Milk Chocolate Ice Cream

Today is all about summer.  I was in shock when I finished my junior year of college and realized that I was a senior, but today pushed me over the top.  Senior year of high school, I was a Senior Advisor for a freshmen advisory.  Specifically, I was the senior advisor for chorus advisory.  Today is the senior boat party and so all the seniors come to the school, meet with their advisory teacher, and get letters that they wrote to themselves as freshmen.  Then, they go downtown, have dinner and go to an arcade and then they go to Navy Pier and go out on a boat.  Senior advisors are invited to come to the event at the beginning.  I went.  It was so crazy to be back at the high school and then see all of my freshmen as seniors! I felt crazy old and it was a little overwhelming.  My little brother is one of those seniors now, and I can't believe that he is going to be going to college in the fall.  I am so proud of all of them and it made me so happy to see all of them again.

While we were at the school, the seniors had to write a letter to themselves to be read at their 10 year reunion.  They had to make 10 year predictions and that sort of thing.  I started thinking about where I would be in 10 years, and then, when I realized that would be when I am 30, I stopped thinking.

I can't believe I have changed so much in just the 3 years since high school, and I truly can't imagine the next 10.  In fact, this thought is pretty scary.

However, I started this off with the theme of summer.  The seniors are graduating and about to enjoy their last summer together before college.  I am prepping for my summer as the Site Director at a day camp and the summer before my student teaching.  And of course, I am celebrating summer with my favorite summer treat: Ice Cream! So, here's to an amazing summer full of friends and family because they are the most important people and they are the ones who have helped me to change and grow in the past three years, and they are the ones who will continue to support and love me through the next 10.

Now go eat ice cream.

Skinny Milk Chocolate Ice Cream with Triple Chocolate Cookie Pieces (adapted from Dainty Chef)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 cup half and half

1 1/2 cups skim milk

8 oz milk chocolate chips

3/4 cup sugar

pinch of salt

4 egg yolks

Mix-in: Any cookie crumbled up...I used these made with white, milk, and dark chocolate chips 

Directions:

1. In a medium microwave-safe bowl, mix cream, half and half, and chocolate chips.  Microwave on high until the chocolate is melted.  Stir ever 30 seconds.

2. Heat the milk, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan on the stove until the sugar is melted.

3. In another medium bowl, beat the egg yolks.  Pour the milk mixture into the egg mixture slowly and whisk constantly.  Once combined, pour everything back into the saucepan and continue to heat and stir until the mixture thickens. 

4.  When the egg/milk mixture is thickened, pour through a sieve into the cream/chocolate mixture.  Stir everything together and then cover and cool in the refrigerator for as long as possible, preferably overnight.

5. Freeze the ice cream mixture in your ice cream maker according to the directions.  Place the frozen ice cream in a container, fold in the cookie pieces, and freeze to set. 

Enjoy :)