Fresh Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

The farm welcomes an amazing array of volunteers every week. It is not only a great place to give back to the community. It is also a great place to meet the most interesting people imaginable. One of our volunteers, Saule, blogs most splendidly at 2 Sisters, 2 Kitchens, and just recently shared a yummy ice cream recipe that can be made with fresh mint. She just happened to pick hers up from the farm. Thanks for everything, Saule!

Fresh mint chocolate chip ice cream

2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
2/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp. light corn syrup
¼ kosher salt
2 cups fresh mint (stems count)

¼ cup whole milk
4 tsp. cornstarch

6 oz. dark chocolate

Mix heavy cream, 1 cup of milk, sugar, corn syrup, salt, and mint in a large pot. Cover and bring to boil. Boil for 1 minute, turn off the heat. With the lid closed infuse the mixture for 2 hours. Strain the liquid into a large bowl and press the mint through a chinois/fine mesh strainer to extract the mint flavor. Discard mint and pour the liquid back into the pot. Bring the liquid to a rolling boil.

While the mint liquid is getting warm, mix cornstarch and remaining milk until the mixture is well combined. Stir the liquid into the pot and cook until the mixture thickens for about 2 minutes. The mixture should be thick enough to coat the back of the wooden spoon. Turn off the heat.

Place cream cheese in a bowl and pour in ¼ cup of hot mixture, whisk until smooth. Add the cream cheese mixture to the pot and stir the base for a minute. The ice cream base is almost finished.

Fill a large bowl with ice water. Pour the ice cream base into a large Ziploc bag. Place a closed bag into the ice water. This will allow the base to cool just in 10 minutes.
Once the base is cool, transfer it into the ice cream maker and follow manufacturing instructions.

Several minutes before the ice cream is ready and your ice cream machine starts to sound like an old Soviet train, melt the chocolate in a microwave or a water bath. Turn off the ice cream maker.

Drizzle the bottom and the sides of a large plastic container with melted chocolate and top with a layer of ice cream. Drizzle more chocolate over the ice cream and top with another layer of ice cream. Using a dining knife, break frozen chocolate into small chips. Continue layering chocolate and ice cream breaking the chocolate every 1 or 2 layers.

Freeze the ice cream for at least 2 hours and enjoy on a hot summer day after few hours of farming.

The Thanksgiving Recipes

Pumpkin Seed Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/2 cup/9.5oz oatmeal
1/4 cup soy milk
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon agave nectar
3/4 cup/8.5oz sugar
Pinch of salt
1 1/4 cup/6.5oz pumpkin seeds
3/4 cup/3oz rough chopped bittersweet chocolate

Mix oatmeal, soy milk, grapeseed oil, baking powder, agave nectar, sugar and salt in a mixer with paddle attachment for 2 full minutes. Add pumpkin seeds and chocolate and mix until combined.
Drop cookies on baking sheet and flat with moist fingers.

Bake 350˚F oven until golden brown.

Bread (Raisin, Pumpkin Seed, White, Wheat)

3 cups water
2 tablespoons fresh compressed yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons salt
4 cups whole wheat flour
4 1/2 cups organic all purpose unbleached flour (exact amount determined when making)
oil for pan
1.Preheat oven to 425. In a large bowl combine water, yeast, sugar and salt. Mix until somewhat smooth. Gradually add flour, about 2 cups at a time, switching back and forth between the whole wheat and the all purpose unbleached. Knead in flour after each addition.
2.When the dough can stick together as a ball take the dough out of the bowl and place on a clean surface. Knead the dough adding more flour until it stops sticking to your hands. Knead dough vigorously for about 2 minutes.
3.Split the dough in four pieces and form into long loaves. Coat a sheet tray with oil. Place breads on the sheet tray .
4.Bake the bread until it is a deep golden brown, about 20 minutes.
(with one bread we added additional whole wheat flour, another we added raisins and another we added pumpkin seeds)

Corn Bread Stuffing

Cornbread, make a day in advance:
2 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
2 teaspoon salt
3 cup buttermilk
2 egg beaten
2 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 oz melted earth balance plus 1 oz for pan

To make cornbread, mix all ingredients until just smooth.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat a large heavy bottom skillet over medium high heat. Grease hot pan with 1 oz earth balance and add corn bread batter. Let cook on the stove top until the sides just begin to set, about 4 minutes. Place in oven and cook until the bread is thoroughly cooked, about 20 minutes.

Additional Stuffing Ingredients:
1/2 cup grapeseed oil
1 quart chopped onions
1 quart chopped carrots
1 quart chopped celery
1 quart chopped apples
1 quart of cooked bulgar wheat
2 heaping teaspoons of chopped sage
salt and pepper to taste

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add onions, carrots and celery. Cook stirring often until the onions are translucent, about 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Break cornbread into pieces with your hands, add additional stuffing ingredients and mix thoroughly. Place in a heavy bottom skillet and bake until thoroughly hot and the top is crusty, about 2 hours. To get the top more crispy turn oven to broil just before serving.

Collard Greens

1 quart sliced onions
2 cups of Braggs Unfiltered Cider Vinegar
2 cups water
agave nectar to taste
salt and pepper to taste
6 quarts cleaned collard greens

In a large pot combine onions, vinegar, water, agave nectar, salt and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil and add collard greens. Cook over medium heat and stir often until greens are tender, about 3 hours. Taste greens and adjust agave nectar, salt and pepper if necessary.