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Yesterday I read a shocking statistic. Vanilla ice-cream is the most popular flavor in America. Over 30% of our citizens prefer vanilla over any other kind. And, to make things even worse, Moose Tracks was not even in the top 20 list of favorite ice-cream flavors. None of the Ben and Jerry flavors made the list. These are serious statistics, and I have thought long and hard on this matter. I have two conclusions.

The first conclusion is that we are simply a boring people. Plain vanilla, plain Jane, plain, plain, plain. Yet, in our universe we have at least 31 flavors available in just one location. The grocery store shelves are filled with creative options like Cherry Garcia and Chocolate Fudge Brownie. Why even consider plain vanilla when the sweet goodness of Mint Chocolate Chip beckons? I just don’t understand.

The second conclusion is that we are a sentimental…

When 4th of July rolls around in the summertime, anything cold and sweet is delicious to enjoy under the sun. However, not all of them can be as yummy and healthy as the recipe we are about to share with you. For 4th of July this year (or any other time when you want to show a little patriotic spirit), why not make a delicious red, white, and blue parfait!

Image via Tumblr

This recipe is SO simple, that it probably shouldn’t even be called a recipe! Whatever you’d like to call it, it’s equally as delicious.

Supplies and ingredients:

• Vanilla/plain yogurt
• Sliced red berries (strawberries and raspberries work great)
• Blueberries
• Whipped topping/Cool Whip
• Dessert cups

In a bowl, fold the whipped topping into the yogurt to make a light, fluffy yogurt combo. Using a dessert cup, layer of spoonful of the yogurt combo in between each layer of berries…

I’m sitting here staring at the freezer whilst trying desperately not to sprint over there and shovel down the last of the ice cream. Nutella ice cream. Homemade Nutella ice cream.

You can make some for yourself too! You only need five things: Nutella, milk, half-and-half, sugar, and some serious willpower against temptation.

Grab your blender and plop 1/3 of a cup of delicious chocolatey nutty goodness in it. Once all of it is in there you can go ahead and lick the measuring cup. It’s okay. No one’s looking. Now pour in 1/3 of a cup half-and-half, one cup of whole milk, and 1/2 cup sugar. Blend away until completely homogeneous then pour the mixture into a stainless steel or glass bowl.

Now, if you are a lucky duck and you have an fancy machine, go on and finish the ice…

It must be the sleep deprivation that comes with having a 3 month old that made me think buying a KitchenAid Stand mixer with an ice cream attachment is exactly what I needed at this time. So after some research I decided that for my purposes the least expensive mixer would do, especially given the fact that it has been at least a few years since I used a hand-held mixer. So without giving it much further thought, I ordered one from Amazon.

To my great excitement, it arrived within a few days; however to my great disappointment I wasn’t home to accept the package. So I had to go to the post office and get it myself. What I didn’t realize when I checked off the “ship all items together” box when ordering, is that this mixer is heavy. As well as the ice cream attachment. And bulky. So…

I scream, you scream, we ALL scream for ICE CREAM!

Iced desserts have been around for thousands of years –  around 400 BCE in the Persian empire, the people mixed mountain snow with saffron, grapes, and rosewater, for a royal treat. Later the Roman Emperor Nero had ice brought down from the mountains and mixed with fruit.

By the 10th century, the Arabs had created a version using dairy products (milk, cream, and yogurt) sweetened with sugar and blended with fruits, nuts, and rosewater.

The Chinese also had frozen dessert, but the claim that Marco Polo imported the concept from China upon his return to Italy  is apocryphal (just like the story of pasta). Long before Marco Polo set out for China, the Arabs had invaded Sicily and introduced ice cream (as well as sugar, dried pasta, rice, saffron, and raisins) to the region.

Ice cream similar to…

This would not have been an ice cream I would have gravitated to as a child. As pretty as it looks, I was (and still am, for the most part) a chocolate ice cream girl. Plain chocolate, rocky road, fudge brownie… you get the picture. (Apparently though, you wouldn’t know it by looking at my ice cream tag. Must be because the chocolate ice cream get eaten before I have a chance to snap a picture…) 

However, I was in the mood for ice cream, and I didn’t have the time or patience for a fussy, custard-based recipe, or a trip to the grocery store for additional ingredients, which is why this recipe was perfect. Five ingredients? Almost no hands-on prep time? Where do I sign up?

The ice cream ended up being better than I expected. It was just sweet enough and perfectly creamy. I just made sure…

2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
5 oz. dark chocolate, chopped
4 large egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar

In a heavy-bottom saucepan, combine the milk and cream. Place over medium-low heat and cook, stirring occasionally so a skin doesn’t form, until tiny bubbles start to form around the edges and the mixture reaches a temperature of 170°F. Turn off the heat and whisk in the cocoa powder and cinnamon. Add the chopped chocolate, and stir or whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth.
Meanwhile, in a medium heat-proof bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth. Gradually whisk in the sugar until it is well incorporated and the mixture is thick and pale yellow. Temper the egg yolks by very slowly pouring in the hot milk mixture while whisking continuously. Return the custard to…