×

Sweet summer fun for kids

Here is the scoop on mixing up over the top ice cream parlor flavors at your home.

When it comes to your ice cream fantasy, what is your wish list? Various flavors, candy bar chunks, caramel, nuts or maybe all the above.

You do not have to visit the ice cream shops where the portions are smaller and prices are higher — you can turn your own home kitchen into an ice cream parlor in ten minutes. It is as easy as using a bowl and spoon to mix the items you like and want into a pint of ice cream or for more originality and less melting, you can use a cold dough scraper to mix all the ingredients together in the ice cream and place in freezer.

Below are a few recipes to get you started. Just remember to be creative, combining all the items you and your children like. It is so easy and a lot of fun. The children can do it by themselves and you will see many ice cream smiles in no time.

Suggestions for serving: You can scoop it into a cake or sugar cone, a waffle cone or waffle bowl, between two cookies, onto waffle or pancake or even into a crepe!

Until next week, whip up a double batch from below.

***

Berry Cashew Ice Cream

2 cups French vanilla ice cream, softened

1/4 cup salted cashews

1/4 cup fresh blueberries

1 tablespoon miniature semisweet chocolate chips

1 tablespoon caramel ice cream topping

1 individual graham cracker tart shell broken into large pieces

In a bowl, combine the ice cream, cashews, berries, chocolate chips and caramel topping until blended. Gently fold in graham cracker pieces. Serve immediately.

***

Mint Chip Deluxe

1 pint mint chocolate chip ice cream, softened

1 prepared brownie, chopped

6 mint Andes candies, chopped

In a bowl, combine the ice cream, brownie and chopped candies. Serve immediately.

***

Toffee Coffee Ice Cream

1 pint coffee ice cream, softened

1/4 cup miniature marshmallows

1/4 cup milk-chocolate covered almonds, halved

1 English toffee candy bar, chopped

In a bowl, combine the ice cream, marshmallows, almonds and chopped candy bar until blended. Serve immediately.

***

Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream

1 pint strawberry ice cream, softened

1/2 cup sliced fresh strawberries

1/4 cup marshmallow creme

2 slices frozen pound cake, cubed

In a bowl, combine the ice cream, strawberries and marshmallow creme until blended. Very gently fold in cake cubes. Serve immediately.

***

Kool-Aid Floats

3 envelopes unsweetened strawberry Kool-Aid

3 cups sugar

6 quarts cold water

1 12-ounce can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

1 liter ginger ale, chilled

1 quart raspberry or orange sherbet

In large pitchers, prepare Kool-Aid with sugar and water according to package directions. Stir in orange juice concentrate. Just before serving, add ginger ale. Serve in chilled tall glasses. Add a scoop of sherbet to each glass.

***

Berry Slush

1 3-ounce package berry blue or raspberry gelatin

2 cups boiling water

2 cups sugar

1 46-ounce can pineapple juice

2 liters ginger ale

4 1/2 cups cold water

1 cup lemon juice

blue or red liquid food coloring

fresh raspberries, blueberries and star fruit

In a large container, dissolve gelatin in boiling water; stir in sugar until dissolved. Add the pineapple juice, ginger ale, water and lemon juice. Add food coloring if desired. Freeze for 8 hours or overnight. Remove from freezer 20 minutes before serving. Stir until mixture is slushy. Serve in a chilled glass. For garnish, thread fruit on wooden skewers if desired. Serve immediately.

***

No-Bake Party Mix

8 cups Crispix

2 1/2 cups miniature pretzels or pretzel sticks

2 1/2 cups miniature cheese crackers

3 tablespoons canola oil

1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix

In a heavy duty resealable 2-gallon plastic bag, combine the cereal, pretzels and crackers. Drizzle with oil. Seal and toss gently to mix. Sprinkle with the dressing mix; seal and toss until well-coated. Store in an airtight container.

***

Kiki Angelos is a longtime columnist for the Parkersburg News and Sentinel.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today