Homemade ice cream is just the snack to cool down in summer

When the temperatures rise on the Coast, they go straight to the 90s.

Who can blame the children when they run to the ice cream truck for a cool treat? Yes, in some neighborhoods, the ice cream person still makes the rounds.

While ice cream is an any time treat, the frozen sweet concoction tastes nice when those temperatures are rising.

Many store-bought ice creams vie for the top spot, but the actual top spot goes to homemade ice cream. Home cooks can make their favorite flavors, plug in the ice cream freezer and let it do its thing for a half-hour or so.

Some may remember the days of freezers that had to be turned by hand. Kids would argue about who got to sit on top of the freezer. It was a place of honor or so they thought.

Even though Ice Cream Month ended Saturday, any late afternoon is a great time to put the ice cream freezer to work. Until a child or adult has tasted homemade ice cream, they are missing out on the best.

Homemade ice cream can be made with less sugar than bought ice cream, and seasonal fruits can be added to make a tutti-frutti of flavors. Here are some favorites to try.

Several years ago, Barbara Parker shared this easy-does-it orange pineapple sherbet that only contains three ingredients. Another easy recipe is an oldie-but-goodie from 1929 for lemon milk sherbet.

Made with peaches or strawberries, this ice cream recipe can be made with sugar substitutes, sugar-free syrups or regular sugar or syrups. It has more ingredients, but ice cream still is easy to make.

In “Tennessee Mountain Home Cooking,” country music star Dolly Parton shares her mother’s ice cream recipe and a quick treat for the kids. The pudding pops do not require an ice cream freezer, just a refrigerator freezer. Sugar can be cut down in this to about two-thirds cup.

Orange pineapple sherbet

1 large can crushed pineapple

1 (1 14-ounce) can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk

1 (2-iter bottle orange soda

Mix pineapple and milk in ice cream freezer and add soda to fill line. Freeze according to manufacturer’s directions. – Submitted by Barbara Parker

Lemon milk sherbet

1 quart milk

2 cups sugar

Juice of 3 lemons

Dissolve sugar with milk and add juice of lemons slowly. Freeze in ice cream freezer until hard. – From “Cedar Bayou Missionary Cookbook 1929”

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 one 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.

Easy chocolate ice cream

1 (16 ounces) can chocolate syrup

1 can Dime Brand milk (sweetened condensed milk)

1/2 gallon milk

Mix and freeze in ice cream freezer. -- From “Savory Classics, Bells Best III”

Mom’s ice cream

2 cups sugar

2 tablespoons flour

6 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”

Pudding popsicles

1 large package flavored gelatin

1 1/2 cups hot water

1 package unsweetened flavored drink mix, same flavor as the gelatin

1 cup sugar

2 1/2 cups cold water

Dissolve gelatin in 1 1/2 cups hot water. Add drink mix, sugar and 2 1/2 cups cold water. Pour into molds used for freezer pops. Freeze. Yield: 12 freezer pops. – From “Tennessee Mountain Home Cooking”

Pie crust recipes

A reader is looking for a no-fail pie crust recipe. Readers, check your files and send recipes to me.

Andrea Yeager can be reached at ayeager51@gmail.com/