We All Screamed V

Ready for their close-up: Peppermint ice cream & garnishes.

So what do you do when you have 4 1/2 dozen sugar cookies at home waiting to be eaten? You make homemade ice cream, of course. How's that for culinary and caloric Jujitsu? I mean, you already have your garnish, right? The foundation and roof for ice-cream sandwiches, right? Right? Peppermint is one of those tastes of the season, so we made peppermint ice cream. The recipe comes from a $9 soft-cover cookbook called "Saveur Cooks Winter Favorites & Holiday Fare," which is worth seeking out in the magazine section of your local bookstore. We used King Leo soft peppermints, which you can find in most grocery stores. You want to crush them finely in a blender or food processor. The ice cream, with its pillowy texture and refreshing flavor, is some of the best you'll ever put in your mouth. Delicious.

Peppermint Pillow Ice Cream

1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup good-quality peppermint candy, crushed into pieces

1. Whisk sugar and egg yolks in large bowl until pale yellow. Whisk in milk, cream, and vanilla. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

2. Pour mix into ice cream maker and process. About 10 minutes before ice cream is ready, feed crushed peppermint into ice cream maker.

3. Serve garnished with a sugar cookie and peppermint stick. It will keep in the freezer for about 3 days.

On my signal, pour the peppermint!