August 2006
Dear Friends,
Many thanks to those of you who e-mailed telling me how much you enjoyed reading my mother-in-law’s recollections of growing up in the early 1900’s (see the July Online Letter). I passed your comments on to her and she was quite delighted. She mentioned that in summer they enjoyed watermelon and homemade ice cream. Although we now have a wide array of treats to choose from, these are still summer favorites. We don’t have an ice cream maker, but I just found a
great way to make homemade ice cream in a plastic bag! So, in a moment, I’ll share that recipe along with a few more easy summer desserts.
I am often asked for cookbook recommendations and here is one that is sure to delight any child. Betty Crocker recently reissued their
1957 classic, “Betty Crocker’s Cook Book for Boys & Girls.” This was my first cookbook when I was a little girl. I was so thrilled to have my very own cookbook; I think I must have memorized it! Seeing it back in print was like finding an old friend, and it was a special delight to buy a copy for our granddaughter’s birthday. I think she was just as tickled to get her first cookbook as I had been. You can buy it at a discount and read my review;
click here. I hope you and your family enjoy the summer and these recipes for easy summer desserts.
Ice Cream in a Bag½ Cup Half and Half
1 T. sugar
¼ t. vanilla extract
Place ingredients in a pint or quart size *freezer* zipper bag and seal well. Then, in a gallon size freezer zipper bag, place 3 - 4 handfuls of ice cubes with 6 T. of rock salt. Put the small, sealed bag with the half and half mixture into the large bag with the ice. Seal well. Shake about 5 minutes. You may want to wear gloves or wrap a towel around the bag as it gets very cold! Remove the small bag, open carefully. Eat & enjoy!
Notes: I found rock salt in a 4 pound box in our supermarket for 79 cents. Don’t use sandwich bags or storage bags; they are too thin and the ice and salt may puncture them. Freezer bags are thicker and work well.
To make a big batch for a group, multiply the three ingredients to the quantity needed, then pour ½ Cup of the mixture into each small bag.
Do NOT use raw eggs when making ice cream unless you use a pasteurized egg product; there are many brands of liquid eggs in the store that are pasteurized. Any egg that is not pasteurized, including organic and free range, can have salmonella or other bacteria that cause food poisoning. It’s not worth the risk!
Here’s an easy, no-bake recipe that I always enjoyed when my mother made it for us back in the 1950’s. It’s perfect for summer, and an ideal dessert for company, too.
Whipped Cream Cake1 pkg. (9 oz) Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers
1 pint (2 Cups) whipping cream
1 T. sugar
1 t. vanilla extract
Whip whipping cream with sugar and vanilla until thick. Create a “log” of chocolate wafers by spreading whipped cream between each one, sandwiching them together as you go. Stack the cookies on their edge, just as they are in the box, to create a log shape on a large plate or platter. Use remaining whipped cream to spread over the entire log. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. Garnish with fresh strawberries or other fruit if desired. Slice on a diagonal.
Notes: These chocolate wafers are thin, round cookies. You will find them usually near the ice cream toppings in the grocery store. These are cookies, so I’m not sure why they are stocked near the ice cream, but that’s where I’ve always found them. You will find the recipe and a picture on the box. The whipping cream softens the cookies into a cake-like texture. That’s why this recipe needs at least 4 hour standing time in the refrigerator.
Microwave S’MoresNo campfire? No problem! You can make S’mores in the microwave in just seconds. But watch them closely as marshmallows melt in just a few seconds in the microwave and will be very hot when done.
Place a graham cracker square on a microwave-safe plate. Top with 1/3 of a plain chocolate bar (1.55 oz size). Top with one large marshmallow or about 10 miniature marshmallows. Microwave on High about 5 seconds, just until the marshmallow begins to puff. Watch closely! Time will vary depending on your oven and how many S’mores you cook at once. Remove from microwave and top with another graham cracker square. Let stand one minute to allow chocolate to melt. Eat carefully; these will be hot!
You will find a recipe for
Frozen Chocolate Bananas on our
Discount Cookbook page. Scroll down to the bottom of last month’s review.
Until next time ~
Copyright, 2006, Laurie Latour.
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