Following Our Headlights

One of the downsides of being a domestic goddess is always knowing the contents of your refrigerator. I never get a delightful surprise when I open the fridge door like I did when I was a kid; good food doesn’t magically appear on the shelves because everything in my refrigerator is put there by me.

On the contrary, as a kid, I could open the fridge at noon, sigh at its contents, and run out the sliding patio door for a couple hours of Ken and Barbie with my girlfriends down the street, only to return at dinner time, open that same refrigerator door, and out of thin air, a sparkling dish of Jello had appeared next to the jar of relish. I loved that.

But this whole scenario tripled in fun when I had a massive spoonful of Cool Whip perched atop the wobbly mess of Jello in my bowl. The airy, milky sweetness of the Cool Whip made it one of my favorite treats as a kid.

I’m all grown up now and with this unfortunate habit of reading labels, Cool Whip’s list of ingredients ousted it from our refrigerator a while ago. But it left a vacancy that I felt every time a bowl of fresh fruit was presented to me until I discovered this tasty little recipe typed out below. It’s simple, so deliciously yummy, and all-natural (but notice I didn’t say low-fat).

Maple Whipped Cream

¾ c. heavy whipping cream
½ c. sour cream
¼ c. pure maple syrup (I’m not talking Aunt Jemima’s here. This is the real deal, straight from the tree stuff. No substitutes.)

Using an electric mixer (or if you are looking for a really serious bicep/tricep workout, you could do this by hand), whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Fold in the sour cream and maple syrup. Dig in.

And remember to tune in for tomorrow’s Wild Card Wednesday recipe, a family favorite in the Smucker household.