By Ann Cipperly
Labor Day generally signals the end of summer, as children have returned to school and the football season begins. Whether you are spending Labor Day weekend at home, the lake or beach, relax with easy meals and a refreshing ice cream dessert.
This year has been devastating for many in our area who have lost loved ones in accidents or tornadoes. For some it has meant rebuilding their home as well as their life.
The losses have reminded all of us that life is fragile, and how important it is for us to express love and cherish our families.
This weekend, plan to spend time relaxing with your family and tell stories about happy memories. Turn the television off and put away cell phones to focus on doing things together.
Our children have had to move away for work, so when they visit or we can go see them, the time is so special for us. We want every moment to count. We linger over meals and reaffirm memories of good times.
One of our granddaughters loves to hear family stories. I will start telling a story and before I can finish, she will say, “What happened next?” We will laugh over funny things that have happened.
I try to keep stories of their great-grandparents and other family members alive. My parents loved their grandchildren and great-grandchildren so much. I don’t want the children to forget the stories about them.
When the children and grandchildren visit, I will have as many meals as possible prepared ahead and frozen, with some in the refrigerator ready to serve the day they arrive. While I enjoy cooking for them, I want to spend every minute possible with them and not in the kitchen.
To spend more time with your family this weekend, have several dishes prepared ahead. For some meals, simply grill chicken breasts or burgers and serve with a big salad embellished with lots of fresh vegetables.
Before the meal, set out a tray of cheeses with fruit and crackers for snacking. Nothing is easier for an appetizer.
For dessert, serve refreshing ice cream, an ice cream dessert or an easy fruit dessert topped with the icy treat. With the hot weather we have been having, ice cream is the perfect dessert.
Homemade ice cream is a special treat. I have fond memories as a child sitting under the shade of a towering chinaberry tree watching my father making ice cream. He would fill the sides around the ice cream container with crushed ice and rock salt. We would sit and watch as he turned the handle until it became difficult to turn.
We could hardly wait to dig into the icy goodness on a hot summer afternoon.
Now, making ice cream is a much easier process of freezing the container, adding the ice cream mixture and plugging it up. In a fairly short time, the ice cream is ready.
You don’t have to make your own ice cream to have a scrumptious dessert. An ice cream pie can be assembled quickly using store bought ice cream. Let the children help. You can make it days ahead and have it ready to pull out of the freezer when ready to serve.
Rose Ann Denson’s Ice Cream Angel Food Cake makes an attractive dessert. Make it ahead and pull it out of the freezer to surprise your family for a delightful dessert.
An ice cream bar is always popular and easy to assemble. Place two or three tubs of ice cream on the counter with an assortment of toppings, such as chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, chopped nuts, chopped strawberries, chocolate chips, crumbled cookies and sprinkles. Let everyone create their own sundae.
If you have fresh peaches on hand, make Margo Herndon’s mother’s recipe for Easy Peach Crunch and top with vanilla ice cream. Bisquick is used for the batter to save time.
Look over the following recipes for an delectable dessert to serve. Whatever you serve on Labor Day, be sure to save time for showing appreciation and love to your family.
Cipperly can be contacted by sending email to recipes@cipperly.com
Recipes:
Mama’s Easy Peach Crunch with Vanilla Ice Cream
Margo Herndon
4-5 peaches
1 cup Bisquick
1 cup or less sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 stick butter, melted
Cut up peaches and put in bottom of casserole dish. Mix Bisquick, sugar and egg until crumbly and spread over the top of peaches. Then, pour melted butter over top. Bake at 350 until brown and crispy. Serve with ice cream.
Note: Can substitute canned cherries or apples for peaches.
Ice Cream Angel Food Cake
Rose Ann Denson
Kids like this, and it looks festive!
10-inch angel food cake
1 pint chocolate ice cream
1 pint vanilla ice cream
1 pint strawberry ice cream
Whipped Cream Frosting
¼ cup slivered almonds, toasted (optional)
Wrap cake in plastic wrap; freeze 30 minutes. Let ice cream stand at room temperature 20 minutes to soften.
Slice cake horizontally into 4 equal layers using a serrated knife. Place bottom layer on serving plate; spread top of layer with chocolate ice cream, leaving a ½ inch border. Top with second layer; repeat layers with vanilla ice cream, cake layer and strawberry ice cream, topping with cake layer. Wrap cake in plastic wrap and freeze at least 8 hours or overnight.
Spread Whipped Cream Frosting on top and sides of cake. Garnish top evenly with almonds, if desired.
Whipped Cream Frosting
Beat 2 cups whipping cream on high with an electric mixer until cream is foamy. Gradually add 2 Tbsp. powdered sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla extract, beating until stiff peaks form.
Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
Mende Hunter
5 cups half and half, divided
2 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
3 pkgs. cream cheese, softened
2 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
2 pints fresh blueberries
In a large saucepan combine 3 cups of half and half, sugar and eggs. Cook and stir over medium heat just until boiling. In a large mixing bowl beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth; gradually beat in hot mixture. Cover and chill thoroughly.
Stir in remaining half and half, lemon juice, vanilla extract and blueberries. Freeze in a 4 or 5-quart ice cream freezer according to manufacturer’s directions. Place in freezer for four hours to let flavors blend.
Vanilla or Chocolate Ice Cream
Emily Mullins
Two 14 oz. cans sweetened condensed milk
14 1/2 oz. can evaporated milk
1 cup whipping cream
2 tsp. vanilla
Milk
Combine condensed milk, evaporated milk, whipping cream and vanilla in an ice cream canister. Add enough milk to reach the fill line inside the canister. Freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Chocolate Ice Cream
To make chocolate ice cream, substitute chocolate milk for milk.
Banana Ice Cream
Emily Mullins
6 (about 2 1/4 lb.) ripe bananas
1 Tbsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1 vanilla bean, scraped (or 1 tsp. vanilla)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Place bananas in freezer and freeze overnight. Remove bananas and allow to thaw 45 minutes to an hour. Peel bananas and place in food processor with lemon juice. Process for 10 to 15 seconds.
Add corn syrup and vanilla bean seeds; turn processor on, and slowly pour in heavy cream. Process until smooth.
Chill mixture in refrigerator until it reaches 40 degrees.
Transfer mixture to an ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer’s instructions. Place in airtight container and freeze 3 to 6 hours before serving.
Hot Fudge Sauce
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
1 cup sugar
1 small can evaporated milk
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Melt chocolate in top of double boiler; add sugar and gradually stir in evaporated milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly and boil for 1 minute. Add butter and vanilla.
Mexican Sunday Ice Cream Pie
Julia Thomas
26 Oreo cookies
½ stick margarine
1 can Hershey’s chocolate syrup
½ gallon vanilla ice cream
1 cup Spanish peanuts
12 oz. Cool Whip
Crush 24 Oreos in a plastic bag. Melt margarine; mix with crushed Oreos. Press in 9 by 13-inch pan. Cover with ½ can Hershey’s chocolate syrup.
Slice ice cream into 1½-inch slices. Arrange slices over crust. Sprinkle peanuts over top.
Cover with remaining syrup. Spread Cool Whip on syrup and sprinkle 2 crushed Oreos over top. Freeze. Serve in 2-inch squares.
Ice Cream Sundae Pie
2 pints vanilla ice cream, softened
9-inch graham cracker crust
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. caramel sauce
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. fudge sauce
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp. confectioners’ sugar
Use a large spoon to scoop 1 pint ice cream into thin, flat scoops, and then spread on bottom of crust. Smooth with back of spoon.
Spread 1/2 cup caramel sauce over ice cream. Freeze pie until solid, 30 minutes to 2 hours.
Remove frozen pie from freezer and top with another 1/2 pint ice cream; spread evenly over caramel. Spread 1/2 cup fudge sauce over ice cream.
Freeze pie until solid, 30 minutes to 2 hours. Remove frozen pie and top with final 1/2 pint ice cream.
Drizzle remaining 2 Tbsp. each caramel and fudge sauce over pie. Freeze pie until solid, 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
In a medium bowl, whip heavy cream and confectioners’ sugar until firm peaks form. Transfer whipped cream to a plastic bag and snip off a 1/4-inch tip with scissors. Pipe whipped cream around edge of pie. Freeze until ready to serve. Serve with additional whipped cream, if desired.
Havlin’s Super Easy Summer Dessert
Frances Blackburn
12 ice cream sandwiches
1 jar caramel sauce
1 medium container Cool Whip
2 Heath candy bars, crushed
2 Tbsp. chocolate sauce
Place ice cream sandwiches with sides touching in a 12 by 8-inch rectangular dish. Pour caramel sauce over all and spread to cover sandwiches completely.
Spread Cool Whip over caramel sauce and press crushed Heath bar pieces slightly into whipped topping. Drizzle chocolate sauce over top. Cover with lid or plastic wrap.
Freeze several hours before serving. Slice into desired serving pieces with sharp knife. Refreeze unused portion. Keeps well in freezer. Serves 12 to 16.
Toffee Ice Cream Pie
This recipe was given to me years ago by Mary Samford. It makes an easy special dessert. Take it out of freezer a few minutes before serving.
9-inch graham cracker piecrust
2 Tbsp. instant coffee
1 Tbsp. boiling water
1 pkg. Heath brickle or 6 crumbed Heath bars, divided
1 quart vanilla ice cream, softened
½ cup whipped cream
2 Tbsp. crème de cacao, optional
Dissolve coffee in boiling water (can be done in microwave in glass cup); stir into softened ice cream along with 2/3 cup of the brickle. Pile into piecrust.
Whip cream and as it begins to get stiff, pour in crème de cacao. Spread on top of ice cream filling. Top with remaining brickle. Freeze until ready to serve. Serves 8.
Peach Ice Cream Pie with Coconut Crust
Can also use filling in a graham cracker crust.
3 Tbsp. butter
1 can (3 ½ oz.) flaked coconut
2 cups chopped fresh peaches
1 to 1½ -quarts vanilla ice cream, softened
Chopped pecans or walnuts, optional
Melt butter in a 9-inch pie plate in a 350-degree oven. Mix in coconut and press onto bottom and sides of pie plate. Bake for about 12 minutes or until coconut is lightly brown. Chill.
Add peaches to ice cream and pile into chilled crust. Sprinkle a few nuts over top, if desired. Freeze until ready to serve.
Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pie
9-inch graham cracker piecrust
4 Tbsp. peanut butter
4 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 pint vanilla ice cream
Crushed peanuts
Melt peanut butter and brown sugar in saucepan. Add ice cream and stir until mixture is well blended. Pour into piecrust and top with crushed peanuts. Freeze until ready to serve.
Mocha-Pecan Ice Cream Pie
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Vegetable cooking spray
1 tsp. sugar
1 pint coffee ice cream, softened
1 pint chocolate ice cream, softened
1 cup coarsely chopped cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies, divided (about 10 cookies)
6-oz. ready-made chocolate crumb piecrust
2 Tbsp. chocolate syrup or sauce
Place pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; sprinkle evenly with sugar.
Bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Cool.
Stir together ice cream, 3/4 cup cookie chunks, and 1/3 cup pecans; spoon into piecrust. Freeze 10 minutes.
Press remaining cookie chunks and pecans evenly on top. Cover with plastic wrap, and freeze 8 hours. Drizzle individual slices evenly with chocolate syrup.