When you can't get out or think that the price of gas just isn't worth the trip, you can crank your own ice cream.

Ginny Rimm, a retired pastor from Searsmont, has perfected "Our Favorite Vanilla Ice Cream."

"It is creamy and sinfully fattening, I suppose! I try my best to think about anything but cholesterol levels. I use the 1.5 percent milk -- so I can feel at least a little bit virtuous," Rimm said. "My husband, Charlie, and I both love homemade ice cream, and had bought an electric ice cream maker since we're too old now to do the hand-cranked ice cream."

Rimm mixes up the ice cream while listening to CDs of Andre Rieu's music. Making ice cream for Rimm -- even with an electric machine -- brings her down memory lane.

"It all somehow conjures up memories of my own childhood and hand-cranking ice cream on an old churn at our neighbors' house."

In a large saucepan, warm (but don't bring to a boil):

2 1/2 cups milk

Whisk together and add to the warmed milk:

4 to 5 large eggs (at room temperature)

1 1/8 cup sugar

Re-heat above mixture until it becomes slightly thickened, whisking frequently and watching it closely. Don't let it come to a full boil! Remove thickened mix from heat and let cool to room temperature. Then stir into the cooled mix:

2 cups heavy cream

2 cups whipping cream (unwhipped)

3 scant teaspoon vanilla extract

For a less fat-laden recipe, in place of the 2 cups each of heavy and whipping cream, use one cup heavy cream and 3 cups of whipping or all-purpose cream, which is a bit lighter.

Refrigerate above mixture until it is thoroughly chilled. You may need to churn the ice cream in batches, depending on the size of your ice cream maker.

For variety, you may:

1. Add a small package of thawed frozen strawberries (but they have to be cold when added) during the churning process;

2. Add a couple of teaspoons of instant coffee to the hot mixture, stirring it to dissolve. For mocha ice cream, toss in some chocolate chips while the ice cream is churning;

3. Add fresh fruits that are in season such as blueberries, raspberries or peaches.

-- Cathy Genthner