Family Time, Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and a Chocolate Chip Cookie in a Skillet

The last week or so has really had a lot of family time and it's been a ton of fun.  My mom came over and brought Blake and I dinner and my little niece along with her to visit.  I'm pretty sure she is the most adorable little girl I've ever seen, especially when she's walking our dogs.  :)

We went and played at the playground together that evening and it really made me think how precious the time spend with our family really is.  Watching a toddler grow up is an amazing thing, their verbal progression to their coordination exponentially grows each time you see them.  It's just such a fun and exciting thing to be a part of!!!
 

{I have no idea how i got a picture before the ice cream started melting 

considering this was fresh out of the oven!}

I didn't actually make this dessert that same night, but I thought nothing much goes better with a little girl than a sweet chocolate chip cookie.  Blake had been wanting chocolate chip cookies for a few days, so when he said his sister and her husband were coming over for dinner I figured it was the perfect opportunity to make him some.  Although, I did deviate from his desires and put the batter into a skillet and cooked it.  OH MY GOSH!  I've had the skillet cookies before at restaurants and they're always wonderful, but having one at home was the best!  I topped it with some homemade vanilla bean ice cream and the four of us completely polished off the dessert!  (And I'm pretty sure he was happy that I changed up his idea for chocolate chip cookies ever so slightly.)  ;)

{Recipe} Chocolate Chip Cookie
Yield: Two 9in. skillet cookies

Ingredients:

   * 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened

   * 1/2 cup sugar

   * 1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

   * 2 eggs

   * 2 tsp vanilla

   * 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

   * 1 tsp coarse sea salt (or Kosher salt)

   * 1 tsp baking soda

   * 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

   * 2 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I like Ghirardelli)


1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.) Cream butter, sugar and brown sugar until it is nice and fluffy (about 5 minutes).  Do not skimp on the time here, you want the mixture to be very light in color.

3.) Add eggs and vanilla to sugar mixture and beat for an additional 3 minutes.

4.) Add baking soda, baking powder, salt, and flour (slowly) until all ingredients except for chocolate chips are fully mixed together.

5.) Fold in chocolate chips and stir until evenly distributed.

6.) Add half of batter into a greased (with butter, Pam, or Crisco) 9 inch skillet and place in the oven for 13 min.  Stick a toothpick into the center, if it comes out clean the cookie is done.  (I left mine the tiniest bit gooey on the inside so the cookie didn't have a chance to dry out, plus it is just more fun to eat it that way).  :)




{Recipe} Vanilla-Bean Ice Cream (recipe adapted from Emeril Lagasse courtesy of www.foodnetwork.com)
Yield: About 1 quart ice cream
Ingredients:
   * 4 cups half & half (I substituted non-fat half & half to make it a little healthier)
   * 1 cup sugar
   * 1/2 vanilla bean, split in half and scraped
   * 6 egg yolks

1.) In a saucepan, over medium heat, combine the hand & half, sugar, and vanilla bean with pulp.  Bring to simmer.

2.) In a small mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth.   Add 1 cup of the hot liquid to the egg yolks and whisk until smooth.

3.) Add the yolk mixture to the saucepan of liquid and whisk until incorporated.  Bring the liquid back to a simmer and continue to cook for 4 to 6 minutes or until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.

4.) Pour the mixture into a glass bowl and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the mixture to prevent a skin from forming while cooling.  Cool the mixture completely.

5.) Process the mixture according to your ice cream machines instructions.