Copy Cat Shamrock Shake

I decided to make a copy cat recipe for McDonald’s Shamrock shake when I was planning for my St. Patrick’s day post.  There isn’t much to a shake recipe, so it isn’t hard to figure out, but getting just the right amount to make the right shake consistency is key.  I allowed some leeway to the peppermint extract.  This way you can adjust the taste to your liking.  If you aren’t a peppermint fan then leave out the extract and us a little vanilla extract in it’s place and still enjoy a festive looking milk shake for the holiday.
You can use whatever kind of milk you have, but a milk with a higher fat content will give a richer flavor.  To finish off the shake you can top it with that whipped cream in a can.  However, I prefer to make my own whipped cream and pipe it on.  The stuff in the can has a lot of air in it and deflates after it sits for a few seconds.

Copy Cat Shamrock Shake

• 3 cups of vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
• 1 1/2 cups milk (I used skim)
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
• 8 drops of green food coloring
• green sprinkles, if desired
• sweetened whipped cream

1. Place the ingredients in the order listed above in a blender.  Start out with the 1/4 tsp extract and taste after blending to see if you want a stronger mint flavor, if so add another 1/4 tsp extract.
2. Blend in the blender until smooth.  Pour mixture into 2 glasses and top with whipped cream and sprinkles if desired. Makes 2 shakes.