It's Snowing! Here's a Treat to Enjoy!

Today's sweet treat is ice cream. Who doesn't love it? Whether it's plain vanilla or some fantastic concoction of fruits, nuts, berries, cookies, or whatever else you come up with, ice cream is always delicious. We've all heard that old cry: "I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!" How true!

Although we tend to think of ice cream as a "summer food" for a hot day, many people actually crave ice cream more during the cold winter months. Why? It's due to the high sugar content in ice cream. We might not realize how much sugar it contains, I've been told, because of the low temperature. Sugar seems less noticeable in cold foods. The "scientific" reason for our sweet cravings in the winter is that because we're getting less sunlight, and usually getting less exercise, as well. Our brain craves sugary treats because they cause blood sugar to spike, which in turn raises blood insulin levels, which leads to the release of trytophan to the brain, which is then converted to serotonin -- the "feel good" hormone.

Which is all probably more information than you really wanted to know on a cold, snowy morning.

Now, here's a little more cold, snowy information about ice cream. Did you know you can make your own fresh ice cream from that new-fallen snow? Sure, you can.

When I was a little girl, rushing outside to scoop up snow and make bowls of delicious snow ice cream was always fun. It seems to be a lost art these days, so I thought I'd share a little "how-to" from experience. It's actually quite simple.

Home-Made Snow Ice Cream

1 Large bowl of fresh snow
Sugar (about 1 cup for a gallon of snow)
1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Cup Milk or Cream

Just mix and enjoy!


I did a bit of browsing online, and I actually found several recipes for Snow Ice Cream, including a chocolate variety, so if you're feeling adventurous, hungry, or just needing to indulge those wintry cravings, you might want to check out this site: Snow Ice Cream Recipes.

Originally, I planned this post as part of the "Sweet Saturday" hop, but I decided to go ahead and share it today while the nation is being blanketed with the falling white stuff.

Yes, ice cream will still be my Saturday "sweet treat", so don't forget to stop by then! Be watching, too, for a few other "snowy" ideas!