Six Three's Ice Cream

3 bananas, mashed
3 lemons, zest and juice
3 oranges, zest and juice
3 cups sugar
3 cups milk
3 cups heavy cream

Freeze in ice cream machine. Quite refreshing.

Eton Mess

Each year at Britain's most famous private school, Eton College (where the royals are schooled), the boys and their parents have a picnic featuring this traditional dessert. 'According to Robin Weir in 'Recipes From The Dairy', Eton mess was served in the 1930s in the school's sock [sweet] shop, and was originally made with either strawberries or bananas mixed with ice cream or cream. Meringue was a later addition. Nowadays, Eton mess usually consists of pieces of crisp meringue, lightly whipped cream and strawberries, all stirred together - hence the name "mess".' There are so many variations on this recipe that it's difficult to know which to use. But fear not because it's the kind of recipe that's difficult to get wrong. This particular variation has ice cream and comes from Harry Ramsden's, the famous British fish and chips restaurant. It's not an official recipe, just what we figured we were eating. It's one of the scrummiest Summertime dessert you're ever likely to try!

Mix together:

Vanilla ice cream

Crushed meringues

Raspberries

Raspberry sauce

Serve in a large wine glass and top with whipped cream and a wafer

Blackberry Crisp

You could always tell it was summer because the Cluff kids had little purple fingers and, despite the 110º heat, long-sleeved shirts, jeans and moon boots. It was blackberry harvest time! Every morning the kids were sent out with a gallon milk jug with the spout cut out and a string tied through the handle to hang around the neck and directions to fill the gallon jug with blackberries. The ONLY thing that made it all worthwhile was Mom's brilliant blackberry crisp (and maybe homemade ice cream with crushed blackberries, too).

Preheat oven to 350º

Grease a long pan then fill it with:

6 cups blackberries

1 cup sugar (on top of the fruit)

In a bowl mix:

2 cups brown sugar

1 cup flour

1 cup oatmeal

1 cube margarine or butter

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Pour mixture over the fruit. Bake till bubbly (about 20-25 minutes). Best served warm with homemade vanilla ice cream. Yummy!

Blackberry Jam

Diana's recipe is very easy and very good. The jam tends to end up fairly runny--so it's good for pancakes, French toast, homemade ice cream and blintzes.

Blackberries (raspberries or nectarberries can be used as well)

Sugar

Twist-top jars and canning lids

Pick and wash blackberries then put them into a saucepan and add sugar to taste. Cook briefly on high heat then turn down to medium until jam thickens and begins to bubble (about 10-15 minutes once it comes to a boil). Don't overcook--it makes the jam sticky and burnt tasting. Heat twist-top jars in 200º oven and lids in a shallow pot of boiling water (with a spoonful of bleach to ensure a good seal). Pour hot jam into a hot jar then quickly put the lid and ring on (not too tight). Turn jar upside down on a towel to cool for a good seal. If the lid is slightly depressed on top when the jam has cooled, it has sealed properly. Repeat with other jars.

Blackberry Topping

This recipe is the easiest and tastiest thing in the world.

Blackberries

Sugar

Pick and wash blackberries then put them into a bowl. Sprinkle sugar over berries then crush them together. Taste test for sweetness, adding more sugar till it's just right. Serve over homemade ice cream or store-bought French vanilla if in a pinch.

Elderberry Jam

Every November, from the top of Dead Indian Road, we harvest these stinky little purple berries to make some of the tasiest jelly ever. It's hard to believe that something so good can come from something that smells so bad.

Elderberries

Pectin

Sugar

Twist-top jars and canning lids

Put elderberries into juicer/steamer and extract juice (stinky stage). Combine juice, sugar and pectin in a pan and follow directions on the pectin packet. Heat jars in 200º oven and lids in a shallow pot of boiling water (with a spoonful of bleach to ensure a good seal). Pour hot juice mixture into a hot jar then quickly put the lid and ring on (not too tight). Turn jar upside down on a towel to cool for a good seal. If the lid is slightly depressed on top when the jam has cooled, it has sealed properly. Repeat with other jars.

Ex-Boyfriend Salsa

You might want to double this recipe.

1 small handful cilantro

¼ red pepper

½ green (bell) pepper

½ medium white onion

3 Tbsp. white vinegar

1 Tbsp. lime juice

1 Tbsp. sugar

1/8 tsp. salt

4-6 fresh tomatoes

Dice cilantro in food processor. Add remaining ingredients, and dice.

Chevy's Salsa

 

This yummy recipe comes from a restaurant cloning web site (see bottom of New Favorites page). It's very nearly addictive. The liquid smoke flavor is the secret--but careful not to overdo it.

 

6 medium tomatoes

10 jalapeños (red chipotle is best)

¼ of a medium Spanish onion

2 cloves garlic

2 Tbsp. white vinegar

2 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro

1 ½ tsp. mesquite flavored liquid smoke

 

Preheat your barbecue grill to high temperature. Remove any stems from the tomatoes, then rub some oil over each tomato. You can leave the stems on the jalapeños. Place the tomatoes on the grill when it's hot. After about 10 minutes, place all of the jalapeños onto the grill. In about 10 minutes you can turn the tomatoes and the peppers. When almost the entire surface of the peppers has charred black you can remove them from the grill. The tomatoes will turn partially black, but when the skin begins to come off they are done. Put the peppers and tomatoes on a plate and let them cool. When the tomatoes and peppers have cooled, remove most of the skin from the tomatoes and place them into a food processor. Pinch the stem end from each of the peppers and place them into the food processor as well. Toss out the liquid that remains on the plate. Add the remaining ingredients to the food processor and puree on high speed for 5-10 seconds or until the mixture has a smooth consistency. Place the salsa into a covered container and chill for several hours or overnight while the flavors develop. Makes approximately 2 cups.

Broccoli Salad

1 bunch broccoli
1 lb. bacon, cooked
chopped red or white onion
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup each red and green grapes

Dressing
1 cup mayo
1/2 cup sugar
1 T vinegar

Vidalia Onion Dip

2 large Vidalia or sweet onions, chopped
1 cup mayo
2- 8 oz pkgs. cream cheese

Mix all together. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until the edges bubble and top is starting to brown. Fritos are great with this dip.

Raspberry Jello Salad

3 T. tapioca pudding
1 sm box raspberry Jello
1 sm pkg. vanilla cook and serve pudding
1 10 oz bag frozen raspberries
1 8 oz container cool whip

Boil 3 cups of water. Add tapioca, jello and pudding. Stir on medium heat for 3 minutes. Pour into bowl and chill until firm. Add berries and cool whip.

Tiana's Berries In A Cloud

8 oz cream cheese softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. lemon zest
1 cup whipping cream, whipped
1/2 cup flaked coconut
blueberries, fresh or frozen

Combine cream cheese, sugar, juice, and peel, mixing well. Fold in whipped cream and coconut. Spoon about 1/4 cup mixture into small cups or dessert dishes. With the back of a spoon, spread and shape into a nest shape. Freeze.
To serve, let stand in fridge for 10 minutes and fill with blueberries.

Diana's Old Fashioned Taffy Pull

In a large pot:
2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup white Karo syrup
2 tsp. vinegar
1 2/3 cups water
1 tsp vanilla (added at the end of cooking)

Butter a cookie sheet.
Bring mixture to a boil and boil with lid on for 2 minutes. Remove lid, reduce heat and boil until hard crack, about 20-30 minutes. Pour into buttered cookie sheet and let cool until it can be touched. Divide into 10 servings and pull until white. When it gets too hard to pull twist into a rope and dent into sections with a knife.