ice cream and anniversaries

Tomorrow is J and my 6th year wedding anniversary.

I'm working both tomorrow and Monday night, so I thought I'd stay home and celebrate tonight.
The only downfall?  J had to go to bed at 8pm!  ha ha.  His job as an occasional part time nurse means he gets stuck with some not great shifts, like the whole long weekend.  These 3 days where planned in advance (I guess people where good and actually booked the time off).  Unfortunately not everyone books the time off and calls in sick so Friday he got a last minute call to go in for the evening shift, 3-11pm.  And the long weekend shifts, 7am-3pm.  He got home last night and got 5 hours of sleep then worked.  Poor guy.  Money is a wee bit tight so he's feeling the pressure to take everything that is offered. 


For our anniversary I made us ice cream.  In the maker my cousin gave us for a wedding present no less!

I made coconut almond chocolate chip.  PALEO ICE CREAM!

I modified The Unrefined Kitchens vanilla ice cream recipe with canned coconut milk, home made chocolate chips and almonds.

my modified vanilla ice cream:

1 can coconut milk (not milk-like coconut beverage!!!)
3-4 tbsp honey (agave would work too I'm sure...use less)
1 tbsp vanilla
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup slivered and blanched almonds (or finely chopped raw almonds would be even better!!)

-whip up coconut milk, honey and vanilla
-chill until...chilled
-pop into ice cream maker (following their instructions)
-put in chocolate chips and almonds when ice cream is soft serve consistancy
-eat when you can't handle waiting any more!

serves 2-3 (or more if you are topping another dessert)


I really liked the home made chocolate chips.  They are chewy and not all crumbly when frozen.
I also really liked that it can be so much less inexpensive than store bought!  a pint of store bought coconut ice cream is like $8.  This was SO good and cost maybe $2 to make.  I'd guess half the price for a whole pint...maybe.