30+ Days of Ice Cream or There Abouts!!!

It has been over 40 days of 100 degrees + here in the Mid-West! Since I don't have an ice-cream maker and maybe you do, thought I would put on a recipe each day to help you cool off.  For you who are super creative and needed to cool off here's the first recipe:

Ready for the refrigerator.

 Old-Fashioned Strawberry Ice Cream

2 cups strawberries     
1/2 cups sugar
Cut strawberries in half. In medium saucepan, combine strawberries and the sugar. Cook over medium-low heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until berries are soft, while stirring. Transfer to a food processor, and pulsate for a few times to chopped berries. You can process until smooth and have a creamier ice cream. Cover and chill 4 hours or can keep chilled up to 24 hours.

     1 egg, slightly beaten
     1 cup half and half (can use all cream if you want)

Spoon test.

     1/2 cup sugar
     1 3/4 half and half (or cream)
     1 teaspoon vanilla
In a small saucepan, combine egg, half and half (or cream) and the sugar. Cook and stir over medium heat just until mixture coast a metal spoon. (See note*) Immediately transfer to a medium bowl. Stir in remaining half and half (or cream) and vanilla. Cover and chill at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.
                                                                                   

Ready for freezer.

Pour half and half mixture into freezer canister of 1 or 1/12 quart ice cream freezer. Freeze according to manufacturer's directions, adding strawberry mixture after 5 minutes of freezing.

Getting there!

*NOTE: It's important to cook the egg mixture to just the right stage. To know when to remove the cooked custard from the heat, coat a metal spoon with custard and draw your finger down the spoon. If your finger leaves a clear trail, the custard is done.

Next day, I enjoyed a strawberry shake with added home-made yogurt!

 Since I don't have an electric freezer, I went ahead and tried putting it in the bowl and use the refrigerator/ freezer method.  Stirring every hour for about 8 hours and then decided it was ready. I put some in the small bowl and froze the rest for days to follow.  I did use the half and half, pretty good, and less expensive. I was sure glad I had these ingredients on hand! Delicious!!!


Will be sending this to: http://sweet-as-sugar-cookies.blogspot.com/2011/08/sweets-for-saturday-29.html