The first time I ever had tart frozen yogurt was on a mother-daughter trip to New York City. Mama and I had shopped till our feet were numb, there was some brief crying on Broadway in Midtown Manhattan but we were determined to make it to Bloomingdale’s. Like all Southern women, we forged ahead for the greater good, which was shopping the shoes at Bloomies!

We landed ourselves in Forty Carrots for an iced tea break and discovered tart frozen yogurt. As we sat, swollen feet and all, going on and on over this delicious treat. Out of the corner of my eye, not staring of course because that’s rude, I noticed a lady enjoying her iced tea and tart yogurt. She looked so familiar, all I could peg is that she was a Southern mama.

For the next few days, mama and I found ourselves at Forty Carrots enjoying our new-found gem, that tart frozen yogurt. Low and behold that same lady would be sitting right there minding her manners and enjoying that yogurt too! It was Celia Weston, an actress that has built a career on playing Southern mama’s.

Recipe:

1 1/2 cup 0% Fage Greek yogurt

3/4 cup 2% Fage Greek yogurt

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 tbsp light Karo syrup

In a small bowl, stir together sugar and water. Microwave for 1 minute then stir to make sure sugar is dissolved. Add buttermilk, stirring well and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine yogurts, simple syrup mixture and Karo syrup. Whisk until well blended and smooth. Pour directly into ice cream maker and follow instructions for maker.

This Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker is one of my favorites. It is around $50 and you can usually find it at Macy’s or Williams-Sonoma. The best part is that it makes ice cream in just 20 minutes!

Best if served immediately.

I usually end a post with a few notes about the recipe but instead here are a few words of wisdom from my Southern mama:

Put some lipstick on, you need to brighten up your face.

Never wear white before Easter or after Labor Day.

It is never too soon to write a thank you note for anything.

No matter what, always keep a pleasant look on your face.

Always mind your manners no matter where you are.

]]> http://lolleighcooks.com/?feed=rss2&p=856 2 http://lolleighcooks.com/?p=808 http://lolleighcooks.com/?p=808#comments Thu, 21 Jul 2011 13:22:01 +0000 http://lolleighcooks.com/?p=808 Peach-Blueberry Bread Pudding

I’m not talking beauty queens y’all, these beauties are Chilton County peaches! One of my most treasured southern landmarks is just off 65 south right in the heart of Alabama. Clanton may be proud of their peach queens but the Peach Park is the real crown jewel!

Every year as we make our way to the white sands of the gulf coast, the stop at the Peach Park is almost more important than getting to the beach. You don’t eat breakfast, hop in the car, and make a beeline for exit 205, all the while planning what you’re gonna eat first and what you’ll take for later.

Recipe:

5 cups french bread, cubed into 1″ pieces

2 tbsp butter

3 cups low-fat buttermilk

2 eggs

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups fresh peaches, sliced

1/2 cup fresh blueberries

2 tbsp light brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cube or tear French bread into 1″ pieces to make 5 cups and place in a large bowl. Pour buttermilk over cubed bread, gently toss to make sure buttermilk is evenly soaking into bread and let sit for about 2o minutes.

Slice about 3 large peaches, enough for 2 cups then add blueberries. Toss with brown sugar and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar and vanilla and set aside. Then put 2 tbsp of butter into a 8×8 or 9×13 baking dish and place in the preheated oven. Once butter melts, remove dish from oven.

While the butter is melting, add egg mixture to buttermilk soaked bread and combine gently. Then fold in peaches and blueberries.

Pour mixture into baking dish with melted butter and bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until center is set and the edges have pulled away from the baking dish.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Notes:

I used an 8×8 baking dish because I like a thicker bread pudding, so it will require about an hour and a half of baking time.

You won’t need the entire loaf of French bread, just enough for 5 cups. Do what any good southern girl would and spread pimento cheese on the leftover bread!

Everyone should have a signature color! Julia Robert’s character Shelby in Steel Magnolias proclaimed hers to be blush and bashful. My mom says hers is taupe and peach…she sent me and my sis for a pedi in this off the beaten path nail salon while sitting there we realized why she raved about this place – the decor – taupe and peach!

And of course there’s me. I love orange. This is not because I was raised a Tennessee Vol. It’s a beautiful, bright and chic color. Take a look… 

Recipe:

4 oz. neufatchel cheese or reduced fat cream cheese, softened

1 cup 0% Fage greek yogurt

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 c. sugar

1 egg white

1 tbsp. flour

1/4 tsp. orange zest

Vanilla Wafers

Muffin Cups (I like the no pan needed kind)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Cream together cream cheese and yogurt until smooth. Add in the next 5 ingredients. Blending well.

Place a vanilla wafer in the bottom of each  muffin cup and place them on a cookie sheet. Fill cups with about a 1/4 cup of the cream cheese mixture. This will yield about 8 mini cheesecakes.

Bake in oven for 25 minutes  – the center should be set. Place cup on a wire rack and cool completely before putting in the fridge.

Notes:

I love the organic vanilla wafers at Whole Foods – they are delicious and super crunchy. You could certainly substitute a reduced fat vanilla wafer.

This recipe can be easily doubled. I like to make small batches of sweets so I don’t over indulge!