Old-fashioned ice cream shops once fairly easily could be found somewhere very near all or most of us.
That doesn’t seem to be happening as much anymore, which is sad. Going out together to get ice cream cones or sodas or a milk shake now and then was a good fun activity for bringing folks together.
It still may be happening, of course, now and then, here or there, but ice cream socials no longer seem to be community get-togethers and gatherings.
We all still like ice cream, of course, and a lot of us might still just now and then very happily run in and buy a double-dip cone if we can find an ice cream shoppe somewhere near where we live or wander.
We may alternatively grab a half-gallon or pint package of ice cream and a box of cones from the supermarkets and then build our own single or double dip ice cream cones at home. That also works very nicely.
Either way is fine, as long as the old rule of veggies and other more healthful foods are first consumed plentifully and the ice cream dessert just occasionally following all that daily nutritious foods intake is a limited amount, no more than about as much as can fit into or be stacked on top of one of those ice cream cones.
The best part of that scenario, of course, was the fun of making our own ice cream at home. That enterprise by now may have become just a sweet memory from yesteryears for most of us, but at least some may still be doing that. Others might be interested in trying it for the first time.
This week’s Kitchen Kapers is happily dipping out for readers several interesting ice cream recipe possibilities for this summer 2015.
As the weather heats up this summer ahead, an occasional day’s cold ice cream or sherbet break can help us keep our cool, if we carefully balance that occasional sweet treat into an otherwise mega-nutrition-filled health foods diet as we enjoy the coolness of luscious ice cream flavors on steamy hot summer days.
All of this week’s recipes are from Habitat for Humanity’s Home Sweet Habitat. If you encounter any of the many hardworking local members of that organization which builds homes for homeless families, please say thanks for their good work of helping house the homeless and thanks for their several great cookbooks which Habitat for Humanity created and has shared with others through the years.
The source of this week’s nice ice-cold recipes is the frozen desserts chapter of Habitat International’s Home Sweet Habitat.
Habitat for Humanity’s other equally excellent Partners In The Kitchen series of cookbooks include From Our House To Yours and Simple Decent Cooking.
Grab copies of all these Habitat cookbooks quickly if you can find them still available, because these cookbooks are treasures for sure, as are all the compassionate and hardworking Habitat members who work so diligently to end the horrors of homelessness.
Thanks to Apopka’s hardworking Habitat for Humanity members for several years ago providing Kitchen Kapers with the source of this week’s recipes, the Habitat International cookbook Home Sweet Habitat, as well as their other two books.
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY’SÂ
OLD FASHIONED HOMEMADEÂ
VANILLA ICE CREAM
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 quarts milk
6 egg yolks, beaten
3-1/2 cups sugar
1 quart Half-and-Half
6 egg whites, stiffly beaten
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 cup whipping cream
In a three-quart saucepan, combine cornstarch with 1/4 cup of the milk. Mix well. Stir in egg yolks, sugar, Half-and-Half and enough of the remaining milk to fill saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Let stand until cool. Strain into bowl. Fold in egg whites. Stir frequently. Let stand until cool. Strain into bowl. Fold in egg whites. Stir in vanilla and whipping cream.
Pour into freezer container. Pour in remaining milk to fill line. Freeze using container manufacturer’s directions.
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY’SÂ
BANANA SPLIT HOMEMADEÂ
ICE CREAM
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
1 to 1-1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (4-ounce) jar maraschino cherries, drained
3 or 4 ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup pecan pieces, toasted
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple
1 cup flaked coconut, lightly toasted
2 quarts (or more) milk
Combine condensed milk, evaporated milk, sugar, eggs, vanilla, maraschino cherries, bananas, pecans, undrained pineapple and the coconut in a bowl and mix well. Pour mixture into an ice cream freezer container. Add milk to fill line. Freeze using manufacturer’s directions.
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY’SÂ
COFFEE ICE CREAM DESSERT
2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs
1 cup butter, softened
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
3 (one-ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 egg whites, stiffly beaten
1 cup chopped pecans
2 quarts coffee ice cream, softened
1/2 cup vanilla wafer crumbs
Spread two cups vanilla wafer crumbs in bottom of a 9- by 13-inch dish. In mixer bowl, beat the butter, confectioner’s sugar, chocolate and vanilla until smooth. Fold in egg whites and pecans. Spread over prepared layer. Freeze for one hour or until firm. Spread with ice cream. Sprinkle with half cup vanilla wafer crumbs. Freeze for 2-10 hours or until firm.
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY’SÂ
DELIGHTFUL ICE CREAM PIE
1 cup flour
1/4 cup quick cooking oats
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
5 tablespoons chocolate syrup
1 quart chocolate ice cream, softened
1 quart coffee ice cream, softened
4 or 5 Heath candy bars, crushed
Combine flour, oats and brown sugar in bowl and mix together well. Cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in walnuts.
Pat the mixture into 9- by 13-inch baking pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Stir mixture together well and then spread half of this crumb mixture in a 10-inch pie plate.
Drizzle with chocolate syrup and then layer with first the chocolate ice cream and then the coffee ice cream. Sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture and then top with the crushed candy bars. Freeze until firm.
Pecans may be substituted for the walnuts. Frozen yogurt may be substituted for the ice cream. Fat-free chocolate syrup can be used.
ORANGE JUICE ICE CREAM
1 (14-ounce) can evaporated skim milk
1 (6-ounce) can of frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 envelopes artificial sweetener
Chill for 24 hours the mixer bowl and the electric mixer beaters and the evaporated milk.
Then beat the chilled evaporated milk in the chilled mixer bowl until soft peaks form. Fold in the orange juice concentrate, vanilla and artificial sweetener. Beat until blended. Freeze for two to four hours.
