Kitchen

[patticakes]

Just purchased one and have no clue about receipes, etc.  What is the best cookbook for new users who want regularr recipes but also sugar free, healthy, too?  Also, would you recommend extra containers; and if so, which ones?  Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated.

[MG Chris]

If you are on FB there are a ton of groups. I belong to several. You could Google recipes as well. 

The generic containers on Amazon work fine just read the reviews.

two big rules I have learned is that you have to level the hump in the center before mixing otherwise you could ruin the blade. Also, let your container sit out on the counter for 20 minutes or so or you can put it in the microwave for 30 seconds. That way when you process you will have less iciness in your mix. 

[gardenman]

Just running the container under hot water as you rotate it for a few seconds, maybe a minute, works to limit the icyness also. I use conventional ice cream recipes mostly. The Chocolate and Vanilla ice cream from the Cooks Illustrated cookbook "How to Make Ice Cream" are very good. That's a custard-based recipe so it takes a bit longer to mix up (about a half hour) but it makes a very good ice cream. (I have a container of chocolate in the freezer now.)

I also use the Root Beer Sorbet recipe from Mable and Gar Hoffman's book "Ice Cream." I just top it off with some unfrozen root beer before blending. I tried a Pinterest recipe using Dream Whip and Root Beer that was also pretty good and very easy. Just the two ingredients. (Note: All of the root beer recipes work best if the root beer is flat before freezing it.) I've gotten mixed results from freezing pudding. The first try came out very good, the second one not as good. That might vary with the pudding you use. The first pudding mix I used was a Walmart Great Value pudding and worked great. The second was a Jello brand pudding and not as good. 

There are literally endless options. Pinterest is full of Creami recipes that people have tried. For me, for ice cream, the custard-based recipes have been the best. If you do an online search for "Creami recipes" you'll find a bazillion options come up. Everything from cold drinks to the most exotic ice creams imaginable. Recipes are all over the place for Creamis.