Repeat after us: “I do not need fancy equipment to make ice cream.” One more time: “I do not need fancy equipment to make ice cream.” Not convinced? Then try our recipe for a ricotta-honey version. We whip heavy cream and fold in ricotta cheese sweetened with honey, then simply transfer the mixture to a baking dish and freeze--no churning required. Sure, the method may not be 100 percent traditional, but the result is 100 percent delicious.

RICOTTA-HONEY ICE CREAM
A PureWow Original Recipe
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART
START TO FINISH: 4 HOURS (INCLUDES FREEZING TIME)
 
INGREDIENTS
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup ricotta cheese
½ cup wildflower honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of cinnamon

DIRECTIONS
1. Pour 1¾ cups heavy cream into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk the remaining ¼ cup heavy cream with the ricotta cheese, honey, vanilla and cinnamon to combine. Whisk vigorously to help thin the texture of the ricotta so it’s less clumpy.

3. Whip the heavy cream on medium speed until it forms medium peaks. (More tips on whipping cream here.)

4. Gently fold the whipped cream into the ricotta mixture, mixing just until fully combined.

5. Pour the mixture into a storage vessel (a casserole dish, cake pan or loaf pan would work) and cover with plastic wrap. Freeze until set, 3 to 4 hours. Soften for 15 minutes before scooping and serving.

Make Your Own Salad Dressings and Sauces  Toss those store-bought sauces and dressings, and top your foods with homemade versions instead. That way, you can control the fat — and perfect the taste.

By Krisha McCoy, MS
Medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH

Flavorful salad dressings and sauces can bring healthy eating to a whole new level — they make vegetables, lean meats, whole grain pastas, and other foods taste even better. And since store-bought products can be loaded with fat, calories, and sodium, learning to make your own sauce and salad dressing recipes is an important part of healthy cooking.

6 Secrets of Homemade Salad Dressings and Sauces Follow these guidelines when whipping up your own healthy recipes:

• Cut down on oil. A homemade salad dressing should contain more vinegar, lemon juice, or orange juice than oil to keep calories in check, says registered dietitian Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, LDN, author of The Flexitarian Diet and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. You’ll need to adapt standard recipes, which usually call for more oil.
• Opt for flavor over fat. When making salad dressing recipes, Blatner recommends varying the vinegars and oils you use to keep your taste buds satisfied without adding a lot of extra fat. "Try balsamic, sherry, or apple cider vinegar, and experiment with olive, walnut, flax, and sesame oils," she suggests. With both dressings and sauces, Blatner says that fresh and finely chopped herbs can add a huge flavor boost, as well as healthy antioxidants.
• Choose low-fat ingredients. When using ingredients like sour cream, mayonnaise, or yogurt in your salad dressings and sauces, choose low-fat or non-fat versions to lighten the caloric load. And consider skipping fattening ingredients altogether. "Puree roasted vegetables, such as roasted red peppers, with a splash of broth for quick sauces," says Blatner. (Remove the charred skin before processing.)
• Limit the salt. Healthy recipes for salad dressings and sauces should not be loaded with sodium. This means adding little or no salt, and choosing low-sodium or no-salt-added ingredients, like low-sodium tomato paste or sauce.
• Skim off fat. When you make a meat-based sauce, cool it in the refrigerator before you use it to separate out the fat. You can then skim the fat from the top of your sauce (where it will often harden) to dramatically reduce the fat content.
• Use low-fat thickening agents. Instead of using a butter-based roux to thicken a sauce, cut back on fat by thickening it with a small amount of cornstarch or flour. You can even get more creative. "For creamy dressings and sauces, use silken tofu or pureed cashews and water as the base," says Blatner.

Always have containers of your favorite homemade salad dressings and sauces available when you need them. Blatner says that you can keep a supply in the fridge for up to a week, and many sauces can be frozen. But don’t overdo it: Simply use them to add moisture and flavor to fresh vegetables and cooked dishes.

Hey Diddle Diddle Catering will be happy to make a salad dressing for you.  Just tell us what you're topping and what flavors you're looking for and we'll create it!!