No good deed...

(Todd here again...apparently taking over)

Well the last thing I ate tonight was worth it so let me tell you how I got here...

I have a bad habit of of never really knowing what to get Nicole for birthdays, Christmas or other gift giving occasions. To my defense, how many husbands do? But that isn't the point.

A few weeks ago Nicole told me how she really wanted something. I knew I would immediately forget by the time I would have a chance to buy it for her so I suggested she put it on her blog. Some of you may have noticed her little Christmas Wish List along the bottom of the left column.

Well yesterday I had the kids on a field trip to Walmart to buy a car head light (if you don't know where to go, they have a crappy version of whatever you need at Walmart). So I'm pushing the kids in the shopping cart when my daughter asks me if the light bulb is for mommy. I think Nicole brainwashes the kids because immediately upon being asked that question I was guilt tripped into getting mommy something. I had no idea what to get when BAM (that was for you JC) it hit me to check her blog.

I pull out the trusty crackberry and surf to Nicole's site to find the wish list of items she wants. Number three on the list...

Ice Cream Maker. And better yet...I found one on sale! Walmart Sale! That means it cost like $10! (don't tell Nicole!)

So we grab it and head home to show mommy her new surprise.

Nicole shows initial signs of excitement but then starts reading the manual. "Oh it takes rock salt." "Oh its not automatic like Jennifer's." "Oh this." "Oh that." These are not the words I want to hear after tearing the box open with excitement.

The debate goes back and forth for a bit with me finally starting to pack the ice cream maker back into the box. I really didn't want to take it back and I think Nicole saw the look of sadness on my face so she said we could keep it.

The first batch was absolutely horrible. I didn't use rock salt like the instructions said and only after looking it up on the Internet did I learn rock salt is required to lower the temperature so the ice cream mix will freeze. That and I didn't let the mixture settle or cool before throwing it in the ice cream maker. I mean can't they make it so you could skip a few steps at the beginning and still come out with something good?

Batch number two actually worked but I used a generic mix vanilla mix (remember they have a crappy version of whatever you need at Walmart) and added some peppermint sticks and flavoring. The initial taste is really good but there is just a weird vanilla after taste that is out of place with peppermint ice cream.

After dinner we went all out. None of this generic mix stuff we bought the ingredients one needs for a good flavored home made ice cream:

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chips along with the two cups of milk, 48 some odd ounces of half and half, 2 and 1/2 cups of sugar(!!!), some whipping cream and some more fancy items and we were on our way to home made Chocolate Chip Ice Cream.
No one told me how much 4 quarts of ice cream was. We already tried to pawn some of the extra off on my in-laws (not home) and neighbors (on diet - are you kidding me?). We have plenty so if you want some stop on by. And if you didn't figure it out by the first line of the post...it was all worth it.