Cinnamon Apple Ice Cream: The Good Life

Ahhh, the Good Life …

I have it. I have it!

You know how I know?
Because
when I’m at work, I’ve got one eye on the clock, waiting for the short hand to hit 5.

Is it Friday yet?
I’m forever racing toward Friday, making big plans for the weekend. Visiting friends, cooking, baking, having people over, lazy dinners with our family, picnics, bike rides, road trips. This is freedom.

I often think about how lucky I am. I have a loving family that keeps me beaming with pride and the cutest li’l blue-eyed beauty that could’ve found her way into my heart.

My friends are gems I’ve collected over the years and have proven to be my foundation.

And, I have you. You inspired me. This blog has brought so many new friends into my life and I want you to know I’m so happy you’re here.

The simplest things are the best things, like the change of seasons.
Now that the weather’s warming up and the sun stays out late, we have more time to play.

Sometimes, I’ll put on the tiger ears and chase Daisy around the house. We’ll stop to catch our breaths and she’ll stand there, looking at me, her li’l chest quivering with cute giggles.

Everything else disappears.
Dinner burning on the stove (my trademark)
and the groceries waiting to be put away
and the laundry piling up on the foosball table
and
and
and and…

Suddenly, I feel like a kid again, the way I do when I eat ice cream.
Feels almost like a crime, really.

Ice cream!
What a grrrreat idea!

And quick as a whip,
thanks to my friend Pagu’s recipe for the base.

But, what flavour?

Chocolate, vanilla, strawberry. Sure, sure, those are all great.

Something off the beaten path would really be cool.
But, what?

I talked it over with my li’l culinary consultant, Ms. Esther McDoodle
and she had a brilliant idea –

“Mama, I want apple. Apple, Mommy, apple, ok?“

Hey, now, there’s a thought.
I could make it work, if I cooked the apples so they didn’t freeze.
Apple pie is famous in our family.

The very first batch was a success.
We put it all together and here’s what happened:

5 minutes plus some chill time.
No eggs.
No machine.
No kidding.

Cinnamon Apple Ice Cream
Serves 4 Giggle-bugs

Supplies
2 cups heavy cream
14 oz sweetened condensed milk
3 Tb cinnamon
2 Tb corn starch

1 Granny Smith apple
1 Tb brown sugar
1 tsp lemon juice

Steps
Peel an apple and cut it into small cubes, about 1/2 an inch in thickness.
Add apple cubes to a small pan, add brown sugar and lemon juice.
Cook for a few minutes, until apple is soft.

Meanwhile, pour the cream into a stand mixer and whip to soft peaks.

Remove apple from heat and transfer to
a small clean bowl and quick-chill in the freezer.

Combine cinnamon and condensed milk, then add the apple.
Blend the corn starch into the mix. 
Gently incorporate into the whipped cream.

Transfer to a plastic storage container (even an old recycled yogurt container) and chill in the freezer for about 3-4 hours.


Ice cream will be ready by the time the dinner plates are clean.

Life’s so short and the days zip by so fast, it’s almost a blur.
Sometimes, I have to hit the brakes and remember to enjoy the moment, like last night.

We went next door to visit my neighbour friend Silva.
Daisy held my hand as we walked across the cool, soft grass.
My eyes fell on the beautiful red-yellow roses in our front yard.

We actually stopped and I showed her that
the tsayeeks (as she calls them in Armenian) had a beautiful fragrance.

There’s so much that I no longer notice, but it’s all new to her.
Daisy teaches me to slow down and enjoy the simple things in life.

Like ice cream.

Is your mouth watering?

It should be.
But, don’t worry. You don’t have to wait long.

As long as you can keep your head out of the freezer, you’ll have your ice cream soon enough.

Then, you can stop and enjoy it with someone cute.

I let Daisy loose and she loved the ice cream. She doesn’t really understand the whole melting process and took her time to savour it. She carefully licked the ice cream, a bit at a time.
She got it all over her nose, mouth, chin, hands, clothes, even her hair.

But, don’t worry if you make a mess.
That’s what laundry is for.