I Scream... I Need Ice Cream!

Can I be honest for a minute? Will you allow me one little rant before I climb back onto the mommy-blogger pedestal?

My kids are driving me crazy.

It's hot and humid and we're bored. At the moment I would much rather drop them off on my in-laws front porch than come up with another fun and enriching activity. I've had it with swim lessons and hotdogs and sweltering visits to the zoo. I've had it with whiny children and pushed-back bedtimes and loads of dirty laundry. I want to grab my husband and run away for a week of blissful selfish adult fun!

But it's not going to happen.

So what does a mommy do when she's about to lose her mind? She eats ice cream. And if that mommy wants to entertain her 5 year old during nap time, she makes ice cream.

Ben & Jerry's French Vanilla Ice Cream

Ingredients:
- 2 eggs
- 2 c heavy whipping cream
- 1 c milk
- 2 t vanilla extract

1. Whisk the eggs 1-2 minutes until light and fluffy.

2. Slowly add the sugar until fully incorporated.

3. Pour in the milk, cream, and vanilla and whisk to blend. Make sure you take time to smell the vanilla! (Yes, folks, that's homemade vanilla extract, thanks to my MIL extraordinaire!)

4. Transfer to your ice cream maker and follow manufacturer's instructions. (I swear, it really wasn't that loud.)

Our ice cream took 25 minutes to form. Homemade ice cream is softer and melts faster than store bought, so be prepared to eat quickly or store.

If you want firmer ice cream, than simply place it in a sealed container and stick it in the freezer.

This recipe comes from the experts on ice cream:

Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield

So I know it's not technically a kids book, but you can always use your children as an excuse to buy it. "I'm making ice cream for the kids, sweetie. You said we should cut out high fructose corn syrup..."

The book contains 90 recipes, including all of the best Ben & Jerry flavors over the years. I admit I haven't tried many of them, but I hold to the rule #2 of ice cream making: "There's no such thing as an unredeemingly bad batch of homemade ice cream." The book is illustrated adorably with colorful B&J-style cartoons on every page. The recipes are easy to follow, and scattered throughout are helpful tips, tricks, and nuggets of information regarding the ice cream making process.

If you don't have an ice cream maker, then may I recommend...


I found this puppy for half off a couple years ago at the end of summer, so keep your eyes open as you run errands these next couple months. If an electric ice cream maker isn't your style, than you can always try one of these ice cream balls. Just add your ingredients and get the kids to roll it around for 15 minutes!


So what ice cream-themed books did I miss? Do you have any picture books based on this delicious treat to share?