Teacher Appreciation Week this year accidentally coincided with me inventing a really tasty treat in my newest kitchen toy – an ice cream maker gifted to me from a dear aunt. Figuring out a place to store it in our small kitchen has been worth while, as making your own frozen desserts is quick, easy, creatively inspiring and fun! Best of all – you have full control of what goes into it! No weird stuff you can’t pronounce!
Avocados, lime and mint – a divine combo!
This also coincided with two teachers at my kids’ school having particular honors bestowed upon them. One received a science fellowship, and the other landed in the Top 12 Teachers of the Week. Now, I’m of the humble opinion that today’s teachers have to put up with more trickle-down crap than ever before, and truly deserve to be appreciated year-round. The work they do is admirable, not seldom heart-wrenching, and often thankless. For as much as our family participated in the institutional Teacher Appreication Week, I wanted to pull these two out, and give them their own little celebration – outside of that week. In the hoardes of everyday heroes, getting this kind of recognition is special! I deciced to try my hand at making ice cream sandwiches with my new favorite ice cream. Outside of generally being awesome, the Teachers are currently engaged in wage negotiations with the District, so perhaps this can also serve as a mental picker-upper during rough times as well. I wish them all the best! But there is a limit even to my time commitment, so I didn’t bake the cookies. Instead I cheated, and bought Lemon Crisp Cookies at Trader Joe’s. The first time I made my Avocado Lime Mint ice cream, I found it to be a little on the rich side, so this time I made it with yoghurt. Fage makes a great tasting plain yoghurt, as does Tillamook. The avocados provide ample creaminess.
I didn’t really measure the ingredients. When it tastes good, it’s done! The number to keep in mind is the capacity of your ice cream maker. In my case, that is 1.5 quart. So, mix away! I used:
2 firm, ripe avocados
1 cup of sugar
zest and juice of 3 limes
two generous sprigs of homegrown mint leaves
about 1.5 cup of yoghurt
half and half to taste, to bring it to that perfect place of sweet, tart and creamy.
Look at that lovely green color! As refreshing as it looks!
Mix all those ingredients in a large bowl. Refer to the ice cream machine instructions for the rest. The hardest part was actually making the sandwiches. The ice cream melts quickly, and it was kind of messy. For best result, do a few at the time, and quickly put them in the freezer as you go to keep them intact. I did them in batches of six, and froze them in smaller tupperware, before transfering to their final packaging. I’m bringing them to school today. Ring in the weekend, and celebrate!
Measuring about an inch and a half across, these are perfect little bite-size treats.
The Creative Flux 
Awesome. You make me want to go out and buy and ice cream maker. I think I will!!!
Sue – you definitely should! It is so much fun, and the ice cream you can make is so much more interesting and tasty than most of the stuff you can buy. Best of all – it is EASY!
Delicious! Thank you so much! Mr. Garcia
You are so very welcome! 🙂
Your ice cream and the ice cream sandwiches look very tasty! I’ve never made ice cream with one of those new fangled makers that don’t require ice and rock salt. Maybe, like Susan, I’ll go buy one too just to try out your wonderful recipe!
Peter – you can probably make it the old-fashioned way too. Not sure if it’s just me, but I never seem to get it quite to ‘frozen’ in my machine. It turns out to be more like a thick, viscose liquid. Which is why it was so messy trying to fit it onto those little cookies. Maybe that is the way it is supposed to be? I’m to new at this to know… But yes – definitely make it! It is so good!!!
That sounds like a divine combination, and better than standing in line at Salt & Straw.
Don’t tell anyone, but it is WAY better than many of the offerings at Salt & Straw. If I were better at marketing, I would blow this, and some of the others I’ve made up on a commercial scale and put them out of business! 😉 (That’s right, keep dreaming…)