I can’t believe it’s been almost a week since my last post! What a slacker! In my defense, we’ve been pretty busy though. The other day we rescued a kitten from outside of a diner on a busy road. It was skinny and one of it’s eyes was cloudy, but she was sooooo friendly and sweet that we couldn’t resist her! My mother-in-law, who has no pets of her own but is clearly a cat hoarding enabler, was all like “Oh she’s so cute, we’ll take her to your house in my car!” We already have two indoor Siamese cats who would be royally ticked off if we brought another kitten into the house. But Mr. Hungry said he wouldn’t mind having an “outdoor” kitty, and that we could feed her and care for her, but she’d live strictly outside. We reasoned that she’d be better off at our house in a wooded, rural area, than in town on a busy road. So after checking with the owner of the diner to make sure she didn’t belong to anyone, we took her home with us.
First we stopped for flea collar and cat bed at Walmart, then by the local shelter to make her an appt. to get spayed and up to date on the necessary shots asap. It was rainy and cold, so Mr. Hungry built her a little lean to shelter, which we put on our patio close to the house, and we put her plushy cube bed inside of it with some toys and an old t-shirt. We checked on her a million times throughout the day and she seemed happy – we basked in our magnanimity, and the satisfaction of a good deed well done.
So that night we had to go out for a few hours, and when we got home around 10pm we decided to check on her before turning in. Imagine the horror of finding her food bowl overturned and her plushy cube upside down on the patio! NO kitty to be found. My son was like “where did our outside kitty go?” and all I could think of is that we’re going to find her poor mangled body in the yard from some raccoon, or worse that a fox got her and we wouldn’t find her at all! How could we be so STUPID as to think she would be safe out there with all the other animals around??? Gah! We called and called and finally heard some pitiful mewling from far away. We eventually located her way up in a tree on the edge of the yard.
I thought we’d never get her down but as soon as she realized it was us she shimmied down like a lumberjack and purred like crazy when we lifted her out of the tree. Huge relief, but now what? Can’t bring her inside even if we wanted to because she hasn’t been tested for feline leukemia or aids yet, which is highly contagious to other cats. So we closed her up in our big shed with her bed, food and water and a litter box. It’s been a few days and she’s adjusted perfectly. She gets shut in at night and let out in the morning and she seems content, even sleeps in there during the day while the door is open. Ironically though, Mr. Hungry created several different cushy sleeping areas for her, and she pretty much ignores them and sleeps on the lawnmower seat!
Hungry Jr. named her Rusty, because she is black and orange, but I call her Ki-ki so we’ll see which one sticks! If I can get her to sit still long enough I’ll take a photo and post it. She’s adorable, and we fell in love with her instantly! So anyway, that’s what we’ve been up to. And this chocolate ice cream has absolutely nothing to do with rescued kittens. But it IS delicious! Consider it an apology for not posting anything this week! It’s rich and decadent and perfect! If you need to apologize to anyone for anything, make them this ice cream ASAP, and it will get you out of the dog house (cat shed?) for sure! ;)
Chocolate Ice Cream (Low Carb & Sugar Free)
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar substitute
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup premium cocoa powder
- 1 cup almond milk (unsweetened vanilla)
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Combine the sugar substitute, eggs, cocoa powder and almond milk in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for one minute. Stir. Microwave for 30 seconds. Stir. Microwave for another 30 seconds. Stir. If the mixture hasn’t thickened slightly, repeat for 30 seconds one more time. Stir. If you end up with a few lumps you can stir vigorously or run through a strainer to remove them.
- Whisk in the heavy whipping cream and a pinch of salt. Chill in the refrigerator overnight. Or if you’re impatient like me, pour it out onto a cookie sheet and put it in the freezer for about 20 minutes until cold.
- Then run it through an ice cream maker following the manufacturers instructions.
- Optional stir-ins: Chopped dark chocolate, toasted nuts, sugar free toffee bits, etc.
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Ice cream
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup
- Calories: 236
- Fat: 22g
- Carbohydrates: 5.1g net
- Protein: 5g
Anonymous says
Hello, I am one of your biggest fan. Every post on your blog is so precious to me. However, I have an question. Unfortunately, I don’t have a ice cream maker. Is it impossible to make an ice cream without using a ice cream maker?
Mellissa Sevigny says
You can use the baggie method that I linked to above. I haven’t tried it but I’ve heard it’s really easy and it works. Hope that helps, enjoy! :)
Aimee says
Melissa,
I don’t see the “baggie method” link anywhere in the string? I really want to make this but don’t have an ice cream maker. Can you repost the link?
Thanks, I’m dying to try this!!
Aimee
Mellissa Sevigny says
Here’s one baggie method Aimee – http://teachnet.com/lessonplans/science/plastic-bag-ice-cream-recipe/
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks for the tips Eric! I think we’re going to keep her as our outside kitty since it’s working out well so far, but that could change in a weak moment so I’ll use some of your tips if we end up caving in! :)
Jennifer says
Aaaw, I pray she stays safe. What a sweet story. The ice creams look wonderful, Mellissa. Blessings to you and your family this happy, festive season. :)
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks so much Jennifer!
Aline says
What a great post! Awwwwww and delicious ice cream, yes, I approve! I am so glad to read how well informed you are about cats. I didn’t expect it otherwise but a lot of people are not aware of the possible dangers when bringing home an untested cat to existing indoor cats. I was also a bit afraid that she might have left on purpose..maybe you know that common saying:When you move (well more the cat here ;)), keep the cats inside for at least 4 weeks to make sure that they won’t try to return to their old and known environment”. Glad that this was not the case here…well no wonder, thinking of where she actually lived before.
Can’t wait for a picture of her, tuxedos and black cats are my favourites so black/orange must be really cute! <3
Can’t wait to try that ice cream, I have some almond milk in my fridge but can’t really stand the taste of it and had no creative idea how to use it yet :)
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks Aline, Rusty is doing great! Her appt isn’t until the 14th and I’m a little concerned that my son is getting so attached to her and that if she does have an untreatable disease and we have to put her down that he’ll be devastated. It’s a risk you take anytime you have a pet I guess. So far she seems in very good health and eating like a champ so we’re optimistic. We love our indoor kitties who are both 8 years old and I could never put them at risk for the sake of a new kitty. Keeping her outside is the perfect solution and it’s working out really well though it breaks my heart when she sits on the stairs meowing to come in. She stays in the yard though and appears to have adopted us so I’m no longer worried that she’ll take off. I took a few photos and I’ll try to post them today if I get a chance! Hope you like the ice cream – you can’t even taste the almond milk so it works well!
Janet NZ says
Mellissa – I’ve been lurking for some time… I just wanted you to know (that I love your recipes) that the outside kitten that we took in in March… is right now… asleep on our bed… The inside cats did NOT approve… at first. Now, they… still hate each other, but.. whatever. Your recipes are wonderful! Thank you XO
Mellissa Sevigny says
Hi Janet, glad you’ve been enjoying the recipes and thanks for commenting! :) So far Rusty is still our “outside kitty” and I think it will stay that way. She loves to be outside and if we let her in she’d be a strictly inside kitty like our others and I hate to restrict her that way since she’s used to playing outside all day. The other thing is that having her out there gets my son to go outside more too. He must head out there 4 or 5 times a day just to be with her and they run and play together which is great. So we’ll see what happens but for now, she’s thriving and it’s working out well to have her in the shed at night and outside during the day. But the first few days were hard not to let her in! I’m glad we stuck to our guns though – but who knows what the next couple of weeks will bring!
A Fat Girls Jouney to Healthy says
I don’t have a microwave. Would heating it up on the stove create the same creamy results? I have tried making ice cream before but it always turns out with a more Popsicle texture? Icy and hard, not so much creamy.
Mellissa Sevigny says
You need plenty of fat to get a creamy texture, this one was perfect! Cooking it over low heat in a saucepan will take about five minutes, just be sure to keep stirring so you don’t scorch the pan or end up with sweet scrambled eggs from cooking it too fast!
Nancy says
Bless you for rescuing the little kitten! He is a very lucky little guy! He sounds adorable and will quickly become a member of the family. Also, love the ice cream recipe!! My son adores choclate, but I don’t make it very often at all. Love that his uses almond milk!!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks so much Nancy – Rusty is doing great and eating like a horse! She’s really filling out and we love her to pieces already!
Priscilla says
This is a must try. Saving it for next summer.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks Priscilla! Definitely a perfect summer treat – though I don’t think I could go without ice cream until then! :)
Priyanka says
Delicious ice cream….love the second pic…makes me drool
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks Priyanka – and it really does taste as good as it looks!
Saguna says
That looks perfect! Hopefully it’ll work with my granulated stevia- it’s not as heavy as sugar but has the same volume so I’ll see how it goes! The mint chocolate one looks amazing too, I think this is about to get dangerous for me. I may just while away my days making and eating ice cream.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Whiling away your days making and eating ice cream sounds like a good plan to me! :)
KIM says
I would really like to know if anyone made this with stevia and did they adjust the quantity and how it turned out. Thank you
JustMaxine55 says
Hmmm….that heart warming story and this delicious looking ice cream…..yes, I forgive you for slacking! ;-)
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks Maxine, I knew you couldn’t stay mad! ;)