Strawberry-Pretzel Ice Cream

• 1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups half and half
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup whole buttermilk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste*
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chopped fresh strawberries
• 1/4 cup strawberry preserves
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 3/4 cup crushed pretzel sticks

1. Process first 6 ingredients in a blender 30 seconds or until very smooth. Cover and chill at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
2. Pour mixture into freezer container of a 1 1/2-qt. electric ice-cream maker, and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. (Instructions and times may vary.)
3. Stir together strawberries, strawberry preserves, and basil. Stir strawberry mixture and crushed pretzel sticks into prepared ice cream. Freeze 1 hour before serving. Serve immediately, or transfer to an airtight container, and freeze up to 1 week.
4. *Vanilla extract may be substituted.
5. THE COOKIE: Sugar cookies, soft-baked from your bakery, for towering ice-cream cookie sandwiches. Wrap the finished treats individually (and tightly) in plastic wrap, and keep on hand in the freezer for parties or snacks.

cream cheese, sugar, buttermilk, vanilla bean paste, salt, fresh strawberries, strawberry preserves, fresh basil

Taken from www.myrecipes.com/recipe/strawberry-pretzel-ice-cream (may not work)