I scream, you scream, we ALL scream for homemade ice cream!

Okay, I am very late to the trend of making ice cream at home- so perhaps my joy and enthusiasm over homemade ice cream is a little overblown. However, I'm addicted to this thing. My husband and I started by making vanilla with the vanilla extract I made last year, then progressed to chocolate. I eventually got ambitious and have made cookies and cream, strawberry with fresh strawberries pureed first, peaches and cream from last years canning crop of peaches, chocolate sorbet, and my newest experiment.... to recreate the tangy delight of Pinkberry Frozen yogurt. I ADORE Pinkberry, and the only one in Utah just so happens to be at the airport. Since I can't jetset just to get some froyo, I figure this recipe is in dire need in my house.. plus I am running out of things to do.. while overdue. ( I was due June 10th... that has yet to happen!). I'm still working on the recipe and process, and will post the results once I've perfected the closest I can get to the true thing. I also LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the idea of knowing exactly what goes into what my family is eating... in fact, I think I'm getting a little obsessed about it now....

Homemade knock-off Jello Pudding pops!

Maybe it's just me, but I could sum up my childhood memories with the voice of Bill Cosby saying "Jell-o pudding pops!". Those delicious vanilla and chocolate pops were blended, swirled, amazing goodness on a wooden stick. They were the highlight to the end of a long summers day, a treat when I'd completed my chores, and just about all the motivation I ever needed to get anything my grandparents wanted done. And now, like so many other things from my childhood.. they don't exist anymore. Here's the closest I could find and create for the knock-off- The consistency is the same as the original if you let them freeze overnight instead of just a few hours. I found that my Popsicle maker from Tupperware just didn't quite seem to mold the right way, so I used Dixie cups and Popsicle sticks.

 I really hope one day my children don't look at me when I speak about Jell-o pudding pops the same way I do when my Grandparents reminisce about lavender candy and black licorice *(yuck!)*.....

1 package JELL-O chocolate pudding mix
2 Cups milk
1 cup cool whip

Cups & Sticks

-Blend the pudding mix and milk with a whisk for 2-3 minutes until smooth
-Stir in the cool whip
-Put mixture into each small cup and add a wooden stick to the middle.
-Freeze overnight
-To remove, squeeze the sides of the cup, or run quickly under warm water to loosen.

You could also layer chocolate and vanilla (my favorite), by following the recipe above, but create layers when spooning into the cups.

Relax, enjoy the nostalgia.. :)