Place the heavy cream and sugar into a mixing bowl.
Mix until stiff.
Remove the serving platter and frost each bonbon lightly with part
of the cream mixture.
Return ice cream to the freezer.
Divide the remaining cream mixture into as many bowls as you would
like colors for the eggs.
Tint each cream mixture with a different color of the food coloring.
Red will render pink, blue, yellow and green will also make nice
pale contrasting colors.
Remove ice cream from the freezer.
Frost some of the bonbons with the contrasting colors. Or, if you
just want to decorate the bonbons to make each one different, use a
small pastry bag or baggie with one corner cut to pipe the colored
cream mixture onto each egg.
Return to the freezer and freeze until firm.
Once firm, remove and wrap each bonbon in the freezer wrap.
May be stored in the freezer for up to one month.
Take out and serve any time you want candy, ice cream, or both.
These make a great treat for any occasion, particularly Easter, when
you can call them ice cream Easter eggs.
COOL LEMON TREATS
1 C graham cracker crumbs
3 eggs, separated into whites and yolks
1/2 C sugar
1 T lemon peel, grated
1/3 C lemon juice
1 C heavy whipping cream
6 small foil pie pans
Freezer paper
Place the egg whites only in a mixing bowl.
Beat with an electric mixer on high speed until peaks begin to form.
Very slowly add the sugar one T at a time. Continue beating after
each addition and until the peaks stiffen.
Place the egg yolks in a separate bowl.
Beat on medium speed until they begin to thicken.
Add the lemon peel and lemon juice.
Beat on low speed until mixed together well.
Use a rubber spatula and fold the egg yolk mixture into the egg
white mixture.
Pour the whipping cream into the mixture.
Fold together carefully until completely combined.
Place enough crushed graham crackers in the bottom of each of the 6
pie pans to cover fully.
Fill each of the pie pans with the graham cracker bases with the
lemon mixture.
Top with more cracker crumbs and press down to flatten.
Wrap tightly with the freezer paper and freeze for up to three
months.
When ready to serve, remove the lemon treats from the plan. Cut with
a sharp knife before thawing. One pan should make 2 to 4 servings.
Let the lemon treats set on a cold platter in the refrigerator for
up to 1 hour before serving.
MARVELOUS MOCHA PIE
2/3 C butter
1 C brown sugar
2 1/2 C toasted rice cereal
1 pt chocolate ice cream
1 pt mocha or coffee flavored ice cream
1/3 C chopped pecans
1 C whipped cream
Aluminum foil
Place a small saucepan over medium heat.
Add the syrup and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer 2 minutes, being sure to stir
often.
Place the cereal in a large bowl.
Pour the hot syrup over the cereal.
Mix together with a rubber spatula, being sure the cereal is
completely covered.
Very lightly butter a 9-inch pie plate.
Press the cereal mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the pie
plate.
Freeze 30 minutes or until set.
Place the chocolate ice cream in the refrigerator to soften so it
will be easier to spread.
Remove the cereal crust from the freezer.
Spread the chocolate ice cream over the cereal crust until it is
covered fully.
Return to the pie shell to the freezer until the ice cream becomes
firm again.
Soften the mocha or coffee ice cream in the refrigerator.
Add the pecans and stir together well.
Spread over the frozen chocolate ice cream in the pie.
Return to the freezer until firm.
Remove and wrap tightly in freezer wrap until ready to serve.
Before serving, top with the whipped cream.
This will also work really well with pistachio ice cream. Substitute
pistachios for the pecans in the recipe.
If you have any leftover pie, slice quickly before it thaws too
much, and wrap in freezer wrap. Take out one piece at a time, and
let stand for 10 minutes to thaw before serving.
PERFECT PLUM PIE
2 T lemon juice
4 C purple plums, peeled, sliced, and with their pits removed
1 C sugar
2 T quick cooking tapioca
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
Freezer piecrust for 2 crusts (see the recipe in the
Pantry
section)
2 T butter or margarine
Heavy duty aluminum foil
Place the prepared plums in a large mixing bowl.
Sprinkle with the lemon juice.
In another bowl, combine the sugar, tapioca, cinnamon and nutmeg
together.
Add the plums to the sugar mixture.
Toss to cover the plums completely.
Let the mixture stand for 15 minutes.
Place the aluminum foil in a 9-inch pie plate, being sure to extend
the foil about 6 inches over the plate.
Fill the foil with the plum filling.
Fold the foil over the top.
Freeze the pie pan with the mixture for several hours, or overnight.
Place more foil over the filling, making sure that it is secured
tightly around the filling.
Freeze for up to six months.
To bake, remove both the crusts and filling from the freezer.
Allow the crusts to come to room temperature.
Roll one crust out on a floured surface to an 11-inch circle.
Place the crust in the pie plate.
Fill with the filling.
Roll the second crust out to about a 10-inch circle.
Dot the filling with the butter.
Place the second crust on top.
Crimp the edges, and trim any extra crust off the edges.
Place 4 slits in the crust to release the steam.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Bake the pie for 45 minutes or until top is a golden brown.
Top the hot pie with vanilla or butter pecan ice cream to enjoy it a
la mode. This recipe will also work well with finely sliced apples
and pears. Increase the amount of cinnamon to 1 teaspoon, up to 2
teaspoons, depending on how aromatic you like it.
If there are any leftover slices of pie, cut them up and freeze
individually, for a delicious dessert or pie on the go.
IDEAS FOR ENTERTAINING
One of the best things about these recipes is that they can be
prepared ahead of time and used whenever you need them, especially
when you have to feed a lot of people or even keep your family fed
during the holidays.
For instance, the summer holidays and school holidays can be a
really challenging for busy parents, especially if you are both
working and will not be getting much time off yourself when the
children are home from school.
Cooking these breakfast, lunch and dinner ideas ahead of time can
ensure a lot less stress and that your children are eating well no
matter who might be looking after them.
You can also get a real head start on your holiday menu planning and
entertaining, for example, by making the most of your freezer space.
Start cooking some of these great recipes ahead of time, and then
simply defrost, or heat and eat.
In addition to using any of these recipes for large parties, here
are a couple of other fun ideas for entertaining at home. You don't
have to spend a lot of money to impress your guests with these fast
and fun ideas.
FROZEN ICE RING FOR HOLIDAY DECORATING
2 qts ring mold or decorative Bundt pan
8 maraschino cherries, halved to make 16 pieces, or 8 red and 8
green whole cherries, alternating colors as you work
16 orange segments, divided into 4
16 pink grapefruit segments
16 peeled kiwi fruit slices
16 lemon peel strips
16 lime peel strips
Tap water or bottled water to fill the 2 quart mold
Place the mold in the freezer for about 1 hour to chill.
Remove mold and rinse in cold water.
Do not wipe dry.
Place mold back in the freezer until a thin coating of frost appears
inside the mold.
You will be making 4 layers in total in this ring, so plan out the
use of your fruit in alternating patterns, starting with "12
o'clock" and working your way round.
In each mold section or quadrant, arrange one piece of each of the
fruits at a position on the clock, starting with high noon and one
of the red or green cherries.
Once you have placed the fruit, carefully add just enough water to
cover the bottom of the mold. Be careful not to add too much water,
or add it too quickly, or else the fruit will float to the top.
Place in the mold into the freezer until ice sets.
Remove it and then start your second layer. Beginning at just to the
right of 12 o'clock, but with a different fruit, such as the
oranges, work your way around the clock, adding another 12 pieces of
fruit just to the right of the previous fruit you placed. Work
quickly so that nothing starts to thaw.
Add just enough water to cover the fruit, carefully making sure that
the fruit does not float.
Place in the mold into the freezer until ice sets.
Remove it and then start your third layer. Beginning at a bit more
to the right of 12 o'clock, but with a different fruit, such as the
pink grapefruit, work your way around the clock, adding another 12
pieces of fruit just to the right of the previous fruit you placed.
Work quickly so that nothing starts to thaw.
Add just enough water to cover the fruit, carefully making sure that
the fruit does not float.
Place in the mold into the freezer until ice sets.
Remove it and then start your fourth layer. Beginning at 12 o'clock,
but with a different fruit, such as the kiwis, work your way around
the clock, adding another 12 pieces of fruit. Return to the freezer
until set.
Remove and fill with water to the top of the mold.
Return to the freezer and allow the mold to freeze into an ice
block.
When ready to use run cold water over the mold to release the ring.
Place the ring into a clear glass punch bowl to keep your drinks
cold, and for decoration.
You can use just about anything you would like, including fruit,
real, or plastic flowers, to decorate this ring.
FROZEN ROSETTE DESSERT DECORATIONS
1 pt heavy cream
1/4 C confectioner's sugar
Food coloring in any color you need for any special occasion
Aluminum foil
Cardboard
Freezer bags
Place the cream and sugar into a large mixing bowl.
Whip together until mixture becomes very stiff.
Separate into bowls to add the food coloring if you want a variety
of colors.
Cover the cardboard with the aluminum foil.
Use a pastry bag with a rosette tip and pipe the mixture onto the
foil.
Place the cardboard with the rosettes on it the freezer for at least
2 hours.
The rosettes will need to be very firm when removed from the
cardboard.
Remove from freezer and store in freezer bags.
Do this quickly so the rosettes don't become soft.
Freeze for up to three months.
Use to decorate cakes, frozen pies or any other types of desserts.
You can also try other decorating tips to create pre-made
decorations in a variety of colors and use as needed. Keep frozen in
order for them to be handled easily. You can make a variety of
custom decorations for cake, cupcakes and more in this way. If you
make a
CONCLUSION
So there you have it, over 30 great recipes you can use immediately
in most cases, or freeze and use whenever you need a fast hot meal
for your family. You can have great breakfast, lunch, dinner,
dessert and decorations in a snap whenever you need them. Enjoy a
hot meal in minutes, no matter what the season or how busy you and
the children are during their school vacations. You have also
discovered how to make your own staples such as tomato sauce, salsa
and beans that do not come out of cans.
You won't have to rely on expensive convenience foods, takeout or
restaurant meals. You will also know exactly what your food contains
because you will have cooked it yourself, without a lot of
artificial coloring, flavorings, sweeteners, or other harmful
chemicals. You will not need to worry about chemicals transferring
from tins to your food either.
We hope you enjoy these recipes and make the most out of your
freezer, or new freezer you decide to buy in order to get the best
use out of it and save money and time by cooking ahead of time for
your family.
