Mascarpone Gelato

I had been looking forward to trying this gelato, and Sis had been nagging me to make it.  Would I make it again?  Probably not, because of how much it cost!  The recipe calls for two tubs of mascarpone, and I was shocked they cost $4.99 each.  That means you're making a $10+ quart of gelato!  So I wasn't even upset when Joe returned from the grocery store with just one tub, and I halved the recipe.

The gelato recipe also didn't get a thumbs-up.  I thought it was all right, but both Joe and Sis complained the lemon flavor was too aggressive, and lemon aside, it just failed to wow them.  I found that funny, since I used only the zest of one lemon.  And I left the pine nuts out, since no one wanted them.  The Mascarpone Gelato recipe is on this page.  If you know of a better one -- and if it doesn't cost over $10 to make -- let me know!  I've got another ice cream post on the way, a winner that I make over and over again.  Stay tuned!

And some gratuitous photos of a tomato tart with roasted garlic and fontina I made, just because the colors look cool.

The colors got very muted after baking.  Plus, I didn't have time to snap a photo before it got eaten at a potluck.

Beverly's Pumpkin Bread

This pumpkin bread is seriously good. It's also one of the easiest recipes you'll ever make. Beverly, who is the master scone-maker at work, serves mascarpone (an Italian cream cheese) on the side. I love the combo because the mascarpone is rich but not sweet, so it tempers the sweetness of the bread (I dislike overly sugary toppings on already-sweet baked goods). I made it on Thanksgiving morning, and it was easier than pie.

Beverly's Pumpkin Bread

4 eggs

1 can (15 or 16 oz.) pumpkin

1 cup oil

2/3 cup water

3 cups sugar

Beat all the ingredients together until smooth.

3¼ cups flour

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp salt

2 tsp baking soda

Sift all the dry ingredients together, then beat them into the first batch of ingredients until smooth. Pour into 2 greased and floured bread pans. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for about 1 hour. That's it!