Celebrations Divine by Ginger

July 21 is National Ice Cream Day so you have a few days to get ready. And as always, I’m here to give you some ideas to help you celebrate well! 

Here’s a list of The Best Ice Cream Shops in America by Thrillist. Check them out to see which ones you’ve been to, are in your area, or need to be added to your next vacation!

I think it would be a great idea to throw an ice cream party for National Ice Cream Day. These are my favorite party supplies:

• Inflatable Ice Cream Cones
• Ice Cream Cone Holder
• Striped Cups and Napkins
• Polka Dot Cups and Spoons (use cups for toppings too!)
• Photo Booth Kit
• And if you need a party invitation, here’s one I created for a party, but I can design one especially for you! (And newsletter subscribers get a 20% discount!)

I have a friend (you know who you are) who always gets flummoxed at a “Build-Your-Own” type of bar or buffet. The pressure of making your own and picking all the right combination of flavors is too much for her! So if you have the same problem, here’s a list of America’s Top 10 Favorite Ice Cream Flavors and the Best Toppings to Go With Them. Bookmark the list and, voilà, problem solved!

Want to have some ice cream fun without all the mess? This Melissa and Doug Ice Cream Counter toy is the best. My niece has it, and we have played with it for hours at a time. It has a printed menu that she passes out, I place my order, she fixes me ice cream, and we pretend lick for days! Plus it’s Melissa and Doug and they make toys to last!

One other favorite thing I like to make are cupcake ice cream cones. They just make me smile. Here’s a great recipe by Studio DIY.

I grew up in a family that made homemade ice cream quite regularly, and I loved it so much! It basically ruined me from ever liking store-bought ice cream. About 20 years ago a friend shared a recipe that was the same flavor from childhood, but didn’t require all the cooking. And it became my go-to recipe when I use the ice cream maker. So try it out and let me know what you think. And if you’re in the market for one, I’ve heard lots of great things about this ice cream machine. 

Ingredients:

• 2 cans sweetened condensed milk
• 2 cans evaporated milk
• 2 cans of Cream Soda

Pour all ingredients into ice cream bucket and stir a little before turning on the freezer. SOOOOOO good! 

The above ingredients are for vanilla. For peach (a family favorite) or other fruit flavor, use 1 can of cream soda and 1 can of peach/fruit soda and finely chopped peaches/fruit.