You know what time it is??

Time for HOMEMADE ICE CREAM!!!

This morning as I was perusing some sites, looking for inspiration for my new sunroom (which I have NOT finished tiling yet, so don't ask!) I came across Country Living Magazines Website. Oh man, I forgot how much I LOVED their ideas!! Now, my house is a fairly new, modern, cookie cutter house, in a new subdivision where all the houses look the same. I'm not crazy about this per se, but at the time, it was what we needed, and of course, the amenities (read: Pool) and neighborhood were good for us, so there we are. Anyway, designing my house in "country" isn't likely to happen, but THAT is the joy of a sunroom... you can sort of do something different in it and have fun with it and if it doesn't completely "go" with the rest of your house, it doesn't look quite as odd since it's sort of off on its own.

ANYWAY (sorry, I get off on a tangent pretty easily... hey? is that a squirrel?)... so Country Living was spotlighting homemade icecream and since it's going to be 97 degrees today (that's 36 for you Canadians!) this sounded like a great topic for today's post. I bought an ice cream maker that you can plug in at a yard sale about 3 years ago. The kids love it and I dare anyone to argue that homemade ice cream isn't THE BEST kind of ice cream! Do it. I dare ya!

Usually, you buy Rock Salt, ice, use whole milk and buy a "mix" for the ice cream. But this recipe asks you to make your own mix but still use an ice cream maker for the actual legwork. Trust me... cranking the old fashioned way is fun, but only for about 90 seconds.

This recipe is for Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream. (Note: you can go directly to the site to save the recipe or print it out)(Another note: The recipe online is for Vanilla... with the mint chocolate variation listed below it. I saved you the same, by fixing the recipe to just be for the mint chocolate chip. I'm just nice that way.)

Yields: 16 servings, each 1/2 cup

Total Time: 4 hr 45 min

Prep Time: 15 min

Ingredients

• 2 cup(s) whole milk
• 1 cup(s) sugar
• 4 egg yolks
• Pinch of salt
• 2 cup(s) half-and-half
• 2 cup(s) whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon(s) peppermint extract
• 1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, whisk together milk, sugar, egg yolks, and salt. Place pan over medium- high heat and whisk until mixture reaches a simmer. Lower heat to medium and whisk for 5 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken. Strain mixture into a large bowl, then whisk in half-and- half, cream, and vanilla. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.
   
   
2. Pour mixture into ice-cream maker; process according to manufacturer instructions.
   
   
3. Once ice cream's made, stir in 2 cups mini chocolate chips.