RECIPE :: Homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches

Mini Ice Cream Sandwiches
by Kimberley

Ice cream sandwiches are one of my favorite desserts to serve in the summer when we have friends and family for a barbeque. I love to set up an ice cream sandwich station with different cookies, ice cream flavors, and toppings for rolling the sandwiches. Whether you use homemade cookies and ice cream, or good quality store-bought, ice cream sandwiches will delight your guests. For the little ones, I love to offer Mini Ice Cream Sandwiches that are perfectly shaped and sized for small hands and tummies. 

Also, don't forget to check out my Bake Like a Pro tip to make your baking and cooking projects easier and more professional.

Mini Ice Cream Sandwiches

To pre-assemble the sandwiches, prepare in advance of serving. Soften ice cream at room temperature for about five minutes. Using a small scoop, dollop a scoop of ice cream on one small cookie. Place second cookie on sandwich and press. Fill all your cookies and place on a baking sheet in the freezer until ready to serve.

Using soft chocolate chip cookies allows you to freeze the cookies until serving and once pulled out of the freezer for about 5 minutes, they will be perfectly chewy. Experiment with all of your favorite cookies and ice cream flavors!

Bake Like a Pro Tip

The simple wooden spoon is possibly one of my favorite cooking tools. I have a set for baking and a set for cooking. They are versatile and friendly to any surface of pan, pot, or bowl. To care for your wooden spoons, hand wash in warm, soapy water. As they age, the wood improves so you can enjoy the spoons for many years.

In addition to wooden spoons, I love silicon spatulas. A relatively new invention for cooking, silicon is amazing for high heat cooking and baking. The spatulas also perfectly scrape inside a bowl, leaving nothing behind. Again, I hand wash my spatulas that have wooden handles to help preserve them.

Simple cooking and baking tools genuinely make a difference in the outcome of your food. Caring for your tools also ensures that they last a long time and save you money.

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Guest Contributor: Kimberley Mulla

My Mom gave me my first cookbook when I was six years old. I have been baking & cooking ever since.

I specialize in artisan marshmallows & confections. I want to sell a product that I would feed my children. The ingredients are simple, often local, organic & fair trade as well.

I love making marshmallows. Every single one. It brings me so much joy to create something unique, tasty, and delightful.

You can follow Kimberley

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RECIPE :: Cookie Crumble OREO Cupcakes

Today I am bringing you a DELISH new recipe that we made at our house this week! My daughter wanted to make some cupcakes for her dad & chose these! She calls them Cookie Crumble OREO cupcakes!

 

Here's the recipe for Cookie Crumble OREO cupcakes:

 Ingredients:
~ 2 1/4 cups flour
~ 1 tablespoon baking powder
~ 1/2 teaspoon salt
~ 1 2/3 cups sugar
~ 1 cup milk
~ 1/2 cup butter, softened
~ 3 teaspoons vanilla
~ 3 egg whites
~ 1 1/2 cups crushed Oreos + more for decorating cupcakes
~ 1 16oz. container of vanilla frosting

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 24 muffin cups pan with liners.
2. Combine flour, baking powder & salt in large bowl; stir in sugar. Add milk, butter & vanilla; beat with electric mixer at low speed for 30 seconds. Beat at medium speed 2 minutes. Add egg whites: beat 2 minutes. Stir in 1 1/2 cup of crushed Oreo cookies. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling two-thirds full.
3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool for 10 min.
4. Frost cupcakes & decorate with additional crushed Oreos.
5. Eat up! ;)

**Makes 24 cupcakes

My daughter baked these herself along with decorating them & she did a FAB job! It was a FUN day of baking & we all get to eat yummy cupcakes this weekend! Win-win!

On a side note, I shot all of these photos with my I-phone to see if there was a HUGE diff. over using my 'nice' camera . . . hmmm . . whatcha think? I'm thinking sometimes using the ol' I-phone is (if I must) isn't so bad hmmm? ;)

What dessert are YOU making for an upcoming event? Maybe you can make these for your next celebration coming up. Let me know what you are baking up this weekend . . . 

Are you loving the "eye candy" here? 
 

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Looking forward to seeing you again! :)
 

RECIPE :: Summer Fruit Tart COOKIES

Summer Fruit Tart Cookies

Hello . . .it's Erin and I know what you're thinking....Fruit tart? Blah!  Well, my friends, this is not your average fruit tart.  I just didn't know what else to call it since Yummy-Sugary-Fruity-Creamy-Cookie Deliciousness was too long.  

They are actually a cross between a fruit tart and a fruit pizza.  You've seen the fruit pizzas with cream cheese spread on a sugar cookie topped with chopped fruit, right?  Fruit pizzas were the inspiration for this dessert but my kiddos don't like cream cheese (still not sure what planet they're from) so I had to think of something else.  Naturally, my mind wanders to heavy whipping cream and sugar.  I didn't say these were Diet Summer Fruit Tart Cookies. :) 

These are kid approved and husband approved, which in my house, is a tough crowd these days.  My hubs, who claims he isn't a “sugar cookie kind of guy,” loved them.  I know you will too!

Begin with your favorite sugar cookie recipe or your can use store bought dough.  I love the no fail recipe from The Decorated Cookie.  Cut the dough into desired shapes, bake and cool.  *It helps if you chill the dough on the cookie sheet after you cut them out so that they keep their shape in the oven. 

 

For the sweet cream and fruit topping you will need:

2 cups heaving whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons instant vanilla pudding

4 tablespoons sugar (1 tablespoon reserved)

Berries or fruit of your choice

Combine the whipping cream, vanilla, pudding mix and 3 tablespoons of sugar into a mixing bowl and blend with an electric mixer until cream is fluffy (about 5 minutes).  Pipe or spread the sweet cream onto the cookies.  Add desired fruit and sprinkle with remaining sugar.  Devour.  Repeat. 

*The pudding helps the cream stay fluffy and not fall flat after you add the fruit.  You can adjust the amount of sugar in the cream to your liking.

Have a wonderful summer!

 

Guest Contributor: Erin Heflin

I have always had a passion for all things creative. I can honestly say however, that I never thought my creative passion would lead me to baking and decorating cookies.  Before I started making cookies I was always a “brownie out of a box” kind of girl.  My husband would attest to that.  :)  

 It wasn't until I fell in love with the idea of decorating cookies that I really took an interest in baking and learning more about good ingredients, etc.  I now love to bake cupcakes, cakes and cake bites too.  

I am so blessed to have the opportunity to create something that makes other people happy.  I am looking forward to sharing some fun things with you!

You can follow Erin

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ROUND UP :: 4th of July IDEAS

Hello there!

4th of July is this weekend - are YOU ready?

If not, no worries as I have put together this round-up of fast, easy & sweet ideas to either make or decorate for your celebration. Here are just a few of my favorites that you still have time to do or prepare! Have fun!

1. Easy NO BAKE cupcake cones - IDEA here

2. Make sure to decorate too with this FREE 4th of July Subway art download

 

Photo courtesy of Glamorous Sweet Events

3. FREE Rock the 4th download 

4. Quick & simple Rockcandy Cupcakes here 

5. Americana Pina Colada recipe here 

6. Americana Fruit Trifle recipe here

What are you all making for your 4th of July parties? Leave a comment here & let me know - I'd love some more IDEAS!

 

Happy Birthday AMERICA!

Are you loving the "eye candy" here? 
 

Then join me over on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter & Instagram so you never miss out on an exclusive deal or any behind the scenes photos!

Check out my designs, artwork & decor in my Etsy shop! 

RECIPE :: AMERICANA FRUIT TRIFLE

Hello everyone!

Welcome to day #3 on my 4th of July Party IDEAS series!
If you missed the IDEA from DAY #1 on how to make CUPCAKE CONES then make sure to check it out as they are so easy to make!

And if you need an amazing cocktail for your patriotic celebrations, then may I suggest this idea from DAY #2 Americana Pina Colada!

Today I am bringing you one of my all time favorite recipes to bring to a party!

AMERICANA FRUIT TRIFLE! 

There are lots of variations on this classic but I thought I would share MY recipe with you today. You just need to know a couple things though . . .it is super EASY and it's super delish . . . if you are okay with both of those things then you are good to go! ;)

Here's the recipe for Americana Fruit Trifle:

its soooooo QUICK & SIMPLE . . . This is it!

 Ingredients:

~ 1 {big} tub of cool whip

~ 1 angel food cake

~ strawberries & blueberries

I broke up the pieces of angel food cake, dropped them in the trifle bowl then repeated layers of angel food cake, whip cream, strawberries, cake, whip cream, blueberries . . . until I got to the top. Spread another layer of cool whip (to create my 'blank' canvas) made a "star" shape out of the strawberries & then filled in with the blueberries. Simple + delish!

Hope you are enjoying these tips/ ideas for 4th of July Dessert! 

Stay tuned for the #4 IDEA for the 4th of July - see you then!

Are you loving the "eye candy" here? 

Then join me over on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter & Instagram so you never miss out on an exclusive deal or any behind the scenes photos!

Check out my designs, artwork & decor in my Etsy shop!