Ice Cream Maker = Summertime Magic!

Ok, so it's almost summer... and summer makes me feel like a little kid again.

In fact, I definitely haven't grown out of my little kid habits of eating massive quantities of ice cream and other frozen treats.  I remember eating frozen lemonade on the Boston Common before taking a swan boat ride.  And then, tricking my Dad into getting me a Ben & Jerry's cone afterward.  Oh, those were the days... the hot summer days (when I could still eat waffle cones) in Boston or on Cape Cod or Martha's Vineyard.  Well, let me just tell you that not much has changed.  I still eat my fair share of ice cream and smoothies.  =)

photo credit: www.thenibble.com

But, you know what frozen dream has yet to be fulfilled?!?!  I never owned an Ice Cream Maker!!!  So guess what?  Euge surprised me (after some NOT so discreet suggestions by yours truly) by ordering me a RED CUISINART ICE CREAM MAKER today!  WOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO... So now, here I am, daydreaming about the flavors I'm going to make.  AHHHHHH... There are always my old standbys- mint chocolate chip, chocolate peanut butter, pistachio, coffee... then there are the newbies- salted caramel, lavender honey, green tea...  what to do, what to make first???

After trying my niece's favorite Mint Chocolate Chip last weekend at Sweet Rose Creamery, I decided that for my first foray into Ice cream, I wanted to go with an old favorite... Here's a lovely looking recipe from Food & Wine that I'll likely refine and make my own.  I'll take some pix when I make it!

Mint Ice Cream
by Food & Wine

Ingredients

1. 2 cups whole milk
2. 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
3. 1 1/2 ounces cream cheese, softened (3 tablespoons)
4. 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
5. 2/3 cup sugar
6. 1 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup
7. 1 cup coarsely chopped mint leaves
8. 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

1. Fill a large bowl with ice water. In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of the milk with the cornstarch. In another large bowl, whisk the cream cheese until smooth.
2. In a large saucepan, combine the remaining milk with the heavy cream, sugar and corn syrup. Bring the milk mixture to a boil and cook over moderate heat until the sugar dissolves, about 4 minutes. Off the heat, gradually whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Return to a boil and cook over moderately high heat until the mixture is slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
3. Gradually whisk the hot milk mixture into the cream cheese until smooth. Add the chopped mint. Whisk in the salt. Set the bowl in the ice water bath and let stand, stirring occasionally, until cold, about 20 minutes.
4. Strain the ice cream base into an ice cream maker, pressing the mint leaves with the back of a spoon to extract all of the flavor, and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Pack the ice cream into a plastic container.
5. Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the ice cream and close with an airtight lid. Freeze the mint ice cream until firm, about 4 hours.