It's the end of national ice cream month, and what an ice cream worthy month it has been!  The "heat dome" that covered America last week probably made Ben and Jerry's numbers for the year!  What is it about New England that makes it ridiculously hot in the summer and ridiculously cold in the winter?  I guess that's what ice cream is for... it cools your body in the summer and warms your heart in the winter.  (Maybe that winter comment is a little too optimistic.)

This vanilla bean recipe is a good one to start with because you literally just combine the ingredients and throw them in an ice cream machine.  There's no eggs, no stoves (thankfully, because the last thing we need is an additional heat source), no hassles.  And the results are still great.  Win-win!

And can we talk about vanilla beans for a minute?  They don't need to be expensive and exotic!  Just buy them from Amazon and I'm tellin' you, you'll never look back.  My addiction to Amazon is nearing the troubling relationship that I have with Costco.  And please please PLEASE don't use imitation vanilla.  That stuff is made from wood and chemicals.  It's not that I don't love chemicals (hello, Coke Zero), but in this case it is just gross when a better-tasting, pure form is available. 

Today also happens to be my mom's birthday and - given the choice - she would have much rather had chocolate ice cream than vanilla bean.  Chocolate ice cream with peanut butter cups.  Or a peanut buster parfait from Dairy Queen.  Yes, that's it.  (And I'm sure she is enjoying one right now!)  I'll always remember one Christmas years ago when my family went to the Christmas Eve service at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. (amazingly beautiful) and then went to a dinner that ended with a rich, flourless chocolate cake that, in that moment, she loved more than every present under every tree from every Christmas past.  I'm pretty sure she (literally) licked the plate in the middle of a gourmet restaurant.  This was a chocolate-lovin' lady!  And I miss her every day.  She would have LOVED these toes.

Easy Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Printer-friendly version 1 cups heavy cream 2 cups half and half 1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk 1 vanilla bean 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl add cream, half and half and sweetened condensed milk.  Slice the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the milk mixture and add the vanilla extract.  Whisk together until well combined.  Pour into ice cream maker and in about 30 minutes you’ll have delicious ice cream!  For harder ice cream freeze it for 6 hours.  If you have any left, just place in an airtight container and keep in the freezer.

Source: adapted from Miss in the Kitchen

P.S. Hot much?

105 degrees and humid much?