i scream, you scream, and then i'll smack you with a stock pot for making that unholy racket.

Do you have a Big Lots near you?  We have one just a few blocks away, and let me tell ya ... there is some crazy shit in that place.  I found clothing that was clearly not meant for human consumption, odd sorts of snack foods, and aisles of uber-tacky home furnishings.

However, nestled amongst the insanity was this little gem, for the bargain price of $24.99:

Yep, that's a Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker!  Squee!  Of course, I snapped it right up.

Since then, I've been freezing everything that isn't nailed down.  However, the Vanilla Bean Supreme has been everyone's favorite.

I used this recipe from About.com, mainly because the Food Network site pissed me off.  Every time I tried to open it on my iPad, it crashed the browser.  Screw that.  I was perfectly pleased with what I used. 

As a side note, the author of the About.com recipe? Diana Rattray.  Which made me all "oooh, like the bad people that were dealing V and were going to drain Bill on True Blood before Sookie intervened.  That's a sign.  Self, you should make this one."

At any rate, here's the recipe.  My family gave it a total of five vanilla beans out of five.

Vanilla Bean Supreme Ice Cream

Ingredients:

• 7 large egg yolks
• 3/4 cup sugar
• dash salt
• 1 vanilla bean
• 2 cups half and half
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Preparation:

Whisk egg yolks with sugar and salt in large bowl; set aside. Split vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out seeds (note: it works really well if you act like you're curling Christmakwanzzakah ribbon). Combine beans, seeds, half and half and heavy cream in a large saucepan. Bring just to a simmer.

 

Gradually whisk hot cream into the egg yolk mixture. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon (do not let it boil - (this is 170 degrees Fahrenheit if you're all about the science like me). Strain through sieve into large bowl. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions.