A small batch churned version of ice cream, made with a fresh blackberry puree.

Small Batch Blackberry Ice Cream

Let's just start off by saying that it took a few experiments to get to this version of blackberry ice cream. I made three batches, so it's a good thing that I have a blackberry vine that puts out quite a lot of berries every season!

Since no churn ice cream seems to be all the rage here lately, I thought I'd give it a try. I started with the standard base of whipped heavy cream with sweetened condensed milk, but thought I'd add some cream cheese and swirl in the blackberry puree instead of blending it in.

A few basic ingredients: cherry pie filling, crushed pineapple, sweetened condensed milk and Cool Whip make up the base for this old school frozen delight! From there, make it your own with easy add-ins.

Frozen Cherry Fruit Salad

I live on the Gulf Coast, and down here, the humidity is as important as the temperature. Maybe even more so! We've been under 100+ degree heat advisories here for awhile now because of that heat index. In June. Already. I pray we don't see a hurricane this year, well, ever again in my lifetime really, that knocks out power for long. Gotta have that air conditioning down here!

When the weather heats up like this, cooling foods are a steady in my house. Watermelon, cucumbers, grapes, cantaloupe, strawberries are consumed regularly around here! Of course, although they may mostly be relegated to those family gatherings more so these days, we have our icebox and freezer desserts too. This cherry salad is one of those that has been around for years.

 

I took two great Southern classics, Frozen Strawberry Dessert and Strawberry Pretzel Salad, and combined elements of both to make this Frozen Strawberry Pretzel Salad, made with cream cheese, frozen strawberries, banana, pineapple and whipped topping on a salty, pretzel crust.

Frozen Strawberry Pretzel Salad

I know its officially fall on the calendar finally, and some of y'all in those areas of The South farther north from here are seeing cooler temperatures and thinking about soups and stews and pumpkin and apple and oatmeal recipes. Down in The Deep South, and most especially the coastal Deep South, summer is still roaring along. I'll sure be glad when I can give my A/C a little break, but for now it's blasting away, trying to keep things cool around here.

Drip-less homemade popsicles, made using flavored Jello gelatin, unsweetened Kool-Aid and sugar.

Homemade Popsicles

I have a confession. With this hot summer we've had this year, I have had way more of these homemade popsicles than any adult woman of a certain age should ever lay claim to. We've had a little bit of a respite from the heat for these past couple of days thanks to plenty of rain, but, hey... since kids love them too, if you want an excuse to have one (or six) to help keep you cool, make some for your kids or grandkids.

A quick and easy ice cream using chocolate milk, or Yoo-hoo chocolate drink, with sweetened condensed milk, chocolate syrup, and a small tub of Cool Whip. It tastes remarkably similar to those Wendy's Frosty milk shakes we all love.

Chocolate "Frosty" Ice Cream

I'm gonna tell you a secret.

Like with iced tea, we Deep South Southerners never really stop eating ice cream.

Even north Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama get a little bit of a winter most years, but except for a very few, and very temporary, winter cold flashes - that frankly exit just about as quickly as they showed up - the climate down here along the Gulf Coast is such that all of those frosty treats are pretty much a year-round thing.

 

   Homemade snowball syrup is as easy as a simple syrup made from boiled sugar and water and a package of your favorite flavor of unsweetened, powdered Kool-Aid mix.

Homemade Sno-Cone Syrup

It's April as I'm writing this so yes, I know it's not exactly summer quite yet, but we're kinda stuck with that in-between wacky weather season right now. For instance, yesterday it was so hot and humid here it might as well have been mid-summer. At the same time, I heard the weatherman say nighttime temperatures are forecast to drop into the mid-40s later this week, somewhere around here in South Mississippi.

So, I'm vacillating between wanting beans and soup and comfort food casseroles and, well... things like summer drinks and ice cream. You might already know about this easy "recipe," or maybe you don't, but I'm actually posting it today because I needed to make up a syrup for another recipe that's coming soon, so sno-cones are on the menu today!

Classic Old Fashioned Soda Fountain Banana Split

A classic, old fashioned soda fountain banana split, made with a banana, pineapple, strawberry and chocolate syrup toppings, one scoop each of vanilla, chocolate and strawberry ice cream, whipped topping, chopped nuts and a cherry garnish.

I pondered a bit on what kind of creative and unusual foodie banana split I could come up with, but you know what? To me, there is really only one banana split. A classic, old fashioned, soda fountain banana split. Let's face it, I'm a simple, country cook and no foodie gourmet, so what else would you expect from Deep South Dish?

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A granita made from juiced watermelon and strawberries and frozen and scraped, for a tender, icy and cold treat perfect for summer.

Watermelon Strawberry Ice Granita

I tell you what, the good Lord sure knew exactly what he was doing when he planned for ripe and juicy tomatoes, cucumbers and watermelons right in the midst of The Dog Days of Summer Down South.

They are, every one, cooling foods, loaded with water and we've sure been eating our share of them here lately, no doubt. If you're heated up, I promise you that a big ole slice of ice-cold watermelon will cool you down right quick and well, I thought, why not take some and turn it into a granita?

Y'all, it's like instant air conditioning.

Quick and Easy Vanilla, Butter Pecan, Chocolate and Strawberry Ice Cream all made in my Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker.

Quick and Easy Ice Cream in the Cuisinart

We were talking ice cream over on the Facebook page and I tell you, it's been humid enough down here to enjoy plenty of cold ice cream.

I'm a big fan of the ice cream makers that make just a couple of quarts of frozen goodies like ice cream, frozen yogurt, sorbets, sherbets, even slushies, a nice quantity that's perfect for The Cajun and me, without going overboard. Easy to do with ice cream for me! After years of using the old fashioned and super noisy bucket style ice cream maker, I can't believe I waited so long to buy one of these. No rock salt, and no ice needed, and with the bucket at the ready in the freezer all the time, it's a breeze to make ice cream now.

Homemade Strawberry Buttermilk Sherbet

A delicious and easy sherbet made with buttermilk and fresh or frozen strawberries. You will love this one.

Strawberry Buttermilk Sherbet

I first found this recipe in Southern Living magazine several years back, but have since revised it by adding more strawberries and less vanilla. It is a wonderful light and low fat dessert for spring or summer and perfect for right now when strawberries are so perfectly sweet and delicious. It could not be any easier, either.

Easy Homemade Southern Peach Ice Cream

Ice cream made with fresh peaches, sweetened condensed milk, half and half and instant vanilla pudding, makes a creamy texture that you'll be sure had to be from a homemade custard.

Homemade Peach Ice Cream

Homemade peach ice cream is another food that makes me think of my Grandma Mac.

She didn't make it often during the summer, but when she did, it was so good. She had the old-fashioned hand cranked type of ice cream maker too - what a lot of lovin' work must've gone into making that ice cream, and goodness, it sure tasted it too.