Ice Cream Recipe

So - Rory was up shortly after 6:00 this morning, because he remembered that we were going to make ice cream today!  I have an old-fashioned ice cream freezer, complete with hand crank (though it also has an electric  motor we can use if we get too tired!)  We haven't used it for a while, especially as it works best with snow, and we have had very little snow in our area this winter.  We actually had a tiny storm Wednesday night, and though there wasn't enough to really build a snowman or sled, there was enough to make ice cream!  Anyway, the ice cream turned out so yummy - okay, I confess that we were eating ice cream at 10:00 this morning - that I thought I'd post the recipe.  It's actually a variation of a recipe that came with the freezer, but it's just so easy!  When I was a girl - many moons ago - I remember my Mom making a kind of custard ice cream that was cooked on the stove first.  This one does not have to be cooked, so you don't have to wait for the mixture to cool before you can freeze it - good for impatient 9-year-old boys!

Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Ingredients:
2 quarts half and half
2 cups sugar
1 quart whipping (or heavy) cream
2 Tablespoons vanilla extract
1 bag mini chocolate chips

Mix the half and half, sugar, and whipping cream together, transfer to ice cream freezer and churn until almost done (about when your arms fall off).  Add the vanilla and chocolate chips (quickly so the bottom of the ice cream doesn't harden) and continue churning.  Transfer to freezer containers (it filled up 4 quart-sized yogurt containers), spooning a bit into separate bowls for all of the workers to try (don't forget this part!) and put into freezer until hard.


Voila!  We will be having ice cream for dessert tonight!