Tag Archives: musings

Project Ice Cream Space: mission accomplished

I’ve mentioned it before: Project Ice Cream Space has been a long, ongoing process designed to clear enough space in our freezer to fit in some ice cream.

We’ve been separated from ice cream for so long we’ve practically become ice cream virgins. It’s indecent, that’s what.

And why was our freezer so full? Well, I’ll let you read here for that can of worms. It involves a very generous grandfather who lived through some tough, hungry times in his youth and therefore expresses his love by sending us pork loins, arm roasts, turkey breasts, ducks, myriads of cheddar bratwursts, and table-size tablets of chicken breasts.

We’ve been chipping away at the bounty slowly over the months, using dinner parties as an excuse to break out massive quantities of meat. We cleared out a pot roast for a church potluck.

We cleared out a massive pork loin with a group of friends. We slow cooked the turkey breast and shredded the leftovers into this soup.

Though the duck has yet to be dealt with, the space cleared was starting to get significant. History-altering. See the gap on the right?

Yes, the one next to the frozen bag of minced carrots and celery and the frozen pie crust?

Just the right size for a container of cookie dough frozen glory.

(I placed a black arrow in the above picture in case any of you are still half asleep and are having trouble following what’s happening. Aren’t I considerate?)

A number of weeks ago, we finally sealed our success with the purchase of this tub of ice cream:

I’d forgotten . . . I’d forgotten.

Heavens to Betsy.

What does that mean?? Who is Betsy, and why is Heaven ringing her up?

I’m having brain freeze, so I can no longer ponder that.

Over the weekend, this tub of Dulce de Leche made its way from the grocery store to our freezer. How it got there, I can’t quite remember. I claim no responsibility other than that of making the evidence disappear.

A sugar coma is imminent.

A call to deliciousness

So in my post on Monday I made brief mention of a killer dish called Chili-Cheese Etoufée (a.k.a. Oh Ye Cajun Pot of Goodness), a recipe that I shared with you all last August. But then I remembered that for reasons beyond of my control at the time (ehem, ehem) the featured picture at the top of the recipe didn’t look appetizing at all. I mean–who would possibly want to make this dish when this was the picture introducing it?

Not I, said the chicken. Not I, said the cow. Not I, said the bunny rabbit.

You see my point.

Last night we hosted the bi-weekly Bible study that we belong to, and I seized that as my opportunity to cook up a cauldron of this stuff and take a better picture of the finished product. Oh, and to feed people that I love. That too.

So here are some updated photographs.

A little more appealing, eh?

Let it be known: this is the perfect dish to serve a large crowd of people. As long as they’re not lactose-intolerant, gluten-intolerant, vegetarians, or vegans–then I guess it’s not so great.

But the point is, the flavors are very crowd-friendly and (I think) very kid-friendly. Note to self: must have children asap to test this theory.

Plus, though loaded with cheese and heavy cream, any negative health effects derived from these components are neatly counteracted by the hefty amount of veggies.*

*Not factual information–I’m just making it up as I go.

Bell peppers, an onion, celery, garlic. Mmmm.

Have a great weekend, people, and for the sake of your own happiness please make this recipe. It’s so good that you will probably be moved to send me cookies as a thank you for sharing it. Note to self: prepare cookie jar and cookie receiving log for massive intake of cookie shipments.