This post is sponsored by got milk? in partnership with local California organizations that educate kids about the importance of proper nutrition and healthy lifestyle.

Growing up, milk was always a permanent fixture on the grocery list. My Mom could barely keep the stuff in the house. She would buy two gallons at a time and if we were lucky, that might last us into the next week.

My Momma had hungry mouths to feed and growing kids to nourish; and with 6 varying kids’ schedule to accommodate, I’d be lying if I told you we had freshly prepared dinner on the table, every night. Living in a busy household often meant that dinner a few times a week would most likely consist of cold cereal, PB & J (with homemade jam), or a quesadilla.

On behalf of the THINK Together campaign, we wanted to share a tasty recipe made with real milk but also one that is reminiscent of childhood memories.

And seeing as I had a PB& J every day in my brown sack lunch, it only seemed right that we share this with you.

This homemade vanilla ice cream, made with real milk, swirled with crunchy peanut butter and homemade strawberry preserves, will tickle your palate and possibly transport you back to the jungle gym on the playground. Add some sliced banana and you will find yourself on the monkey bars, hanging upside down! (disclaimer: we make no promises about where this PB& J Swirled Ice Cream will take you, but wherever it is, it will be good).

You can pick up an awesome pair of glasses to support the Think Together campaign in their mission to raise funds for a much needed “healthy living” after-school program. 100% of the proceeds from these milk glasses will be divided amongst five California community organizations in order to support nutrition education programs for kids and, because the learning doesn’t stop at school, for families, too!

If you have seen Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution: LA edition, then you would know what terrible food education and nutrition that our California kids are surrounded with in the school districts. It’s time to take a step forward…what do you say?

So go grab yourself some real milk, peanut butter and jelly (aannnnd maybe some Nilla Wafers, if you sneaked a peak ahead)…because it’s peanut butta’ jelly time.

You can even turn this PB & J Ice Cream into a sandwich. Just grab some Nilla Wafers (because who didn’t grow up dominating boxes of those addicting Nilla Wafers?) and sandwich a spoonful of this ice cream between them.

So easy and really, really ridiculously good-tasting. You can even make these a few hours ahead of time and serve them as a bite-sized dessert at your next dinner party…or slumber party. Either one will be acceptable.

So, in support of the THINK Together campaign, go online and order yourselves some glasses, by August 5, 2012. They are pretty cool. And I am fairly positive that the milk tastes even better when enjoyed in these glasses; it just feels right.

PB & J Swirled Ice Cream

Makes 1 quart

Ingredients:

2 cups whole milk

2 cups half and half

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 Tbsp vanilla bean paste (or extract)

6 egg yolks

1/2 cup peanut butter (chunky or smooth, for swirling into the prepared ice cream)

1/2 cup homemade Tangy Strawberry Preserves (or store-bought preserves if you have that on hand).

chopped peanuts, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Add the milk, half and half, vanilla bean paste to a large saucepan. On medium heat, bring the milk mixture to a boil. Remove from heat.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugars and egg yolks until well mixed and slightly fluffy. To temper the eggs, slowly drizzle about 1/2 a cup of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture, whisking continuously.

Then pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan. Heat the mixture over medium heat, whisking continuously until the mixture thickens. This should take 6-10 minutes. Next, either pour the mixture through a sieve to eliminate any clumps that may have formed from the tempered egg mixture, or you can use an immersion blender, by placing it directly in the saucepan and blending for a few long pulses (this is much easier).

Cover and allow the mixture to come to room temperature before transferring to the refrigerator, and chill thoroughly (4-6 hours or overnight). Then, freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

In a quart-sized airtight container, add 1/3 of the ice cream, 1/3 of the peanut butter and  1/3 of the preserves. To swirl the peanut butter and preserves into the ice cream, drag a knife back and forth a few times, until desired effect. Repeat two other times with the remaining ice cream, adjusting the amount of peanut putter and/or preserves, to your liking. Freeze until firm and enjoy!

From the Little Yellow Kitchen,

Chrissy

As part of the Foodbuzz Featured Publisher Program, I received a stipend and got milk? glassware in exchange for my participation in this program.