July happens to be, among many things, National Ice Cream month. I can't think of a better time to celebrate the sweet, cool and fun treat that is synonymous with summer. It is one of my all-time favorite splurges. There's something magical about ice cream and the way something technically so ordinary has the ability to seem extraordinary. There's something about this cool, comforting treat that appeals to the masses, to kids from 1 to 99... We'll drive out of our way for a scoop fresh from the dairy farm. We make an activity of it, for some it's become a ritual.

Every country has it. Italy has its gelato. In France, you'll search for a glacier and ask for a glace, which has nothing to do with what windows are made of. In Spain you'll enjoy an helado, in Germany you'll ask for eiscreme. You see, it's universal. But lucky for us, we have a whole month in which to celebrate and indulge in this wonderful, spectacular, delightful extravagance!

Making ice cream from scratch is loads of fun and really quite easy. It's an activity that kids of all ages can embrace, even the really young. So get the kids and grandkids together and create something delicious as well as a lifetime of memories!

Some recipes below:

Ziplock Ice Cream (Ice Cream in a Bag)

INGREDIENTS
SERVINGS 1
1⁄2 cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon sugar
1⁄4 teaspoon vanilla
1 sandwich ziploc bag
1 gallon sized ziploc bag
3 cups crushed ice
1⁄3 cup rock salt

DIRECTIONS
Put first 3 ingredients in the smaller Ziplock bag and seal bag (Make sure it is tightly closed!). Put ice and rock salt in the larger bag and then add the filled small bag. Seal the large bag.
Squeeze bag until ice cream is thickened, about 10-15 minutes.
Remove small bag, unseal, and dig in! Or scoop into a cone or serve in a bowl with sprinkles and your favorite hot fudge sauce.

Ice Cream Ball Ice Cream

We were given an ice cream ball years ago when the kids were little and we still use it. I think this might be one of our favorite ways to make ice cream. It's fun and easy. 

DIRECTIONS:
Mix all the ingredients together and put into the ice cream ball.
Fill the ice portion of the ice cream ball with ice.
Add 1/2 cup rock salt to the ice.
Roll, spin, stir, toss, flip, and shake the ball around for 10 minutes.
Open up the ice cream ball, stir, close ball.
Recipes below courtesy YayLabs Ice cream ball. 

Ingredients and Directions for basic Vanilla Ice Cream (for the ice cream ball)

Basic Vanilla Ice Cream
Original ball (pint)
1 pint of Half & Half*
1 ? teaspoons vanilla extract
1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar    Quart ball
1 quart of Cream or Half & Half*
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar

And some fun variations - double for quart

Butter Pecan - Beat softened or melted butter (1 tablespoon) in with 2 tbs cream and sugar until completely blended. Add 1/3 cup chopped pecans (plain or roasted).

Chocolate Chip - Add 1/3 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips or shaved chocolate.

Chocolate Chip, Coconut, and Strawberry - Add 1/2 cup shredded coconut, 1/2 bag of milk chocolate chips, and frozen/fresh strawberries.

Coffee -  1 -2 tablespoons instant coffee in smallest amount of very warm water. Add to base.

Cookies And Cream - Add about 8 crumbled chocolate cookies.

Egg Nog - Add 1 tablespoon brandy, 1 tablespoon rum, and a dash of nutmeg!

Frozen Yogurt - Place 2 cups of flavored or fruited yogurt into the metal cylinder, then shake and roll to the consistency you desire. Plain yogurt can also be used, just add 1/3 cup of sugar or 1 cup of honey. Fruit may be added instead of sweetener especially fruits canned in their own juices.

Fruit Sorbet - Pour 1 pint of fresh juice into a container, add sugar to taste, and mix well. Pour into metal cylinder, shake and roll to the consistency you desire.

Grasshopper - Add 2 tablespoons cr?me de menthe and 1/3 cup (about6) crumbled chocolate cookies (sandwich or wafer type).

Hot Cocoa Ice Cream - Mix 2 to 3 packets of hot cocoa mix with half and half in a container. Shake well, add to metal cylinder, then shake and roll to the consistency you desire.

Macaroon - Crumble about 5 macaroons into cream mixture. Optional: add 1 teaspoon almond extract.

Mint Chocolate Chip - Add 1 teaspoon mint extract and 3/4 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips (or shaved chocolate). Optional: add a few drops of green food coloring.

Peanut Brittle - Add 3/4 cup crushed peanut brittle.

Peppermint - Add 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy. Optional: add a few drops red food coloring and/or 1/8 teaspoon mint extract.

Smores Ice Cream - Half and Half, Marshmallow's and Chocolate bar. Graham crackers
Cut marshmallows and chocolate bar into small pieces, mix with milk in metal cylinder then shake and roll to the consistency you desire.. Use Graham crackers to scoop ice cream mix.

Toasted Coconut - Add 3/4 cup lightly toasted shredded coconut. Optional: add ? teaspoon almond extract.

Chocolate-Banana Ice Cream
1/2 pint of whole cream3 teaspoons of chocolate syrup
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon of sugar
1/2 of a banana(mashed) Mix in bowl until mixture is a light brown. Then put in metal cylinder.

Cinnamon Stick Ice Cream
1 pint of Half & Half
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup sugar plus 2 tbs

Coconut and Coconut Almond
1 pint of Half & Half
1 teaspoons vanilla
1/3 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons of Coconut Syrup (used to flavor lattes)
Variation (add 2 tablespoons chopped almonds during mixing)

Hazelnut Chip
1 pint of Half & Half
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons of Hazelnut Syrup (used to flavor lattes)
2 tablespoons chocolate chips

Key Lime Ice Cream
1 pint of Half & Half
? cup key lime juice
1/3 cup sugar plus 2 tbs

Peanut Butter Cup
1 pint of Half & Half
1 ? teaspoons vanilla
1/3 cup sugar
2 chopped Peanut Butter Cups

Toffee Crunch
1 pint of Half & Half
1 ? teaspoons vanilla
1/3 cup sugar
1 Heath bar chopped

Cuisinart makes a great ice cream maker that's very affordable, or you could do as we do and use their ice cream bowl attachment which fits right onto your stand mixer. 

have curated a list from some of my favorite bloggers and websites, of flavors and creations that are fun, festive. Some embrace our sweet summer flavors, some are simple and some are wildly decadent! To create these you can make your own ice cream, but for many, a good premium store-bought is perfectly acceptable. 

Since we're talking pie... and Key Lime is so refreshing on a hot summer's day! If you love key lime Fake Ginger has a recipe for you. 

What goes better with peaches than cream? Why Prosecco, of course! A summertime frozen Bellini treat. It's pure genius. Brooklyn Supper has the recipe for the peach ice cream. You'll have to buy the bubbly!

Dairy free. Raspberries, water flower and a bit of St. Germain make a lovely and elegant treat. 

Home Based Mom has just what you're looking for after an afternoon of picking blueberries at the farm. 

Because Martha Stewart. Because coffee and ice cream. Because I had this for the first time in Italy and there's nothing that compares. Affogado al Cafe. You can't get any more simple yet it tastes anything but!

Think of coconut cream pie. But in cookies and ice ceam form... Like a coconut cream pie ice cream sandwich. Da (ice cream) bombe! Thanks Martha!

Lindsay from a Pinch of Yum shares this. Peanut butter and banana. I'm pretty sure that Elvis would have gone nuts for this!

Another treat synonymous with summer time is the S'more - marshmallow, chocolate and graham. Put the flavors together in ice cream and you might have a taste of summer perfection. Recipe courtesy of French Press. 

Because July also happens to be blueberry season. Because there's nothing more American than Blueberry pie (except for apple pie) but really because nothing says summer more than Blueberry Pie a la Mode so why not offer your guests these adorable blueberry pie ice cream sandwiches from Honestly Yum!

It's really not about the Pineapple Sorbet, though I am sure it is delicious. But, for me, it's all about the pineapple as a serving dish. I think these are positively glorious! Hop on over to I Wash You Laundry for the recipe. 

Coffee. And more coffee. And chocolate. Together with ice cream. Hop on over to Table for Two for the recipe.

Hazelnut Coffee Ice Cream Sandwiches. There isn't a word or an ingredient in this description I don't love. These bite sized cookie sandwiches are the perfect treat to offer your guests after a meal. If your meal happens to be at night to make sure the coffee is decaf! Retro Lillies has the lowdown on these...

It couldn't be more simple... Store bought ice cream sandwiches cut in half and on a stick. And sprinkles. Because, sprinkles... Idea via Girl Inspired