What better way to celebrate all the snow this winter than to make snow ice cream?  OK, so all we’ve gotten in Memphis is a slight dusting, but by watching social media posts (who needs the weather channel when everyone is posting snow pics?), it seems that all of my non-Memphian friends have enjoyed plenty of snow and snow days this winter.  Unless we can find a recipe that calls for a small accumulation of sleet, I’m out of luck so far.  So all of you people who are getting snowed in for a record number of times this winter, here’s my sister’s recipe for snow ice cream… 

Difficulty:  Easy – just add a few ingredients to your obligatory pre-storm trip to the store for milk and bread!

sweetened condensed milk (can use low fat)

half and half

a teaspoon or more of vanilla, to taste

bowl of fresh snow

Place wide mouthed bowl or cookie sheet with sides outside in the snow.  If the temperature outside is just a little below freezing, you’ll want to freeze your bowl or cookie sheet first so that it does not melt the snow.  In the 18 degree weather my sister is having, this is not necessary.  Also, if you’re using a cookie sheet, place a bowl outside or in the refrigerator so that you’ll have a cold bowl for mixing.

The wider the bowl, the quicker you’ll have a full bowl.  This reminds me of a science question on an achievement test from elementary school…  Each of the following containers holds exactly 1 cup of water.  Which one will evaporate first?  The one with the most surface area of water, of course.  The same goes for how quickly you can accumulate snow.

Anyway, if you forget to put a bowl out, you can scoop snow up from the ground… just be careful not to scoop up dirt or grass.

Just before you want your snow ice cream, get your ingredients out and ready, because you’ll be racing against the melting snow once you bring the snow inside.

Bring the bowl of snow inside and add sweetened condensed milk, half and half, and a teaspoon or more of vanilla.  Keep adding condensed milk and half and half (and a little vanilla) until you think it tastes delicious!  For this bowl she used half of the can of sweetened condensed milk.

Stir the ingredients together.

Serve immediately, relishing the fun you’re having with the snow that some of us can only wish we would see.

Thanks to my sister for the idea, the recipe, and the pictures!  It allowed me to join in a little on the fun of all the snow.  Just to let you know how fast the snow ice cream gets eaten in my sister’s house with two teenage boys, this was the second batch of snow ice cream today, and her older son said they’d have to go to the store tomorrow for more sweetened condensed milk.  That may require walking given all the snow they’re getting!