Milk Adventures!

Yesterday I made yogurt using goat's milk using THIS recipe.  I started it in the morning and before bedtime it was ready to go in the refrigerator.  This morning it was nice and thick and ready for smoothies!  I added some strawberries, a bit of crushed ice, and 1/4 cup of sugar.  Yummy!  It was so much thicker and richer with the goat's milk than when I used store bought milk.  After the kiddos inhaled drank that I made more smoothies using a can of frozen Old Orchard Blueberry Pomagranate concentrate, 1/4 cup of sugar, and of course goat's milk yogurt.  It was very yummy!  (It was so inexpensive because when I buy the Old Orchard frozen concentrate I combine coupons with sales. Practically free!)

Today I'm making goat's milk ice cream in my Hamilton Beach 1.5-Quart Ice Cream Maker (See all Ice-Cream Machines).  It doesn't make a lot for our clan, but it is enough to put in cones which is usually how we stretch out our ice cream.  The ice cream freezer bucket part of the machine stays in the freezer so it's ready to use whenever you like. 

Here's the recipe I'm going to use today:

Easy Vanilla Ice Cream
1 c. sugar
2 tsp. lemon juice
2 c. heavy whipping cream (from the store)
1 c. milk (goat's milk is what I'll use)
1 tsp. vanilla extract

I'm also going to whip up some Old Fashioned Vanilla Ice Cream, but the ingredients have to chill in the refrigerator over night so I'll actually make it tomorrow.

Old Fashioned Vanilla Ice Cream
3/4 c. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1 3/4 c. whole milk (goat's milk is what I'll use)
2 large eggs, beaten (fresh from our chicken coop!)
1 1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract

In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, salt, and milk.  Cook over medium heat stirring occasionally until mixture is steaming.  Reduce heat to low.

In medium bowl, slightly beat eggs.  Slowly whisk half of the hot mixture into the eggs and pour back into saucepan.  Cook over medium-low heat until slightly thick, about 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and refrigerate until chilled or overnight.

When ready to freeze, stir in heavy cream and vanilla into the chilled custard mixture.  Start ice cream maker and pour mixture through hole in lid.  Freeze until desired consistency or the unit stops. (This ice cream machine automatically stops when it's done!)

- - - -

We have an old-fashioned type larger ice cream maker, but the motor kind of fizzled out on us last week when we had friends over.  So I had to put batches of it in the Hamilton Beach one to finish the process.  It was very hot and humid that day so it was kind of like a milk shake instead of ice cream.  Ah well...it was lots of fun, anyway!

*Photo disclaimer:  It was really hot, I was really tired, and my BFF decided that it'd be fun to capture the moment on camera. So here ya go...

Have you tried making home made ice cream lately?  If not, give it a try!  It's fun, tasty and nice to know what is in it!  I can pronounce everything on my ingredient list!  Give it a try!