Cherry Season!!

We have a beautiful cherry tree in our back yard and we have been harvesting like crazy lately. I've been "Googling" cherry recipes like crazy!

Here is what I am going to make today to top off Kirk's Father's Day cherry pie:

Cherry Ice Cream with Chocolate Chips Recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups pitted ripe sweet cherries (from about 3/4 lb cherries)
3/4 cup milk
1 3/4 cups cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 pinch salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine, keep in freezer until used

1 Put cherries, milk, one cup of the cream, sugar, and salt into a medium saucepan. Heat on medium heat until the mixture is steamy, then lower the heat to warm and just let sit for about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Pour mixture into a blender, or use an immersion blender, and carefully purée. (Careful because you are dealing with a hot liquid. Make sure you hold the cap down on the top of the blender while puréeing.)

2 Put mixture into a large bowl. Stir in the remaining 3/4 cup of cream. Chill for several hours in the refrigerator until completely cold. (Can also place bowl over an ice bath, to speed up the cooling process.)

3 Before putting the mixture into your ice cream maker, stir in the lemon juice, Churn the ice cream in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

4 Once the ice cream has completed churning, the ice cream should be pretty soft. Gently fold in the finely chopped chocolate. Put in an airtight container and place in the freezer for at least an hour, preferably several hours.

Makes about one quart.

I have a Cuisinart ice cream maker that I am sad to say, I've only used once! Well, I vow to get it out at least once a week this summer!

Life is a bowl of cherries!

Love to you,
~L
♥♥♥