Homemade Ice Cream

Here is a very simple Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from my Better Homes and Garden's Cookbook. You can add strawberries or peaches or chocolate syrup and almonds before freezing to create additional flavors!

4 cups half-and-half, light cream, or whole milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 TBSP. vanilla
2 cups whipping cream

Combine half-and-half, sugar and vanilla in large bowl. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Stir in whipping cream. Freeze in 4 or 5 quart ice cream freezer per manufacturer's directions.

To ripen if using traditional freezer that uses ice and rock salt, pull up the ice cream mixture out of the salt/ice mixture, remove lid carefully and remove dasher. Do not get salt water in ice cream! Cover with wax paper, Plug hole in top of lid. Replace lid and then pack more ice around container until it is submerged in ice cold salt water. Then allow to set for 4 hours to "ripen".

If using insulated freezer bowl, transfer ice cream to freezer-proof container and ripen in freezer.

For Strawberry or Peach Ice Cream: blend 4 cups fresh or frozen strawberries or peaches in blender until NEARLY smooth. This should leave you with about 2 cups of puree. Mix into ice cream before freezing.

For Chocolate-Almond Ice Cream: Reduce sugar in original recipe to 1 cup. Stir in 1 1/2 cups chocolate syrup and 1/2 cup chopped almonds before freezing.

VARIATIONS: Add crushed Oreo's before freezing. Add chopped peanut butter cups.