Summer Cool Down {Indiana Family of Farmers}

Summer time and ice cream. Two things that were made for each other. From waiting to hear the music of the ice cream truck outside our front door, to evening trips to the local ice cream shop, for us, while we enjoy the creamy stuff year round, it's something we must have during the warm months of summer. And with June being National Dairy Month and July Ice Cream Month...there is no better way to celebrate both!     

We are so blessed to live in a dairy loving state! There are more than 1200 dairy farms in Indiana, with 97% of them being family owned, something to be very proud of! The average herd size is 129 cows, and some of them wear pedometers to measure the number of steps the cow takes in a day. Why? Because time spent walking can be a sign of how healthy a cow is! The average cow produces 90 glasses of milk every day, and nearly 200,000 glasses in a lifetime!   

Dairy farming and processing contributes $810 million to the Hoosier economy each year and creates 8,220 Indiana jobs! We love our dairy farmers! Plus, Indiana ranks 2nd in the nation for ice cream production!!

So when I had the chance to share a little bit my home state's connection to the oh so good creamy treat, I knew the perfect way to do so. Combine it with another summer time tradition in our house...strawberry picking! Yep, we love hitting our favorite farm for U-pick season, and this year my little man hauled in 10.5 lbs! He was so excited to bring them home and start eating. So imagine his surprise when I told him we would be making fresh strawberry ice cream too! 

We've never made homemade ice cream, so he was completely fascinated! He could barely wait for the mixing to be done so he could dig in. But when he realized he could watch the ice cream form before his eyes, it only added to the experience!

If you are looking for a delicious cool treat for summer, look no further! This is bursting with flavor, and is so simple, make sure you get the kids in the kitchen to help out! They will love every minute....and every bite!

Fresh Strawberry Ice Cream 

From Cuisinart

1 1/2 c. fresh strawberries, hulled

2/3 c. sugar

3/4 c. milk

1 1/2 c. heavy cream

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Pinch Salt

Place berries in food processor and pulse until finely chopped. In a large bowl whisk together sugar, milk and salt until sugar dissolved. Stir in vanilla and cream. Mix well. Add chopped strawberries and all juices. Stir. Cover and place in fridge for 2 hours to overnight. When ready, place in ice cream machine and follow directions. Mine stirred for about 20 minutes for a soft consistency. If a harder ice cream is desired, place in large bowl, cover and freeze for 2 hours. Makes about 5 cups.

Shared on Lady Behind The Curtain June 12, 2013
Shared on The Country Cook June 14, 2013

Learn more about Indiana Family of Farmers at the following links:   

IFOF Website

 IFOF Blog

      IFOF Facebook

   @FamilyofFarmers

Disclaimer: I was provided with a gift pack for inspiration, all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Strawberry at Very Good Recipes
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