Raspberry Red Wine Sauce #SundaySupper

This week the #SundaySupper group is getting saucy. *Mrowr*

I decided to contribute one of my favorite gifts from the kitchen, this raspberry red wine sauce.

It's so easy to make, and super delicious. At Christmas, I get those little bitty mason jars, then I make a bunch of different dessert sauces, then I made little gift sets with a selection of different sauces and some homemade cookies and candies. This sauce always makes the cut.

Just sugar, red wine, frozen raspberries, and cornstarch make up this super delectable sauce. Just boil it together on the stove et voila, it's done. But no one needs to know just how easy it is, since it tastes completely gourmet.

Nom nom nom

You can use it to top waffles, cream puffs, even biscuits. My mother loves to put it on bagels. Me, I love it over ice cream. Maybe on top of a brownie sundae.

Truth telling time- usually I'm way too lazy to strain out the seeds, since that takes longer than making the actual sauce, so it's totally okay to skip that part. The seeds add extra texture, and then you can use it like the world's best tasting jam.

Raspberry Red Wine Sauce
Yield: About 2 cups of sauce

Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 1/2 cups red wine
1 (12 oz.) pkg. frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed

Directions
In a large saucepan, mix together the sugar and cornstarch. Add the red wine. Heat over medium low, stirring until dissolved. Heat to boiling and boil, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened, about 4-6 minutes. Add the thawed raspberries. Boil another 3-4 minutes until the raspberries have broken down and the sauce is thick and syrupy. Remove from heat and allow to cool. If desired, strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seed. Store in the refrigerator.

Recipe from BettyCrocker.com

Are you ready to get saucy?

Savory Sauces

• Port Wine and Fig Sauce from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Jalepeno Cranberry Sauce from Hot Momma's Kitchen Chaos
• Homemade Steak Sauce from Juanita's Cocina
• Tomato Kasundi from What Smells So Good?
• Homemade Tartar Sauce from The Foodie Army Wife
• Creamy Dairyfree Mushroom Sauce from The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
• Homemade Teriyaki Sauce from Curious Cuisiniere
• Red Wine Sauce | Molho de Vinho Tinto from Family Foodie
• Guava BBQ Sauce from Basic N Delicious

Pasta Sauces and Pastas with Sauce

• Chardonnay Seafood Sauce (with Linguine) from Country Girl in the Village
• Italian-Style Tomato Sauce from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Homemade Guiltless Alfredo Sauce from Momma's Meals
• Sicilian Marinara Sauce from Growing Up Gabel
• Basil Pesto from Take A Bite Out of Boca
• Angel Hair Pasta with Neapolitan Sauce from Cookin' Mimi
• Roasted Vegetable Pasta Sauce from Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Lentil Marinara Pasta Sauce from Alida's Kitchen
• Lamb Ragout from Maroc Mama
• Black Walnut Kale Pesto with Zucchini Spaghetti from Sue's Nutrition Buzz
• Amatriciana Sauce from The Weekend Gourmet

Entreés with Sauces

• Chicken Tikka Masala from I Run For Wine
• Pork Tenderloin with Plum Sauce from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Garlic Mushrooms In Red Wine Sauce from Kudos Kitchen By Renee
• Jack Daniel's Honey Barbecue Baked Wings from Chocolate Moosey
• Salmon with Homemade Caper Onion Mayonnaise from Food Lust People Love
• Chicken with Mushroom Demi-Glace from Crazy Foodie Stunts
• Mrs. A's Skillet Lemon Chicken from Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Philly Strip Steaks with Provolone Sauce and Caramelized Onions from The Texan New Yorker
• Sweet & Sour Garlic Chicken Wings from Big Bear's Wife

Sweet Sauces

• Banana Pudding Sauce from Killer Bunnies, Inc
• Raspberry Red Wine Sauce from Treats & Trinkets
• Pumpkin Applesauce from Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen
• Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel Sauce from Daily Dish Recipes
• Slow Cooker Applesauce from Citronlimette
• Apple Cider Caramel Sauce from The Messy Baker
• Port Wine Cranberry Sauce from Webicurean
• Pumpkin Caramel Sauce from Noshing With The Nolands

Desserts with Sauces

• Sticky Toffee Pudding w/ Toffee Sauce from girlichef
• Salted Bourbon Caramel Sauce (over Chocolate Rosemary Cake) from Gotta Get Baked
• Pear Tatin with Rum Caramel Sauce from Jane's Adventures in Dinner
• Bananas Foster from MidLife Road Trip
• Baked Espresso Berry Pudding from The Urban Mrs
• Caramel Apple Sheet Cake from Pies and Plots

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter each Sunday. We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm EST. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here → >Sunday Supper Movement.

Black Forest Icebox Cake

We've been having a heat wave over in New Jersey. It's been so hot, I haven't wanted to turn the oven on. And that's like, me not wanting to bake? Inconceivable!

(You keep using that word. I don't think it means what you think it means.)

But I had to satisfy my dessert-making cravings somehow, and since my ice cream maker was ousted from the freezer because of a lack of room, that meant ice cream was out of the question.

So what's a girl to do but make her most favoritest no-bake treat in the whole wide world? That's right, it's time for icebox cakes!!

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *Kermit flail*

(Sometimes I worry about how much I love these things. Then I make one and worry about how little I loved them before.)

I've been playing around with the idea for a Black Forest icebox cake for a while. After all, what is Black Forest Cake, but chocolate cake, cherry filling, and whipped cream? Replace the chocolate cake with chocolate cookies, stick it in the refrigerator for a few hours, and you have an icebox cake. I haven't made it before now because I kept forgetting to buy canned cherries (easier to make a filling with, and fresh cherries don't last long enough in my house to make something with) (you could use cherry pie filling, but the canned stuff is too bright and tastes artificial, and as for making my own, see the previous parenthetical comment.)

Normally I go to the park or take a walk or sit outside and read on my lunch break, but it was way too hot for any of that this past week. And since there is a grocery store a short drive from my office, what better way to spend the time than buying ingredients for an icebox cake?

I have to say, though, that grocery store is big and clean and nice and has a great salad/hot food bar, and all sorts of organic and specialty diet options, so it totally lulled me into thinking that it would have a great selection for scratch cooks.

It does not. It is a grocery store for hipsters who like to pretend to be all gourmet and up on foodie trends and eco-friendly, but don't actually like to cook. The baking aisle is so limited (mostly mixes, to be honest), and they didn't even carry unflavored gelatin until recently. Nor could I find plain chocolate wafer cookies. They had Oreos and off-brand Oreos galore (though not much in the way of other cookies), but not plain wafers. What is up with that?

I ended up getting chocolate graham crackers. Those, at least, they had, and I did not fancy baking my own or scraping the filling out of the Oreos. And I ended up really liking the graham crackers. I think the chocolate ones taste more cake-like after softening than the regular grahams, too.

I also added a little red wine to the cherries, because the cherries are traditionally soaked in kirsch for Black Forest cake. I do not have kirsch, but I had a bottle of Malbec with only a little bit left in it. This was a last minute decision, and totally optional

There's no point to ganache if you don't let it drip down the sides.

And because I'm fancy, I poured some ganache on top. And then I let the rest set, whipped it, and piped ganache rosettes, so the cherries on top would have little chocolate thrones. And ended up with the PRETTIEST CAKE EVAAAAAAA!

And tastiest. Because you can't go wrong with cherries, chocolate, and whipped cream. And you can NEVER go wrong with an icebox cake. Word.

Black Forest Icebox Cake
Yield: 8-10 servings

Ingredients
For the cherry filling:
1 (15 oz.) can sweet cherries in heavy syrup
1/4 cup fruity red wine (optional)*
2 tbsp. cornstarch
2 tbsp. sugar

For the cake:
1½ cups whipping cream, chilled
1½ tbsp. sugar
½ tsp. vanilla
1 box chocolate graham crackers or chocolate wafer cookies

For the ganache:
6 oz. milk chocolate, chopped**
6 oz. heavy cream

Chocolate sprinkles, and more cherries, for decorating

Directions
Prepare the filling: Dice the cherries into quarters. Add all ingredients to a saucepan. Heat on low, mixing until the sugar and cornstarch are dissolved. Continue to heat until the mixture is thickened and can coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.

Prepare the cake: In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large mixing bowl with electric beaters, whip together the whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla on high speed until stiff peaks form. Line a loaf pan with plastic wrap. Spread some of the whipped cream evenly in the bottom of the loaf pan, about ¼ inch thick. Place a row of graham crackers over the whipped cream, filling as much space as possible. Spread a layer of cherry filling on top. Top with another layer of graham crackers and spread with more whipped cream. Repeat, alternating between the cherry filling and whipped cream until the top of the loaf pan is reached, ending with the whipped cream. Refrigerate 4-6 hours or overnight.

Prepare the ganache: Place the chopped chocolate in a medium-sized mixing bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the cream over low until boiling, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin from forming. Pour the cream over the chocolate. Allow to sit for a few minutes, then stir until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.

Assemble: Invert the loaf pan over a serving dish to release the cake (it should pop right out). Frost the sides with the remaining whipped cream, decorate with sprinkles, if desired, and pour about 1/2-2/3 of the ganache on top. Allow the remaining ganache to come to room temperature (it seem solid), then whip on high with an electric beater. Pipe the whipped ganache on top of the cake in rosettes, then top with more cherries. Serve chilled.

Tip: You can also make a freeform cake. Just line the serving dish with graham crackers and layer from there.

*Traditionally, the cherries for Black Forest Cake are soaked in kirsch. I did not have any, so I used wine instead. Feel free to skip.

**I originally used bittersweet chocolate, but it overpowered the cake. Milk chocolate has a much milder flavor. However, feel free to use your favorite

Recipe by Kim

This recipe is featured on Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party

Raspberry Red Wine Ice Cream

I've never really claimed to be a grown up. Ever. I mean, technically that's what I am, being twenty-mumble years old and with a respectable job and I car that I bought with my own money. But honestly, what's so great about being a grown up? Sure, there's the whole staying up as late as you want and eating ice cream for dinner and pizza for breakfast, but that kind of loses its shine when you've got to wake up at 5:30 to get ready for work and pizza and ice cream give you a tummy ache.

I don't even like grown up things. I don't drink coffee-- I used to buy juice in the campus convenience store while everyone was fighting for the coffee machines-- I'm not a fan of most veggies, and I'd much rather watch cartoons than be depressed by the news. I go to the comics first in the paper, I like to play board games, and I prefer something bright and colorful and sparkly over something "tasteful" any day of the week. Dinosaur chicken nuggets are cool, carrots are stinky, and Harry Potter rules.

And then there's grown up drinks. I think most anything with alcohol in it is icky, unless it's sweet and fruity, and even then I'll probably just stick to my sparkling apple cider, thankyouverymuch. But then every so often, my inner adult will rear its head and say something like, "Psst. Psst. Hey you. How about some raspberry red wine ice cream? Doesn't that sound good? Don't you want to make it to bring to a classy dinner party, where there's real plates and fancy cocktails and no popsicles? Where people talk politics instead of debate whether Batman or Iron Man would win at chess? Where there's no Killer Bunnies and the Quest for the Magic Carrot? Where people talk about depressing adult movies instead quoting Monty Python and Dr. Horrible and The Princess Bride?"

Then the rest of me will go, "Whoa, whoa, that's taking it too far, buddy. If I make you that ice cream, will you let me play Final Fantasy in peace?"

And the adult part will concede with an ominous, "For now."

So I made a grown up dessert. It's classy. And alcoholic. Meant to be served all fancy in an expensive wine glass, not in a plastic dollar store bowl. And drizzled with dark chocolate syrup instead of the normal stuff. This is most definitely not a kid-friendly dessert. I could have cooked off some of the alcohol, but this way I can call it boozy ice cream and pretend it's not all classy and grown up.

Well, as the Doctor says:

What's the point of being grown up if you can't be childish sometimes?

Drinking? No officer, I haven't been drinking. I just ate some *hic* ice cream.

Raspberry Red Wine Ice Cream {Printable Version}

Ingredients
1 pkg. (12 oz.) frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed
Approx. 1½ cups red wine
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1½ cup plus 2 tbsp. sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup half and half

Directions
In a large bowl, add the raspberries. Toss with 2 tbsp. sugar. Add enough wine to cover the berries.
Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight. Mash the berries with a fork or in a food processor.
Press through a fine mesh strainer to achieve 1½ cups liquid. Discard solids or save to add to the ice
cream.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and ¾ cup sugar until fluffy. In a medium saucepan,
heat the cream, half and half, and remaining sugar over medium-low heat. Stir until sugar is completely
dissolved. Continue to heat until it just begins to simmer, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Add
the milk mixture to the eggs 1 ladleful at a time, whisking constantly. When all the milk has been added,
return the mixture to the pan and heat over low, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches 160°F on
a food-grade thermometer. Do not let it boil.

Mix the berry/wine puree with the custard. Cover and refrigerate until fully chilled, 4-6 hours or
overnight. Add to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If
desired, add the berry solids to the cream a few minutes before fully frozen.

Tip: I used a Zinfandel wine because that’s what I had in the house. First rule of cooking with wine: never buy anything you wouldn’t drink. Also, adding the berry solids to the ice cream will add texture and a more intense flavor, but feel free to skip if you don’t enjoy the seeds.

Recipe by Kim

This recipe is featured on Walking on Sunshine and Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party

This was also posted at The Lady 8 Home's Weekend Gala Dinner Extravaganza