Ice Queen

So, since it's 95 degrees and mid-October, I'm still in "summer food" mode. Which means, I don't want to turn on the oven too much, and I want cool and/or light food. Less hot chocolate, more ice cream. My family all love love love ice cream, and I have a handy-dandy, perfect little ice cream maker, so I've taken to making a batch of homemade ice cream almost on a daily basis. The frozen canister for the ice cream maker gets more use than a groupie backstage at a Motley Crue concert. My husband treats the thought of a vegan diet much the same as he would a terrorist making an attempt to take away his God-given freedom. Thus, he - and the kids - get the traditional milk-based confection. I admit that I do give the stuff a taste, for quality control, of course. Oh, did I mention I have an ocean-front home for sale in Colorado? Anyway, for the most part, I make my own vegan version of the stuff. Don't have an ice cream maker, you say? Well, with summer a soon-distant memory, I'd imagine one can be found for a steal. Mine is a Cuisinart (the best-reviewed model by America's Test Kitchen (http://www.americastestkitchen.com/), which is my go-to for a lot of essential kitchen information), and was $50. Not bad, given that I'm able to make a batch of premium vanilla ice cream for under $2. If you eat as much ice cream as my family does, you'll recoup the cost in about a month (insert laugh here). The flavor combinations are endless (basically chuck whatever you want into the milk and sugar mixture), but my faves are here.

Traditional Vanilla Ice Cream

3 cups half-and-half (again, I'm like a broken record...I get mine at Costco for cheap!)
3/4 cups sugar (any will do, but I prefer raw or organic, unprocessed sugar)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 pinch of salt (yes, I add a touch of salt. It enhances flavor.)

Whisk half-and-half and sugar until sugar is dissolved, add vanilla and salt, pour into ice cream maker, and let her rip (take a look at your maker's instructions for the fine print details)

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

3 cups half-and-half
3/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon real peppermint extract (good quality extract is the key to amazing ice cream. Go to Whole Foods (http://www.wholefoods.com/) and buy it there...it makes all the difference)
1 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate (or chocolate chips in a pinch)
1 pinch of salt

Follow directions for vanilla ice cream above, adding the chocolate at the last five minutes of freezing in the maker.

Vegan Chocolate Coconut Ice "Cream"

3 cups rice milk (or almond, soy, hemp...whatever revs your engine)
3/4 cup raw sugar or agave syrup
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup unsweetened dry coconut
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pinch of salt

Whisk milk and sugar until sugar dissolves (or, if using agave, until both are incorporated), add cocoa powder, coconut, vanilla and salt. The cocoa is gonna fight you on mixing in, just beat the hell out of it, and let the ice cream maker do the rest...it'll soon give in and join the party.