Recipe ideas: Cool off with scoop of homemade ice cream, sorbet

Memorial Day is behind, and it is full-steam or partial steam ahead for summer activities.

Cleaning grills, buying barbecue tools and more have begun.

Patsie Killegrew of Florida, formerly of Gulfport, said her family did a barbecue feast from ribs to steaks to chicken to hot dogs. She froze the leftover meats to enjoy another day.

We did not grill, but we did pull out the ice cream freezer. Homemade ice cream is my favorite, especially strawberry. I guess it goes back to my childhood when my cousin and I fought over who got to sit on the freezer while it churned. This electric freezer, that I won at an auction at Lilly’s school, makes quick work of the Ice cream process.

The days have been warm enough for a scoop or two of ice cream or sorbet. I like to add fresh fruits to the ice cream custard. Strawberries and peaches are my favorite. My late husband was a peach fan because that was what his grandma always made. Mine did a variety of flavors, even pineapple and mango.

Even though it is not actually summer until June, I am sharing some ice cream and sorbet recipes today. Give them a try and see which flavors you like best. My granddaughter’s favorite is, you guessed it, vanilla.

Watermelon sorbet is by far the most refreshing, and like some sorbets does not require an ice cream freezer. This sorbet makes good use of leftover watermelon. You need a 13-by-9-inch pan and a food processor or blender. Cutting up the watermelon is the hard part.

Peach or strawberry ice cream

6 eggs

1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk

3/4 cup Splenda or granulated sugar substitute or sugar

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 tablespoons sugar-free or regular syrup (Can be vanilla, maple, strawberry or whatever you like)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup whipping cream

1 cup chopped fresh peaches or strawberries sprinkled with Splenda or sugar

In a bowl, beat the eggs, evaporated milk, salt and vanilla extract. Pour the mixture in a saucepan and add fresh fruit. Heat on low-medium fire, until the sides of the pan begin to coat with the mixture, or the mixture begins to bubble.

Pour mixture in the ice cream maker and add the whipping cream to the mixture. The ice cream should take about 30 minutes to 1 hour depending on the temperature of the mixture and your machine. Once the ice cream beings to harden add the syrup and the sugar substitute or sugar and regular syrup. Let the ice cream finish processing. Serve immediately or freeze for another time.

Fresh lemon sorbet

2 cups sugar

2 cups water

Juice of about 6 lemons

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (see note)

Combine sugar and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until sugar dissolves, about 3-4 minutes. Cool completely. When cool, add lemon juice and zest, stir to combine. Pour into freezer bowl, turn the machine on and mix mixture until it thickens, about 25 to 30 minutes. If desired, transfer sorbet to an airtight container and place in freezer until firm, about 2 hours.

Note: Zest is the colored part of the lemon rind. Do not use the white pith. For best results, remove zest from the lemon with a vegetable peeler or zester.

Dolly Parton’s mom’s ice cream

2 cups sugar

2 tablespoons flour

6 pasteurized eggs

1 pint sweet cream (whip cream)

2 tablespoons vanilla

1 pint sour cream

Dash of salt

Milk

Beat eggs. Add sugar and flour. Add creams, vanilla and salt. Add enough milk to fill freezer to within 1 inch of top. – From “Tennessee Mountain Home Cooking”

Watermelon sorbet

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

8 cups seedless watermelon

2 tablespoons lemon juice

In a small saucepan, combine water and sugar to make a simple syrup. Bring to a boil and make sure all the sugar is dissolved. Set aside to cool.

Puree watermelon in batches and pour into large bowl. Add simple syrup and lemon juice and mix well.

Pour into a 9-by-13-inch dish. Cover and place in freezer until firm. After freezing, puree before serving. – www.thriftyjinxy.com/

More fresh produce at markets

Look for more watermelons at u-pick farms, farmer’s markets and roadside markets, which is great if you want to make the watermelon sorbet.

Also check out the green tomatoes, red tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes, peppers and onions. Blueberries are coming in, too.

Andrea Yeager can be reached at ayeager51@cableone.net/ and Cooks Exchange, 205 DeBuys Road, Gulfport, MS 39507.