home and hearth magazine

Coming fresh off the heels of Independence Day, America has yet another holiday to celebrate.  Whether you know it or not, July is National Ice Cream Month and Sunday, July 16 is none other than National Ice Cream Day.

The first known account of ice cream on American soil dates back to about 1744.  A guest who had visited the home of then Maryland governor, William Bladen, detailed their experience with the frosty treat.  It was some thirty years later that the first ice cream advertisement appeared in the New York Gazette on May 12, 1777.

We have former President Ronald Reagan to thank for declaring this frosty treat worthy of having its own cool holiday back on July 9, 1984. As treats go, ice cream is a heavy hitter.  Here are just a few flavorful stats that speak to the popularity of ice cream in America.  According to proclamation 5219 drafted in 1983 by the Reagan administration:

• Over 887 million gallons of ice cream were consumed in the United States in 1983
• Nearly ten percent of all the milk produced by the United States dairy farmers was used to produce ice cream
• Ice cream is a nutritious and wholesome food, enjoyed by over ninety percent of the people in the United State

  

We at Home and Hearth Magazine Online are especially fond of this creamy confection.  In commemoration of this auspicious occasion, we’d like to share one of our favorite ice cream recipes.  As many foodies know, there are cook and no-cook ice cream recipes.  The following ice cream recipe is a simple no-cook version to make and it is delicious to enjoy.  Raise your spoons and waive your cones for July is National Ice Cream Month.

Coco-Banana Toasted Pecan Ice Cream

• 1.5 cups of Lactaid Low-fat 1% Milk (well chilled)
• 1.5 cups of Heavy Cream (well chilled)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp of coconut flavor extract
• 2  tsp of banana flavor extract
• 1/2 tsp of butter flavor extract
• 1/2 cup of flaked, shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup of chopped *butter pecans
• 2 tblsps of unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp of kosher salt

In a bowl, whisk sugar into milk first so that it dissolves.  Add the cream and flavorings next, then stir to blend.

Pour wet ingredients into the frozen chamber of an electric ice cream maker while the machine is in progress.  If you don’t already have one consider using the Cuisinart Automatic Frozen Yogurt-Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker ICE-20 Series.

*While the ice cream is blending in the machine, heat a skillet on medium/low heat then add the two tablespoons of unsalted butter and salt. We recommend kosher salt because it has half the sodium of regular table salt.

Chop the pecans into random pieces then add them to the skillet stirring constantly until they are browned and covered in the butter mixture.  Remove the pecans from the skillet with a slotted spoon and let cool.  Add the pecans and shredded coconut to the ice cream confection during the last 5 minutes of making.

This recipe provides the richly decadent flavors of banana, coconut and butter without the additional calories.  You’ll notice that lactose-free, reduced-fat milk was also used in this recipe for those of you that love ice cream but not the effects of lactose. Buon Appetito.  If you have a  favorite ice cream recipe or a recommendation for a super ice cream maker, we’d love to hear from you.

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