Recently I found an ice-cream maker at a thrift store. It was $4.99 and I didn't get it. As fate would have it, DH needed to go later that week and it was still there. It came home with me.

I have an infatuation with mexican chocolate. Ingredients vary but my favorite is strong on the chile and spices, with a gritty texture--usually from nuts. Today I made heaven. I fell in love. My kids liked it. DH says it's the best ice cream he's had. Better than Ben and Jerry (though I hesitate to type such blasphemy).

My recipe for Mexican chocolate ice cream:

• 3 cups total of cream/milk/half-n-half/whatever you have lying around (I used 1 C. cream, 1+ cups half-n-half and the rest skim milk)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 6 oz (half package) dark chocolate chips
• 2 T cornstarch
• 2 T almond meal/flour
• Chili powder (I used about 1/2 t+ and it was spicy but the kids still ate it)
• 1/2 t cinnamon
• 1/4 t nutmeg
• 1/4 t cloves
• 1 t vanilla

Reserve about 1/4 cup liquid and put the rest in a pot and heat gently. Add chocolate and stir until melted. Combine cornstarch and reserved fluid. Add to hot mixture and stir until thickened. Remove from heat and mix in remaining ingredients.

I am totally guesstimating my measurments. Just taste it and adjust as necessary. It should taste a little stronger and sweeter than you like because freezing dulls the flavor.

Chill mixture completely (you may want to put clingwrap on the surface to avoid a 'skin'). Put in ice cream maker per instructions.

Hide from your family. Don't forget the spoon.