Custard-based recipe

There are two basic recipes to make an ice cream base. If you don’t mind cooking the base ingredients before freezing, you may want to try this custard-based recipe:

4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups whole milk
Pinch of salt

Begin by beating the first three ingredients until they are pale and yellow, then set them aside. Combine the rest of the ingredients, minus 1/2 cup milk, in a medium saucepan. Cook this over medium until it begins to simmer, about 5 minutes. Let the mixture almost boil but do not let it boil. Remove it from the heat and set it aside.

Put two handfuls of ice into a large bowl and fill it with water to cover. Gradually pour the warm milk into the eggs, whisking constantly and then pour it back into the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat and stir constantly until it has thickened, about 5-10 minutes. Remove it from the heat and then pour in the remaining milk.

Pour the mixture into a medium bowl and put it in the ice bath. Continue stirring until the mixture is chilled. For the best results, let the mixture chill for 4 hours, or you can pour the chilled mixture into the ice cream maker and let the machine do the rest of the work.

No-cook version

For people who prefer not to wait the amount of time it takes for the custard-base, you may want to try the no-cook version:

2 cups heavy cream, well chilled
1 cup whole milk, well chilled
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Pour it all into an ice cream maker and follow the instructions given by the manufacturer. Before long you’ll have ice cream the whole family can enjoy. The ice cream will be soft-set, but you can firm it up by putting it in the freezer for two hours before eating.

Add-ins

Starting with either of these base recipes you can create nearly any ice cream you might want. Here are five ideas your family may enjoy:

* 1 cup finely diced overripe strawberries or peaches
* 1 cup crushed peppermint candy
* Chocolate chips
* Chopped peppermint patties
* Chunks of cookie dough

You’ll want to add fruit ingredients during the last 5 to 10 minutes of the freezing process. The chips, peppermint patties, and cookie dough would be added after the freezing process so they can be evenly dispersed.

Decorate the ice cream with additional fresh fruit, chocolate syrup, or slivered almonds. You can also place some of the ice cream between two cookies to make your own version of an ice cream cookie. The options are endless and every one is sure to be a taste sensation!

Summer is the perfect time to make your own ice cream. Summer fun, in fact, wouldn’t be the same without ice cream. Use one of the recipes, put in some add-ins, and then enjoy a taste of summer.

(Serves 4)

1 can (16oz) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 red delicious apples, cored and chopped
¼ cup green onions, finely chopped
¼ cup celery stalks, finely chopped
¼ cup mild green chillies, finely chopped
1 ½ tbsp white wine vinegar
1 ½ tbsp vegetable oil
½ tsp salt
Dash of hot sauce (if you like it hot!)

In a big bowl, mix together the chopped apples, green onion, celery, chillies and beans.

In a separate small bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients to make a dressing and pour over the bean and apple mixture.

Cover and chill for about an hour before serving as a light lunch or as a side dish to BBQ chicken.

Bacon & Broccoli Salad with a Twist

1.5 to 2 heads of broccoli, cut into bite-size pieces, leaving a bit of stem
½ cup red onion, chopped
¼ cup black pitted olives
8 slices bacon
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
Handful of sesame seeds

Dressing:
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup natural yogurt
¼ cup white wine vinegar
¼ cup sugar

In a small skillet, fry the bacon until crisp, then remove on paper towels to drain the grease.

Place the broccoli pieces in a large serving bowl, add the shredded cheese, onion and dressing and chill covered for 2 -3 hours.

When chilled, crumbled the crispy bacon into bits and add to the broccoli, then add the sesame seeds and olives.

Toss and enjoy!

BBQ Thai Meatball Skewers

(Serves 4)

11 oz beef mince
3 shallots, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 inch piece fresh ginger, grated
1 tbsp green peppercorns, crushed
2 tsp fish sauce
2 tsp brown sugar
Lime wedges
Wooden skewers

Soak the wooden skewers in water to prevent them burning.

Chop the beef mince with a large knife to make sure the mince is very fine. Add the ginger, garlic, shallots, peppercorns, fish sauce and brown sugar and combine with your hands. Form the mixture into balls using about 2 tsp of mixture at a time. Put three balls on each skewer.

Heat up your BBQ grill and oil lightly. Cook the meat for about 7 to 8 minutes or until the meet is cooked through.

Serve with the lime wedges.