Mocha Madness Ice Cream

 

• 1 cup (227g) milk, cold, whole preferred
• 3/4 cup (149g) granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons (11g) espresso powder
• 2 tablespoons (11g) unsweetened cocoa, Dutch-process or natural
• 2 cups (454g) heavy cream or whipping cream, cold
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 8 (113g) chocolate sandwich cookies, broken into small pieces

1. Whisk or mix together the milk, sugar, espresso powder, and cocoa until the sugar has dissolved. Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla.

2. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions.

3. Stir the cookie bits into the soft ice cream and serve immediately. Or freeze for longer storage.

   NOTES:

   less espresso powder would also be good.

Refrigerator Dill Pickles

 

Ingredients

• 3 pickling cucumbers 4-4 1/2" long, but no longer
• 1/4 oz fresh dill a few sprigs per jar
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 cloves garlic crushed with the side of a knife
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp whole mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp whole black peppercorns

Instructions

• Wash cucumbers and cut into spears or slices. Pack into a wide-mouth pint-sized canning jar, or any clean glass jar. Since these are refrigerator pickles a canning jar is not necessary. Tuck several sprigs of dill in between the cucumbers.
• In a non-reactive saucepan (see note), combine the vinegar, water, garlic cloves, salt, sugar, mustard seeds, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil and stir until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
• Pour liquid over cucumbers in the jar. Make sure to include all the mustard seeds, peppercorns, and garlic. (If making multiple jars, include two cloves of garlic per jar and divide the mustard seeds and peppercorns approximately evenly between jars.) If you are using a slightly larger jar and the liquid doesn't fully cover the pickles, fill the rest of the jar up with water.
• Close the jar and refrigerate for a minimum of 24 hours but preferably 48 hours. Enjoy
  Note: I also added the recommended amount of pickle crisp. I think it was 1/8 tsp.