I is for Ice Cream

Summer is off to a spectacular start around here.  And if I survive the weekend, I'm certain I'll be ready for fall.

Monday was Memorial Day.  Brats, hot dogs and margaritas (and Kool-Aid) with good friends.

Tuesday was our first t-ball game of the season.

Wednesday we broke in the new slip-n-slide and took a dip in the neighbor's hot tub.  (More like a "warm" tub...just right for the kids.)

Thursday we played at the park and had our second t-ball game.

And today, Friday, we've been preparing (packing, grocery shopping, testing the tent and stressing) for the inaugural Goss Family Camping Trip. 

Oh, and we're going to the swimming pool as soon as the kids wake up from a nap.

And we made ice cream.

By Sunday, I will be completely exhausted and ready for Noah to start kindergarten.

Or not.  My baby girl surely can't be big enough for kindergarten.  (A thought that will be running through my noggin until mid-August.)

But back to Friday.  And ice cream.  I is for Ice Cream.  I've already lost control of this entire post thanks to the emotions flowing through me as I prepare to send my baby to kindergarten. (And the pending camping trip.)

Yes, I is for Ice Cream.  Pause...I just checked facebook.  And you won't believe this.  It's Kansas Dairy Month.   Wasn't that just like getting a little extra hot fudge on your sundae?  Sweet!


Ice Cream comes from milk.  Which comes from cows.  Who live on a dairy farm.  Remember?  D is for Dairy Products.

I think we all - kids included - know where ice cream comes from.  But did you know...

that in order for a frozen dairy product to be labeled "ice cream," by law it must contain at least 10% milk fat and 20% milk solids by weight.  Otherwise, it has to be called something else.  Like ice milk, or something else snazzy that a food science wiz-kid came up with.





















Or did you know that ice cream flavors must be labeled either natural or artificial.  For example, natural strawberry ice cream or strawberry-flavored ice cream.  (Meaning: they really used strawberries or they substituted with some strawberry flavored syrup stuff.)  Note to self: should have taken a food science class in college.

And did you know that a single serving of ice cream is about a half-cup worth.  Awfully chintzy, huh?  However, that half-cup serving contains 130 calories, 10% of your daily fat intake and 20% of your daily saturated fat intake.  (Based on a normal adult's 2000 calorie diet.)  Not so chintzy anymore, is it?


When ordering ice cream out, it's doubtful you get a half-cup serving.  Think at least three to four times that much.  However, Dairy Queen is picking up on America's need to slim down.  They are offering a new "mini" blizzard this year; and at a premium price.  Let me explain.  "Smart, financially comfortable, weight conscious consumers are willing to pay a premium to enjoy a down-sized DQ blizzard without all the guilt."



Whatever.

May I suggest you hand crank your own homemade ice cream in a cute and rustic ice cream maker your father-in-law picked up at a farm auction.

That way, when you over-indulge in a full cup serving, you won't feel as guilty because you've spent twenty-five minutes in the summer heat cranking your own ice cream.

Tucker gets a cup and a half serving.  It requires his entire body to turn the crank.

That's an intense look there, folks.  He's saving a couple bucks and burning calories to make his own ice cream.  This is a very serious moment for him.

Twenty-five minutes later - frozen dairy goodness.

Pour into recycled ice cream buckets.  (I'm so hip.)   Stir in frozen chocolate sandwich cookies.  (The store brand, of course.  Saved me a couple bucks.)  And freeze.

A few hours later, enjoy on the patio with some friends after a trip to the swimming pool.

This is where I should have a picture of Nell eating ice cream since she was left out of the other photos.  But I forgot.  Because I'm stressed about tomorrow's camping trip.