Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

For the last two years, we were spoiled by mild Northern Indiana summers. Sure, we were thousands of miles from family and friends, my husband's job was a living nightmare, and the winters were insane thanks to the lake-effect snow, but you could venture out of the house this time of year and it didn't feel like you were walking around through (and trying to breathe) pudding. We are certainly thrilled to be back in our native Kansas, but god, did I not miss the summer weather here. It's just too damn hot and humid to bake or do much of anything besides lounging on the couch in our finest beach wear. And it's not even August yet.

Last week, our air conditioner went on the fritz (naturally, on the hottest day of the year thus far) and as the temperature inside our house climbed toward 90 degrees, I began to think the end was nigh. Thank god for a summer bounty of strawberries on sale and my Mother's Day gift of an ice cream maker. And an a/c repair company with an available time slot and the ability to make a swift, albeit extremely costly repair. It's times like these I'm glad we are still renting.

I cannot promise I won't spend the entire summer whining about the heat but I will do my very best to generate some content beyond fro yo, ice cream, popsicles, and the other cold treats that sustain my will to live. It's just hard to muster up the enthusiasm to turn on the oven when bloggers are churning out (see what I did there) recipes for easy, fresh, and amazing frozen confections. 

Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

from David Lebovitz

1 lb strawberries, washed and cut into chunks

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 cup full-fat plain yogurt (I accidentally bought nonfat and the end results were still delicious, but a bit icy)

1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tsp vodka, optional

Toss the strawberries, sugar, and vodka together in a bowl until evenly coated. Cover and let sit at room temperature for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally. The sugar will dissolve and draw lots of juice from the strawberries.

Pour strawberries and their juice into a blender, add the yogurt and lemon juice, and pulse until smooth. At this point you can strain the mixture to remove any seeds and pulp that remain, but I left it in. 

Refrigerate mixture for an hour, then freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions on your ice cream maker. Makes approximately one quart.