Several important things are happening in our household at the moment:

1)   We have a beautiful, tender pot roast gently bubbling away in the slow cooker, marking the first time in a few weeks that we’ve been able to enjoy a real, home-cooked meal. I used this recipe and the smell alone is making my mouth water, so I can only imagine how wonderful it tastes!

2)   I accidentally just swallowed a lemon seed. (Remember when you were five and someone told you that swallowing seeds would make you turn into a tree?)

3)   There is a quart of freshly churned Sriracha Peanut Ice Cream in the freezer, anxiously awaiting its arrival into my Belly Monster.

Yep, I said it. Sriracha! (Does that make me cool?)

Sriracha seems to be one of the uber trendy flavors this year, with many major food brands introducing Sriracha flavored this or that. Actually, I think Sriracha has probably been popular for quite some time now, but I generally lag behind major trends and never know what’s cool and what’s not, so I apologize if this Sriracha business is old news and I’ve just been living under a rock.

I clearly remember the very first time that Sriracha was brought to my attention. Several years ago, I was at my Awesome Akron Brother’s house, eating an oversized bowl of chili, when he removed a big red bottle from the kitchen cabinet.

“Would you like some Sriracha?”

Um. Some what?

“Sriracha.”

Generally, I don’t like to eat food that sounds like a sneeze. But, as previously mentioned, I trust AAB’s food sense, so I dug in.

At the time, my 20-year old palate must not have thought much of Sriracha, because I never ended up purchasing my own bottle.

Until now, that is.

Fast-forward to several years later, and all of a sudden, Sriracha is majorly mainstream. Lay’s recently introduced Sriracha-flavored potato chips, and now Subway even has some sort of Sriracha themed sandwich.

Naturally, I wanted a piece of the Sriacha pie, so I ran to Target this week and picked up a bottle. In the checkout line, the friendly cashier lady let me know she approved of my purchase:

“Oh, Sriracha! My boys put this on everything. Eggs, tomato soup, burgers. It’s wonderful!”

I smiled politely and made some sort of generic “OH REALLY, HOW COOL!” statement. But then, something she said awoke me from my Target Coma of Happiness.

“And you know…this raises your metabolism! I just saw it on Dr. Oz a few days ago.”

What.

Food..that raises your metabolism? Be still, my heart. All of your dreams are about to come true.

For those of you who don’t live in the United States and don’t have access to our network television, Dr. Oz is some celebrity doctor person that came to fame through his frequent appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Now, he has his own television program and is a bona fide super star, openly discussing everything from heart health to constipation and all that lies in between.

And apparently, he makes a habit of delivering great news to the American public.

I wish I could say that I thoroughly researched the effects of Sriracha on metabolism, but alas, I have not. I realized immediately following my encounter with the lady at Target that it didn’t matter to me whether or not the information was factual; my heart was already convinced that it was true.

Thus, I give to you my dearest friends and family, Sriracha Peanut Ice Cream, with magical metabolism-boosting capabilities.

Ice cream that makes you lose weight? Your welcome.

On a more serious note, this ice cream is wonderful. Peanut-y and creamy, with a very subtle yet build-able heat. I experimented with various amounts of Sriracha until I found the amount that pleased my palate, but you may want to add more if you’re one of those people who likes how it feels when the skin on the inside of your mouth starts to peel (I’m talking to you, AAB!)

Also, if you’re feeling unmotivated and don’t want to make ice cream, just swirl some PB and Sriracha into store bought vanilla. Or, skip the ice cream altogether. But whatever you do, Make.These.Peanuts. They rock! Seriously..its like a spicy sugary peanut brittle, but easier to make. They would also work as an appetizer or snack at your next holiday party.

How do you use Sriracha?

Happy Scooping!

Sriracha Peanut Ice Cream with Candied Sriracha Peanuts

Yield: About 1 Quart

Don’t forget: Prepare an ice bath ahead of time. You’ll also want to place a sieve atop a large bowl or container.

For the ice cream:

6 large egg yolks

1 cup whole milk

2 cups heavy cream

¼ cup white sugar

2 tablespoons of honey

Large pinch of salt

¼ cup peanut butter

1.5 teaspoons Sriracha

For the Sriracha Candied Peanuts*

2 cups of raw peanuts

1 cup of white sugar

1/3 cup of water

Few splashes of Sriracha, or to taste

1. In a medium bowl, lightly break up egg yokes with a whisk. Set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine whole milk, heavy cream, sugar, salt, and honey. Heat until the sugar is melted and the mixture begins to steam.
3. Add the heated cream to the egg yokes, a little at a time, whisking the egg yolks constantly.
4. Once all of the heated cream has been added to the yolks, add the mixture back to the pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a heat proof spatula or wooden spoon. After about ten minutes, the mixture will thicken (you will feel it start to “push back” against your spoon). Once the mixture covers the spoon, but leaves a clear path when you wipe your finger across, your custard is done!
5. Pour the custard through the sieve and into the bowl or container. Stir in peanut butter and Sriracha, tasting as you go along. Stir to combine, then refrigerate overnight or for at least 4 hours.
6. Make the Candied Sriracha Peanuts: Add peanuts, sugar, and water to the pan. Cook peanuts over medium heat, until sugar starts to bubble. Continue to cook peanuts until they look dry and crumbly (this is normal). Keep cooking for about ten minutes, until the sugar begins to caramelize and peanuts have reached an amber color. Remove from heat, then add Sriracha. Let cool.
7. Make your ice cream according to the manufacturer’s directions.
8. Swirl in Sriracha Peanuts. Enjoy!

*Note: If you don’t have raw peanuts around, you can use an alternative method: Beat one egg white until it is nice and frothy, then mix in 2 cups peanuts, ½ cup of white sugar, and a few splashes of Sriracha. Then, bake in the oven at 250 degrees for about 40 to 45 minutes, stirring halfway through. Let cool before you add to your ice cream, making sure you scrape the browned sugary bits from your baking pan. Voila!