Milkshakes

I am an ice cream snob. I grew up with great ice cream. Not only did my dad make his own but he had Bridgeman’s Ice Cream in his stores.

Bridgeman’s has been setting the standard of quality for over seventy years in Minnesota and to this day I still crave it.

Here are some new recipes that will cool you off this summer. The first is a low calorie version of a vanilla milkshake to which you can add fruit.

As you can see, I added strawberries and then blueberries to the mix and it was great.

The other recipes offer some unusual flavors that were inspired by two of my favorite foods: Bananas Foster and Pumpkin Pie.

Bon Appetit!

Vanilla Milkshake

Calories: 162 Fat: 2.25 g CarbS 28.5 g Protein: 6 g

½ Tbsp Coffee-Mate Sugar Free French Vanilla powdered creamer

1 Tbsp hot water

½ Cup Fat Free Vanilla Ice Cream or Frozen Vanilla Yogurt

½ Cup Light Vanilla Soy Milk

2 no-calorie Splenda sweetener packets

½ tsp vanilla extract

1 cup crushed ice

2 tbsp fat free whipped cream

In a bowl, combine powdered creamer with 1 Tbsp hot water and stir until dissolved. Add to blender along with all other ingredients except whipped cream. Blend at high speed. Pour into a glass and top with whipped cream.

As a variation, you can add peanut butter, fresh fruit or sugar free syrups to this milkshake.

Bananas Foster Dessert: The Milkshake

The first time I had Bananas Foster was in New Orleans at Brennan’s. I loved it and have tried many different variations over the course of the years.

I use to reserve this recipe for special occasions because it is such an elegant dessert and all of my guests asked for the recipe.

One day I decided to make it just for me because this solo dinner was a special occasion – I was making Jacques Pepin’s Chateaubriand for the first time and had guests coming that weekend.

Here is Brennan's recipe for the dessert which is always great and a perfect no fail recipe. Try to serve over homemade vanilla ice cream. Always ticks it up another notch.

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup banana liqueur

4 bananas, cut in half lengthwise, then halved

1/4 cup dark rum

4 scoops vanilla ice cream

Combine the butter, sugar, and cinnamon in a flambé pan or skillet.

Place the pan over low heat either on an alcohol burner or on top of the stove, and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.

Stir in the banana liqueur, then place the bananas in the pan.

When the banana sections soften and begin to brown, carefully add the rum.

Continue to cook the sauce until the rum is hot, then tip the pan slightly to ignite the rum.

When the flames subside, lift the bananas out of the pan and place four pieces over each portion of ice cream.

Generously spoon warm sauce over the top of the ice cream and serve immediately.

Being totally addicted to this dessert, I found this thick and creamy milk shake which partners caramel and rum and is a take-off on the classic Brennan's masterpiece.

Again, add ice cream or frozen yogurt to your desired thickness.

At my neighbor’s BBQ last weekend, I served this in tiny glasses with a little French cookie and everyone loved it. It’s an satisfying change from the usual dessert.

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

2 tbsp. unsalted butter

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

3 tbsp. dark rum

2 tbsp. heavy cream

2 bananas, cut into 1/2" pieces

6+ heaping scoops vanilla ice cream or frozen vanilla yogurt

1/4 cup milk

Combine sugar, butter, and cinnamon in a 10" skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves. Stir in rum, heavy cream, salt, and bananas and cook, stirring occasionally, until bananas are browned and soft, about 5 minutes. Transfer banana mixture to a small bowl and refrigerate until chilled.


Working in two batches, combine half the banana mixture, ice cream (I actually used more than what the recipe called for because I like my shakes thick), and milk in a blender. Purée until smooth and transfer to a chilled glass.

Pumpkin Pie Milkshake

My sister Krissy makes the best pumpkin pie dip every Thanksgiving. That inspired me to try this pumpkin pie milkshake which was really wonderful. Again, I almost doubled the ice cream depending on how thick you like your shakes. I like mine double THICK!

Pumpkin Pie Milkshakes were put in the “magnificent-to-die-for” category by one of my favorite blogs and I adapted the recipe because the pumpkin flavor was much too overwhelming for my taste.

I used a half of a ½” pumpkin pie slice (crust and all). That was perfect for me and gave the shake just a hint of pumpkin spice. They used a full 2” slice.

Secret ingredient: The marshmallows!

2 ounces milk

2 sliced marshmallows

small slice pumpkin pie (we used one on which the crust measured about ½ inch)

4 ice cubes

3 large scoops of vanilla ice cream

Cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger to taste

In a small saucepan, warm milk; once warm, add marshmallows and continue to warm (but not boil) until marshmallows are fully melted. Add in cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger or spices to taste.

Place pie slice in blender.

Pour liquid mixture over pie slice, and add ice cubes and ice cream.

Blend until smooth