Mike's recipes for boring vanilla ice cream.
 

1. Ice cream + freshly squeezed grapefruit juice as discussed here.

2. Ice cream + orange juice (either freshly squeezed or from concentrate). This is your classic dreamsicle, like unto orange sherbet with cream.

3. Ice cream + postum/pero. These are coffee substitutes. Postum is crystally, so you get a crunch when you mix it in. Pero is a fine powder, so it mixes in well with the ice cream. This mix creates a bitterness that contrasts with the sweetness of the ice cream. Postum for crunch, pero for smooth.

4. Ice cream + baking chocolate powder. No sugar added. You don't want to mix in a chocolate milk powder, because it contains sugar, and you don't want that extra sugar. Add chocolate based on how bitter you want it to be.

I guess I'm boring. I prefer vanilla straight up.

1. I prefer my ice cream with something nutty, gooey, chunky or chocolatey in it. I prefer my grapefruit to be pink, from Texas and sans sugar, salt or anything else, including ice cream.

2. Ditto above, except I prefer my oranges to be from California (and orange, not pink).

3. Postum was discontinued at least a year ago. I learned this to my dismay during my first trimester when I was really craving it and ready to draw blood to get it. I haven't seen Pero in any store in MS.

4. Maybe if you added milk and turned it into a shake.

Marsi - I like that name for you - you need to get danimal to take you to Sicily and try a sangunella - blood orange - from right off the tree. It has a deep red pulp and you'll never be happy with an orange orange again.

The ones that are grown in the states suck, BTW.

Here are mine:

Try them the next time you BBQ.

Several large peaches. Half and pit. Brush with vegetable oil (not much). Place on grill face down for 2 minutes. Flip and grill the other side for less than a minute. Add to bowl face up and scoop in premium brand vanilla ice cream. Serve. Enjoy.

The heat pulls out and condenses the sugars. The grill gives it a smoky flavor.

Alternatively, try the same recipe with a mixture of watermelon and pineapple spears. To add sweetness to the pineapple version drizzle with honey.

I can't wait for summer.

I like the grilled fruit idea, I'm going to try that this summer.

My favorite way to jazz of vanilla ice cream is to douse it with hot fudge, and sprinkle cacao nibs over the top. Nibs (roasted and crushed cacao beans) taste like a bittersweet, crunchy, very intense chocolate chip.

Vanilla ice cream was made for melted peanut butter. It's a match made in heaven. Or a match in my kitchen, anyhow.

How do you melt the peanut butter? microwave? Do you use natural PB or fake Jiffy PB?

I invented this little concoction where I put a couple of Vanilla scoops in a glass mug. I then take some Root Beer and pour it in the mug, creating a frothy treat.

Who said Ohioans aren't geniuses?... That idea sir is brilliant