Menu Monday (I really meant to post this yesterday!): BLUEBERRY ICE CREAM

I really love ice cream. After (or tied with) pie, it's my favorite. Zach got me a Cuisinart ice cream maker for this past Christmas, and I think it has been one of the best presents ever. :)

We've made mint chocolate chip, chocolate, chocolate chocolate chip, strawberry, Terry's chocolate orange, strawberry-chocolate, fresh mint chip, and who knows what else because we've made some of these multiple times. And this week we made HOMEMADE BLUEBERRY ICE CREAM.

I had never had BLUEBERRY ICE CREAM until last summer when we stayed with Zach's aunt and uncle in Springdale; we lived with them for a month after Zach got his job. Anyway, at that time, Zach had a couple of interviews in MO and OH, so we stopped by to visit them for a few days en route. Their neighbor Nancy, who is constantly making delicious things to eat and sending them over, had her daughter and son-in-law in town that week, and they went berry-picking. With their hard-earned treasure, they made HOMEMADE BLUEBERRY ICE CREAM.

I am not a blueberry lover. I like them in muffins and will tolerate them elsewhere. In ice cream, however, they are divine. The sweetness of the ice cream balances out the tartness of the berries and enhances their flavor. Sooooo good! If you are not a fan of these dark berries, you will be after you try some of ice cream with them. :)

Thankfully to Bridget at Bake at 350, I heard about Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book.

Once I came across her (mostly) cookie blog and saw how much she referenced this cookbook when she wasn't baking cookies, I immediately used my Swagbucks Amazon gift cards and grabbed it up. I can't wait to try cantaloupe, kiwi, and strawberry-coconut ice cream this summer.

But for now, I will share my adaption:

BEN & JERRY'S WILD BLUEBERRY ICE CREAM.

We got these beauties at the Farmers Market. :)

-Combine 1 pint of blueberries with 1/2 c. sugar and a generous dash of lemon juice. Marinate for at least two hours, stirring occassionally.

I bought an 18-pack for memorial day when I knew I would need six for my potato salad and five for my fresh mint chocolate chip ice cream. I don't think I've ever purchased an 18-pack.

-Whisk two eggs for one to two minutes.

I was holding the phone in my right hand to take a picture while pouring in my left. And it was right after this point I dropped my phone on the floor, causing it possibly permanent damage. : / Husby was not too happy. He said he would always be happy to take photos for me, but I told him I have a vision in my head that he may not capture. Plus, he usually looks grumpy when I ask him to take just one more for the fifteenth time. *lol* Sweet Lord, I do need a new camera (and phone)!

-Whisk in 3/4 c. sugar gradually. Continue whisking until sugar is dissolved.

-Pour in 2 c. heavy whipping cream and 1 c. milk and whisk to blend.

I find it interesting that blueberries are dark blue, become pinkish when mashed, and turn ice cream purplish! A chameleon berry!

-Mash the blueberries until pureed.

-Stir into cream base. Make sure you clean off the the bits from the whisk. They are tasty!

-Assemble ice cream maker with freezing bowl with arm inside. Place cover over freezing bowl and start ice cream maker. Pour in batter and process for 25 minutes.

[1-1/2 quarts--the recipe said 1 quart, but it is very generous.]

It comes out like soft serve, so I then scoop it into a freezer-safe bowl and place it in the freezer for at least two hours until hardened. This evening it was hard as a rock!

This is what I simultaneously love and hate about my ice cream maker: I get to clean it up...with the help of my mouth. :) But it's tricky to get every drop up!

Here she is in all her glory! If you plan to store it in the freezer (because you can't eat it in one sitting), be sure to cover with a piece of wax paper and press down so that it sticks to the top of the ice cream. This prevents freezer burn.

We have another winner!!