There are pros and cons to gardening.


I can go on and on about the pros. They do, in fact, outweigh the cons.


But…
One of the cons? Everything harvests at the same freaking time. It’s so much fun when you pluck your first cantaloupe (insert vegetable/fruit here). You bring the little goodness in to show the hubby…
‘Look. I grew this. I planted the seed. I watched the little seedling push its way out of the soil. I painstakingly weeded around the growing plant. I watered it every day. Look.’
It’s exciting.

And the next day, when you venture to the garden. What’s this? It’s not just one more cantaloupe ready for harvest. No…back there behind the garden box, a stray cantaloupe vine has been growing. You have two cantaloupes that are ready to be consumed. Sweet!
You devoured yesterday’s little trophy, so this is perfect.


And so on…


After about a week of cantaloupe, you don’t even get upset to find squirrel-eaten cantaloupes in your garden. Let the little varmints have ‘em. You are all cantalouped out.


It would be great if you had a steady stream of (insert vegetable/fruit here) throughout the growing season, but it just doesn’t seem to work that way. Or, perhaps I just haven’t mastered the art of staggered growing.

To change things up, I (of course) have been scouring the Internets for new and innovative uses for cantaloupe. After exhausting the typical fruit salads, my unique Italian appetizer favorite and a cantaloupe salsa, I was about to try a cantaloupe ice. Just then, this recipe hit my inbox.
Cantaloupe ice cream? Ummm…perfect!


This recipe is super easy. Good news since it was my second (successful) ice cream attempt.
As hubby and I enjoyed it the night of his birthday, we tried to place the flavor. We finally realized it mimics my grandma’s signature apricot nectar jello salad that she makes every Christmas. Weird since the ingredients are so totally different.

Cantaloupe Ice Cream

From Homesick Texan
2 cups diced ripe cantaloupe (about 1 cantaloupe)
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups half-and-half
2 eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-4 tablespoons lime juice (depending on how tart you’d like it to be)
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
Preparation:
In a blender, puree the cantaloupe with 1/2 cup half-and-half.
In a pot, cook the cantaloupe puree with the cream and remaining half-and-half on medium heat until warm—do not let it come to a boil. Turn off the heat.
Beat the eggs with the sugar, vanilla, lime juice, ginger and salt. Stir into the eggs 1/2 cup of the warm liquid and then pour egg and cream mixture into the pot.
On medium low, heat this mixture while stirring occasionally for five minutes or until it gets slightly thick. You’ll know it’s ready when it coats the back of your spoon. Cool in the refrigerator for four hours.
Freeze and churn according to your ice-cream maker’s instructions.