These triple digit Dallas temperatures continue to call for a refreshing dish of ice cream to help cool down in the summer heat. 

Sunday afternoon Central Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) held an ice cream churn-off in fellowship hall— a contest featuring home-made ice cream. 

The panel of judges made up of Mike Bowden, Monica Womack and B. J. Austin judged entries on flavor, texture and color and announced Margaret Wilson first place winner with her vanilla ice cream.  

A long time member of Central, Wilson has a reputation around the church for being a good cook and today was proof again of her skills in the kitchen.

“Using a recipe handed down to me by my mother-in-law, I make it the old-fashioned way by cooking the milk, sugar and eggs to the consistency of a custard,” Margaret said. 

Here is the recipe: 

3 cups sugar

3 Tbs. flour

Dash salt

6 eggs

3 cups milk

1 qt half and half

1 tsp. vanilla 

Mix first three ingredients together with a mixer until well blended. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture starts to thicken.  Coating the back of a spoon  with the mixture is the tried and true way to determine if the mixture is ready to remove from heat. 

Add half and half and vanilla.  Cool. When mixture is cool, churn it in an ice-cream- maker.  (This recipe makes enough to fill a 1 1/2 qt. ice cream maker twice.)

The Book Trotters, a Lakewood book club, visited Japan Monday evening as they reviewed “A Tale for the Time Being,” by Ruth Ozeki, a Zen Buddhist priest.

Sitting in a French Maid café in Tokyo, Nao Yasutani records her tormented life in her diary. Nao suffered a life-changing event when her father lost his high-tech job in the Silicon Valley and had to return his family to Japan. Raised in America, the sixteen-year old does not fit in with the Japanese lifestyle and has been bullied at school ever since her return to Japan. She pours out her heart and suffering in her diary. However, she is also committed to chronicling the life of her great-grandmother, a Zen Buddhist.   

Years later, the diary, preserved in a freezer bag and a “Hello Kitty” lunchbox, washes ashore and falls into the hands of a writer.  And that is how the book came in to being!

In a review on Amazon.com by Caroline Williams, the book is described as "beautiful, exquisite and delightful."

“The story explored themes of Zen Buddhism, quantum physics, animal spirits and totems, the effects of the tsunami in Japan, bullying, mental illness and suicide, and moral choices during wartime,” Williams said.

Julie Do was this month’s hostess who selected the book.

Book club member, Rose Mary Rumbley asked Julie what made her choose the book.

“I have read the book three times and each time I learned something more and picked up on something else.  I wanted to delve deeper into the meaning of the book and engage in more discussion,” Julie said. 

The book did generate a good discussion for the Book Trotters.  They were also treated to sushi, edamame, Raman noodle salad, rice and an assortment of Japanese sweets during the very enjoyable evening at Times Ten Cellar in Lakewood.

July is official “ice cream” month!  And the home-made variety has been at the top of the list of delicious summer indulgences for ages.  Obviously it tastes great, but also, in the old days ice cream making was somewhat of a chore.  When someone went to the trouble of making homemade ice cream it was anticipated and appreciated by everyone. 

Do you remember those days? Mom prepared the milk, sugar and egg mixture on the stove top and Dad poured it into the canister of the ice cream maker, packed the wooden bucket with rock salt and ice and manually cranked the ice cream maker under a back-yard shade tree until it had hardened.   

All the kids wanted their turn at cranking the machine and our dads let us give it a try although we were likely just in the way. Turning the handle of the ice cream machine repeatedly required a little more muscle than young arms had developed. 

Later the machines became electric, negating the need for arm muscle, but still a rather messy process requiring ice and salt. 

Those days may be gone, but the joy of delicious home made ice cream has never been more popular. With the variety of new, counter-top ice cream makers on the market, it is easier than ever to have home-made ice cream. There is a machine to fit every budget and taste—inexpensive to expensive and traditional to soft serve. There is even a vintage style maker to bring back childhood memories.  

In the last few years and especially this year, there seems to be a surge in making ice cream at home and in gourmet flavors using liquors, herbs and more.  The same goes for ice cream toppings.  

Anne Pogson was the first place winner of last year’s ice cream churn-off at Central Christian Church in Dallas.  The churn-off is an annual church event held each summer. 

Last Year’s contest was held shortly before Blue Bell had returned to the freezers in the Dallas grocery stores so many folks were still in the throws of Blue Bell “withdrawal.”  With that in mind, Anne cleverly named her winning, frozen concoction “Waiting for Bluebell.” 

I joined Anne in the kitchen of her Dallas home Monday morning so she could demonstrate her ice cream making skills and share some of her tips for making the most delicious ice cream ever—like the one that won her the first place title and gourmet ice cream scoop last summer. 

Anne’s beautiful kitchen is a gourmet’s dream and I could not help asking her if she enjoyed cooking.  

“I do like to cook and I often choose Ina Garten’s recipes,” Anne said. 

Cooking is by no means all that Anne does.  She is President of the Disciples Women at Central Christian Church in Dallas and Vice President of the Board of Directors for the church. A member of Alpha Delta Pi, she is a Past President and currently a fundraiser for the ADPi foundation. 

She and her husband Clyde have two grown children and two grandchildren. 

“Basic Chocolate Ice Cream,” Anne’s choice for last year’s churn-off, is an easy recipe with several suggested additions for variation. 

If you have a good basic recipe you can keep your ice cream simple or make it as fancy as you want by the addition of ingredients and/or fun toppings, like the Alessi Chocolate flavored Balsamic Reduction that I purchased at Central Market during their ice cream promotion this past weekend. 

Anne began preparing the recipe by “scalding” the milk—a cooking technique that heats the milk to just bubbling around the edges but not letting it come to a boil.  

“Some people scald milk in the microwave but using the old stovetop method allows you to keep an eye on the bubbles so that it does not boil,” Anne said. 

She used her food processor to combine the sugar with the chocolate, pulsing the ingredients until the chocolate was finely chopped, then added the scalded milk and continued to process until the mixture was well blended and smooth.

 When the mixture had cooled, Anne added the heavy cream and vanilla.  She prefers Madagascar Bourbon vanilla, the choice of many cooks. 

After chilling for 30 minutes in the refrigerator, the mixture was ready to be transferred to Anne’s Cuisinart counter-top ice cream maker to let the machine do its magic. 

Within a few minutes we had a delicious chocolate ice cream.  

“How easy was that?” as Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa would ask.

Basic Chocolate Ice Cream 

1 cup whole milk

½ cup granulated sugar

8 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet (your chocolate) broken into ½ inch pieces

2 cups heavy cream, well chilled

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

Heat the whole milk until it is just bubbling around the edges (this may be done on the stovetop on in a microwave). In a blender or food processor fitted with the metal blade, pulse to process the sugar with the chocolate until the chocolate is very finely chopped.  Add the hot milk, process until well blended and smooth.  Transfer to a medium bowl and let the chocolate mixture cool completely.  Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla to taste.  Chill for 30 minutes or longer. 

Turn the machine on, pour chilled mixture into freezer through ingredient spout and let churn until thickened, about 25 – 30 minutes. 

Variations: 

Chocolate Almond:  Add ½ teaspoon pure almond extract along with the vanilla.  Add ½ - 3/4cup chopped toasted almonds or chopped chocolate-coated almonds during the last 5 minutes of freezing. 

Chocolate Cookie:  Add ½ - 1 cup chopped cookies during the last 5 minutes of freezing. 

Chocolate Fudge Brownie:  Ad ½ - 1 cup chopped day-old brownies during the last 5 minutes of freezing. 

Chocolate Marshmallow Swirl:  When removing the ice cream to a container for storing in home freezer, layer it with dollops of your favorite chocolate sauce and scoops of marshmallow cream.  Freeze in freezer of refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.

Hi, I’m Wheels and I am a special contributor to BubbleLife.com.  I’m hooked on a new product available at the Dallas Farmer’s Market that I want to tell you about. 

Bone broth for dogs! Now some of you may say “I think I’ve heard it all” while others will say “but this is Dallas.”  And why not?   We dogs comfort you in so many ways; comfort us with a bowl of soup.  It’s good for the body and soul— yours and mine. 

JoAnn Bondy of Stocks and Bondy located in Shed 2 at the Dallas Farmer’s Market has extended her market to include canine nutrition with “Bone Broth for Pets.” 

All organic and human quality, this line of broth packaged especially for us provides the same health benefits for dogs as it does for humans.  It supplies gelatinous protein that protects joints, aids in liver function, digestion and removes toxins from the body.  Plus it’s lip smackin’ good. While it does not replace my dog food, it is a healthy addition. I like a little poured over my kibble. 

Bone broth is made by slow cooking organic beef and chicken bones, food we already love.  The broth can be made at home but it is time consuming.  Stocks and Bondy offers bone broth slow cooked to perfection.  While the grocery store product may be convenient for many uses, it was not intended as holistic nutrition. 

The addition of bone broth makes a great supplement to our normal diet. It is good for any dog, but especially beneficial to older dogs and sometimes dogs that are under the weather.  As with any product, always check with your veterinarian before changing or adding a supplement to the diet of a dog with a serious health problem or condition. 

Studies show that dogs raised on a varied diet prefer variety. From a nutritional standpoint, it makes sense for an animal to crave nutrients its current diet lacks. However, there are foods that are good for humans that are not good for us.  Do not feed us avocados, asparagus, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes or cherries and grapes. 

I think I will go to the kitchen and see if my dinner is ready. 

JoAnn Bondy was chef of the popular Dallas restaurant Ciudad D. F.  She was also executive chef of the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine.  She is the only female chef from Texas to receive (three times) the coveted cooking accolade at the James Beard House in New York City. Visit Stocks and Bondy at the Dallas Farmers Market. 

Wheels is an eight year oldBoston terrier from Grant’s Pass, Oregon. He trained and worked hard with his owner to achieve his AKC championship in conformation. His registered name is Ch. Sunglo’s Cruisin’ in a Tuxedo.

It’s summer in Texas and that means it’s peach season.  Some call it America’s sweetest season, and why not?  Peach cobbler, peach ice cream, peach preserves— some of life’s sweetest pleasures. 

I still remember the sweet, juicy peaches from our backyard tree when I was growing up. It was a ready-made free snack for kids playing in the yard, which was what kids did in those days before they had cell phones. 

Today when I went grocery shopping, the produce area of our local Central Market was like an indoor peach orchard calling out to pick some peaches.  I did.  I’m going to make peach jam. 

If the idea of canning intimidates you (and I admit that although I have done it many times with great success, it can be a little daunting) try making freezer jam. It’s so easy!  You don’t have to process in a water bath, check lids for sealing or any of the factors than can make canning a little scary for some.  Plus, you don’t have to devote a day to canning. An hour or so and you’re done and on your way to another project— another sign of our times. 

If you are lucky enough to own a n automatic jam and jelly maker, making the sweet treat is really a snap.  You don’t even have to stir; the appliance does it for you.  That may be lazy, but I don’t care.  You still end up with the same result— homemade jam or jelly that makes your morning toast or even a peanut butter and jelly sandwich extra special.  Not to mention that a jar of jam or jelly makes a much appreciated gift of love for a friend or neighbor. 

My daughter gave me my Ball FreshTech Jam and Jelly Maker for Mother’s Day a few years back and I love it. It sits on my counter next to my Kitchen Aid Mixer, always ready. 

So let’s get started!  

Here is what you need for the reduced sugar recipe for Peach Jam: 

Ball FreshTECH Jam and Jelly Maker (these can be purchased on-line, of course.)

4 Freezer Jars (washed and dried) (on the canning aisle of your grocery store)

3 ¼ cups crushed peaches (about seven or eight medium sized peaches)

3 Tbsp. Ball RealFruit Classic Pectin (on the canning aisle of your grocery store)

2 Tbsp. bottled lemon juice

½ tsp. butter

2 cups granulated sugar 

Choose fully ripe peaches.  They are fragrant and tender-firm to the touch. Wash peel and pit.  Speaking of pits, there are three kinds associated with the peach.  Cling means the pit clings to the peach, semi-freestone means that the pit is easier to remove than from a cling peach and free-stone easily separates from the pit. 

For an easy peel, drop the peach into a pan of boiling water for about a minute.  Remove it with a slotted spoon and hold under cold running water to peel. This process is called blanching and the skin should easily slip away from the peach. Since I am only peeling a few peaches, I blanch and peel one peach at a time. 

Coarse chop peaches and then crush with a potato masher.  You are thinking why not just pulse in a food processor, aren’t you?  Don’t do it.  I tried and it doesn’t work. 

Measure the required quantity of crushed peaches and the remaining ingredients for your recipe and set aside.  This is a golden rule for preparing any recipe. 

Sprinkle the pectin evenly over bottom of the jelly and jam maker pot fitted with the stirrer.  Add crushed peaches evenly over pectin.  Pour lemon juice over peaches.  Add butter.  

Press jam and enter. 

In four minutes the appliance will sound four short beeps which mean it is time to add the sugar.  Add it gradually while the stirrer continues running. 

Cover with the glass lid and that’s it!  But stay close-by as the appliance will beep again when the jam is done. 

Following the instruction on your electric jam and jelly maker, press cancel, unplug the appliance and remove the lid. 

Remove the stirrer using a pot holder.  

Ladle the jam into clean freezer jars.  Cool on counter, then place in freezer.  Don’t freeze all of it. Keep some in the refrigerator for that peanut butter and jelly sandwich. 

It’s so easy that now even the Millennials can know the joy of old-fashioned, home-made jam.