Farewell to Summer

I love summer, but it isn't too hard for me to say goodbye considering that it is followed up by fall which is my all-time favorite season of them all.

But with the approaching chilly weather, you also have to say goodbye to chilly treats and desserts.

First, I would like to share the easiest and lightest recipe for "ice cream" sandwiches. It's so easy, you don't really even need a recipe at all. You can really get creative with your favorite flavors. I already shared this recipe on my college eating post, but it's so good, it deserves to be repeated so that it can have some time in the spotlight.

Second, I am sharing an icebox cake recipe that I found...but modified due to necessity (I couldn't find a key ingredient) and to save a few calories and a lot of time.

I hope you get a chance to enjoy them before it gets too cold...otherwise, you might have to wait until next year to try them!


Mock Ice Cream Sandwiches

Ingredients:

2 squares chocolate graham crackers (see notes)
1-2 tbsp. regular or light frozen whipped topping, such as Cool Whip (see notes)

Directions:

Spread frozen whipped topping on one graham cracker square. Top with second graham cracker square. Wrap with plastic wrap and freeze until firm--about 3 hours.

Source: I don't remember where this came from...but if you do an online search, you'll see that it is found in a number of places.

Notes: One very important thing to note: done right, this can be a very low calorie treat. If you use light frozen whipped topping--it will only be 90 calories (that's the calculation for 2 chocolate graham cracker squares and 2 tbsp light frozen whipped topping). That's hard to beat!

This recipe is so flexible and versatile. You can pretty much make these however you want. There are different flavors of Cool Whip that you can use. Or you can flavor the Cool Whip yourself. Plus, you can use different flavors of graham crackers. You can also replace the Cool Whip with pudding (any flavor) or use a mixture of pudding and Cool Whip. Below you will find some possibilities.

Ice Cream Sandwich Variations:

• Chocolate graham crackers with chocolate pudding (or a mixture of chocolate pudding and frozen whipped topping).
• Cinnamon graham crackers with a mixture of vanilla pudding and frozen whipped topping.
• Chocolate graham crackers with strawberry flavored frozen whipped topping.
• Honey graham crackers with regular frozen whipped topping.
• Chocolate graham crackers with mint-flavored frozen whipped topping (simply add peppermint extract to taste).
• Regular graham crackers with cheesecake flavored pudding.
• Chocolate graham crackers with Oreo pudding.
• The possibilities and flavor combinations are endless! Get creative and have some fun!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Icebox Cake (original version)

Ingredients:

2 cups heavy cream, well chilled
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup smooth natural peanut butter (not unsalted)
1 box (9 oz) chocolate wafer cookies

Directions:

In a large bowl, whip 1 1/2 cups cream with sugar until soft peaks form. In a small bowl, whisk peanut butter until soft and smooth; whisk in 1/2 cup cream until light and fluffy. Fold peanut-butter mixture into whipped cream until incorporated.

Dab the bottom of 6 cookies with a very small amount of cream mixture and arrange in a circle on a serving plate; place 1 cookie in the middle of circle; Top with cup of cream mixture, spreading outward to cover all but outer edges of cookies. Repeat process five more times (staggering the cookie layers), ending with cream. Cut 3 cookies in half; decorate top of cake with cookie halves.

Refrigerate cake at least 8 hours or up to overnight). To serve, cut into wedges with a serrated knife.

Source: Martha Stewart Everyday Food recipe. A beautiful picture of this recipe can be found here.

Notes: I decided to use frozen whipped topping in place of the whipped cream because I was short on time and because then I could use the light topping to save calories. I also couldn't find chocolate wafer cookies anywhere, so I substituted chocolate graham crackers. You will find my version below.


Chocolate Peanut Butter Icebox Cake (my version)

Ingredients:

16 oz container of frozen whipped topping, such as Cool Whip
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
2 sleeves of chocolate graham crackers (2/3 or a 14.4 oz box)

Directions:

Mix frozen whipped topping and peanut butter until smooth.

On serving plate, spread a small amount (about 1/2 cup) peanut butter mixture in the shape of a circle. Place four chocolate graham cracker squares on top of the peanut butter mixture with about an inch of space between each square to form a large square.

Alternate between peanut butter mixture and graham crackers until you only have enough for one more peanut butter layer.

Gently snap the corners off of the remaining graham crackers and place them on top of the icebox cake.

Store in the refrigerator or the freezer until set and ready to serve.