Thursday, March 19, 2009

Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap - Freezer Bag Ice Cream

I teach a class once a week at a homeschool co-op I belong to. This session I did a thematic unit on chocolate, which if you know anything about me at all, is right up my alley. Yes, I CAN make chocolate educational. Truly, it was just an excuse for me to eat chocolate every week but if I can actually educate the kids too.....well, it's all gooooood.

So I've covered Language Arts (chocolate poems), Math (graphing and multiplication with M&M's) History (origins of chocolate), and Health (nutritional info on each wrapper) but I have yet to cover Science.

Until today!

Today we will be doing a scientific experiment to learn about the state of matter and the chemical reaction between salt and ice. All in an educational ploy to have an excuse to make homemade ice cream in my class.

The kids and I tested it out at home first to make sure it would work and it was yummy and easy. So if you have an urge for ice cream or need a fun treat for your kids, here's the recipe.

Homemade Freezer Bag Ice Cream

1 cup milk (chocolate milk works too)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups crushed ice
3 tablespoons regular salt
1 gallon size freezer bag
1 sandwich size freezer bag

Pour one cup of milk and the sugar in the sandwich bag, squeeze out as much air as you can and seal tightly.

Put the smaller bag inside the larger bag and pour the ice and salt all around and then seal tightly.

Shake bag vigorously for 4 - 6 minutes (fun for the kids to take turns and we used a towel when our hands got too cold)

Carefully open the bags and eat.

Can't wait to see what you have to share this week.

Please remember to link directly to your recipe post, not to your homepage.
Please remember to provide a link back to The Grocery Cart Challenge from your post.

27 comments:

Miriam said...

My guess is that you combine the sugar and milk? :)

SnoWhite said...

num. I love homemade ice cream. what a fun way to make it!

Anonymous said...

Gayle,

Thanks for stopping by! I feel so honored -- I've been following your blog for 6 months now. Your frugality and fun are such an inspiration!

Anonymous said...

First off, I didn't get the Linky right so you need to delete #17. Second, we used to make homemade ice cream at my grandmothers. She loved banana ice cream which in the 1970's was not an option. So she created her own. I will look for that recipe in my file.

Elaine

John Stone said...

I recently saw a picture in a school newsletter where children were "excavating" chocolate chip cookies for the chocolate with small tools - trying not to disturb the rest of the cookie - Archaeology. Seemed like a good science lesson for a chocolate class.

Kindra said...

That's super creative lesson planning Gayle, great job! I'm a teacher and I'm always on the lookout for creative ways of teaching concepts.

Oh and I just added the link back to your post...sorry I forgot it :)

Angel Reuther said...

So, I've wondered for awhile and today you bring up co-ops. . . She homeschools, I know the area she lives in, I wonder if they go to the First Class co-op there? Just curious if that is your co-op. We are a part of the Clark County West co-op and have been for about 3 years. We love it! Sounds like a great class. I'm sure every mom wants to volunteer as a helper for that one! :)

Gayle said...

Yep, First Class of Cowlitz County. Really love the program.

Marcia said...

I helped make this with my son's class once, as a homeroom mom. Ours was orange-flavored like a dreamsicle. It was for their end-of-year picnic.

two_blue_one_pink said...

Thanks for the idea, I will have to let the kids make some ice cream on a rainy day.

WendyDarling said...

We did this for my nephews 5th birthday party. He is now 12, but he still remembers the party. We made individual "dirt cake" in clay pots lined with wax paper, and then the kids made their own ice cream using this method. It was a lot of fun. ;-) We haven't done it in awhile, but this is inspiring me to do it again. :-)

Precision Quality Laser said...

How fun! I am going to tuck this one away for warmer weather...lol! What a great science experiment to emphasize the differences between liquids and solids!

Thanks!

Lisa B. said...

You're such an inspiration to mommies Gayle.

Making butter, peanut butter and ice cream are favorites of mine to do with the kiddos. We always used the coffee can technique for the ice cream.

EEEEMommy said...

I remember doing this in the classroom before Ethan was born, but haven't ever done it with my own kids. Thanks for the idea!
I think it's fabulous that you're doing a Chocolate Unit Study. I bought a cheap little book on that exact thing at a convention years ago, perhaps if I ever slowed down I could pull it out and have some fun with it...

Simplelivin' said...

We did this in my chem class back in high school...it took forever though and was sooo cold! I'm glad to have the recipe again to try :-) Thanks!

Ruth Saves $ said...

Yum! I've never tried making homemade ice cream, but this makes it sound doable and easy. Thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

The kids will LOVE making their own ice cream! Thank you!

The Kelley Family said...

Can't wait to make this ice cream and use our homemade dulce de leche as a topping! Yummy!!

Anonymous said...

Sounds yummy! Could you use fat free milk or does it need fat?

Thanks

Gayle said...

I think it would probably work on fat free as well as soy or almond milk. If it is freezeable I'm sure it would work.

Halfmoon Girl said...

I presume your class has a waiting list???

Anonymous said...

I did this for my daughter's summer birthday at a park. I could hold the cake in the heat, but ice cream is another story, so insert the activity you suggest! Works fabulous as a birthday party activity by partnering the children and they toss the bag back and forth. Even funnier when the bag is dropped and ice explodes everywhere! (internal bag remains intact) Great blog and great features in the TDN.

mom1093 said...

I remember doing this a long time ago, only we used coffee cans instead of baggies. It is easier to roll it. Thanks for the recipe!

Anonymous said...

Our kids at church do this at the end of every school. They have the kids bring in gloves or mittens to help with the cold. By the way, I love your blog.

Amy said...

I have NEVER made homemade ice cream, so I apologize if this is a silly question, but can you use other types of milk to make this? Like almond or rice milk? I have a kiddo with dairy allergies and it would be too cruel to let him help shake but not eat. Do you think goat's milk would work?

Gayle said...

I would think that other types of milk would work. It's just a matter of what freezes and what doesn't. But it wouldn't cost much to try it out. Let me know hot it works.

KansasA said...

My daughter Sydney just finished making the ice cream and it turned out quickly and is delicious!! She had fun, thanks for the recipe!