1 can of (cold) coconut milk, about a half-cup of heavy cream (because it was all I had leftover from my pasta nirvana dish), a dash of vanilla, dash of cherry juice, and then milk to make up the difference and end up at the 3 cup mark. After mixing well with 3/4 c. sugar and adding a bit of nutmeg (mmmm ...), toss in the machine for specified time. Once at soft serve state (about 30 mins. on my machine), fold in chopped up canned or cooked cherries*.

Spoon into an airtight container and freeze 'til firm. Share with family, or don't tell them you made it and eat it all yourself. In the dark. In a closet. With a wedge of dark chocolate. Be careful and don't leave any evidence behind.

If you don't hear from me for awhile, it's entirely possible my family has formed some sort of intervention or checked me into a rehab program to combat my recent onslaught of excessive consumptive behaviors. MmmHmm, that's right. I'm turnin' into a rebel with nary a guilty pang to be found. Here's to livin' on the edge ...

* I used homemade canned cherries gifted to us by a friend (hurrah!), but I've read that you can roast fresh cherries and that sounds so intriguing!