Strawberry, basil w balsamic swirl ice cream

Here is a fun recipe me and my chef friend took a twist on. It came out really tasty, but be sure not to over churn, because it can get too much air in it and create too may ice crystals in your ice cream

• 3 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup sugar
• 6 egg yolks, beaten
• 6-8 basil leaves
• 3 cups strawberries, halved
• Balsamic vinegar
  
• 2 Tsp sugar

Pour 1/2 the heavy cream into bowl. Pour other 1/2 of the cream into a medium saucepan. Add sugar and egg yolks.Place the pan over medium heat and allow to cook until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Remove from heat and slowly stir in the rest of the cream. Place lid on saucepan and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

In a food processor or blender, puree the strawberries until very smooth. Put Strawberry puree in saucepan. Place 4 whole basil leaves in strawberry mixture and heat until almost boiling. Take off heat and remove basil. With remaining basil, chop fine and save for later. Place back in the refrigerator and allow to cool.

In another small sauce pan, reduce vinegar and sugar until a syrup consistency. Be careful not to overheat and burn!

When cream and strawberry mixture is cooled, mix together and add chopped basil. Place in freezer for 2-3 hours and then follow your ice cream makers instructions. At last couple of churns, add balsamic syrup and churn only 2-3 times to incorporate swirl.

stuffed portabella mushrooms!

Im sorry I have been MIA for the last month! I started a new job as most of you know and moved so its been hectic! Well, Im back and with a recipe I love to share with people. I made this for a friend of mine who wasn't a big fan of mushrooms, and they went back for seconds!!!

4 large portabella mushrooms
1/2 cup red onion, diced
1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
aprox. 2 tablespoons basil, chopped
1 cup smoked Gouda, shredded
3/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
3 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 375F
Remove stems from mushroom. Dice stems and set aside. Melt butter in sauté pan. on medium sauté onions until opaque. Add chopped mushroom stems, garlic and red pepper. sauté for aprox 3 minutes until flavors are incorporated. Pull off heat and place in mixing bowl. Add basil, cheese and bread crumbs and mix until consistency is sticky. Place on to underside of portabella mushroom cap. Aprox. 1/4 cup of stuffing on each. Place on baking sheet and bake for aprox. 15 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
Serve as a main dish or as a dual entrée with pasta.

Even though I'm not a vegetarian, this is one of my favorite dishes! You can add crab, shrimp, ground turkey or beef to the stuffing to make it a carnivorous meal.

Bon Appetite!