Strawberry-Basil Frozen Yogurt

It's that time again, time to break out the ice cream maker and create some delicious concoctions for spring/summer. The first frozen yogurt that I attempted was on Sunday, and oh my, it was delicious. 

 I'll get to that in a minute. Before I do, I thought that I would share a few things that I'm loving lately, and some recipes that I'm dying to make!

1. Jalapeno Powder.

I got this at Buford Farmer's Market and couldn't wait to try it out. One ingredient, dried and ground into a powder. It's the perfect flavor for summer, when spicy grilled eats are very prevalent at out house.

2. This AMAZING Carrot Cake Loaf with Lemon Glaze from Oh She Glows. It looks absolutely delicious and I cannot wait to make a couple of loaves when my sis comes in town in two weeks.

3. Speaking of my sis, she is a spin instructor in Minneapolis at The Shed. Click here to sign up for her classes on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 5:45am (SOO early - are we really related?). She has great playslists, and I promise it'll be a good time. I can't wait to try out a class in August :)

4. Thai Vegetable Potstickers from Trader Joes.If you haven't tried these- buy them today! Jeff went through a bag and a half last week. They are awesome, and can be made in the microwave in 3 mins.

5. My New Crate and Barrell Donut Pan.

I picked this guy up for only $10. Baked donuts anyone? I have a few recipes saved, so stay tuned for them.

6. These Apple Bacon Pancakes from How Sweet It Is. I love all of her recipes. She is real, and indulges as she sees fit. These might be dinner tonight. I can't wait!

Ok....let's talk about this frozen yogurt! It take about 5 minutes to mix it up, then just pop it into the ice cream maker and let it go for about 25 minutes. Freeze it for an hour or so, and your done!

Start by placing one pound of strawberries into a food processor. Chop them first, so it's easy to break them down.

Combine these with some plain greek yogurt, sugar, basil, vanilla, and a secret ingredient....

Balsamic Vinegar! It's delicious, and goes so well. You only need a tablespoon, that does the trick. You mix should look like this:

Fit your ice cream maker attachment onto your Kitchen Aid, then start it on low, and slowly add in your mixture.

Mmmm.....is hte frozen yogurt, right out of the mixer.  

 The strawberries and basil make this extra refreshing!

STRAWBERRY-BASIL FROZEN YOGURT

Adapted from My Gourmet Connection

3 cups plain Greek-style yogurt
3/4 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 lb strawberries, hulled and chopped
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves

Preparation ~
In a large bowl, stir together the Greek-style yogurt, sugar, vanilla extract and balsamic vinegar until the sugar is completely dissolved.

Place the strawberries in the work bowl of a food processor and pulse until puréed. Add the fresh basil and pulse until chopped, but pieces of the leaves are still visible. Combine the strawberries and basil with the yogurt mixture and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze according the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to a tightly covered container and freeze for an additional 2 before serving.