{Very Easy!} Mix-It-Up Ice Cream Cake

  

Having to turn on the oven during a hot, summer day is a thing of torture, don't you think? Having a few no-bake desserts in one's collection is certainly a necessity.

  I came across this recipe from Kraft last week, & thought how easy it would be to mix it up & make almost any combination of cookie, ice cream, & candy.

  While my daughter & I were sampling this cake this weekend, we were thinking about some different combinations a person could use. Here's what I used to make it & some of our other imaginations:

• Oreo cookies, chocolate mint swirl ice cream, & grated chocolate
• Chocolate chip cookies, chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, & chocolate chips
• Peanut butter cookies, peanut butter cup ice cream, & chopped peanut butter cups or chopped peanuts
• Vanilla Oreo cookies, Strawberry ice cream, & sliced strawberries
• Oatmeal cookies, maple walnut ice cream, & chopped walnuts

It would be easy to customize this recipe to any taste!

Mix-It-Up Ice Cream Cake  {Print recipe}
makes 16 servings

1 bag cookies - Oreos, chocolate chip, vanilla Oreos, Fudge-Os, peanut butter, etc.
1 tub ice cream, softened - Pick your favourite
(*Note* Since you need to soften your ice cream, choose a flavour that looks good melted. For instance, rainbow ice cream turns grey-ish when melted, so it likely wouldn't work for this recipe.)
3 cups thawed frozen whipped topping, such as Cool Whip
Cookies, candy, or grated chocolate for the top

Line 13x9 inch pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides.

Crush 20 cookies; sprinkle crumbs onto bottom of prepared pan.

Spread ice cream evenly over crumbs in pan; top with whipped topping & sprinkle with candy or grated chocolate.

Freeze 3 hours or until set. When ready to serve, let cake stand at room temperature for a few minutes to soften. Lift dessert from pan with foil handles; cut into 16 squares. Top each piece with a cookie (or half of one).

~~~~~

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Guest Posting Over At...

Hello readers! 

I'm excited to be guest posting over at One Artsy Mama today as part of her Fun In The Sun Series today!

Come on over & check out the yummy recipe I'm sharing there...

See you there!

Greek Potato Salad

  Hello friends! How was your weekend? Ours was wonderful! We were able to spend lots of time outdoors with family & friends. My mom-in-law is staying with us for a week, so it is nice to have her here to join us. 

  Is barbecue & picnic season in full swing in your house? It's going full-speed-ahead in ours! I love cooking outside at the grill, with a cold iced tea to sip on while I keep an eye on the cooking (or in some cases, burning) food.

  This is one of our favourite side dishes in the warm summer months. Potato salad is pretty all-American right? But this potato salad takes a bit of a different turn with the addition of some Greek ingredients. I'm sure you'll like it as much as we do. 

  I cannot take credit for this recipe. I first tasted it at a barbecue / potluck a few summers ago. A friend of ours brought this salad & it was a huge hit! I begged for the recipe & was so happy to make it myself when our friend graciously shared it with us.

Greek Potato Salad {Print recipe}
serves 6


salad:
3 cups cooked, peeled, cubed potatoes
8 cherry tomatoes
1/2 a green pepper, diced
1/2 cup feta cheese, cubed or crumbled
1/2 cup black olives (whatever kind you like. I use Kalamata olives.)

dressing:
1 cup mayonaise
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
a few shakes of black pepper
a pinch of crushed chili flakes

Mix together salad ingredients in a medium bowl.

Mix together dressing ingredients. Add to salad, mixing well. Garnish with olives, tomatoes, & a bit of crumbled feta cheese.

Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

~~~~~

Thanks for reading / subscribing!

Keep enjoying barbecue & picnic season!

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Strawberry Daiquiri Pie

  Are frozen, fruity, slushy drinks a favourite part of your summer? We sure like them! So much so that we frequent convenience stores much more in the summer than any other part of the year. You too? Oh good, I'm glad we're not alone.  ;) I like fruity, but my family is more into the soda flavoured slushees. What's your favourite?

Speaking of slushy drinks, this is a way to take the yummy flavours of a non-alcoholic strawberry daiquiri & make it into a delicious, cool dessert. 

Strawberry Daiquiri Pie

Makes 8 servings

Crust:

1 1/4 cups Oreo baking crumbs

2 Tbsp sugar

1/4 cup butter, melted

Filling:

1 can sweetened condensed milk (the low-fat version works too)

1/2 cup frozen strawberry daiquiri concentrate, thawed (1/2 a can) *See note below

1 cup frozen strawberries in light syrup, thawed

2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed (the light version works too)

Fresh strawberries for garnish

Spray an 8 or 9 inch springform pan with non-stick spray.

Crust: Combine crumbs, sugar, & melted butter in a small bowl. Press crumbs evenly over bottom of the springform pan. Place in the freezer while you mix up the filling.

Filling: Beat sweetened condensed milk & daiquiri mix on low speed of an electric mixer. Add strawberries & beat again until well blended. Fold in whipped topping. Pour into prepared crust. Cover with plastic wrap & freeze overnight. 

To serve, run a knife around the edge of pan & remove sides. Garnish individual pieces with fresh strawberries.

*Note: If you're not sure what frozen strawberry daiquiri concentrate is, this is the kind I use. It can be found in the freezer section of most grocery stores near the frozen juice.

Mmm, are you craving a slushee now??? ;)

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Mango Lemonade Pops

Are you enjoying the summer so far? 

We're starting to cross a few things off the 100 Things To Do This Summer list... This being one of them!

These are like popsicles for the grown ups, but the kids love them too!

Mango Lemonade Pops

makes 6 pops

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

1 cup peeled, chopped fresh or frozen mango (about 1 mango)

3/4 cup water

2 Tbsp lemon juice

A couple of fresh mint leaves

Plastic cups or Dixie cups

Popsicle sticks

1. Make a syrup with the sugar & water by combining the two in a small saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil. Cook until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat & let cool completely.

2. In a blender, combine remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth. Stir in syrup, mixing well. 

3. To make pops, divide mixture evenly into 6 plastic cups. I just used disposable party cups.

4. Freeze for about an hour or until a popsicle stick can be inserted into the mixture & stay standing upright. :)

5. Freeze until firm. To remove pop from cup, run the plastic end under hot water for a few seconds until you can pull the pop out by the stick.

Enjoy this fun summer treat!

~~~~~

I want to say thank you to all my new followers on all the social media sites as well as to those of you who have subscribed by email! I look forward to getting to know you all a bit better. :)

Just a quick note, Facebook has made some changes to the fan pages recently. You may not be seeing my posts in your newsfeed if you haven't checked the "Show in News Feed" option. All you have to do is go to my Facebook page, hover over the "Liked" button as shown below & make sure it's checked so you don't miss a thing!

Thanks!

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Easy Salsa Sloppy Joes

Even though the weather is getting steadily warmer, we've been having the odd rainy day, which, for the time being means that I'm still using my stove & oven on those cool days.

This is a very easy recipe that comes together in about 20 minutes from start to finish. 

I don't know about you, but when it comes to weeknight meals, fast & easy are good in my books!

Easy Salsa Sloppy Joes
serves 8

1 lb. ground beef
1 1/3 cups salsa
1 can condensed tomato soup
1 Tbsp brown sugar
8 hamburger buns, split

In a large skillet, cook ground beef over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain. Stir in the salsa, soup, & brown sugar. Cover & simmer for 10 minutes or until heated through. Spoon 1/2 cup onto each bun.


  Done! How easy is that, right? Serve with your favourite salad & your meal is complete. The last time I made this, I served it with our favourite Chickpea Salad. Perfect for a quick, yummy, child-friendly weeknight meal.

Enjoy your day!

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Shrimp & Sausage Jambalaya

Yay, it's almost the long weekend! 

I'll be off for a few days with some good friends to do a bit of shopping in Edmonton. 

It will be a much-enjoyed break from everything that's been going on in our lives.

What are your plans?

~~~~~

One of our family's all-time favourite meals that I cook is Jambalaya. And really, this recipe comes together so quickly & is so tasty, that there is nothing stopping you from making it any night of the week.

Let me introduce you to my Shrimp & Sausage Jambalaya.

Shrimp & Sausage Jambalaya
makes 6 servings

1 tsp. canola oil
1 cup onions, chopped
1 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced

8 oz. kielbasa, cut into bite sized pieces
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 1/3 cups mild salsa
1 1/4 cups uncooked rice (I use brown)
1 bay leaf
1 tsp Cajun seasoning
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried oregano
12 oz. uncooked shrimp, tails removed
1/4 chopped, fresh parsley

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add vegetables. Cook & stir until vegetables begin to soften, about 4 minutes.

Add kielbasa & cook for 2 more minutes. Add all remaining ingredients, except shrimp & parsley. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat & simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent rice from sticking to the bottom.

Stir in shrimp & parsley. Cook for 5 minutes more or until shrimp turn pink, are cooked through & rice is tender.

~~~~~  

See you again on Wednesday!

Enjoy your weekend!

Coconut Bounty Bites

Okay, friends, if you like Bounty candy bars, raise your hand...

I see those hands! :) 

Then have I got a treat for you!

They only have 4 ingredients & there is no baking required... so easy!

Chickpea Salad

  Welcome to a new week! Are you ready to take it on? I am. We had a beautiful, productive weekend around our house. Everyone had a to-do list to knock off on Saturday & we just about finished everything on the lists. I think I was a bit too ambitious with mine & put on a few too many things, but that's okay. I'll just finish next weekend. 

  The weather was beautiful & the kids enjoyed lots of time outside. We got in some family time outside too. 

  My 8-year-old son even learned to vacuum this weekend! Can I hear a WHOOT, WHOOT?! I'm *hoping* that my vacuuming days are now few & far between. 

  The warm(ing) weather has me pulling out my barbecue & salad recipes... Time to enjoy the sun! 

  This is a great make-ahead recipe... it's even better after it's been marinating for a few hours!

Chickpea Salad
makes 8 servings


2 cans of chickpeas, drained & rinsed
1 bottle green olives, drained
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 cup cherry tomatoes

Mix all salad ingredients. Set aside.

dressing:


1/3 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp chopped parsley
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

Whisk all dressing ingredients. Pour over salad. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

So easy & delicious!

Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy your day!

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Raspberry Lemon Loaf

Well, hello again, friends! I hope you had a happy Easter. We had a great, but very busy, Easter season. My husband & I were both involved in our church's Easter production. After four performances over the Easter weekend, we saw a larger attendance than ever before & many people who prayed the prayer of salvation. 

It certainly was worth all the time & work!

~~~~~

The coming of Spring always introduces a desire for lighter, fruitier flavours in my baking & cooking. 

Does it for you too?

Lemon is a huge flavour favourite for me. I love to mix it with other flavours as well.

I still have some frozen raspberries from last summer... we had LOTS since our next door neighbour didn't want any of the raspberries from her huge berry patch!

I'm trying to use those frozen fruits left over from last summer to make room for this year's crops. 

This was a great recipe to do just that. 

Raspberry Lemon Loaf

makes 1 loaf

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup white sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup lemon-flavoured yogurt (low fat works too, if you want to cut down on your calories!)

1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil

3 eggs

1 tsp grated lemon zest

1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries

Preheat oven to 350º. Spray loaf pan with non-stick spray & set aside.

In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together yogurt, oil, eggs, & lemon zest. Add wet ingredients to flour mixture & stir just until moistened. Gently fold in raspberries.

Pour batter into prepared pan & bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in centre of loaf comes out clean. (If you used frozen berries, expect to have to bake it about 10 minutes longer, because the frozen berries make the batter cold.) Cool loaf in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan & let cool completely before slicing.

Happy Spring!

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Fruity Iced Tea

Spring is here & that means getting out all the spring & summer recipes. 

Barbecues & backyard parties are just around the corner! 

Ya-hoo!

Fruity Iced Tea
makes 6-8 servings


1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
6 bags black tea (I use Earl Grey)
4 cups boiling water
1 1/2 orange juice
Unstrained juice of 2 lemons
3/4 cups pineapple juice

In a small saucepan, combine sugar & first measurement of water. Bring to a boil. Continue boiling until liquid is clear, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

Place tea bags in heat-resistant pitcher; add boiling water & let steep about 5 minutes. Remove & discard tea bags. Add sugar syrup to tea. Mix well. Let tea cool & refrigerate until chilled.

Add orange juice, lemon juice, pineapple juice & chilled sugar syrup. Refrigerate a few hours, preferably overnight. Serve over ice in tall glasses.

~~~~~

Enjoy this spring day!

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Root Beer Cookies

Hello, friends!

Well, I took a week off blogging & had a nice little breather. My posts may continue to be touch & go in the next few weeks, so thanks for going with the flow. :)

While I had my aforementioned breather, I had a chance to do some baking; trying some new recipes as well as pulling out a few oldies that needed to be dusted off. 

This is one such recipe. 

Who doesn't like root beer? Well, I guess that could be a silly question since I didn't like it as a kid. 

I had a sip of a friend's as a teenager & wondered, "What was I thinking, not liking this?!" 

Thus began an adulthood enjoyment of my favourite flavour of pop (or soda for my American friends).

And when you can combine the flavour of your favourite beverage with a favourite type of food, life gets just a little bit better.

Root Beer Cookies with Root Beer Frosting

makes 3 dozen large cookies

Cookies:

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1 tsp. root beer extract or concentrate (I found mine at the Bulk Barn. Check natural or specialty food stores.)

4 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 375º.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter & brown sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in buttermilk & root beer extract. 

Combine dry ingredients; gradually add to creamed mixture. 

Drop by tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375º for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. 

Frosting:

3 1/2 cups icing sugar

3/4 cup butter, softened

3 Tbsp. water

1 tsp. root beer extract or concentrate

In a mixing bowl, combine all frosting ingredients. Beat until smooth. 

Frost cooled cookies.

Enjoy with a cold root beer on the side! YUM!

Enjoy your day!

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Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

I hated mushrooms as a kid. Actually, I hated a lot of vegetables as a kid. I grew out of that as an adult, thankfully. And, because there is justice in the world, now my kids hate mushrooms (among a few other things). Sweet justice, according to my parents. 

Oh well. 

When I make something our kids don't like, they have to have at least some.

When it comes to this appetizer, that just leaves more for the adults in the room. :)

Crab-Stuffed Mushroom Caps

20 mushrooms

20 large white mushrooms with stems

1 tsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp minced onions

1 can (4 oz.) crabmeat, drained

2 Tbsp. unseasoned, dry bread crumbs

2 Tbsp. low-fat mayonnaise

2 Tbsp. chopped, fresh parsley

1 Tbsp. grated, Parmesan cheese

1 egg

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 black pepper

2 or 3 drops hot pepper sauce

Preheat oven to 400º. 

Wash the mushrooms & pat dry with paper towels. Pull out stems, leaving a hole where the filling will go. 

Mince all or most of the stems to make 1 cup. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add minced stems & onions. Cook & stir until vegetables are  tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Be careful not to burn them. 

In a medium bowl, combine mushroom-onion mixture with all remaining ingredients. Using a teaspoon, stuff mushrooms with filling, mounding on top.

Arrange stuffed mushrooms in a single layer in a shallow baking pan. Bake at 400º for 15 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature. 

And now here's the whole thing without the pics:

Crab-Stuffed Mushroom Caps

20 mushrooms

20 large white mushrooms with stems

1 tsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp minced onions

1 can (4 oz.) crabmeat, drained

2 Tbsp. unseasoned, dry bread crumbs

2 Tbsp. low-fat mayonnaise

2 Tbsp. chopped, fresh parsley

1 Tbsp. grated, Parmesan cheese

1 egg

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 black pepper

2 or 3 drops hot pepper sauce

Preheat oven to 400º. 

Wash the mushrooms & pat dry with paper towels. Pull out stems, leaving a hole where the filling will go. Mince all or most of the stems to make 1 cup. Set aside. 

Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add minced stems & onions. Cook & stir until vegetables are  tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Be careful not to burn them. 

In a medium bowl, combine mushroom-onion mixture with all remaining ingredients. Using a teaspoon, stuff mushrooms with filling, mounding on top.

Arrange stuffed mushrooms in a single layer in a shallow baking pan. Bake at 400º for 15 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature. 

Grab one before your guests get them all! ;)

~~~

This week I've been so busy that blogging has taken a bit of a back seat. Maybe you noticed? If you have, you are indeed a faithful reader. Thank you!! My posting schedule was kind of off & the time I usually have to write & prepare posts was pretty abbreviated. 

I do have some reasons:

1) Our church is in the midst of preparing for our annual Easter musical which means a couple of practices a week. (Have I ever told you that I'm a singer? Yup, true story.) This is great fun & one big highlight of our spring, but as you can imagine, it's a huge amount of work as well. In addition to me singing in the musical, my husband is playing the saxophone in the orchestra. As my former voice teacher (who is also the one who writes the musicals we perform - Amazing? Yes!) says, "If the musical is in your future, then practice is in your present." Truer words were never spoken.

2) We've been dealing with some sickness in our home - sore throats & my daughter fractured her arm a couple of weeks ago. Sick kids home from school, doctor's appointments, x-rays... 

3) Those things combined with life in general & a couple other extra things on our plate just takes up what free time we have. 

I'm not complaining. 

I'm simply asking you to please have pity on me if I go AWOL for a few days this month. :) 

Deal? 

Thank you, my friends! You rock!

Now, have a wonderful weekend!

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