When summer comes, ice-cream is a big hit, both with adults and children. Sure you can go to the shops and buy ice-cream but you are limited in the flavors and many of the additives in it are known to be unhealthy and not good for you.

One of the best alternatives is to make your own at home with an ice cream maker. Ice-cream makers aren’t expensive and are easy to get hold of these days. They are also very simple to use and it won’t be long before you are making some delicious ice cream you’ll enjoy a lot.

Using one of these makers isn’t particularly hard. The more expensive electronic ones are much better because they are easier but you can still make ice cream with the manual versions.

The real benefit of home made ice cream is that you know exactly what has gone in to it. You are not eating ice-cream full of additives and suspect substances. You are eating good, wholesome ice-cream made from healthy ingredients which you know where they came from.

For many of us with children, this is very important because we want to ensure our children eat a balanced healthy diet. With allergies on the rise, more and more children are allergic to one or more ingredients of ice cream.

Of course, the other big benefit is that you can make ice-cream of any flavor you want. This is your chance to really experiment and produce flavors that are incredibly unusual and you’d never see in the shop.

Some of the more unusual flavors include avocado, cognac and even balsamic vinegar! Of course, you don’t have to stick to one flavor, you can mix them up. What about a peanut butter and jelly flavored ice-cream?

All you do is use the base syrup and custard mix and then you add your ingredients to the mix. You then freeze it, wait a couple of hours and there you have it… delicious frozen dessert!

Of course, you don’t need to come up with exotic flavors, you can stick to the good old favorites such as vanilla or chocolate or strawberry. If you have children you could also indulge them and make some from their favorite flavors which they will really enjoy.

Home made ice cream with an ice cream maker isn’t difficult to make and can provide you and your family with hours of fun. Making your own at home, particularly if you experiment with flavors, will impress your family and friends. It makes a perfect addition to any barbeque or dinner party.

Meatballs are usually found in Italian restaurants and cookbooks but if you enjoy meatballs why not experiment with an international version? Mexican meatballs are popular in Mexico and you can serve them with Mexican rice for a delicious dinner.

This recipe serves six people and it is bursting with typical Mexican flavor. The chili and tomato sauce is really nice and the pork and beef meatballs are flavored with mint, garlic, oregano and more. The Mexican rice contains parsley, onion and a garlic-flavored oil and it goes perfectly with the meatballs.

What you will need:

• 1 lb lean ground pork
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 4 slices white bread, torn into pieces
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
• 3 minced cloves garlic
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
• 1/4 cup finely chopped white onion
• 1 cup de-seeded, finely chopped tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoons salt

For the rice:

• 3 peeled, halved cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 2 sprigs Italian parsley
• 3/4 cup finely chopped white onion
• 3 cups hot water
• 1 1/2 cups white rice

For the sauce:

• 4 stemmed Serrano chili peppers
• 4 cans diced tomatoes in juice, 14 1/2 oz each
• 2 unpeeled cloves garlic
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup canola oil

How to make them:

Mix the milk, onion, salt, bread, garlic, pepper, and oregano in a bowl with a fork until you have a thick paste. Mash in the mint, eggs, pork, beef, and tomatoes and shape the mixture into two inch balls. Put them on a baking sheet and chill them in the refrigerator for up to six hours.

Next make the sauce. Cook the garlic and chili peppers over a moderately high heat until they are black and blistered. Peel the garlic. Puree the tomatoes and juice with the garlic and chilies in a blender until smooth. Heat the oil in a skillet over a moderately high heat.

Add the water, tomato puree, and salt and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the meatballs and let them simmer. Turn the heat down and cover the skillet. Simmer the meatballs for half an hour or until they are cooked and the sauce has thickened. This will take about twenty minutes.

To make the rice, you need to heat the oil in a pan over a moderate heat and saute the garlic for three minutes or until it is brown, then discard it. Saute the onion in the pan for five minutes, then add the rice and cook it for five minutes. Add the hot water, salt, and parsley and bring the mixture to a boil.

Turn the heat down, cover the pan and simmer until nearly all the liquid is gone. This will take about fifteen minutes. Stir the rice, then cover the pan again and keep simmering it until all the liquid is gone. Let it stand for ten minutes, and then fluff it with a fork. Divide the rice between six serving bowls and top it with the meatballs and sauce.

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