Ham and Split Pea Soup, a Cranberry Pie and Tangerine Icecream

Yesterday seemed to be the perfect opportunity to rid our refrigerator of the giant ham bone that's been hanging out there. I've put off doing it, mostly because I knew that what I wanted to do with it wouldn't go over very well with the big guy and his "no pea" rules. I ignored him, of course. 

I promised I wouldn't go into it so it's our secret that he had two huge bowls of this veggie laden good for you full of flavor concoction. A French Canadian favorite, I've shared this Habitant (pronounced "abbytuh") Pea Soup with you here before so head on over to the earlier post to hear the rest of the story.

I figured I'd best come up with something to spoil my good sport and found this recipe for cranberry pie on Pioneer Woman's site. Really more like a cobbler, this single crust beauty's loaded with cranberries, pecans and sugar and crowned with a cross between a cake and a pastry.

Tart and sweet at the same time we liked it a lot, though next time I make it I'll leave the nuts out and substitute some chopped pears or apples ...or both.

I don't know about you but I need ice cream with my pie. As you know, Santa brought me a lovely Cuisinart Ice Cream Machine for Christmas so I whipped up the accompanying Tangerine Ice Cream in no time flat, and let me tell you...it's a keeper! When I say no time flat I have to admit that I didn't decide to make dessert until 4 bells and dinner's at six so needless to say this is one quick and easy ice cream. It's not custard based so it doesn't require cooking first which means it also doesn't have to be cooled before it goes into the machine. Cream cheese takes the place of the cooking process and yields an incredibly creamy product. Who knew?

Cream cheese along with milk, heavy cream, the juice and rind of one of our Minneola Tangerines and some Triple Sec went into the ice cream freezer and twenty minutes later it came out soft serve and tasting like an Orangesicle Ice cream Bar. After an hour and a half in the freezer, it served up super easy, rich and not too sweet - fabulous with the cranberry pie.

By the way I just had a spoon full of it to "check the texture" (do you believe that?)  After being in the freezer all night, likely because of the added booze, it didn't freeze super hard like most homemade ice creams. It's a perfect texture, very spoonable and the flavor is not to be believed! Ya gotta try this one...HONEST!

Tangerine Ice Cream (an original from JBug’s Kitchen)

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

Juice and rind of 1 Minneola Tangerine (approx 1/2 cup juice)

1 cup milk

Using a food processor or your immersion blender, mix all ingredients together until very smooth and well combined. Stir in

1 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons orange liqueur (I used Triple Sec)

Freeze per Ice Cream Machine instructions. Remove from ice cream freezer and place in plastic container. Freeze for minimum 2 hours before serving – overnight is best. Makes 1 quart. Download Tangerine Ice Cream

Comments

[Sarah G]

I haven't been to Pioneer Woman's website for a long time. Thanks for the reminder. This looks like a wonderful lunch.

[June]

Sarah - it's a great pie and honestly even better the next day.

[Nanan]

Was the pie and ice cream your breakfast? I bet it was!!! I love that soup - I made it the last time you did! I can see why you can get the big guy to eat it! Yes I can believe you only ate a spoon full of the ice cream - but you did not specify what size spoon - hehehehe.

[June]

Lea - right on both counts...yes, I had some pie for breakfast too and no I did not specify the size of the ladle...uh spoon. Good grief, you know me so well! LOL

[Tom @ Tall Clover Farm]

I thank you, my refrigerated ham bone thanks you, and as for the tangerine ice cream recipe, well, I'm sitting down.

[June]

Tom, the ice cream's pretty good and could be a great base for almost any flavor. Imagine some of your peaches??? By the way thanks to your inspiration we're really enjoying our new Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker!