Easy ice cream

Homemade ice cream used to be difficult to make. It took a great recipe that included rock salt, ice, plus whatever type of ingredients required to make a homemade ice cream. If you wanted to make a fresh-fruit ice cream, you would need to chill a mixture of whole milk, sugar, heavy cream, vanilla extract and either chunked or pureed fruit. Any ice cream mixture had to be created and chilled ahead of time.

Let's forget about that.

Making ice cream today is a piece of cake.

I have a Cuisinart ice cream maker and I can make almost any standard ice cream recipe within 40 minutes.

I make homemade ice cream while I'm making dinner. That's great and so easy.

I would like to share three ice cream recipes.

The first is a fresh blackberry with mint that follows a spicy dinner menu beautifully. The second is a family favorite (my mom's family) that is a butter pecan. Then I will give you a premium recipe for a fantastic vanilla ice cream using a slightly more complicated procedure.

After reading this column I hope you decide to make your own homemade ice cream - your family and friends will appreciate it.

Fresh Blackberry Ice Cream with Mint

Preparation: 5-10 minutes, plus 2 hours for the blackberries to macerate, 20-25 minutes chilling time; optional 2 hours to ripen.

Makes 12 half-cup servings

1 pint fresh ripe blackberries

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 cup sugar, divided

1 cup whole milk

2 cups heavy cream

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/8 pure mint extract

In a small bowl, combine the blackberries with the lemon juice and one third cup of the sugar; stir gently and allow the blackberries to macerate in the juices for 2 hours.

Then puree the berries in a food processor, set aside. In a medium bowl use a hand mixer or whisk to combine the milk and granulated sugar until the sugar is dissolved, about 1-2 minutes on low speed.

Stir in the heavy cream plus any accumulated juices from the blackberries and vanilla. Turn the ice cream machine on, pour the mixture into the freezer bowl through the ingredient spout and let it mix until thickened, about 25-30 minutes.

Add the blackberries during the last 5 minutes of freezing.

Butter Pecan Ice Cream

Preparation: 5 minutes, plus 20-25 minutes chilling time; optional 2 hours to ripen.

Makes 10 half-cup servings

1 cup whole milk well chilled

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 cups heavy cream, well chilled

1-2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, to taste

In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer or a whisk to combine the milk and granulated sugar until the sugar is dissolved, about 1 to 2 minutes on low speed. Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla to taste. Turn the machine on, pour the mixture into the freezer bowl through ingredient spout and let mix until thickened, about 25-30 minutes.

Melt one stick unsalted butter in a ten inch skillet. Add one cup roughly chopped pecans and one teaspoon