Ice Cream Recipes

I was trying to think of an ideal set of recipes for the dog days of August, when I realized – what’s better in hot weather than ice cream?  Especially ice cream you make yourself!  Sweet cream, sugar, fresh fruit – homemade is the way to go!  Now, some of you may be thinking, “OMG, that’s too much work!”  And it can be . . . or, it can be as easy as kicking a can!

First, though, to make sure the ice cream is safe from any egg-borne illnesses, you should make a custard base.  The following vanilla ice cream recipe tells you how to do that:

Ingredients:
4 egg yolks
1/2 pint (250ml) milk
1/2 pint (250ml) double/heavy cream
4 oz (100g) sugar or caster sugar
1 vanilla pod (sliced down the middle)

Pour the milk into a saucepan and bring it slowly to a boil. Place the vanilla pod into it and leave to infuse for about 20 minutes.

In a bowl, beat and mix together the egg yolks and sugar until thick. Carefully remove the vanilla pod from the pan of milk and scrape out the seeds into the milk. Pour the milk into the mixture of egg yolks and sugar while stirring. Pour the mixture back into the pan and heat gently, stirring until the custard thickens – do not bring it to a boil or it may curdle. When you can see a film form over the back of your spoon it’s time to remove the saucepan from the heat. Leave to cool. When the custard base is cold, stir in the cream. Transfer the whole mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Or, if you don’t have an ice cream maker but want to enjoy the yummy sweetness of your own homemade ice cream, you can use this method:

10 cups ice

1 1/2 cup rock salt (kosher salt or sea salt can be used too)

3-pound coffee can, emptied and rinsed

1-pound coffee can, emptied and rinsed

Duct tape

1. Place 1-pound coffee can inside the 3-pound coffee can and pour ice cream mixture into smaller can. Cover the smaller can with its corresponding lid and seal with duct tape.
2. Surround the smaller can with ice and salt by layering 5 cups of ice with 3/4 cup of salt.
3. Use duct tape to seal the 3-pound can with its corresponding lid and start rolling.
4. After 10 minutes, remove the smaller can and check the ice cream. The mixture on the sides of the smaller can will set up faster than the center. Use a rubber spatula to quickly scrape down the sides and give the ice cream one stir.
5. Next, reseal the lid on the smaller can with duct tape, and set it aside. Quickly dump the melted ice water from the large can, and place the smaller can into the larger can again.
6. Now you need to surround the smaller can with remaining ice and salt by repeating step 3. Once that is done, put the lid on the larger can and seal with duct tape again.
7. Roll the large can for 10 minutes more.
8. Open the cans again and serve the ice cream!

Or, for a cool way to make smaller servings, use the plastic bag method:

6 tablespoons rock salt

1 pint-size plastic food storage bag (e.g. Ziploc)

1 gallon-size plastic food storage bag

Ice cubes

1. Fill the large bag half full of ice, and add the rock salt. Seal the bag.
2. Put ice cream mix into the small bag, and seal it.
3. Place the small bag inside the large one, and seal it again carefully.
4. Shake until the mixture is ice cream, which takes about 5 minutes.
5. Wipe off the top of the small bag, then open it carefully. Enjoy!

The best thing about homemade ice cream is that you can add any flavor you want.  Strawberry?  No problem!  Chocolate?  You bet!  Experiment and find out what works best for you.  Have fun and stay cool!

SheDOE’s Poetry

This is some poetry from my “bestie” and a pro designer on IMVU, SheD0E.  She’s a terrific poet, so I thought I’d share some of her work with you.

“For My Father”

Dad, I want to thank you

For all the wonderful years,

That you knew just what to do

When you wiped away my tears.

Dad, I wish I had said more often

How much you really meant to me.

Through the years your heart did soften,

It was so very plain to see.

Dad, if you were standing here right now,

I would give you one last embrace,

And it would have to last somehow

Until once again I see your face.

Happy Father’s Day!

Until we meet again.

“Untitled”

Sometimes sleep won’t come

Words come into the mind

Dreams that have passed

Lives now lost

Time moves on

Slowly slips away

Drifts through the days

Melts with the years

Days turn to weeks

Weeks turn to months

Months turn to years

Years turn to decades

The world slowly turns

History repeats

Do we grow?

Do we learn?

Only time will tell . . .

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­“A Little Bird Told Me”

A little bird told me

You needed a smile today.

A little bird told me

It would make you feel okay.

This little bird flew in today

To tell me you needed a smile.

She told me all the words to say

And it would all be worthwhile.

And after the little bird flew away,

I watched her in the distant sky.

I wondered what it would be like

To have wings like hers and fly.

And then it came to me,

Quite suddenly it seems,

That I could be like the little bird

And I too could spread my wings,

And share the joy and laughter

Of what in life God gives,

To bring a smile to everyone

On this earth who lives.

So today please share some smiles

With everyone you see,

And you will find yourself

Feeling wonderful and free!

Role-Playing Groups in IMVU

This series is on the role-playing (RP) groups in IMVU.  Many of these are based on books, like the Gor books by John Norman, or on oral traditions like the elves.  But before we get into each of the specific “worlds” of role-play, for those of you who know about as much as I did when introduced to RP (a.k.a. nothing!), it might be good to define what RP is.

RP, when it comes to games, is “a game in which the participants assume the roles of characters and collaboratively create stories. Participants determine the actions of their characters based on their characterization, and the actions succeed or fail according to a formal system of rules and guidelines. Within the rules, they may improvise freely; their choices shape the direction and outcome of the games” (Wikipedia).

So basically, RP is something where a group of players act out characters according to rules laid out either by a moderator or by the community.  The characters get to say and do whatever they like as long as it is within the formal rules of the RP.  Like, if it’s okay for a character to fight with a sword but not a gun, the character has to follow along with the rules.  Usually if the rules are broken, someone is empowered to stop the action and pass judgment on whether or not the rules were broken and what action should be taken.  It’s a bit like acting and a lot like improvisation – and for those who love RP, it is very addicting!

In the next few issues, I’ll be talking to some people who RP in IMVU and finding out more about the attractions and possible scenarios of RP.  If you know of any RP groups that you’d like to see featured, please let me know – send me a message in-world or care of AviLicious Magazine!