Kids Dish

I really like the theme of an ingredient a week but I have to tell you that I is a tough letter to work with in terms of ingredients. Sure, there’s Italian parsley or iceberg lettuce and other Italian or Indian ingredients, but what fun is that? Besides, it’s almost officially summer and kids (and most adults) love ice cream.

We all know ice cream isn’t good for you. It can be full of fat and calories and many of the cheaper brands are full of chemicals and additives. But it seems that a little indulgence can be a good thing. Some studies suggest that an occasional splurge can help you stick to a healthy diet. Ice cream is also full of calcium, and for kids (like my own) who don’t like milk, a small dish of ice cream is better than nothing.

Instead of packing up the kids and heading to the nearest supermarket or ice cream stand, you can make some ice cream at home even if you don’t have an ice cream maker. My science teacher sister-in-law taught me how to make a single serving of ice cream using few ingredients, some ziploc style bags, and some gloves to keep your hands from freezing.

Freezer Bag Ice Cream

1/2 cup milk (or cream or half and half)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla (or chocolate syrup if you prefer chocolate)
1 tablespoon sugar
4 cups crushed ice
4 tablespoons salt
2 quart size ziploc-style bags
1 gallon size ziploc-style freezer bag

Mix the milk, vanilla and sugar together in one of the quart size bags. Seal tightly, allowing as little air to remain in the bag as possible. Double bag it with the other quart size bag, leaving as little air inside as possible and sealing well. Put the two bags inside the gallon size bag, fill the bag with ice, then sprinkle salt on top. Let all the air escape and seal the bag. Put your gloves on, and shake and knead the bag, making sure the ice surrounds the mixture, for about 10 to 15 minutes or until it freezes. Tossing the bag back and forth, playing “cold potato” is another fun way to make the mixture freeze into ice cream.

You can read more about the science behind the experiment here: Finding Science in Ice Cream

ice cream, recipe, science experiment